Discover Rathgormack

Rathgormack lies at the foot of the Comeragh Mountains. In the surrounding area, scenic walking trails meet local traditions, including a legend and a stone associated with the Penal Times. When planning your stay, you can consider both the type of walk you want and the connection to local history.

Walks between village, forest and mountains

Rathgormack Walks is a series of marked road, forest and mountain walks in the north of County Waterford. In addition, the local community has developed circular routes on roads around the village of Rathgormack. This provides a choice of different route types: marked paths in forests and mountains, as well as road loops in the village surroundings. When planning, consider whether you would prefer to focus on forest and mountain trails or a road loop.

The Rathgormack Boolas Loop is nearby. Access is permitted with the landowners’ consent; each year, the route is closed for one day on the third Thursday in December. Take both conditions into account when planning. An Rathbeag also passes close to Carrigsheegowna, a striking sandstone knoll that featured prominently in the 1975 film Barry Lyndon. The Glenpatrick Bridge Walk follows part of the old military road from Clonmel to Kilmeaden, which was built after the 1798 Rebellion.

Local history and traditions

Cloch na gCeann is a stone near the barracks in Rathgormack associated with beheadings during the Penal Times. Another local tradition is the legend of William Crotty, which links Rathgormack with Crotty’s Rock in the Comeragh Mountains. Local history thus brings together a specific site and a legendary connection to a place in the mountains.

More landscapes in the wider destination of Waterford

The Waterford Greenway is one of the larger walking and cycling routes in the wider destination of Waterford. The car-free route is 46 km long and runs from Waterford City to Dungarvan along the former Great Southern and Western Railway line. Eleven bridges, three viaducts and a 400 m-long tunnel shape its course. The Greenway therefore offers a distinctive route alongside the road, forest and mountain walks associated with Rathgormack.

The coast offers another kind of landscape: the Copper Coast UNESCO Global Geopark stretches for 25 km along the coast of County Waterford, from Fenor to Stradbally. When choosing the kind of holiday you want, you can compare the different landscape settings in the wider destination of Waterford: Rathgormack lies at the foot of the Comeragh Mountains, while the geopark focuses on the coast.

Accommodation and choosing a location

Rathgormack Hostel offers accommodation for 20 people. This capacity can be a useful guide when planning a trip with several companions; check availability directly before travelling. If you are looking for holiday accommodation in Rathgormack, the walking trails and local features described here can inform your choice of holiday location.

Discover more destinations: Dungarvan, Tramore, Ringville, Bunmahon, Woodstown, Harrylock, Dunmore East, Waterford.

Back to the main travel overview: Waterford.