A-B. Starting from trailhead, cross the road and follow the blue (and red) arrows uphill for only 50m to reach a green laneway. The red arrows are for the longer Ballyorgan Loop. Follow the laneway for 500m and cross a field to join a surfaced roadway beside Kilflynn Church - turn left here. Follow the roadway to a T-junction where you turn right and walk for 200m to reach Ballydonohoe Bridge. Turn left here and join the bank of the Keale River. Follow the blue and red arrows along the riverbank for nearly 2km to a point from where the loop ‘proper’ begins. You will be returning to this point from the right later - for now stay on the riverbank.
B-C. Shortly afterwards the loop crosses to the left bank of the Keale River and follows it for another 2km to reach Daragh Bridge. From here the loops overlap briefly with two other loops - the Castle Gale Loop (green arrows) and Darragh Hills Loop (purple arrows). Follow all four arrows along a surfaced road to reach a T-junction. Turn left here and travel 100m to reach a junction with an old roadway on your right - turn right here. Follow the laneway uphill past a Holy Well and after 500m reach a junction with a forestry roadway. At this point the three other loops veer left and uphill - but you turn right onto a forestry roadway.
C-A. Follow the blue arrow along forestry roadways for almost 2km to a point where the Ballyorgan Loop rejoins from the left and shortly afterwards you join a surfaced roadway and turn left. After only 200m watch for a waymarker which directs you right and onto a farm laneway which takes you downhill to regain the Keale River at the junction mentioned at B above. This time turn left.
Trail details
- Type:
- Walking Trail
- Location:
- Ballyhoura Ballyorgan Loops
- Grade:
- Moderate
- Format:
- Loop
- Length:
- 9.50km
- Ascent:
- 220m
- Dogs allowed:
- No