Walking in County Limerick

Walking in Walking Code County Limerick Walking in Gone on the loop walk. EGGS Visitor Information �� Should be backJoe County Limerick by 8.30pm ��

MILK �� We encourage all outdoor enthusiasts �� Be sure to let others �� know where you go to Leave No Trace by doing their part to �� and what time you �� expect to return. maintain lands used by the public for the �� beneﬁt of fragile ecosystems and for future generations. �� 1 Plan Ahead and Prepare �� 2 Be Considerate of Others �� 3 Respect Wildlife and Farm Animals �� 4 Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces �� 5 Leave What You Find 6 Dispose of Waste Properly

7 Minimise the Effects of Fire For further information, please contact the relevant groups below Wear appropriate clothing Ballyhoura Country Great Southern Trail Remember: the ground may be rough underfoot BC Holidays, Main Street, Mike MacDomhnaill —Be careful! Kilfinane, Co. Limerick. Tel. 00–353–69–62597 Tel: 00–353–63–90418 Email: [email protected] Mobile: 00–353–87–2873916 Web: www.southerntrail.net This brochure has been developed by Fax: 00–353–63–90410 Ballyhoura Development, Limerick County Council, Email: [email protected] Tipperary LEADER Group and West Limerick Resources www.ballyhouracountry.com The Mullaghareirk www.ballyhourabears.com Mountain Trails Mr. Tom O’Brien, The Glen of Aherlow Broadford Post Office. Glen of Aherlow Failte Society Ltd., Tel: 00–353–63–84001. Tourist Information Point,

Coach Road, Aherlow, www.Design: Co. Tipperary. The Slieve Felim Way Leave all gates as you ﬁnd them and Tel: 00–353–62–56331. Eamon O’Toole

do not interfere with or damage any Mobile: 00–353–86–8314443. Phone: 00–353–62–79132 OpticNerve gates, fences, walls or hedges E-Mail: [email protected] Mobile: 00–353–86–3868693 www.aherlow.com E-mail: [email protected] .ie An introduction to a great range of walks in County Limerick and This project has been funded by the Irish Government and part-ﬁnanced by the European Union under the National Development Plan 2000-2006 its hinterland

Walking in the Countryside Amuigh faoin Aer

Sample of Loop Walks in the Region A walking holiday is an ideal way to discover Walk Start Point Length Level West Limerick Walks the atmosphere and history of Ireland. Be sure you bring a compass Killagholehane Loop Broadford 5km Easy Gleann a’Chapall Loop Broadford 9km Easy These areas offer a sense of solitude and remoteness on your walks The Limerick countryside offers the Killagh Loop Broadford 8km Easy and are great destinations for the casual or dedicated walker. perfect destination for walking. Gortnaclohy Loop Ashford 5.5km Moderate At your routes end you are always bound to meet a friendly High quality walking routes Lough Ghe Loop Ashford 12km Easy face and are never too far removed from a place to eat and Templeglantine Walk Templeglantine 8km Easy allow you to explore unique and drink. Each area has its own distinctive walks which are Barnagh Tunnel Walk Barnagh 2km Moderate varied natural attractions such enjoyed by locals and visitors alike. You will see pine cones Ballyhoura Mountain Walks as Curraghchase Forest Park, the in your forest walks, Slievenamuck Greenwood Carpark 12km Hard seeds for the pine trees In this guide we have identified a number of walking Magniers Mountain Loop Map Board Kilfinane 9km Moderate Shannon Estuary, the ancient volcanic and food for birds and routes which illustrate different aspects of the landscape, Sliabh Riadh Climb Glenbrohane Church Map Board 11km Hard hills around Herbertstown, Lough Gur other wildlife heritage, geology and natural history in each area. Walks Ballyorgan River Walk Map Board Ballyorgan 12km Moderate River Walk Kildorrery Map Board Kildorrery 11km Moderate and extensive tracts of blanket bog. The range from easy to moderate and vary in length. For the Bog Walk Ballylanders Car Park Bog Road Ballylanders 2km Easy Mullaghareirk, Ballyhoura, Galty, Silvermines more adventurous, there are a variety of longer and more River Walk Galbally Moore Abbey Galbally 12km Moderate strenuous hikes that reward you with fantastic views. and Slieve Felim Mountain ranges tower above Glen of Aherlow Walks the flat limestone plains and offer Slievenamuck Car Park Summit R664 7km Moderate Choose your own pace and enjoy the quiet spectacular views over the Atlantic and Lough Curra Glen Cush car park 9km Hard perspective of the walking trails whilst Lake Muskry Rossadrehid Village 16km Hard across the lush landscape of experiencing the spectacular Darby’s Bed Galbally Galbally Village 4km Moderate the Golden Vale. wonders of nature in Ireland’s Slieve Felim You should Mid-West. Bain taitneamh as! Keeper Hill Summit (694m) Ballyhourigan Woods 20km Very Hard always bring a bottle of water with Glenstal Loop Glenstal Woods 16km Moderate There is varied wealth of wildlife you on any walk. Step Loop Step Summit / Mapboard 12km Hard to look out for and enjoy on all the walks Ov ervi ew of t h e Walks Ag siúl f ao in dT uait h

See the respective brochures for each area for further details. Curr aghchase F or est Park Town Parks ,Trails & Heritage Walks The Slieve Felim Way Walking Trail Curr aghc hase F o r est P ark whi c h is open all y ear r oun d, has 242 Discovering the many Ballyhoura Area The Slieve Felim way is a recognised walking trail through the h ectar es of f o r est p ark an d a n umber of f o r est w alks an d lak e w alks attractive towns and villages of Kilmallock, Bruff, Slieve Felim mountains in Counties Limerick and Tipperary. r anging fr o m 1km t o 3-4kms. the region is an important part Croom, Bruree, Kilfinane, It covers a distance of some 36 km. It starts from the village of any visit to County Limerick. Mitchelstown and Charleville. of Murroe in County Limerick and ends in the The region has some of the Silvermines in County Tipperary. One can reverse most scenic and historic towns West Limerick Area The Great Southern Trail this order as the walk is fully signposted. in Ireland, many of which have Curraghchase Forest Park The Great Southern Trail is a unique 53 mile stretch of town trails with accompanying Askeaton Town Park Apart from a 6 km stretch at Murroe, and some countryside in West Limerick/North Kerry. It follows the route information The Demesne – Newcastle short stretches near Rearcross and Toor, the walk West taken by the Limerick-Tralee railway line. Sections of this leaflets. For further is entirely off road, making it a very attractive and Abbeyfeale Town Park old railway line have been redeveloped as public walks for the information on safe hike. Nature Trails of Aughinish enjoyment of both locals and visitors. The following three walks town trails contact local tourist Knockfierna Hill, Ballingarry Divided into three sections, one walk starts near are the highlights of the West Limerick stretch: offices or view Kilmeedy Walk Rearcross, the second from Rearcross to the village of Toor 1. Newcastle West – Ardagh Walk interpretative panels Adare River Walk and the last stage brings the walker from Toor around the Newcastle West the county town of Limerick in town centres. Slieve Felim Area foot of the Keeper Hill and down into the Silvermines. is the start/finish point for one of the Great Tipperary, Nenagh, The Slieve Felim Way is a demanding walk for the amateur who Southern Trail Walks. It is an easy walk Holycross undertakes to tackle it from beginning to end but the scenery over flat terrain and the round trip of 8km on parts of it is breath-taking and well worth the effort. You are takes 11/ hr to 2hrs. Along the way there 2 advised to check locally before embarking on any of these walks. is a pleasant tree lined section for 1km at Farran and there are fine views towards Also in the area are the Clare Glens, 3kms from �� Knockfierna on the right and Barna on the Murroe and offering approximately 3kms of �� left. Ardagh Station Bridge built in 1867 woodland walks along the Clare river, and the �� is the exit/entry point for the village which gave us the famous � Silvermines Mountains. �� Ardagh Chalice. Access in Newcastle West is through �� Bishop Court onto Station Road. � � �� 2. Barnagh �� Tunnel �� Walk �� The old �� railway � �� tunnel �� at �� Barnagh �� is the location for a short walk of � �� 2km (round trip) which takes 1/ hr �� 2 �� 3 �� Walk Ballyhoura Country, – /4hr to complete. The railway � �� tunnel is over 120 years old �� A Walkers Paradise �� and together with its approach �� Traversing a landscape rich in geology, � and embankment, provides a �� archaeology and wildlife, Ballyhoura Country is �� representative collection of 19th �� a walker’s paradise offering spectacular walking �� century railway architecture. The area �� in the ancient and unspoilt landscapes of North is a very significant habitat for bats and Cork and East Limerick. �� other important species. The walk provides �� panoramic views of the Golden Vale and �� Ballyhoura Country’s 20 loop walks incorporate all the best elements of the area such as contains a wide selection of flora and fauna. �� Access on N21 Lay-by, 7km from Newcastle West. woodlands, glens and rivers, nature reserves, �� lakes and forest parks all offering spectacular 3. Templeglantine Walk � �� views across the Ballyhoura and Galtee Access to the Templeglantine Walk is along a minor road directly mountain ranges. All loop walks are fully way opposite the local church. The walk is an 8km round trip and �� marked and have illustrated interpretative should take from 1-2hrs. This peaceful walk will take you panels and specific map guides providing through Tullig Wood with its mixed woodland and mature native historical, heritage, flora and fauna trees and is a delight in any season. The Glen of Aherlow Walks information. For people looking for longer routes, hike The Glen of Aherlow, in County Tipperary stretches from the N24 The Mullaghareirk Mountain Trails along the Ballyhoura Way, a 90km National south of Tipperary Town through miles of unspoiled countryside Way Marked Way through counties Limerick, The Mullaghareirk Mountain range is situated in West Limerick affording some of the most breathtaking scenery imaginable. Tipperary and Cork. The trail wanders down with the pretty villages of Broadford and Ashford The Glen offers a range of opportunities for walking either on quiet country roads, across rolling hills, nestling at the foot of the mountains. This lowland forest walks or the more adventurous will be tempted through towns and small villages, along river majestic landscape of rolling hills and open by the Galtees range which offers more rugged hill walking past banks and over the lush pasture lands of the farmland is ideal walking terrain. wooded foothills, mountain streams, corrie lakes and splendid Golden Vale. sandstone peaks. There are eight loop walks in all. Each route has been carefully selected to include at least one of Avail of a series of mapped routes on forest Ballyhoura Country Holidays Why not let Ballyhoura Country Holidays the mountain peaks, with the best scenery and tracks or hikes to Lake Muskry and Curra, organize your walking holiday! Enjoy active days and relaxed interesting pathways. The walks will introduce ranging from one to four hours with varying nights - the perfect combination to experience the distinctive the visitor to the many natural springs, bird gradient or why not come to our annual beauty, history and adventure of Ballyhoura Country. Let us show life, wildlife , bogs and historical sites to be walking festival is held on the first weekend in you the twists and turns, the valleys and ridges, and all the natural enjoyed. April each year. beauty, local knowledge and folklore of Ballyhoura Country. The length of the walks range from 5km to 24km and cover a Walks take place each Sunday with the Galtee Ballyhoura Country Holidays offers a tailor made range of variety of terrain from open farmland and forest paths to quiet Walking Club. Visitors are welcome to join. guided and self guided walking holidays, short activity breaks country roads. All of the routes are signposted with route maps The schedule is available quarterly. Wednesday and weekends in Ballyhoura Country. Choose from over 2,000 available for each of the walks providing full directions and evening walks also take place during the km of walks, both long distance and short loops. Walk with an information on points of interest. summer months. experienced guide, arrange themed holidays, have your luggage All of the walks either start or finish in the lovely villages of An excellent range of accommodation is available: Hotels; transferred or choose a walking holiday with a single base. Broadford and Ashford where the visitor is assured of a warm Farmhouse B&B; Manor and Country Houses; Self Catering; Ballyhoura Country Holidays will help you get more out of your welcome from the local people. Camping and Caravan sites. Ireland walking holiday.

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