Nire Valley – trout, trails, Comeraghs

Overview

The River Nire holds wild brown trout from 20cm to 40cm, and on a summer evening it is one of the better dry-fly rivers in this corner of Europe. It is a spate river, dropping fast off the slopes of the Comeragh Mountains and cutting a corridor of oak-ash woodland, open fields and deep pools before it reaches the River Suir. The valley runs south-west of Dungarvan, and it draws walkers, anglers, paddlers and birdwatchers in roughly that order.

One thing to know before you load the car: dogs are not allowed on the walking trails, to protect nesting birds and the river ecology.

A bit of background

There are no grand castles here. What the landscape carries instead is centuries of farming, peat cutting and small settlement. The old stone bridge near the valley still takes traffic, and local guides will tell you the 17th-century scientist Robert Boyle once fished these waters. Villages such as Ballymacarbry keep a traditional working life going alongside the visitors.

Walking and hiking

All the way-marked loops start from the Nire Valley Car Park and are signposted with coloured arrows.

If you only have time for one, make it the Coumlara loop: it is the shortest of the three and still climbs to the Sgilloges Lakes. It runs sand roads, woodland tracks and a footbridge over the Nire, with a 30-minute side-trip if you want it. The Coumduala Loop takes the lower Comeragh slopes past The Gap and onto part of Knockanaffrin Ridge, with Slievenamon in view on a clear day. The Nire Valley Loop is the long one, crossing varied ground for views of corrie lakes, high ridges and the Munster plains. Mist can come down even in summer, so carry a waterproof and wear proper boots.

Angling

The Nire is fished mainly on dry flies and nymphs. Key hatches include BWO, spur-wings, sedges, stoneflies and a range of terrestrials, and productive patterns are Comparaduns, Klinkhammers, elk-hair caddis, black gnat and small bead heads in sizes 12-22. Tippet moves from 5X early in the season to 7X as the water clears.

Clonanav Fly Fishing runs guided trips with beat-by-beat instruction, rod, wader and line hire, and a stock of local patterns. Useful set-ups are an 8.5-9 ft 3-wt for dry fly, a 9 ft 4-wt for dry and dropper, and a 10 ft 2/3-wt for Euro nymphing.

Kayaking and white water

For paddlers the Nire is Grade 3 and best after rain. From Birtchels Bridge down it gives short rapids, shallow boney pools and a few sticky sections; a creek boat works at low levels, but a playboat or small kayak is the call when the water is up. Put in at Birtchels Bridge and take out near the old town hall in Ballymacarbry. River levels rise fast after rain, so check conditions before you wade or paddle.

Birdwatching and the drive

The mix of woodland, wetland and open field holds meadow pipits, skylarks and winter whooper swans on the nearby lakes, with early mornings best from the car park or the lower tracks. The valley also forms part of the Munster Vales Scenic Drive, a 230 km loop linking the Comeraghs with Dungarvan and Ardmore.

Getting there

Take the minor mountain road east off the R671 in Ballymacarbry village for about 7 km to the main car park. The valley is roughly 22 km north-west of Dungarvan. Local buses run between Dungarvan and Clonmel and stop in Ballymacarbry, but from the village the trailhead is a taxi ride or a 7 km uphill walk.

Seasonal highlights

• Spring (April-June) – insect hatches peak for dry-fly anglers, wildflowers colour the valley and migratory birds arrive.
• Summer (July-August) – long daylight suits the bigger loops, and water levels hold steady for kayaking.
• Autumn (September-October) – brown trout move on their post-spawning run, and the foliage turns.
• Winter (November-March) – quiet trails, with whooper swans and other waterfowl on the lakes.

Facilities and nearby

There are no public toilets at the mountain car park; the nearest toilets, shops, cafés and pubs are in Ballymacarbry. Parking at the head of the valley is free, for cars and bicycles.

For a change of scene, Cappoquin is a historic market town on the River Blackwater with a Georgian bridge and nearby forest, Ballysaggart has the 19th-century Ballysaggartmore Towers follies, the Clodiagh River suits gentle walks north of the Nire, and Ardmore on the coast has a round tower and a cliff walk.