Most of what is on this page sits in or drains off one mountain range. The Comeragh Mountains fill the middle of the county, and their glaciated corries hold the water: Coumshingaun Lough under cliffs of around 365m on three sides, Lough Mohra and Coumduala on the high ground, and Mahon Falls dropping 80 metres in steps off the plateau above Lemybrien. Mahon Bridge, on the R676, is the practical base for that corner, with the walk up to the falls, the flatter Crough Wood loop by the river and the Magic Road climb the cyclists come for.
Rain decides a lot here. Mahon Falls is loud and fast after a few wet days and thins to a trickle over bare rock in a dry June, and the Clodiagh at Portlaw behaves the same way, a shallow trickle one week and a grade 1-3 run after Comeragh rain the next. Note the concrete weir at the old tannery, where two kayakers drowned in 2010.
The rivers pull you away from the mountains. The Munster Blackwater comes in from the west to Youghal Harbour, with a Ramsar estuary and boat trips from Villierstown, and the Bride joins it at Camphire near Tallow. For an easier outing, the Suir Valley Railway runs 40 minutes out of Kilmeadan along the river at 16 km/h.
The range that holds nearly all the county's upland water, with corrie lakes, the Knockanaffrin ridge and the summit of Fauscoum for walkers.
An 80-metre stepped cascade off the Comeragh plateau, reached by a short gravel path, at its best after a few days of rain.
The village base for the Comeraghs, with the walk to the falls, the flat Crough Wood river loop and a coffee stop before you start.
One of Ireland's finest salmon rivers, running 169 km to Youghal Harbour through a Ramsar estuary that draws godwits and other waders.
A 40-minute narrow-gauge run along the Suir from Kilmeadan, open-sided and slow, and the easiest thing here to do with young children.
8 of 8 shown — tap a pin for the place.
Southeast Ireland, waterford
The Comeragh Mountains rise inland from the Waterford coast, offering a rugged landscape of glaciated peaks, dramatic ridges and crystal-clear corrie lakes. Walkers can summit Fauscoum, trek the exposed Knockanaffrin ridge, circle the glacial lakes of Lough Mohra and Coumduala, and visit the ancient Matthewstown Passage Tomb.
Lemybrien, waterford
Mahon Falls tumbles 80 metres off the Comeragh plateau in a series of steps rather than a single plunge. After a few days of rain it becomes a fast, loud rush; in a dry June it thins to a trickle over the rock. A short gravel path reaches the base, and the Magic Road optical illusion sits just past the car park.
Mid County Waterford, waterford
A quiet village on the R676 in mid-Waterford, Mahon Bridge is the base for the walk up to Mahon Falls, an 80-metre cascade off the Comeraghs, and the flatter Crough Wood loop by the river. Cyclists come for the steep 'Magic Road' climb, and there's a good coffee stop in the village itself.
Kerry, kerry
The Blackwater runs 169 km from the Mullaghareirk Mountains to Youghal Harbour, through Cork and Waterford, and it has long been rated among Ireland's finest salmon rivers. The estuary is a Ramsar site and Special Protection Area for its godwits and other waders. Cruise it from Youghal or Villierstown, fish it with a local permit, or watch the tide flats at low water.
Kilmeadan, waterford
The Waterford Suir Valley Railway runs a 40-minute round trip from Kilmeadan Station along the River Suir at a gentle 16 km/h, in open-sided carriages that skirt Mount Congreve Gardens and the fairy-house Magic Wood. It is aimed squarely at families, with a treasure-hunt sheet for children, and the Saturday service runs 2km further through the Dan Donovan Tunnel. Bring warm clothes: the compartments are only partly enclosed and you are right beside the water.
Portlaw, waterford
Comeragh Mountains, waterford
Cork, cork
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