Aghrane Loop
Walking Trail · Galway
Aghrane Loop is a 5.6 km easy waymarked loop in Galway, starting near Ballygar.
Grade
| Activity | Grade | Difficulty | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walking | Easy | Easy | 2 hours |
Getting there
Starts at Ballygar Village, near Ballygar.
- Trailhead coordinates
- 53.5232, -8.3333
- Irish Grid reference
- M 787 529
- Ordnance Survey sheets
- Discovery Series Sheet 40
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.
Public transport
Bus Eireann bus and local bus service
About the trail
This trail follows forest road and forest track through mixed commercial forest and beautiful parkland trees planted by the old estate with a wide diversity of species throughout the forest. You pass the old estate Grand Bridge close to the open parkland and Castlekelly ruin. Part of this trail also passes close to the raised bog habitat of Aughrim Bog Natural Heritage Area which is rare in the EU.
- Waymarking
- Blue
- Dogs
- Yes
Who manages it
Coillte West
Coillte West
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.
- Aghrane Castlekelly Loop 0 m away · 4.1 km trail
- Suck Valley Way - Slí Gleannta na Suca 704 m away · 123.9 km trail
- Mote Park - Bluebell Loop 15 km away · 1.5 km trail
- Mote Park - Crofton Trail 15 km away · 2.1 km trail
- Mote Park - Heritage Trail 15 km away · 12.5 km trail
- Brideswell Nature Loop 18 km away · 13.4 km trail
Common questions
How long is the Aghrane Loop?
5.6 km, recorded as a loop on Sport Ireland's National Trails Register. Sport Ireland estimates 2 hours.
How hard is the Aghrane Loop?
Sport Ireland grades it Easy. Grades are set against national criteria, so they are comparable with other registered trails.
Where does the Aghrane Loop start?
Starts at Ballygar Village, near Ballygar. The trailhead is at 53.5232, -8.3333 (Irish Grid M 787 529).
Can you bring a dog on the Aghrane Loop?
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.
Can you get to the Aghrane Loop without a car?
Bus Eireann bus and local bus service.
Who manages the Aghrane Loop?
Coillte West. They are the authority on current conditions and closures, not this page.
More in Galway
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.