Gougane Barra - Sli Sleitbhe
Walking Trail · Cork
Gougane Barra - Sli Sleitbhe is a 2.2 km strenuous waymarked loop in Cork, starting near Ballingeary.
Grade
| Activity | Grade | Difficulty | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walking | Strenuous | Challenging | 1.75 hours |
Getting there
Starts at Upper car park, Gougane Barra forest park, near Ballingeary.
- Trailhead coordinates
- 51.8308, -9.33177
- 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
Mostly on path and minor road, this is the longest, most difficult and most exciting of the trails in the park, passing through trees, criss-crossing the infant River Lee and going onto open mountain. Views are of Maolach, the craggy slopes of CarraigÄ«n an Phreacháin and the old Mass path from the Borlin Valley to St. Finbarr's Oratory on the lake island.
- Dogs
- Yes
Who manages it
Coillte South
Coillte South
Conditions and closures change. The operator is the authority on both, not this page.
Elsewhere
Trails nearby
Measured trailhead to trailhead, in a straight line.
- Gougane Barra - Sli Doire Na Coise 4 m away · 2 km trail
- Gougane Barra - Sli Ghaorthaidh 4 m away · 0.4 km trail
- Gougane Barra - Sli an Easa 79 m away · 2 km trail
- Gougane Barra - Sli Com Rua 1.2 km away · 0.4 km trail
- Gougane Barra - Sli Laoi 1.2 km away · 1.4 km trail
- Ballingeary Loops – Cahir Loop 6.7 km away · 9.8 km trail
Common questions
How long is the Gougane Barra - Sli Sleitbhe?
2.2 km, recorded as a loop on Sport Ireland's National Trails Register. It climbs 130 m in total. Sport Ireland estimates 1.75 hours.
How hard is the Gougane Barra - Sli Sleitbhe?
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 Gougane Barra - Sli Sleitbhe start?
Starts at Upper car park, Gougane Barra forest park, near Ballingeary. The trailhead is at 51.8308, -9.33177.
Can you bring a dog on the Gougane Barra - Sli Sleitbhe?
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 Gougane Barra - Sli Sleitbhe?
Coillte South. 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.