There's nothing quite like the adrenalin rush of biking and hiking in the wilderness to make you forget about the strains of everyday life, writes ROISÍN FINLAY
AS I STRIPPED off my sopping clothes, a puddle forming at my feet and steam rising from my body, I couldn’t help but think that if a certain sports company hadn’t already used it, “Just do it” would be a perfect slogan for promoting holidays in Ireland, accompanied by an image of a huge grin like the one plastered across my mud-splattered face.
Quite the contrast to how my day had started, with me glumly looking out of a hotel window as rain teemed down. I had reckoned that our plans to tackle Ballyhoura Mountain Bike Trails, which span the border between north Cork and south Limerick, were doomed. But the prospect of killing the day indoors, watching bad telly, eventually encouraged my companions and I to pull on our waterproofs, adopt a to-hell-with-it attitude and head out anyway.
Admittedly, we were still reticent as we splashed through puddles in the car park at the start of the trails, where we were meeting Chris O’Callaghan of XCT1, a local company, to pick up our rental bikes and helmets. And we were still procrastinating as we stared at the slightly steamed-up map, but within minutes of pedalling into the trees all of our doubts were gone.
Initially, it may have been a case of being too puffed from pushing uphill to care any more about the rain. But we genuinely forgot about the deluge as soon as we gained a bit of height and turned our wheels for a downhill spin along some of the “single track” for which Ballyhoura is growing in fame.
Seasoned mountain bikers will know that the term refers to trails that are usually less than a metre wide and will allow only a single cyclist to pass. What the uninitiated can expect is to shoot along a slender rutted forest path on two wheels, negotiating twists and turns, bumps and boulders, shrubs and stumps.
And that’s not an end to the thrills. The adrenalin high reaches new levels when you hit the raised boardwalks. These narrow elevated wooden paths, with exposed edges and drops, which appear as you are flying along a trail, bring you across streams, bog and even small waterfalls – without being able to put your feet down.
It’s a real case of keeping your eyes on your target and just going for it, putting your trust in your balance and your bike as you white-knuckle ride your way across these bridges, letting out breathless whoops and shrieks every once in a while.
But it's not just about high-octane action. There are plenty of fairly easy-going level stretches where you'll find yourself being wowed by the peace of this otherworldly forest, which seems to glow thanks to thick fuzzy mosses and lichens that drip from the trees, both living and fallen. Coupled with the lush sounds of streams and rivers both trickling and gushing, scattered wild flowers and the twittering of unseen birds, I half expected to see a fairy or some Lord of the Rings-type creature appear as I rounded some of the bends.
The other things to look out for when you hit a clearing in the forest – or in the weather – are the lovely views. In the near distance you’ll see the striking Galty Mountains and rolling fields, with the odd castle standing guard for good measure.
In total, Ballyhoura offers more than 90km of mountain biking along this single track, as well as on forest road climbs, which puts it up there as one of Europe’s top mountain-biking destinations. These loops range from the relatively easy six kilometres of Greenwood Loop, which would take a slowish biker about an hour to complete, to the 51km Castlepook Loop.
By contrast, this route, which is not for the faint-hearted, could take a biker up to five hours to finish, and includes long and lung-busting climbs. But the reward is a lengthy and sheer descent involving tight turns and technical single track through the forest and back to the trail head. There is enough biking here to keep even an avid enthusiast pedalling for several days at a time.
As for us, after three or four hours of sweat – but, happily, no blood or tears – our efforts were rewarded with piping-hot showers, chocolate and coffees in the purpose-built centre at the end of the trails. They really have thought of everything.
Once we were showered and fed, we headed to Aherlow House Hotel, an old hunting lodge with magnificent views across the Glen of Aherlow, a 30-minute drive away. Even though there is plenty of good accommodation near the trails, we wanted to check out the glen’s walking routes.
The next morning the weather pulled a typical trick, and the day dawned bright and sunny as we sipped coffee on the terrace looking out to Galtymore, at 920m the loftiest of Ireland’s inland mountains.
Free map packs in the hotel lobby detailed eight nearby looped walks, ranging from two to 11km. The short woodland loop would be perfect for families that have just caught the walking bug. The paths also make perfect trail-running routes, especially for those of us who are navigationally challenged, as they are clearly marked and well maintained.
There are two trail heads in the glen: the Christ the King and the Lisvarrinane, in the village. All the looped walks start and finish here. We ambled along the 10km Ballinacourty loop, joining up with the Ballyhoura Way for a while and then crossing the southern shoulder of Slievenamuck.
As sequoia trees swayed in the breeze, we marvelled at walking along a sandstone ridge that formed more than 300 million years ago. Then again, drinking in the sunshine and the views, we felt about 300 million kilometres from Dublin, work and our everyday lives.
Where to stay and where to go for an exhilarating experience
Where to stay
- Aherlow House Hotel Lodges. Glen of Aherlow, 062-56153, aherlowhouse.ie. The hotel provides walking packages, including maps, packed lunches and guided walks. From €60pps; lodges from €500 per week, plus energy charges.
- Ballyhoura Forest Homes. Ballyorgan, Co Limerick, 01-2018440, thh.ie. These timber self-catering properties, set among the trees in hectares of forest in the middle of the Ballyhoura Mountains, offer a small adventure playground that is perfect for kids. From €300 to €700 per week for six.
- Deebert House Hotel. Kilmallock, Co Limerick, 063-31200, deeberthouse hotel.com. Family-run hotel with drying rooms and hearty fare for hungry bikers or walkers. Singles from €55; doubles and twins from €75.
- Charleville Park Hotel. Charleville, Co Cork, 063-33700, charlevillepark hotel.com. The spot if you fancy soothing those sore muscles in a 25m swimming pool, hydrotherapy pool, eight-seater Jacuzzi, steam room or sauna. From €50 per room.
- Castle Oliver. Ardpatrick, Co Limerick, 063-91826, castleoliverireland.com. You can book this sprawling baronial mansion on a self-catering basis and have access to professional butler service, eight bedrooms with hand-carved four-poster beds and huge wine cellar; €8,000 a week for 16, sleeping in eight en-suite rooms. Shorter stays also available.
Where to go
- Local company XCT1, which is owned and run by Chris O'Callaghan and Liam Sheehy, offers full-suspension or hard- trail Specialized bikes for rent, at €55 and €40 per day; the price includes a helmet and basic repair kit. XCT1 can also provide a guide if you want an introduction to the area. Prices depend on the size of your group. 087-2717330, xct1.com.
- If you want to make the most of your trip to Ballyhoura, it's well worth doing a half- or full-day mountain-biking course to pick up some tips on how to handle the lumps and bumps of the trails. These are on offer from Kilfinane OEC (063-91161, kilfinaneoec.com).
- Michael Moroney is a local walking guide in the Glen of Aherlow. Contact him if you are looking to get off the beaten track and be regaled with local history, archaeology and even a song or two. 087-9267948.
- If after your mountain- biking session you fancy something completely different, its well worth a trip to Lazy Dog Shooting Range, in Ballintubber, near Kilfinane. Owner and certified trainer Ray Sampson provides expert tuition. You'll be amazed how much fun it is to take pot shots at clay pigeons on this floodlit range with covered stands. 062-53563, 087-9079556, lazydogshooting@eircom.net.
- You can try some fishing at Ballyhass Lakes (Cecilstown, Mallow, 022-27773, ballyhasslakes.ie). This is especially appealing for those with little ones, who can get a thrill when they catch their first fish.
- For activities of an equestrian nature, try Hillcrest Equestrian Centre (Galbally, Co Limerick, 062-37915, hillcrestcentre@eircom.net). Located in the shadow of the Galty Mountains, with the Glen of Aherlow on one side and the Ballyhoura Mountains on the other, this centre offers a variety of instruction to all levels as well as pony camps, and must have one of the most scenic settings for riding in Ireland.
Find out more
- For details on accommodation and adventurous things to do, see discoverireland.ie/adventure.
- There's a full list of accommodation in the vicinity to suit every budget – from hostels to castles to self-catering – at ballyhouramtb.com or ballyhouracountry.com.
- Contact Glen of Aherlow Fáilte Society (062-56331, aherlow.com) for information on walking guides, maps and accommodation.