Sheep's Head - Glanlough Loop
Walking Trail · Cork
Sheep's Head - Glanlough Loop is a 16.9 km strenuous waymarked loop in Cork, starting near Ahakista.
Grade
| Activity | Grade | Difficulty | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walking | Strenuous | Challenging | 5 hours |
Getting there
Starts at Car park at Arundels Bar by Ahakisha pier, near Ahakista.
- Trailhead coordinates
- 51.59961, -9.63193
- Ordnance Survey sheets
- Discovery Series Sheet 88
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 minor roadways, laneways and mountain paths as it climbs to bring you along the top of the spine ridge of the Sheep's Head Peninsula, before descending, circling Glanlough Lake on the way. Spectacular mountain, coastal and sea views abound on all sides.
- Waymarking
- Purple arrow on white background
- Dogs
- No
Who manages it
Sheep’s Head Way Limited
Sheep’s Head Way Limited
Conditions and closures change. The operator is the authority on both, not this page.
Trails nearby
Measured trailhead to trailhead, in a straight line.
- Sheep's Head - Barán Loop 0 m away · 8.7 km trail
- Sheep's Head - Seefin Loop 0 m away · 12.8 km trail
- Sheep's Head - Foilakilly Loop 3.3 km away · 9.9 km trail
- Sheep's Head - Gortnakilly Loop 3.3 km away · 7.9 km trail
- Sheep's Head - Mass Path 3.3 km away · 4.5 km trail
- Sheep's Head - Farranamanagh Loop 5.4 km away · 6.2 km trail
Common questions
How long is the Sheep's Head - Glanlough Loop?
16.9 km, recorded as a loop on Sport Ireland's National Trails Register. It climbs 270 m in total. Sport Ireland estimates 5 hours.
How hard is the Sheep's Head - Glanlough 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 Sheep's Head - Glanlough Loop start?
Starts at Car park at Arundels Bar by Ahakisha pier, near Ahakista. The trailhead is at 51.59961, -9.63193.
Can you bring a dog on the Sheep's Head - Glanlough Loop?
No. The register records dogs as not allowed on this trail.
Who manages the Sheep's Head - Glanlough Loop?
Sheep’s Head Way Limited. 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.