Blackwater Way - Avondhu
Long Distance Waymarked Way · Cork and Tipperary
Blackwater Way - Avondhu is a 126.2 km moderate waymarked linear route in Cork and Tipperary, starting near Clogheen.
Grade
| Activity | Grade | Difficulty | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walking | Moderate | Moderate | 6 days |
Getting there
Starts at Clogheen.
Finishes at Bweeng.
- Trailhead coordinates
- 52.276, -7.99413
- Irish Grid reference
- S 004 138
- Ordnance Survey sheets
- Discovery Series Sheets 74, 80 and 81* (*ca 3.2km through Fermoy)
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
At Start: Daily express bus and limited local service Check with Bus Eireann. At End:None
About the trail
The Blackwater Way (the combined Duhallow and Avondhu Ways) is a 168 kilometre linear long distance walking route that stretches from the borders of west County Waterford across north County Cork and into the County of Kerry, following the valley of the River Blackwater. It is part of the European E8 route. The Way is a richly varied one in terms of topography and features, and includes contouring sections along mountain flanks with great views, passing by ancient monuments such as standing stones, stone circles and cairns, and more modern monuments such as cillins (infant burial grounds) and holy wells. Along the way the towns of Fermoy and Millstreet and the villages of Kilworth, Ballynamona and Bweeng are encountered. Although the off-road sections are never far from a public road, on higher ground the route frequently passes through quite isolated mountain areas of forestry. Although about 28% of the route is on roads that carry fast traffic, the balance consists mainly of quiet tarmac roads, forestry tracks, bog roads and moorland and field paths. Some sections can be wet and muddy in wet weather. Until the last 15 kilometres during which there is a climb of 560m under Caherbarnagh and the Paps, there are no significant ascents, although over the whole route there is an aggregate ascent of 3,700 metres.
Before you go
51 kms or 54% of the Way follows local roads.
- Waymarking
- Yellow arrow on black background
- Dogs
- No
Who manages it
Avondhu Blackwater Partnership CLG
Avondhu Blackwater Partnership, Tel: 022 46580, Email: [email protected]
Conditions and closures change. The operator is the authority on both, not this page.
Trails nearby
Measured trailhead to trailhead, in a straight line.
- Clogheen Loop 58 m away · 7.9 km trail
- Bay Lough Loop 2.1 km away · 4.5 km trail
- Kilballyboy Wood Loop 2.1 km away · 4.8 km trail
- Vee Valley Loop 2.1 km away · 9 km trail
- Tipperary Heritage Way 4.6 km away · 59.6 km trail
- Knockmealdowns Trails - Knockmealdown Trail 7.2 km away · 33.2 km trail
Common questions
How long is the Blackwater Way - Avondhu?
126.2 km, recorded as a linear route on Sport Ireland's National Trails Register. It climbs 3,690 m in total. Sport Ireland estimates 6 days.
How hard is the Blackwater Way - Avondhu?
Sport Ireland grades it Moderate. Grades are set against national criteria, so they are comparable with other registered trails.
Where does the Blackwater Way - Avondhu start?
Starts at Clogheen. The trailhead is at 52.276, -7.99413 (Irish Grid S 004 138).
Can you bring a dog on the Blackwater Way - Avondhu?
No. The register records dogs as not allowed on this trail.
Can you get to the Blackwater Way - Avondhu without a car?
At Start: Daily express bus and limited local service Check with Bus Eireann. At End:None.
Who manages the Blackwater Way - Avondhu?
Avondhu Blackwater Partnership CLG. They are the authority on current conditions and closures, not this page.
More in Cork and Tipperary
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.