Brandon Hill Summit Walk
Walking Trail · Kilkenny
Brandon Hill Summit Walk is a 6.5 km strenuous waymarked loop in Kilkenny, starting near Inistioge.
Grade
| Activity | Grade | Difficulty | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walking | Strenuous | Challenging | 2 to 3 hours |
Getting there
Starts at Raheendonore Car Park, near Inistioge.
- Trailhead coordinates
- 52.52089, -6.99439
- Irish Grid reference
- S 683 415
- Ordnance Survey sheets
- Discovery Series Sheet 68
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.
Before you arrive
This trail has two trailheads: the details for the Raheenadore trailhead are given below. The alternative trailhead is at Deerpark; Grid Ref: S 703 418; Nearest Town to Start: Graiguenamanagh; Lat and Long: 52.530891, -6.994394.
About the trail
This trail follows forest tracks and hillside paths and is uneven underfoot in places. It takes walkers to the summit of Brandon Hill, County Kilkenny's highest point, with an unrivalled 360-degree panorama over the captivating landscape of Ireland's Ancient East and beyond, including fantastic views along the River Barrow valley with Mount Leinster and the Blackstairs to the north and Hook Lighthouse and the Saltee Islands to the south.
- Waymarking
- Green and white with symbol of cross
- Dogs
- Yes
Who manages it
Trail Kilkenny
Kilkenny County Council - 056 7794000
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.
- Brandon Hill Loop 3.4 km away · 15.7 km trail
- Woodstock - Ladies Loop Walk 5.8 km away · 3.4 km trail
- Woodstock Loop Walk 5.8 km away · 4.7 km trail
- Bahana Forest Trail 5.9 km away · 4.5 km trail
- Nore Valley Walk - Inistioge to Thomastown Section 5.9 km away · 10.8 km trail
- Woodstock Waterfall Loop 6.6 km away · 4.4 km trail
Common questions
How long is the Brandon Hill Summit Walk?
6.5 km, recorded as a loop on Sport Ireland's National Trails Register. It climbs 350 m in total. Sport Ireland estimates 2 to 3 hours.
How hard is the Brandon Hill Summit Walk?
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 Brandon Hill Summit Walk start?
Starts at Raheendonore Car Park, near Inistioge. The trailhead is at 52.52089, -6.99439 (Irish Grid S 683 415).
Can you bring a dog on the Brandon Hill Summit Walk?
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 Brandon Hill Summit Walk?
Trail Kilkenny. They are the authority on current conditions and closures, not this page.
More in Kilkenny
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.