Cahir Castle
This Galtee Mountain range sit in the South East of Ireland close the towns of Cahir and Cashel.
It is a wonderfuly scenic part of Ireland with a great variety of walks from forest loop trails to more demanding mountain treks.
The Galtees straddle across the borders of Tipperary, Limerick and Cork. The highest point is called Galtymore at 919m.
The town of Cahir, where we will be staying, gets its name from the Irish for stone ring fort and today is one of Ireland’s finest castles standing here on the river Suir.
The castle is in the care of the OPW and is well worth a visit and a guided tour. As with much of this area in the South east of Ireland, the Butler family (Kilkenny Castle) had a great influence, being the first Barons of Cahir and owned Cahir castle. The Quakers also had a major influence later in the 1800s particularly in the milling industries and there is also a beautiful Swiss cottage you can visit just outside the town.
Cahir town, Galtees, Swiss cottage, Lisvarrinane – Dolmen loop – Glen of Aherlow, Walk on Slievenamon (Sliabh na mBan).
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From the Molly Malone statue on Suffolk Street (Dublin) at 09:00am and Dundrum at 09:30am
If you are making your own way down we will meet you in our hotel in Cahir at 12:30
If the tour is cancelled or you can’t do the tour due to the any COVID19 travel restrictions. You will get a full refund or we can postpone to another more suitable date, otherwise policy is as below.
In the morning we will leave Dublin and make our way to Cahir. There will be a stop along the way for coffee and restrooms. When we reach the Cahir House Hotel where we are staying. We can leave our bags here before we begin our walk along the River Suir towards the Swiss Cottage. Our hotel is in the heart of this historical town, and you have a great range of shops, restaurants and pubs within a few steps.
The Swiss Cottage: We start this short walk from the Hotel and towards Cahir Castle. Then its into the local park and fairy forest walk along side the Suir River. We can take our time on this walk to really enjoy this tail.
Grade: easy Length approx. 10km, Duration: 2-3hrs, Terrain: Flat river-side trail.
Afterwards we will return to Cahir to enjoy dinner together and check out the nightlife in this lively town and perhaps enjoy some music in one of its traditional pubs. There may also be some time to visit Cahir Castle.
This morning after breakfast we travel towards the small town of Lisvarrinane in the Glen of Aherlow, Galtees.
Our walk here starts at Moroney’s Pub in Lisvarrainane. The trail follows some national marked routes through some woodland and the Ballyhoura way towards the old road to Galbally onto Monour Mountain. From here we ascend to the summit of Slievenamuck with it’s megalithic tomb “Shrough Dolmen”. From the summit you will have superb views of the Golden Vale, Glen of Aherlow and the Ballyhoura range. We make our descent along another route taking the Ballyhoura way again back towards the village.
Grade: moderate Length 11km, Duration: 2.5 – 3hrs, Ascent: 320m, Terrain: Forest trails and open mountain tracks.
Afterwards we can travel somewhere to enjoy a coffee before we make our way back to Cahir.
Slievenamon Mountain, Tipperary.
This morning after breakfast we pack up and book out of the Hotel. Then we travel towards the small town of Kilsheelan in Tipperary.
Slievenamon 774m, sits out on its own and is a fairly easy short walk but is an ascent from the bottom to its summit. It is a a linear walk and you come back down the same route.
Grade: moderate Length 6km, Duration: 2 – 2.5hrs, Ascent: 474m, Terrain: Mountain trail.
Local Folklore and where the Mountain gets it’s name: According to the legend, the hero Fionn mac Cumhaill (pronounced, cool) was sought after by many young women, (I know the feeling). Fionn stood on top of the mountain and declared that whichever woman won a footrace to the top would be his wife. Since Fionn and Gráinne were in love, he had shown her a short-cut and she duly won the race. There is also a cairn or burial tomb on the top, which was believed by Celts to be a portal to the “underworld”.
Afterwards we can travel somewhere to enjoy a coffee together before making our way back to Dublin.
Single room supplement: €95
Deposit: €75 required at the time of booking.
Pickup: Molly Malone statue on Suffolk Street at 09:00am and Balally Dundrum at 09:30am.
