Glanageenty - Bernard Brothers Loop
Walking Trail · Kerry
Glanageenty - Bernard Brothers Loop is a 9.5 km strenuous waymarked loop in Kerry, starting near Castleisland.
Grade
| Activity | Grade | Difficulty | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walking | Strenuous | Challenging | 3 hours |
Getting there
Starts at Bernard Collins Memorial Car Park at Glanageenty Wood, near Castleisland.
- Trailhead coordinates
- 52.26914, -9.544
- Irish Grid reference
- Q 945 143
- Ordnance Survey sheets
- Discovery Series Sheet 71
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 in a tranquil setting is a hidden gem, following forest tracks, riverbank and open country along the steep sided glen of the Glanageenty River through coniferous and broadleaf woodlands, passing the site of a Desmond Castle and providing a sanctuary and important corridor for wildlife. There are glorious vistas of Carrauntoohil, the Gap of Dunloe, Mount Brandon and Tralee Bay.
- Waymarking
- Purple arrow on white background
- Dogs
- Yes
Who manages it
Ballymac/Glanageenty Ramblers
Conditions and closures change. The operator is the authority on both, not this page.
Trails nearby
Measured trailhead to trailhead, in a straight line.
- Glanageenty - Lenihan Loop 0 m away · 5.6 km trail
- Glanageenty Loop 0 m away · 3.7 km trail
- Lyracrompane Mass Path 7.7 km away · 4.7 km trail
- Kingdom of Kerry Greenways - Tralee to Fenit 11 km away · 13.6 km trail
- Dingle Way 11 km away · 162.9 km trail
- North Kerry Way 11 km away · 43.7 km trail
Common questions
How long is the Glanageenty - Bernard Brothers Loop?
9.5 km, recorded as a loop on Sport Ireland's National Trails Register. It climbs 215 m in total. Sport Ireland estimates 3 hours.
How hard is the Glanageenty - Bernard Brothers Loop?
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 Glanageenty - Bernard Brothers Loop start?
Starts at Bernard Collins Memorial Car Park at Glanageenty Wood, near Castleisland. The trailhead is at 52.26914, -9.544 (Irish Grid Q 945 143).
Can you bring a dog on the Glanageenty - Bernard Brothers 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 Glanageenty - Bernard Brothers Loop?
Ballymac/Glanageenty Ramblers. They are the authority on current conditions and closures, not this page.
More in Kerry
This trail crosses private land by permission
Annual Closure Notice: Some of the property traversed by the Glanageenty Loops is private property. Access is available by kind permission of all the landowners/holders on the route. It is understood that persons entering do so by permission with the consent of the landowner and no matter how often they enter, or in what numbers, they do not do so as of right. As further evidence of the permissive nature of the access, the route will be closed for one day on the 30th November each year in agreement with the landowners. Nothing in this notice shall impact or address any pre-existing public rights of way.
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.