Cailleach Beara Loop - Bonane Beara
Walking Trail · Kerry
Cailleach Beara Loop - Bonane Beara is a 9.9 km strenuous waymarked loop in Kerry, starting near Bonane/Kenmare.
Grade
| Activity | Grade | Difficulty | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walking | Strenuous | Challenging | 4 hours |
Getting there
Starts at Molly Gallivans Visitor Centre, Bonane, near Bonane/Kenmare.
- Trailhead coordinates
- 51.80068, -9.56207
- Irish Grid reference
- V 921 621
- Ordnance Survey sheets
- Discovery Series Sheet 85
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.
About the trail
This loop takes you up Releagh Hill and from the valley floor to the heights of Esk Mountain with a fine ridge walk to Turner's Rock. On laneways, woodland tracks, cross country and hillside, there are fine views of the valley and the Sheehy and Caha Mountains. There is a steep descent towards the end.
- Waymarking
- Purple arrow on white background
- Dogs
- No
Who manages it
Bonane Community Council
Bonane Community Council
Conditions and closures change. The operator is the authority on both, not this page.
Trails nearby
Measured trailhead to trailhead, in a straight line.
- Druid's Loop - Bonane Beara 0 m away · 4.5 km trail
- Fionn MacCool Loop - Bonane Beara 0 m away · 5.2 km trail
- Glengarriff Nature Reserve - Big Meadow Walk 5.1 km away · 3.4 km trail
- Glengarriff Nature Reserve - Esknamucky Walk 5.1 km away · 3.1 km trail
- Glengarriff Nature Reserve - Lady Bantrys Lookout 5.1 km away · 0.7 km trail
- Glengarriff Nature Reserve - River Walk 5.1 km away · 1.2 km trail
Common questions
How long is the Cailleach Beara Loop - Bonane Beara?
9.9 km, recorded as a loop on Sport Ireland's National Trails Register. It climbs 390 m in total. Sport Ireland estimates 4 hours.
How hard is the Cailleach Beara Loop - Bonane Beara?
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 Cailleach Beara Loop - Bonane Beara start?
Starts at Molly Gallivans Visitor Centre, Bonane, near Bonane/Kenmare. The trailhead is at 51.80068, -9.56207 (Irish Grid V 921 621).
Can you bring a dog on the Cailleach Beara Loop - Bonane Beara?
No. The register records dogs as not allowed on this trail.
Who manages the Cailleach Beara Loop - Bonane Beara?
Bonane Community Council. They are the authority on current conditions and closures, not this page.
More in Kerry
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.