Castlefreke - High Cross Loop
Walking Trail · Cork
Castlefreke - High Cross Loop is a 1.6 km moderate waymarked loop in Cork, starting near Rathbarry.
Grade
| Activity | Grade | Difficulty | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walking | Moderate | Moderate | 40 minutes |
Getting there
Starts at Croaghna Wood Carpark, near Rathbarry.
- Trailhead coordinates
- 51.56734, -8.98177
- Irish Grid reference
- W 320 354
- Ordnance Survey sheets
- Discovery Series Sheet 89
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 walk leads uphill through Coillte woodland to Ireland’s tallest high cross, erected in 1901 as a memorial to Algernon, Lord Carbery, by his widow, Lady Mary. Spend some time looking at the beautiful carvings on the high cross and gazing at the magnificent views of the ocean, the lighthouse at Galley Head and the surrounding countryside before continuing downhill to return to Croaghna Wood Car Park, via a track parallel to the public road still known as ‘The Avenue’.
- Waymarking
- Blue
- Dogs
- Yes
Who manages it
Castlefreke Our Woods Our Walks
Castlefreke Our Woods Our Walks: [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.
- Castlefreke - Castle Cross Loop 660 m away · 1.5 km trail
- Castlefreke - Rathbarry Old Churches Loop 660 m away · 1 km trail
- Castlefreke - Rathbarry - Kilkeran Loop 827 m away · 7.8 km trail
- Castlefreke - River Trail 1.7 km away · 0.4 km trail
- Carrigfadda - Carrigfadda Hill Walk 9.6 km away · 2.4 km trail
- Union Hall Walks - Lake Walk 11 km away · 7.6 km trail
Common questions
How long is the Castlefreke - High Cross Loop?
1.6 km, recorded as a loop on Sport Ireland's National Trails Register. It climbs 50 m in total. Sport Ireland estimates 40 minutes.
How hard is the Castlefreke - High Cross Loop?
Sport Ireland grades it Moderate. Grades are set against national criteria, so they are comparable with other registered trails.
Where does the Castlefreke - High Cross Loop start?
Starts at Croaghna Wood Carpark, near Rathbarry. The trailhead is at 51.56734, -8.98177 (Irish Grid W 320 354).
Can you bring a dog on the Castlefreke - High Cross Loop?
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 Castlefreke - High Cross Loop?
Castlefreke Our Woods Our Walks. They are the authority on current conditions and closures, not this page.
More in Cork
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.