Lough Mohra Loop – a Comeragh hill walk

Overview

The Lough Mohra Loop is the longer of two waymarked walks in Glenpatrick Woods, in the hills above Rathgormack in west County Waterford. It starts on forestry track and climbs to a glacial coum – a hollow scooped out by ice beneath the jagged Knockanaffrin Ridge – where Lough Mohra sits. Be clear about the lake before you set out: it’s a shallow, marshy mountain pool, not a shimmering tarn. The reason to come is the climb and the view, not a swim. A green-arrow spur off the main loop drops down to the water’s edge if you want to stand beside it.

The listings don’t quite agree on the numbers. Sport Ireland and Discover Ireland call it a 7km loop with 460m of climbing and about two and a half hours; Visit Waterford lists a gentler 6km and 220m. Either way it’s graded moderate – a proper hill walk with a steady pull uphill – and it’s well within reach of families used to walking.

The route and what to see

The walk begins on forestry track before opening onto upland terrain. After a steady ascent it drops into the marshy basin holding the lake; on a still day the water sits mirror-flat under the ridge. Follow the higher ground and the country opens out. Look east for the distinctive pyramid of Slievenamon, with the historic Kilcash estate on its lower slopes, and further round for the rolling Walsh Mountains reaching toward the Kilkenny border. On a clear day you can pick out the sea in the distance.

The route passes Crotty’s Rock – known locally as the ‘Ass’s Ears’ – with clear sightlines to Croughaun Hill. The change from mixed woodland of oak, ash and birch to open mountain heath is gradual, and it supports upland birds and seasonal wildflowers. Late spring and early summer bring the heather into colour; autumn fog often rolls into the coum and softens everything.

Landscape and local history

The basin was shaped in the last Ice Age, when retreating glaciers gouged out the shallow hollow the lake now fills. The loop itself is about scenery, but the wider Rathgormack area carries older traces: ring forts dot the surrounding hills, among them An Rath Beag, Waterford’s smallest recorded fort. The shorter, blue-arrow Rath Beag Loop diverges to pass it, and walkers on the main circuit can catch the stone enclosure on the return leg.

Glenpatrick Woods is looked after by the Rathgormack North Waterford Community Development CLG, the local group that clears the paths and keeps the waymarks in order.

Practical information

There are no toilets, shops or refreshment stops on the route, and the car park holds only a modest number of vehicles, so come early at weekends. Rathgormack is the nearest village; Carrick-on-Suir is about 10km, Clonmel 19km and Dungarvan 29km. Pack out your litter and keep dogs leashed near nesting birds and livestock.

Getting there and navigation

From Rathgormack, head towards Clonmel on the R678. After roughly 5km the road swings left; shortly after, turn left onto a forestry track and follow it about 500m to the car park at the entrance to Glenpatrick Woods. The loop is fully waymarked with red arrows, junctions are signposted, and the route returns to the same car park, so it’s easy to follow even when the cloud comes down. Without a car, the nearest bus stop is in Rathgormack on the Waterford–Clonmel route (Bus Éireann 354), leaving a short taxi or a 20-minute road walk to the trailhead.

Maps and resources

A detailed PDF is available from Sport Ireland: Lough Mohra Loop Map. Route notes are on the official Discover Ireland page. For the trailhead, use these directions.

Nearby walks

The Comeragh Mountains rise just to the north, with ridges, corrie lakes and waterfalls; for another glacial circuit in the same range, try the Coumduala Loop.

Start early to beat the midday crowds and give yourself time for the steady climb. Lough Mohra looks its best when the wind drops, so check the forecast before you head up.