I love this Glenbarrow Loop Walk — what an absolute gem of a trail. The highlight is undoubtedly the glorious waterfall. You have the option of visiting it at either the start or the end of the walk, depending on which direction you take.
I’m always in favour of saving the best until last, so this guide follows the clockwise route. Keep reading for full details.
Glenbarrow Loop Trail Details
- Distance: While the official slievebloom.ie website notes this as 8.5km, I measured it at 9km (which aligns with the map available on alltrails.com).
- Time Required: It took me almost 3 hours to complete including a stop for lunch beside the waterfall. I’d allow up to 3.5 hours just to make sure you give yourself enough time.
- Elevation Gain: Total ascent of 268m
- Difficulty Level: Moderate. You will need a good level of fitness in order to complete the 9km of walks through rolling countryside.
Where to Start the Glenbarrow Loop?
I parked up at the Glenbarrow car park just before noon on a bright midweek morning. While I found the car park largely deserted, it is big enough so that it should be able to accommodate weekend crowds well.
The drive from Dublin took me 1 hour and 45 minutes travelling along the M7 motorway for most of the journey.
Other Walking Options Nearby
You have 3 marked trails to choose from after reaching the Glenbarrow car park:
- The 9km Glenbarrow Eco Walk (the subject of this article)
- The shorter 4.5km Waterfall Loop (see details here)
- The longer 10.5km Old Mill Loop (see details here)
The longer distance (70km) Slieve Bloom Way also follows sections of the Glenbarrow Loop. Check out details of all of Ireland’s long distance way marked trails here.
Map of the Glenbarrow Loop
Slievebloom.ie provides a nice map and the route is available on alltrails.com.
Starting the Glenbarrow Loop
From the car park I immediately came to a Y shaped junction. Turning right will bring you anti-clockwise along the Glenbarrow Loop which means the waterfall will be at the start of the hike. Taking a left is the clockwise version and means the waterfall will be at the end of the walk. I chose the left turn option.
Through the Woods
The Glenbarrow Loop trail followed the earthen path through the woods for about 200m or so before taking a sharp left into the forest itself. I enjoyed this section of mostly boardwalk through the woods for about 600m before emerging out on to a gravel forest road.
I found the alltrails map useful here to make sure I took the right turns. After 800m (1.4km in total) on the gravel road, I turned right and on a grassier trail.
After almost 2.5km of walking (In total), the path trails off into a little turning circle. I found it a little tricky to know where to go here. Essentially though, I just needed to follow a little earthen path into the woods. The earthen path sweeps right and then a quick left. I continued along this path that ran along the edge of the woods (with green fields to my right) before reaching a little gap that brought me out on to a roadway (the L2016).
Short Road Walk
I had completed just over 3km on reaching this roadway. This road section lasted a kilometre. However, I found it probably the most strenuous part of the Glenbarrow Loop as it contains some steep uphill parts. The higher altitude did give me some lovely views over the surrounding countryside though.
Towards the Ridge of Capard
I took a left turn off the road and continued along a grassy trail.
I continued to climb higher as I approached the ridge of Capard. The Ridge of Capard provides a nice viewing platform. While the midlands are generally quite flat, when you do find yourself somewhat high up (nearly 500m here), you get great views of the surrounding areas stretched out below you. I found something similar when completing the lovely Mullaghmeen Forest walk in Westmeath.
As a result, you usually meet a few people up here. There’s a nearby car park which allows people to get close to the viewing deck without needing to walk too far.
The Lost Village
I followed the boardwalk down towards that very car park and onwards to the next highlight of the Glenbarrow Loop – The Lost Village.
The now abandoned 19th century settlement offers a glimpse of the past through the ruins of old stone cottages and a mill.
Towards the River Barrow
The path turned quite mucky as I left the ruins of the old village. As a result, I felt grateful for my hiking boots along this section. After 6.5km of walking, I reached the River Barrow. The remainder of the walk follows alongside the river as the trail loops back towards the starting point.
The Path Along the River
I found the final sections beside the river truly beautiful. This is what makes the Glenbarrow Loop a really fantastic hike. Feeling happy with life, I trekked through the sun dappled woodland pathways with an almost constant sound of flowing water beside me.
The Clamp Hole Waterfall
I particularly enjoyed the rapids and mini waterfalls.
This culminated in the largest and final waterfall of the trail – the Clamp Hole waterfall. The stone steps down are quite steep. As such, I needed to use the wooden handrails as I moved down to the bottom of the waterfall.
Feeling a little tired after my exertions so far, I stopped here for my packed lunch. What an amazing location to stop for a while and enjoy the surroundings.
Completing the Glenbarrow Loop
After the waterfall, the river becomes more peaceful and tranquil. The route followed the earthen path through the forest, stopping occasionally to take pictures of the river beside me. I walked for just over a kilometre after the waterfall to complete the loop.
I returned to my car thoroughly satisfied after a brilliant afternoon’s hiking.
The Glenbarrow Loop Walk is a real hidden gem in the heart of Ireland — and one that’s absolutely worth the trip to County Laois.