Bay Lough is a corrie lake, a tarn scooped into the Knockmealdown Mountains by Ice Age glaciers, near the Vee above the village of Clogheen in South Tipperary. On still mornings the water lies flat under the crags, and in clear weather the Vee road above opens onto views across the Golden Vale towards the Galtee Mountains.
The surrounding slopes are covered in rhododendron, which flowers in late spring, pink and purple against the dark water. It is an invasive plant that is slowly choking the native ground, but while it blooms it is the reason many photographers visit.
The walk and the witch
The name is likely a cartographer’s mistake. It probably comes from bealach (pronounced ‘ba-lock’), Irish for ‘pass’ or ‘way’, the mountain pass that the lake sits beside, not the water itself. English mapmakers misread which feature the word described, and the wrong name stuck, as it did all over Ireland. The pass follows St Declan’s Way (Rian Bó Phadraig), the early pilgrimage route between Ardmore and Cashel.
The folklore is darker than the postcard. Local folklore tells of Petticoat Loose, a witch said to have menaced travellers on the mountain road and been banished to Bay Lough, where she was set the task of emptying it with a thimble. Coillte records the story with its trail notes. The lake was long held to be bottomless, despite its modest size. It is a story of the Vee landscape, alongside the old mountain routes and Grubb’s grave.
Walking the trail
Coillte’s Bay Lough Loop starts at the Kilballyboy Woods forest car park. It is a moderate 4.5 km circuit with blue markers and 170 metres of climbing. Dogs must be kept on a lead on this route. The longer purple Vee Valley Loop has a separate no-dogs rule.
For a shorter visit, Clogheen’s local guide describes the old road down to the lake from the car park by the Gap. The catch is obvious: it is downhill on the way in and uphill on the way back, so allow for the climb out and check signs and surfaces before setting out. Ground can be uneven, so this is not a good choice for wheelchairs or buggies.
Keep away from steep banks and use the lake as a shore stop. The water is cold and the lake drops off steeply, so do not swim. Check locally before planning any activity on the water.
Dogs are welcome on the routes where the rules allow, but keep them on a lead for ground-nesting birds and grazing livestock.
Wildlife
Outside the rhododendron season, the woodland holds native spring flowers such as bluebells and wood anemones, and the corrie’s updrafts bring meadow pipits, skylarks and the odd buzzard.
Practical information
Bay Lough is free, with no admission charge or booking. Use the signed parking for your chosen route, either the Kilballyboy Woods car park for the Coillte loop or the car park by the Gap for the shorter approach. Check the signs on the day, as space may be limited.
Do not count on toilets, cafés or a visitor centre. Mobile signal can be patchy in the valley, so download an offline map before you set off, and bring water and a rain jacket, because the weather in the mountains can turn quickly. Track conditions vary, so check signs and surfaces before you set out.
Nearby
The Vee viewpoint, Grubb’s Monument (the pyramid tomb of a local Quaker miller) and the Liam Lynch Memorial above Goatenbridge are all close by on the Vee road. For something different, Cahir Castle on the River Suir is a short drive away, and the Devil’s Bit Mountain has its own walks further north.