Castlefreke - Rathbarry Old Churches Loop
Walking Trail · Cork
Castlefreke - Rathbarry Old Churches Loop is a 1 km easy waymarked loop in Cork, starting near Rathbarry.
Grade
| Activity | Grade | Difficulty | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walking | Easy | Easy | 40 minutes |
Getting there
Starts at Castle Cross Carpark, near Rathbarry.
- Trailhead coordinates
- 51.57174, -8.97535
- Irish Grid reference
- W 324 359
- 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 you through woodland tracks to the ruined Rathbarry churches, where you will first encounter the nineteenth-century Church of Ireland, built in a more ornate style than many of the churches of its time, due to a substantial contribution from Lord Carbery. Close by is a much older church, with thirteenth-century features, now in a state of deterioration. The graveyard and older church contain graves and tombs mainly of nineteenth- and twentieth-century dates, with the earliest that of Sir Ralph Freke, who died in 1717. On your way back to the carpark look out on your left for the circular ringfort or ‘ráth’, visible through the reeds alongside the trail.
- Waymarking
- Purple
- 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 0 m away · 1.5 km trail
- Castlefreke - High Cross Loop 660 m away · 1.6 km trail
- Castlefreke - River Trail 1.1 km away · 0.4 km trail
- Castlefreke - Rathbarry - Kilkeran Loop 1.2 km away · 7.8 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 - Rathbarry Old Churches Loop?
1 km, recorded as a loop on Sport Ireland's National Trails Register. It climbs 30 m in total. Sport Ireland estimates 40 minutes.
How hard is the Castlefreke - Rathbarry Old Churches Loop?
Sport Ireland grades it Easy. Grades are set against national criteria, so they are comparable with other registered trails.
Where does the Castlefreke - Rathbarry Old Churches Loop start?
Starts at Castle Cross Carpark, near Rathbarry. The trailhead is at 51.57174, -8.97535 (Irish Grid W 324 359).
Can you bring a dog on the Castlefreke - Rathbarry Old Churches 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 - Rathbarry Old Churches 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.