Coumshingaun Lough – Comeragh corrie hike

Coumshingaun is a corrie lake – a glacial bowl gouged out of the Comeragh Mountains during the last Ice Age – and it is reckoned one of the finest examples of its kind in Europe. Cliffs wrap it on three sides, rising about 365 metres above the dark water, which is over 50 metres deep and roughly 700 metres long, the biggest tarn in the range. On a still day it sits like a mirror in the rock; coum is simply the Irish for this kind of mountain hollow. The whole area is a Special Area of Conservation.

There are two quite different outings here, and you should decide which one you are doing before you leave the car. One is a steep out-and-back to the lakeshore. The other is an exposed ridge walk around the rim. The Waterford trail guide classifies the Coumshingaun Loop as a difficult hike, so only attempt the ridge with suitable experience, equipment and conditions.

The two walks

To the lake: from Kilclooney Wood the route crosses the R676 and climbs over rough, sometimes wet ground to the shore. Allow time for the climb, and turn back if you are uncomfortable with the ground or the visibility. Sit by the water with the cliffs towering over you; on a clear day this is reward enough.

The full loop is a horseshoe around the rim of the corrie above the lake. It has steep climbs, a rocky scramble that needs hands and a head for heights, and exposed ground above long drops to the water. In cloud or wind it is genuinely dangerous. Follow a reliable map, check the forecast and leave the ridge for settled conditions.

Folklore and the hermit

Local legend warns of irresistible currents and evil spirits in the lake – the sort of story that tends to grow around deep, cold mountain water. The more grounded tale belongs to Jim Fitzgerald (1891–1959), the ‘Hermit of Lackendarra’, a Waterford man who came home shell-shocked from the First World War, found he could not settle back into ordinary life, and went to live in a cave below the cliffs of Coumshingaun for much of the rest of his days.

Getting there and parking

Coumshingaun is about a 20-minute drive from Dungarvan, 30 minutes from Clonmel and 35 from Waterford city, near the village of Rathgormack. Park at the Kilclooney Wood car park on the R676 Dungarvan–Carrick-on-Suir road. If it is full, come back another time rather than parking on the road, and keep gates and the road clear.

Check the TFI journey planner for services to the area. There is no public transport to the trailhead itself, so arrange the last leg to the car park before setting out without a car.

On the hill

Take this seriously; take it lightly and it bites. Carry water, waterproof layers and a map you can use offline, and do not rely on your phone for navigation, as coverage can be poor on the ridge. Waterproof boots with ankle support are sensible. If the cloud is down on the tops or it is blowing hard, stay at the lake or turn back, and save the loop for a clear day. Check Mountaineering Ireland’s safety advice and turn back if weather or visibility deteriorates. In an emergency call 112 or 999 and ask for the Gardaí and Mountain Rescue.

The wildlife is part of the appeal: feral goats work the high slopes, otters turn up at the water’s edge, and peregrine, raven, buzzard and hen harrier all hunt the corrie. Among the rocks and bog grow rarities like mossy saxifrage and, in the lake itself, stonewort and bog pondweed – the reason for the conservation status.

Nearby

The natural pairing is Mahon Falls, an 80-metre waterfall a short drive away with a flat 20-minute walk in – the gentle counterweight to a hard morning on the ridge. The scenic Comeragh Drive links the two, and Dungarvan, with its Norman castle and seafood, is the obvious place to end the day.

Practical information

You can see the lake from the shore without taking on the ridge, and it is the picture everyone comes for.