Walks & Activities
From gentle forest loops to a full mountain crossing, the Knockmealdowns are a walker’s paradise.
Between Clonmel, Cahir and the Waterford coast you’ll find waymarked forest loops, open hill trails and quiet country roads — all on tracks that Knockmealdown Active helps build and maintain. Pick a distance that suits you and head out.
Before you go: many of these routes cross open hill and working farmland. Leave gates as you find them, take your litter home, keep dogs under control, and check each trail's current grade and condition on its Sport Ireland listing before setting out.
Waymarked Trails
These loops are nationally registered, waymarked and graded by Sport Ireland, so you'll find post markers along the route. Tap any trail for its full map and details.
Easy
Moderate
Strenuous
Longer & Special Routes
- St Declan's Way 115 km Ireland's ancient pilgrim path from Cashel to Ardmore, a national waymarked trail — walked in full each spring on our annual pilgrim event.
- Tipperary Heritage Way 56 km A long-distance route starting at the Vee gap and running north through the Suir valley.
- Mount Melleray Cross 7 km A lovely walk to the cross behind Mount Melleray Abbey, on the Waterford side of the mountains.
- Bay Lough Lake Path Family A short, downhill path from the car park to the corrie lake — a gentle there-and-back suitable for families.
For Hillwalkers
Beyond the marked loops, the open tops are a hillwalker's playground. Notable summits include Knockshanahullion, Sugar Loaf and, for the real challenge, Knockmealdown itself — the highest point in the range, rising behind Goatenbridge and Newcastle.
You can explore every summit on our interactive peaks map.
More Ways to Get Active
Walking is just the start. The same valley is a quietly brilliant spot for fishing, cycling and golf.
Fishing
The River Suir and its tributaries — the Tar, Duag and Nire — are renowned for wild brown trout and salmon, with a season from mid-March to the end of September. Much of the bank is private farmland, so always seek the landowner's permission.
Licences & Info ›Cycling
South Tipperary Cycling Club — which we helped found in 2012 — rides every Sunday morning and welcomes all abilities, with short (25 km), medium (50 km) and long (80 km) routes looping over the Vee and beyond.
Join a Cycle ›Golf
There's a cluster of courses around the mountains — parkland at Cahir Park, a pretty nine at Lismore, and Clonmel Golf Club, the only course actually up in the Knockmealdowns and the hilliest of the lot.
Find a Course ›Most of these trails sit on tracks built and maintained by Knockmealdown Active and our partner communities. Enjoy them, look after them, and discover more of the region while you're here.