The Knockmealdowns reward slow discovery. You can cross them by road, climb into them on foot, follow old routes through their valleys, or simply stop and take in the view.

This is a landscape of big open ridges, wooded glens, corrie lakes, working villages, quiet chapels, river walks and roads that still feel close to an older Ireland. Some places are well known. Others are found by taking your time.

The Vee

Bay lough

Set into the mountainside below The Vee, Bay Lough is one of the most memorable places in the Knockmealdowns.
The walk from the car park is short enough for many casual visitors, but the lake still has the feeling of somewhere hidden. Its dark water, steep slopes and folklore give it a presence far beyond its size.
Bay Lough is strongly associated with the legend of Petticoat Loose, said to have been banished here and condemned to empty the lake with a thimble.

Knockmealdown Active runs Bay Lough Kayaking here over the summer

Mount Melleray

On the Waterford side of the range, Mount Melleray brings a different kind of stillness to the mountains.

Founded by Cistercian monks in the nineteenth century, the abbey sits in a landscape shaped by prayer, work, farming, education and hospitality. Visitors come for the church, the stained glass, the cafe, the walking route behind the monastery, and the quiet that seems to gather around the place.

It is one of the essential stops in the wider Knockmealdown area.

Folklore, Memory & heritage

The Knockmealdowns are rich in stories. Some belong to folklore, some to faith, some to conflict, and some to the families and communities who lived close to the mountain.

Bay Lough carries the legend of Petticoat Loose. The Grubb Monument stands above The Vee, looking out across the valley. Near Goatenbridge, the Liam Lynch Monument marks one of the final and most significant moments of the Civil War. St. Declan’s Way passes through the area, connecting Cashel, the Knockmealdown villages, Mount Melleray, Lismore, Cappoquin and Ardmore.

These stories are not separate from the landscape. They are part of how the mountain is remembered.

Villages, valleys &
River Places

The Knockmealdowns are not only peaks and passes. The surrounding villages and valleys are part of the experience.

Clogheen sits close to The Vee and Bay Lough, making it a natural base for exploring the Tipperary side of the mountains. Ballyporeen connects the area towards Burncourt and Mitchelstown Cave. Newcastle and Goatenbridge bring you deeper into the quieter roads, river walks and wooded edges of the range.

To the south, the landscape opens towards Cappoquin, Lismore and the Blackwater Valley, where mountain routes meet monastic heritage, river scenery and some of the most historic places in West Waterford.

SEE AND DO

The Knockmealdowns are a place to explore at your own pace, whether you want a mountain walk, a family day out, a quiet river stop, a heritage visit or more active adventerous pursuits

The Knockmealdowns are a place to explore at your own pace, whether you want a mountain walk, a family day out, a quiet river stop, a heritage visit or more active adventerous pursuits

And Beyond

The Knockmealdowns are well placed for exploring beyond the mountains, with heritage sites, rivers, activity centres and coastal places all within reach. Visitors can travel to Mount Melleray Abbey, Brú Ború in Cashel, the River Blackwater, nearby walking and mountaineering routes, motorsport and activity centres, or head towards the coast for Clonea Strand and sea-angling around Ardmore and Youghal.

• Mount Melleray Abbey, Cappoquin
• Brú Ború
• Galtee Walking Club
• Peaks Mountaineering Club
• Blackwater Fishing
• Rosegreen Motor Racing
• Karting & Paintballing
• Clonea Strand
• Ardmore/Youghal Sea Angling