10 GREAT WALKS IN IRELAND’S ANCIENT EAST
1 PILGRIM ROAD, CLONMACNOISE
THE monastic settlement of Clonmacnoise dates from 544 when it was founded by Saint Ciaran and it has been a place of pilgrimage ever since. When Pope John Paul II visited Ireland in 1979, he stopped off at this monastic settlement.
An ancient pilgrim road takes the walker from Clonmacnoise to Ballycumber, in the eastern part of the county, some 24km away. The route runs along the crest of an esker – a geological formation formed at the end of the Ice Age, about 12,000 years ago.
For pilgrims, the esker route was dry underfoot, relatively level and afforded a fine view over the largely flat surrounding countryside – it’s a vista that continues to captivate walkers to this day.
2 COOLEY GREENWAY, LOUTH
THE Cooley Peninsula is a much mythologised part of Ireland’s Ancient East and it’s an area that will be forever associated with the Vikings. It’s long been a magnet for outdoor adventurers and watersports enthusiasts and it’s also home to a 6km Greenway linking the historic settlements of Omeath and Carlingford.
The route follows the path of the old Dundalk, Newry and Greenore Railway and starts at the pretty Carlingford Marina and takes in Griers Quay before concluding at the village of Omeath. It’s an accessible walk that is steeped in the beauty of land and sea.
It’s possible to get a ferry from here to Warrenpoint, Co Down, in the summer months – a perfect way to appreciate the stunning beauty of the peninsula.
3 GLEN OF AHERLOW, TIPPERARY
THIS upland area of South Tipperary is a walker’s paradise offering a variety of low-level loop and mountain walks. There are eight loop walks that traverse Slievenamuck through miles of forest track with spectacular views over the valley and to the Galtee Mountains.
A pair of lake walks taking in Lough Curra and Lake Muskry are especially popular and can take up to four hours for the casual walker. The routes bring you into the Galtee Mountains where you can enjoy clear air, breathtaking views, corrie lakes and open moorland. The area has such a special place in the hearts of outdoor enthusiasts that the Glen of Aherlow Winter Walking Festival is now a really popular event taking place each January.
4 CAVAN BURREN, CAVAN
THIS 124-hectare park nestled on the foothills of the Cuilcagh Mountain near the village of Blacklion has 10km of sign-posted trails to explore. Ranging from accessible tracks to bogbridge trails over limestone bedrock, the routes bring the walker to one of the most ancient places in Ireland.
It’s hard to believe it now, but a tropical sea used to cover the land here – as 350 million-yearold fossils found in the rock attest to. The park is home to a remarkable number of ancient tombs and monuments dating back more than 4,500 years. A visitor centre helps you get the most out of your visit.
Nearby, a Heritage Trail has recently opened at Castle Saunderson – a mansion with an intriguing history and now home to the International Scout Centre.