A-B. Starting from trailhead, cross the road and follow the red (and blue) arrows uphill for only 50m to reach a green laneway. The blue arrows are for the shorter Molanna 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 (called Bóithrín Rua) on your right - turn right here. Follow the roadway uphill past a Holy Well and after 500m reach a junction with a forestry roadway. At this point the Molanna Loop (blue arrows) turns right - but you veer left and uphill following the red (and green and purple) arrows.
C-D. The loop now meanders through a section of broadleaf woodland and ascends to exit onto a forestry roadway. Turn right and follow the forestry roadway for 600m more to reach a right bend where it turns left into forestry and ascends to reach the pile of stones that is Castle Gale. Enjoy the views before continuing over the top and descending a short distance to reach a forestry road. Turn right and walk for almost 500m to a point where the Castle Gle Loop (green arrows) turns right and enters forestry. You continue straight on here.
D-E. Cross some fields before joining a forestry road which ascends along the left of forestry for more than 1km. At the end turn right and ascend steeply to the highest point of the loop close to the summit of Carrigeenamronely. After a quick descent the loop turns sharp right, but almost immediately turns sharp left and follows the edge of forestry to exit on a forestry road where the Daragh Hills Loop (purple arrows) turns right - but you turn left and rejoin the Molanna Loop.
E-A. Follow the red (and blue) arrows as the loop descends to 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:
- Strenuous
- Format:
- Loop
- Length:
- 12.50km
- Ascent:
- 300m
- Dogs allowed:
- No