Ballymacarbry lies at the entrance to the Nire Valley in the Comeragh Mountains. For choosing a place to stay, the village offers a specific accommodation option alongside a range of outdoor activities: nearby walking trails lead to lakes and a natural mountain pass; brown trout can be fished for in the River Nire at Ballymacarbry. Ballymacarbry Community Centre has a hostel for 25 guests.
Accommodation and getting your bearings in the village
In addition to the hostel, the Community Centre has a commercial kitchen, meeting rooms, a sports hall, a gym, a covered Astro-Turf sports pitch and a theatre. So if you are looking for accommodation in the village, you will find a hostel here with several additional facilities at the same location. Facility details may change; check them again before your trip.
The hostel is also a named reference point for finding your way on the walking trails: the Munster Way passes about 1.5 miles from it.
Walking trails between lakes and a mountain pass
The Sgilloges Walk takes you through the nearby area over sandy tracks, roads, paths and mountain terrain to the Sgilloge Loughs. These two lakes lie on the lower slopes of the Comeragh Mountains and are among the six lakes in the Nire Valley. The wider Comeragh Mountains area has more than thirteen corrie lakes. This puts the specific route to the Sgilloge Loughs into the context of the wider landscape.
The Gap Walk leads to a different destination: the mountain trail takes you to a natural pass through the Comeragh Mountains that has been used for centuries. While the Sgilloges Walk ends at the lakes, this route focuses on the pass and its long history of use. The Nire Valley offers walking terrain for different experience levels, from experienced hillwalkers to complete beginners.
For a route with a stated distance and difficulty, consider the challenging Coumduala Loop. The 7.4-kilometre circular route begins at the Nire Valley car park near Ballymacarbry and heads towards The Gap and Knockanaffrin. The description “challenging” applies to this circular route; the routes described differ in their destinations, terrain and length. There are many more walking opportunities in the Comeragh Mountains.
Cycling, fishing and guided walks
The signposted Sean Kelly Circuit is 160 kilometres long and can be started and finished at Ballymacarbry Hostel. This gives you a much longer cycling route to choose from alongside the shorter walking routes described above. The route length makes the difference between the two types of excursion immediately clear, without specifying a particular journey time.
Brown trout can be fished for in the River Nire at Ballymacarbry. Clonanav Fly-Fishing & Angling Tackle Shop stocks fishing brands and offers expert advice. Michael Desmond offers guided walks in the surrounding hills; Nire Valley Fáilte, the local tourism association, also publishes a series of walks. These are different options depending on whether you are interested in a guided tour or published routes.
Getting there and eating in the Nire Valley
The route described for driving to the Nire Valley car park goes from Ballymacarbry towards Knockaun. After about four kilometres, you will reach a bridge; then continue for about another four kilometres, past Nire Church and Hanora’s Cottage, to the car park. Both distances are approximate. As road conditions can change, check the route before setting out.
Hanora’s Cottage is in the heart of the Nire Valley, near Ballymacarbry. The restaurant supports local produce. If you would like to eat there, confirm before your trip that the restaurant is currently open. This lets you plan meals separately from accommodation or a walk, rather than assuming that a meal stop will be available.
Discover more destinations: Dungarvan, Cappoquin, Tramore, Harrylock, Waterford, Ringville, Dunmore East, Lismore.
Return to the main travel overview: Waterford.
