Overview
Waymarked loops start from Lisvarrinane, and the one worth the drive is the red Dolmen Loop, a 9.8 km circuit that climbs onto the flank of Slievenamuck and passes near the Shrough portal tomb, a Neolithic monument. The village itself (Irish: Lios Fearnain, usually read as “the fort of the fairies”) is tiny; it is the trailhead that brings people here, in the Glen of Aherlow in County Tipperary. The routes are free and signposted, and dogs should be kept on leads.
The walking loops
The Sport Ireland trail page describes the Dolmen Loop. Follow red arrows on white for the 9.8 km loop, which Sport Ireland grades moderate and allows about three and a half hours. One thing to get straight before you set off: the shorter loops are not quick strolls.
- Carroll’s Loop (Green) – 4.4 km, the gentlest of the three. It follows quiet lanes and the edge of the woodland. Allow more time than the distance suggests.
- Pádraig’s Loop (Blue) – the middle option, sharing the early sections before branching off. Distances for it are not well documented, so check the trailboard on the day.
- The Dolmen Loop (Red) – the long one, 9.8 km. It climbs steadily up Slievenamuck for open views over the Glen, and passes near the Shrough Dolmen on the way.
Different coloured arrows mark the other loops from the village. All three are said to link into the long-distance Ballyhoura Way, so stronger walkers can stitch them into a bigger day. The arrows are painted on wayposts and trees, so navigation is straightforward, but stay on the marked route.
History and monuments
The Irish name points to a ringfort that once stood here, and the surrounding hills carry the low, circular banks that get called fairy forts locally, early-medieval enclosures used as farmsteads or field boundaries. The pick of the archaeology, though, is the Shrough Dolmen on the red loop: a portal tomb whose massive capstone has sat on its uprights since the late Stone Age, built by the first farming communities in the valley for burial and ritual. Leave the old stones undisturbed. It is a quiet spot to stop and take in a skyline that has changed little in five thousand years.
Wildlife and seasons
The trails cross a mix of oak and birch woodland, open heath and upland grass. Spring brings bluebells and wild garlic to the shaded stretches; late summer turns the higher slopes purple with heather; autumn is the time for colour, when the woodland goes bronze and morning mist pools in the Glen. Buzzards work the open ridges, and the streams feeding the Aherlow hold trout.
Practical information
- Trailhead: The trailboard is in Lisvarrinane. Check the Sport Ireland trail page for current trail information before you go.
- Access and cost: Free. Keep dogs on a lead, leave farm entrances clear and take care around livestock.
- Facilities: Do not count on any on the trails, so carry water.
- Getting there: The nearest town is Tipperary Town, reached on the R664. Come by car, as public transport into the Glen is limited.
- Weather: The higher ground on Slievenamuck turns windy and wet fast, so check the forecast and bring a waterproof and proper footwear.
Nearby attractions
If your legs want more, the Ballyhourigan Loop and Woods is another woodland circuit a short drive off, with ancient oak stands and well-kept paths. For a change of scene, head north to Cahir Castle, a medieval fortress on the River Suir.