Barnavave Loop
Walking Trail · Louth
Barnavave Loop is a 14.3 km strenuous waymarked loop in Louth, starting near Carlingford.
Notice from the trail operator
PLEASE NOTE: There has been significant storm damage on this trail and some diversions are in place. Please adhere to all signage. DOGS ARE NOT PERMITTED ON THIS TRAIL
As recorded in the register on 2026-08-13. Check with Louth County Council before travelling.
Grade
| Activity | Grade | Difficulty | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walking | Strenuous | Challenging | 4 hours 30 minutes |
Getting there
Starts at Tourist Office (Harbour Carpark), near Carlingford.
- Trailhead coordinates
- 54.0406, -6.18563
- Irish Grid reference
- J 188 117
- Ordnance Survey sheets
- Discovery Series Sheet 36
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 timetables available at www.buseireann.ie.
About the trail
This loop follows red arrows on tarmac and forestry roads, grassy track and mountain paths with one rough section which can be boggy and wet in places. There are some ascents and descents with the initial ascent very steep while the others are more gradual. The loop goes through forest, with two sections along forest edge and some open mountain. The views are stunning, along the coast to the north and south, across Carlingford Lough to the Mourne Mountains while in good conditions the Isle of Man is visible.
- Waymarking
- Red arrow on white background
- Dogs
- No
Who manages it
Louth County Council
Louth County Council
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.
- Commons Loop 0 m away · 3.2 km trail
- Slieve Foye Loop 0 m away · 9.8 km trail
- Tain Way 46 m away · 40.3 km trail
- Carlingford Greenway Cycling Trail 1.1 km away · 7.7 km trail
- Carlingford Greenway Walking Trail 1.1 km away · 7.7 km trail
- Grange Loops - Molly Loop 3.6 km away · 4.7 km trail
Common questions
How long is the Barnavave Loop?
14.3 km, recorded as a loop on Sport Ireland's National Trails Register. It climbs 400 m in total. Sport Ireland estimates 4 hours 30 minutes.
How hard is the Barnavave Loop?
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 Barnavave Loop start?
Starts at Tourist Office (Harbour Carpark), near Carlingford. The trailhead is at 54.0406, -6.18563 (Irish Grid J 188 117).
Can you bring a dog on the Barnavave Loop?
No. The register records dogs as not allowed on this trail.
Can you get to the Barnavave Loop without a car?
Bus Eireann timetables available at www.buseireann.ie.
Who manages the Barnavave Loop?
Louth County Council. They are the authority on current conditions and closures, not this page.
More in Louth
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.