Kilbrannish Loop
Walking Trail · Carlow
Kilbrannish Loop is a 5.1 km strenuous waymarked loop in Carlow, starting near Bunclody.
Grade
| Activity | Grade | Difficulty | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walking | Strenuous | Challenging | 1 hour 40 minutes |
Getting there
Starts at Kilbrannish Woods car park, near Bunclody.
- Trailhead coordinates
- 52.65632, -6.75447
- Irish Grid reference
- S 842 568
- Ordnance Survey sheets
- Discovery Series Sheet 68
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 follows forestry road as it ascends to the top of Kilbrannish Hill and on to Croaghan with its standing stone. The route offers wonderful views of the surrounding countryside, with particularly fine views from the summit of Croaghaun over the plains of Carlow with Myshall and Tullow spread out below.
- Waymarking
- Purple arrow on yellow background
- Dogs
- Yes
Who manages it
Bunclody Loafers
Bunclody Loafers
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.
- Windfarm Loop 0 m away · 3.2 km trail
- John's Hill Loop 28 m away · 11 km trail
- Kilbrannish North to Kilbrannish South Trail 28 m away · 14 km trail
- Kilbrannish South - Short Loop 1.0 km away · 6.5 km trail
- The Columban Way - Nine Stones to Magany 3.4 km away · 50.1 km trail
- South Leinster Way 5.6 km away · 103.6 km trail
Common questions
How long is the Kilbrannish Loop?
5.1 km, recorded as a loop on Sport Ireland's National Trails Register. It climbs 150 m in total. Sport Ireland estimates 1 hour 40 minutes.
How hard is the Kilbrannish 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 Kilbrannish Loop start?
Starts at Kilbrannish Woods car park, near Bunclody. The trailhead is at 52.65632, -6.75447 (Irish Grid S 842 568).
Can you bring a dog on the Kilbrannish 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 Kilbrannish Loop?
Bunclody Loafers. They are the authority on current conditions and closures, not this page.
More in Carlow
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.