Gathabawn Loop
Walking Trail · Kilkenny
Gathabawn Loop is an 11.3 km moderate waymarked loop in Kilkenny, starting near Gathabawn.
Grade
| Activity | Grade | Difficulty | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walking | Moderate | Moderate | 4 hours |
Getting there
Starts at Car park at Parish Church in Gathabawn, near Gathabawn.
- Trailhead coordinates
- 52.76697, -7.47104
- Irish Grid reference
- S 356 685
- Ordnance Survey sheets
- Discovery Series Sheet 60
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 takes you through fields on forest track, laneways, little country roads and woodland path crossing Cullahill Mountain and places with names such as Shirley's Lane and Gooseneck. Lovely scenery and views with the added interest of a famine village.
- Waymarking
- Red arrow on white background
- Dogs
- No
Who manages it
Gathabawn Rural Development Group
Trailkilkenny, 8 Patricks Court, Kilkenny. Tel: 056-7752111 Fax: 056-7752333 Email: [email protected] Web: www.trailkilkenny.ie
Conditions and closures change. The operator is the authority on both, not this page.
Trails nearby
Measured trailhead to trailhead, in a straight line.
- Gathabawn Short Loop 0 m away · 6 km trail
- Cullahill - Binnianea Loop 5.6 km away · 9.7 km trail
- Cullahill - Heathy Way Loop Walk 5.6 km away · 6.3 km trail
- Freshford Loop 6.2 km away · 5.6 km trail
- Durrow Leafy Loops - Dunmore Woods Loop 10 km away · 20 km trail
- Durrow Leafy Loops - Leafy Loop 10 km away · 14.3 km trail
Common questions
How long is the Gathabawn Loop?
11.3 km, recorded as a loop on Sport Ireland's National Trails Register. It climbs 40 m in total. Sport Ireland estimates 4 hours.
How hard is the Gathabawn Loop?
Sport Ireland grades it Moderate. Grades are set against national criteria, so they are comparable with other registered trails.
Where does the Gathabawn Loop start?
Starts at Car park at Parish Church in Gathabawn, near Gathabawn. The trailhead is at 52.76697, -7.47104 (Irish Grid S 356 685).
Can you bring a dog on the Gathabawn Loop?
No. The register records dogs as not allowed on this trail.
Who manages the Gathabawn Loop?
Gathabawn Rural Development Group. 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.