Knockanaffrin Mountain ranks as the 33rd highest mountain in Ireland. At 755m, it is also the third highest peak in County Waterford, behind Knockmealdown and Fauscoum.
The hike itself is relatively straightforward, with excellent views of the surrounding rolling countryside, neighbouring mountains, and occasional glimpses of shimmering mountain lakes.
There are a few options for climbing Knockanaffrin Mountain. My much-loved and much-used Irish Peaks guidebook recommends a point-to-point trail starting at Harney’s Cross and finishing on the eastern side of the mountain. However, I prefer this 9km circular route starting from the Nire Valley Car Park, which takes in a lovely ridge walk before returning along a different path.
Knockanaffrin Mountain Hike Details
- Distance: 9km
- Time Required: It took me about 3.5 hours to complete the trail, including a stop at the summit to eat my packed lunch and soak in the views. I kept a good pace though, so would advise to allow up to 4 hours to complete the hike comfortably.
- Elevation Gain: 513m
- Difficulty Level: Moderate. The walk provides a solid workout and you will need a reasonable level of fitness to complete it. Strangely, the first few hundred metres are among the steepest, so expect your legs to feel it early on. Navigation proved fairly straightforward and I didn’t encounter any major difficulties along the route.
Map of the Knockanaffrin Mountain Hike
The map below shows the 9km circular route for the Knockanaffrin Mountain walk. You can also view the route online at alltrails.com.
Where to Start the Knockanaffrin Mountain Hike
I began this hike at the Nire Valley Car Park. It wasn’t overly busy when I arrived, which felt a little unusual for a Saturday morning in the Comeraghs.
I had a nice chat with another hiker before setting off. He headed off along a different route, and in total I only met three other walkers during the entire hike. So don’t be surprised if you end up having most of this trail to yourself.
Head for The Gap
A good thing about the Knockanaffrin Mountain walk is that most of the route is marked. Starting from the car park, I followed the green arrows leading towards The Gap.
The Gap in this instance being the valley that separates the Knockanaffrin Mountain Ridge from the main part of the Comeragh mountains to the south.
You’ll notice a number of meandering paths during the early stages of the hike. Even with the green trail markers, you’ll need to pay attention to avoid wandering onto the wrong path through the gorse.
If you’re lucky enough to visit when the gorse is in bloom, the early part of the walk is framed by a beautiful sea of purple.
A Fork in the Path
After about 500 metres, I reached a split in the trail. Here I needed to turn right through a gate. The alternative path continues straight up the mountain, which I would eventually come down by on the return part of my journey.
After passing through the gate, the path towards The Gap stretched clearly ahead — a lovely strip of green grass winding between flowering gorse bushes on either side.
With the path laid out in front of me (and regular green markers on posts along the way), I reached The Gap after about 3km of walking. The Gap itself is marked by a rusty old gate in the fence that runs along the Knockanaffrin ridge.
Starting the Climb Along Knockanaffrin Ridge
From The Gap, navigation to the summit proved straightforward. I simply turned left and followed the ridge, with the highest point lying about 2.5km away.
Elevation is gained steadily along the ridge, but the walking is enjoyable throughout. One of the highlights here is the excellent view down to Coumduala Lough, a beautiful corrie lake tucked beneath the ridge.
The Summit of Knockanaffrin Mountain
The summit itself is marked by a jumble of large rocks. I took some time here to sit down, eat my lunch, and enjoy the views.
The Knockanaffrin ridge continues north, dropping slightly before rising again to the lower peak of Knocksheegowna. On a clear day you can also spot Slievenamon in the distance.
To the west lie the Knockmealdown Mountains, while the rest of the Comeragh Mountains stretch away to the south.
Back Down the Mountain
After leaving the summit, I retraced my steps along the ridge for a while before continuing southeast along the ridge for about 1.5km.
Despite the lunch stop, I was starting to feel the morning’s effort in my legs. Imagine my surprise when I suddenly saw a big man lumbering towards me, carrying a large sledgehammer on one shoulder and fencing posts on the other.
I expressed my admiration for him carrying such a heavy load all the way up the mountain. After chatting for a few minutes, he admitted that he actually had a quad bike and trailer parked nearby.
Despite feeling slightly envious of his outdoor job putting up fencing along the mountainside, I politely declined his good-natured request for help with the work and continued on my way.
The Descent
At around the 7km mark, near a viewing point overlooking Coumduala Lough, I needed to turn right and follow the path descending the mountain. This being a more direct route back to the starting point.
The descent required careful footing in a few places, but overall it was straightforward and I made good progress.
Before long I reached the original fork in the path, this time with the gate through the fence on my left. From here it was a simple downhill walk back to the Nire Valley Car Park.
Reflections on the Knockanaffrin Mountain Walk
While not the most dramatic hike in the Comeragh Mountains, this is still a very enjoyable walk.
I was lucky to catch the gorse in bloom during late summer. This added a lovely splash of colour to the early part of the hike. The ridge walk itself is the real highlight, more than making up for the somewhat understated summit.
For those looking for a quiet mountain hike with great views and relatively straightforward navigation, the Knockanaffrin Mountain walk is a great choice.