Kilmacoliver Hill

 

 

 Ordnance Survey: Discovery Series 75.

Distance 7.9 kilometres. Time: 1hour 50 minutes

Degree of difficulty: Easy/ Moderate. Trail begins on gravel paths with a few hundred meters through a forest, followed by  grassy fields and quiet back roads.

Total ascent: 170 meters

Trailhead: Grid Reference S 439 271. From the village of Owning, take the R-698 signposted Callan. At the Y-fork, ignore the L-1034 for Kilmoganny: keep to the left, and the trailhead is 100 meters further on, with the forest entrance to your right. There is some parking at the entrance, but please note this is a working forest. Further parking is available locally.

For the first few hundred meters the gravelled trail runs parallel with the busy R698, but then gradually rises and moves away in a north westerly direction towards the forest. There are fine views over the Suir valley and Comeragh mountains to your left through  a light covering of evergreens and mountain ash. Ignore all paths left and right tempting you astray, and continue on as the switchback trail changes direction twice. Eventually, you will see the edge of a forest to the north, across a stretch of very rough ground. This is your medium-term destination.

The gravelled path eventually deteriorates into a narrow, poor quality earthen trail which may be wet in winter. As you approach the forest the path swings to the right, skirting the edge of the trees and flanked by an old stone wall in places. This section eventually ends, and you must now enter the forest for a few hundred meters. There is a clear, open path leading through the woods to your left: ignore this, as it leads to private land where walkers are obviously unwelcome. Instead, head in a north easterly direction through the trees, picking up cleared areas here and there, and keeping the fields on your right visible through the trees at all times. You will eventually emerge into a large grassy field at a conveniently placed marker for the Kilmacoliver Loop walk, where you will turn left and follow a well-worn path to the corner of the field. Here you will head down-hill, staying close to the ditch. The hill opposite is in County Tipperary and is called Carrigadoon  Hill.

After 30 meters, the is an opportunity to peer into the field on your left, where you will see the trig point marking the summit of Kilmacoliver Hill (263 meters) and a megalithic stone circle.

Continue on down-hill and through a narrow gap  to cross another field towards a set of metal steps crossing an electric fence. Note that there may be livestock present in this area, so take appropriate precautions.

Follow the well-marked path, noting the reassuring purple- arrowed Loop Walk signs, over a stream and through a stand of young oak, ash, beech and cherry trees. In summertime,  the dappled light playing on the mossy ground beneath your feet makes this one of the most attractive parts of the walk. You will eventually emerge onto the L-50972 through a metal gate, and opposite a purple arrow indicating that you should turn left towards the picturesque little village of Tullahought. Ignore this, instead turning right, past a horse gallops and some houses and stick with the road as it rises and swings to the left, becoming an earthen track. Again, be reassured by the occasional Loop Walk signs on both sides of the road. Cross a stile at a steel farm gate, passing a small pond and an abandoned cottage on your right. This area is part of what was once a substantial hamlet named Bregaun [Ir. Bréagán: The false one].

 Beyond this the lane peters out, and some confusingly placed purple arrows point to an open field to your right. Take the track which leads to the centre of the field and head to your left towards a gap in the ditch. Follow the path through the gap and head for another double gap in the far ditch. Take the path through the right hand gap  and locate another Loop Walk sign about 100 metres away. This marks the point where you exited the woods at the beginning of your walk.

You will now retrace your steps through the trees, keeping the fields visible to your left, until you emerge onto the muddy path once more. Follow this for a few kilometres to arrive back at the trailhead.


Two facts concerning Kilmacoliver Hil:

>>>  The circular standing stones on the summit of Kilmacoliver Hill - commonly known as "The Burial Ground" -  are believed to date back some 5000 years and are related to two other similar monuments in the area, one on the summit of Sliabh na nBan and the other at Knockroe, a few kilometers to the north-west.

>>>  Trigpoints of similar design to the one atop Kilmacoliver Hill are found on hills throughout the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. They were most recently used in the 1950s and 1960s to update the Ordinance Survey maps. Each trig point needs a line -of - sight to several others and observations were often completed at night, using fires lit on neighbouring hills. GPS satellite based mapping is now universally used, leaving the trig points as a reminder of different times.