12 O'Clock Hills Looped Walks - Blue Route
Walking Trail · Clare
12 O'Clock Hills Looped Walks - Blue Route is a 7.7 km strenuous waymarked loop in Clare, starting near Kilkishen.
Grade
| Activity | Grade | Difficulty | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walking | Strenuous | Challenging | 2 hours 30 minutes |
Getting there
Starts at Belvoir trailhead car park, near Kilkishen.
- Trailhead coordinates
- 52.77991, -8.71895
- Irish Grid reference
- R 51541 70088
- Ordnance Survey sheets
- Discovery Series Sheet 58
The National Trails Register's own latitude and longitude fields are empty for all 1,186 trails on it. This trailhead comes from Sport Ireland's separate Trailheads dataset, matched to this trail on its register ID.
About the trail
This trail follows forest track, hard-cored pathway and boardwalk with some muddy spots on forest sections, climbing steadily to the 12 O'Clock Hills peaks and then descending, passing sites of historic and cultural interest such as abandoned dwellings, old wells and mass rocks and along a section of Crag River with its stone bridge and waterfalls after heavy rain, taking in very scenic countryside with shaded stream-side paths, forest trails and open bog offering impressive views from higher up.
Before you go
For Further information on the 12 O'Clock Hills Blue Route, visit, www.12oclockhills.com/
- Waymarking
- Blue arrow on white background
- Dogs
- Yes
Who manages it
12 O’Clock Hills Recreational & Heritage Committee
Call Us 087 969 1415
Conditions and closures change. The operator is the authority on both, not this page.
Elsewhere
Trails nearby
Measured trailhead to trailhead, in a straight line.
- 12 O'Clock Hills Looped Walks - Purple Route 0 m away · 11.7 km trail
- 12 O'Clock Hills Looped Walks - Red Route 0 m away · 4 km trail
- Kilkishen Bog Walk 3.0 km away · 0.8 km trail
- Cloondorney Loop 10.0 km away · 7.2 km trail
- Mid Clare Way - Slí na Mearacaun 12 km away · 143.9 km trail
- Lough Derg Way 14 km away · 68.9 km trail
Common questions
How long is the 12 O'Clock Hills Looped Walks - Blue Route?
7.7 km, recorded as a loop on Sport Ireland's National Trails Register. It climbs 304 m in total. Sport Ireland estimates 2 hours 30 minutes.
How hard is the 12 O'Clock Hills Looped Walks - Blue Route?
Sport Ireland grades it Strenuous, with an overall difficulty of Challenging. Grades are set against national criteria, so they are comparable with other registered trails.
Where does the 12 O'Clock Hills Looped Walks - Blue Route start?
Starts at Belvoir trailhead car park, near Kilkishen. The trailhead is at 52.77991, -8.71895 (Irish Grid R 51541 70088).
Can you bring a dog on the 12 O'Clock Hills Looped Walks - Blue Route?
Yes. The register records dogs as allowed. Much of the Irish trail network crosses working farmland, so keep a dog under close control near livestock.
Who manages the 12 O'Clock Hills Looped Walks - Blue Route?
12 O’Clock Hills Recreational & Heritage Committee. They are the authority on current conditions and closures, not this page.
More in Clare
Trail data from the Sport Ireland National Trails Register, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Trailhead coordinates from the companion Trailheads dataset. Snapshot taken 2026-08-13.