Ballyhoura - Castlepook Loop
Mountain Biking Trail · Limerick
Ballyhoura - Castlepook Loop is a 48.5 km severe waymarked loop in Limerick, starting near Ardpatrick.
Grade
| Activity | Grade | Difficulty | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cycling | Severe | Very Challenging | 6 hours |
Getting there
Starts at Glenosheen Car Park, near Ardpatrick.
- Trailhead coordinates
- 52.31941, -8.50647
- Irish Grid reference
- R 656 185
- Ordnance Survey sheets
- Discovery Series Sheet 73
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: https://www.locallinklc.ie/2019/11/23/ballyorgan-ardpatrick-kilmallock-charleville-doneraile
Before you arrive
Car parking fee on entry 5 euro - coins only Opening hours: 8.00 - 22.00 sharp (January to December)
About the trail
This is the longest and most demanding of the Ballyhoura Trails with tight twisty singletrack, the biggest, longest climbs and steepest, longest sweeping fast descents. The singletrack is both technical and narrow with loads of ups and downs, tight turns and technical rocky bits as well as small rock steps and elevated timber boardwalk sections. Surface is very variable and includes loose gravel, rocks, mud, roots and water. It accesses some very high ground which is exposed to bad weather and can be very windy.
- Waymarking
- Red
- Dogs
- No
Who manages it
Ballyhoura Heritage & Environment CLG
Ballyhoura Heritage & Environment CLG
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.
- Ballyhoura - Garanne Loop 0 m away · 33.9 km trail
- Ballyhoura - Greenwood Loop 0 m away · 5.9 km trail
- Ballyhoura - Mountrussel Loop 0 m away · 16.8 km trail
- Ballyhoura - Streamhill Loop 0 m away · 39.4 km trail
- Ballyhoura - Nature Trail 55 m away · 2.4 km trail
- Ballyhoura - Blackrock Loop 374 m away · 10 km trail
Common questions
How long is the Ballyhoura - Castlepook Loop?
48.5 km, recorded as a loop on Sport Ireland's National Trails Register. It climbs 1,100 m in total. Sport Ireland estimates 6 hours.
How hard is the Ballyhoura - Castlepook Loop?
Sport Ireland grades it Severe, with an overall difficulty of Very Challenging. Grades are set against national criteria, so they are comparable with other registered trails.
Where does the Ballyhoura - Castlepook Loop start?
Starts at Glenosheen Car Park, near Ardpatrick. The trailhead is at 52.31941, -8.50647 (Irish Grid R 656 185).
Can you bring a dog on the Ballyhoura - Castlepook Loop?
No. The register records dogs as not allowed on this trail.
Can you get to the Ballyhoura - Castlepook Loop without a car?
Bus: https://www.locallinklc.ie/2019/11/23/ballyorgan-ardpatrick-kilmallock-charleville-doneraile.
Who manages the Ballyhoura - Castlepook Loop?
Ballyhoura Heritage & Environment CLG. They are the authority on current conditions and closures, not this page.
More in Limerick
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.