Things to Do in Tipperary

The Glen of Aherlow: Tipperary's Valley Between the Galtees and Slievenamuck

A long green valley between two ridges, the Glen of Aherlow is one of Tipperary's finest places to walk, drive or simply stop and look.

The Glen of Aherlow (Gleann Eatharlaí) is a valley in western County Tipperary between the Galtee Mountains and Slievenamuck. It runs about 13 km east to west and about 3 km north to south, roughly 40 square kilometres, with the River Aherlow running through it. It is about 31 km from Ardfinnan, and it is the best place nearby for easy walking and wide views.

The name

Wikipedia gives the name as coming from the Irish eatharlach, meaning “land between elevations”. That is exactly what you see: the Galtees rising on one side and the long ridge of Slievenamuck on the other, with a flat green floor between them.

The two sides of the glen

On the south side are the Galtee Mountains. Their highest peak, Galtymore, is 917.9 m and is the highest point in both Tipperary and Limerick, according to Wikipedia, which also notes a white cross placed on its summit in 1975 that overlooks the glen. The range is Old Red Sandstone, with summits capped by conglomerate. Tipperary.com says the Galtees hold five corrie lakes.

On the north side is Slievenamuck, a lower ridge. Most visitors reach it for one reason.

Christ the King

A statue called Christ the King overlooks the valley. Wikipedia says it was built in 1950 on Slievenamuck, along the approach road to Tipperary Town, and describes it as a major landmark, a lookout point and the starting point for a network of hiking trails. It is the easiest viewpoint in the glen: you can park nearby and look down the whole length of the valley without a long climb.

Walking and outdoor activity

Tipperary.com lists walking, cycling, horse riding and fishing, plus a family-friendly nature park. For the high ground, Wikipedia’s Galtymore entry describes three routes, which are serious hill days rather than strolls:

• the Black Road Route, about 9 km and 3 to 4 hours from the Black Road car park
• the Circuit of Glencushnabinnia, about 12 km and 5 to 6 hours
• the Galtee Challenge (Galtee Crossing), a crossing of the whole range taking more than 10 hours

Weather changes quickly on mountain tops. Carry a map, proper boots and a waterproof, and tell someone your route. For trail maps and local guidance, start with the community site mentioned by Tipperary.com, aherlow.com.

Places and stories in the glen

The main village is Lisvarrinane (also spelled Lisvernane or Lisfornane), according to Wikipedia. Galbally lies on the western fringe, Kilross to the north-west and Bansha on the eastern approach. Tipperary.com also lists St Pecaun’s Holy Well among the ancient sites.

The glen has a literary connection too. Wikipedia says the historian Geoffrey Keating preached sermons here and found refuge, and that tradition has him living in a cave for much of the time he was on the run. He compiled his major work, Foras Feasa ar Éirinn, around 1634.

Reading the landscape

The shape of the glen is simple but striking. Both sides are high, the floor is gentle, and the River Aherlow collects water from the slopes in between. Wikipedia mentions the former Dawson-Massey estate, centred on Ballynacourty House, on the northern side of Galtymore, a reminder that this was once a landscape of big demesnes as well as small farms. It also records the former Aherlow creamery at the hamlet of Rossadrehid, which closed in the late twentieth century, a small piece of the valley’s farming story.

Because the glen is so well defined, it works as a drive as well as a walk. You can follow the road along the valley floor and stop where the views open, then climb to the statue for the full length of the glen laid out below you.

Visiting

The glen is open year round, according to Tipperary.com, with restaurants, pubs and accommodation. There is no single gate or ticket; individual attractions set their own terms, so check each one directly before you go.

From Ardfinnan

The Glen of Aherlow is roughly 31 km from Ardfinnan, about 35 minutes’ drive. Ardfinnan’s Norman castle is worth a look from the village bridge before you set off. Build a wider day from things to do near Ardfinnan, or explore more Tipperary attractions.