Lough Muskry – swans, serpents and cliffs | Tipperary

Overview

A 19th-century landowner once tried to drain Lough Muskry to kill the serpent he believed lay at the bottom, and gave up only when he mistook a distant reflection for his own mansion going up in flames. That story sticks to the place. Lough Muskry sits at the foot of the Greenane peak in the heart of the Galtee Mountains, County Tipperary, at 493 m above sea level – one of five corrie lakes the last Ice Age gouged into the range, and one of the aquifers that feed the country below. The walk starts in the quiet village of Rossadrehid, where a signposted path runs through mixed forestry and open moorland to the shore.

Walkers on a forest path in the Glen of Aherlow, the valley below Lough Muskry in the Galtees — Glen of Aherlow, Co Tipperary Courtesy Tipperary Tourism

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Geology and landscape

The ground around Lough Muskry is Old Red Sandstone and conglomerate from the Devonian period. At the last glacial maximum, ice and rock abrasion scooped out the steep-sided hollow that now holds the lake, plucking huge boulders from the back wall and dumping them in a semi-circular ridge at its base. When the ice retreated, the hollow filled with water, leaving one of Ireland’s finest glacial cirques.

Rising from the eastern shore is O’Loughnan’s Castle, a jumble of weathered conglomerate. Geologically it is a former nunatak, a peak that stood above the advancing glaciers and took the full force of freeze-thaw weathering. With the vertical sandstone cliffs that frame the lake, it gives the place a fortress-like look that sits oddly against the still, dark water below.

Folklore and legends

Long before its modern name, the lake was Lough Béal Sead (Lake of the Jewel Mouth) and Lough Béal Dragan (Lake of the Dragon’s Mouth). The current name comes from the Muscraighe sept that once held the region.

Irish mythology links it to Aongus Óg and Caer Ibormeith. In the legend, 150 maidens turned into birds every second year and lived by the water. One, Caer, stood out for her beauty and was allowed to wear a golden necklace set with a sparkling jewel – the source of the lake’s poetic name.

The other tale, recorded by the National Folklore Collection, involves St Patrick, said to have chained a great serpent beneath the lake under a large stone vat, promising to free it on an Easter Monday seven years on. People believed the serpent would surface on St Patrick’s Day or Easter Monday, calling out in a mournful voice, ‘Is it morning yet?’ The belief was strong enough that Captain Dawson of the nearby Ballinacourty estate tried to drain the lake in the 19th century to destroy the beast, abandoning the work only after mistaking a far-off reflection for his mansion on fire.

Walking routes and trail details

The standard walk to Lough Muskry is a moderate out-and-back, usually 8–9 km and 3.5 to 4 hours, with around 510 m of ascent. If you do one walk in this corner of the Galtees, make it this one: the payoff at the lake justifies the climb. It suits walkers with reasonable fitness and proper footwear.

Rossadrehid to Lough Muskry: the path leaves the village car park, follows a forest track beside a rushing stream and climbs steadily to the treeline. Past the woods it crosses open moorland and a small ford to the shore.
Greenane ridge extension: stronger walkers carry on from the lake up a steep grassy slope to the ridge and east to Greenane (802 m), which opens wide views over the Galtees, the Comeraghs, the Knockmealdowns and, on a clear day, the far ranges of Kerry and Clare.
Lough Farbrega: a short detour over a low knoll reveals a smaller corrie lake on the next hill, easily missed and worth the brief climb.

The ground mixes firm forest track, peaty hags and tussocky slopes. Navigation is easy while the path is clear, but visibility drops fast up here – carry a map and compass or a reliable GPS track, especially in winter or poor weather.

Flora and fauna

The acidic, nutrient-poor soils of the Galtees grow a hardy alpine and blanket-bog flora. Look for St Patrick’s cabbage, saxifrages, bladder fern, rose root and scurvy grass clinging to the rocky outcrops and peat hags. The moor and lake hold red grouse, curlew and winter migrants, and on the upper slopes the silence is usually broken only by ravens, or by sheep grazing the higher pastures.

Practical information

Opening and admission: open year-round, free.
Parking: a small free car park sits just outside Rossadrehid village. Space is limited, so arrive early at weekends.
Dogs: not permitted on the trail, because of the livestock and sheep grazing the surrounding fields.
Facilities: none at the lake or on the trail – no toilets, shops or shelters. Bring water, high-energy snacks and waterproof layers. The nearest amenities are in Rossadrehid, Bansha (5 km) or Cahir (11 km).
Navigation: OSI Grid Reference R 917 282. GPS tracks and route descriptions are on OutdoorActive, ActiveME and in local guidebooks.
Seasonal notes: walkable in all seasons, but winter brings snow, ice and short daylight, and microspikes or crampons may be needed on the ridge. The Glen of Aherlow Winter Walking Festival (usually late January) sometimes runs guided routes here.

Getting there

By car: from Cahir (about 11 km) or Tipperary Town (about 13 km), follow the N24 towards Bansha, then the local road to Rossadrehid. Turn at the village grotto signpost to reach the trailhead parking.
By public transport: there is no direct service to Rossadrehid. Buses, including Bus Éireann route 355, stop in Bansha (5 km) or Tipperary Town (13 km), and a local taxi covers the last stretch.
By bike: the approach roads are quiet and fine for cyclists, but the final trail to the lake is footpath only.

Lough Muskry – swans, serpents and cliffs