|
 |
||
|
|
You are in WALKING: see GAA - FISHING - HORSERACING - GREYHOUNDS
Walking in Tipperary
Tipperary boasts an eclectic range of walks to suit everyone from families to the adventurous hiker. Be it a quiet stroll around on a forest trail to 3 day hike Tipperary has something that will suit your tastes. Coillte the Irish Forestry Board oversee these walking areas and provide an abundance of information on other walks in Ireland.
Bansha Wood Lying 6.5 km from Tipperary Town on the main N74 road to Cahir, Bansha Wood provides walks on forest roads and paths. Originally part of Moor Estate, Moor's Rock is situated 1 km from the car park offers panoramic views of counties Tipperary, Cork, and Limerick. Coniferous trees such as Douglas Fir, Scots Pine, and Sitka Spruce are abundant. Deciduous broadleaves such as oak, beech, holly and rowan have been replanted. Rhododendrons with their beautiful red flowers bloom in late May and June. Red squirrels and the odd Fallow deer may be seen in this area.. A car park and picnic site, viewing points and marked forest walks are all here to with many walks available in varying lengths from 2.5km to 3.5km. Bishop's Wood Dundrum Located on the Tipperary-Thurles road Bishop's Wood lies about 1 km on the Thurles side of Dundrum village. Once a designated church property it has retained the name Bishop's Wood. A gamekeeper's lodge the last remains of the occupancy of the Earl of Montalt stands in the woods. The forest is coniferous composed mainly of Sitka and Norwegian spruce. Some groups of the original broadleaves, especially oak, have been retained with scattered ash and Western red deer. Home to a variety of bird and animal life including fox, fallow deer and red squirrel those brave enough to chance the walk by night might hear the call of the whiskered bat, pipistrelle bat or long eared bats. There are extensive forest road walks at Tourmakeady Dundrum Glen of Aherlow - The Coach Road Walk Aherlow derived from the Irish, 'eathralach' meaning between two highlands lies between Slievenamuck where the car park is situated with excellent views of the Galtee Mountains. Classic Walk The Classic Walk is 7.4km in length with a climb of 250 metres. Taking about 2 hours one can go from the car park at the top of Slievenamuck Hill. Walking northeastwards along a track that was the old Bianconi Coach Road for 350 metres downhill to Stafford O'Brien's (Bianconi's) Well, returning to the car park by the same route. From the car park walk eastwards along a track for 2.25 kms until you reach the Forest Road. About 950 metres along the track and 60 metres to the left off the track is a rock cliff on your called Carrigeenina offering panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. Another 550 metres and 40 metres to the left is another rock cliff called Leac-a-Thorabh. The Forest Road referred to above is 750 metres from here. Continue straight on (eastwards) along the forest road for 200 metres until you reach another junction of forest roads. At the junction, turn right, heading southwestwards and continue along this road for 1.9 kms until you reach a tar road at Christ the King Statue in the Lower Car Park. Follow the tar road downhill for 1.1 kms until you reach the end of the forest on your right. Here a track leads into a farmhouse on your right. Follow this track for about 30 metres to its bend and from the bend head northeastwards inside in the gully in the forest for 750 metres until you reach the tar road. This 750-metre walk is along the old Coach Road and along the way you cross over a forest road and then over and interesting stone bridge. Cross over to the other side of the tar road and follow the Coach Road again through the forest. This takes you back to the Upper Car Park where you started. Family Walk The family walk is 3.3 kms and climbs 130 metres. Walking time takes 75 minutes From the Upper Car Park walk southwards downhill along the tar road for 1.1 kms until you reach the Christ the King statue near the Lower Car Park. You then follow the route from here back to the Upper Car Park via the Old Coach Road as described above in the Classic Walk. Glengarra Wood Glengarra Wood situated on the Southern foothills of the Galtee Mountains, on the Cahir/Mitchelstown road and is cut by the Burncourt River from north to south. The river area contains many species of native trees, interspersed with open areas of flowering woodland plants. Glengarra was part of an area granted by Charles 1 to Sir Richard Everard in 1640. In the Cromwellian wars that followed Sir Richard espoused the royalist cause, which resulted in the confiscation of the property and its transfer to the Lismore family who held the lands until 1940. The remains of Shanbally castle can be found beside the road between Burncourt and Clogheen. The are 776 hectares of forest the bulk of which is conifer with about 5% mixed and 3% pure broadleaved. The main coniferous species are Sitka spruce, Lodgepole pine, Norwegian spruce and Scots pine. Larches, silver firs and Douglas Fir are minor constituent species. The principal broadleaved species are oak and beech. Providing a variety of wildlife habitats the wood is home to pheasant, jay, kestrel, sparrow hawk, nesting ravens, heron, dipper, grey wagtail and a host of songbirds. Fallow deer, badger, fox, hare, stoat and red squirrel make their home in Glengarra. Sightings of wild mink, otter and pine marten are not uncommon. The numerous ponds and wet areas are home to frogs, newts and other amphibians. Glengarra has a car park, picnic site, forest and riverside walks, rare trees and shrub species with the walking trail of 5kms. Killaboy Wood Situated 2.5 km south east of Clogheen on R668 to Lismore Killaboy Wood boasts a car park and picnic site with seats on the riverside. The walking trail is 3 km along the East Munster Way and links up with The Tipperary Heritage Trail and the Blackwater Way at the Vee. Killaboy Wood is situated in the heart of one of Ireland's beauty spots at the start of the Vee Road which winds and turns for miles through heather and peat. The views from the Vee is magnificent with the Galtee mountains in the distance and the countryside stretching out for miles. Bay Lough is a very beautiful lake further up past the Vee on the right hand side. The area is planted mainly with Scots pine with some Douglas fir and Sitka spruce near the car park. Other species include Corsican pine, lodgepole pine, oak, beech, rowan, larch and Spanish chestnut. Bilberry, rhododendron, laurel, furze and heather are also present. Fauna such as deer, fox, badger, stoat, mink, squirrel, rabbit and hare make this area their home. The public road leading from Clogheen Village by the car park was built during the famine. There is a cyclopean tombstone on the road just above Vee, which marks the grave of Samuel Richard Grubb, High Sheriff of County Tipperary. Marl Bog Located on the Tipperary to Thurles road Marl Bog is 1 km on Tipperary side of Dundrum Village. This is a mixed woodland incorporating man-made lake. The lake itself built by a landlord, named Maude, feeds a pond, the water from which drove the mill wheels on his estate. The area is composed mainly of coniferous trees, including Sitka spruce, Norwegian spruce and Douglas fir. There are some broadleaves such as oak, beech, horse chestnut, ash, alder, sycamore and birch. Marl Bog is a wildlife and wildfowl reserve with an abundance of fallow deer, fox, badger, red squirrel, Irish stoat, otter and mink. The area boasts a diversity of bird life. Parking facilities are on site and forest and lakeside trails are in place. Marl Pond is about 7 hectares in size and contains fresh water with numerous small islands. The lake is stocked with brown trout managed by the Dundrum Fisheries Group. The East Munster Way The East Munster Way is a 70km walk over hills, rivers and valleys that takes 2-3 days. It stretches from Carrick-on-Suir to Clogheen, both in Co.Tipperary. The first part of the Way is from Carrick-on-Suir to Clonmel along an old tow path of the River Suir. Walking through Kilsheelan Wood and providing numerous scenic views in close proximity to the Nire Valley. Between Clonmel and Clogheen the Way takes to the hills and treads a route through the picturesque village of Newcastle along the forested flanks of the Comeragh and Knockmealdown Mountains. The East Munster Way links with the Wicklow, South Leinster and Blackwater Ways. Together forming part of a 500km route from Dublin to Killarney. The longest stage is from Newcastle to Clogheen, which is 22km and takes in the towns and villages of Carrick-on-Suir, Kilsheelan, Clonmel, Newcastle and Clogheen. Gortavoher Gortavoher lies 5 km south of Tipperary town on the R664 road to the Glen of Aherlow, beside the statue of Christ the King. Facilities include a car park and picnic site. A number of viewing points are present on a pedestrian track to the east of the car park, notably an area of overhanging rock giving a panoramic view of Tipperary Town and the Golden Vale. There are walks of about 5 km along forest roads. The main tree species are young coniferous forests with woodrush and ferns. Red squirrel, fallow deer, wild goats, woodcock and a host of smaller birds and animals make Gortavoher their habitat. Castlelough Castlelough is situated 5 km west of Nenagh off R494 through Portroe village. Its facilities include a car park, picnic tables, water skiing, fishing and cruises on the River Shannon. The trails are a 2km and 3 km lakeshore walks through an old broadleaf belt surrounding conifer and broadleaf plantation adjoining Lough Derg on the River Shannon. This area has a mixture of conifers and broadleaves such as beech, ash, oak, alder, birch, cherry, Norway spruce, Scots pine and Douglas fir. Fox, deer, hare, badger, squirrel, swan, duck, heron and partridge make Castlelough their home. The lands originally formed part of Parker-Hutchinson Estate, acquired in the late 1950s.
|
