Blackwater Way facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Blackwater Way |
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Avondhu Way near Mitchelstown
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| Length | 168 kilometres (104 miles) |
| Location | Counties Tipperary, Cork & Kerry, Ireland |
| Designation | National Waymarked Trail |
| Trailheads | Clogheen, County Tipperary, Shrone, County Kerry |
| Use | Hiking |
| Difficulty | Moderate |
| Season | Any |
The Blackwater Way is a really long walking path in Ireland. It follows the beautiful valley of the River Blackwater. This trail is about 168 kilometers (104 miles) long. It starts in Clogheen, which is in County Tipperary. The trail finishes in Shrone, located in County Kerry. Most people take about ten days to walk the whole Blackwater Way.
The National Trails Office of the Irish Sports Council officially recognizes the Blackwater Way as a National Waymarked Trail. This means it's a special, well-known hiking route. Two groups, Avondhu Tourism and IRD Duhallow, help manage and look after the trail.
Contents
Discover the Blackwater Way
The Blackwater Way is actually made up of two smaller trails that have been joined together. These are the Avondhu Way and the Duhallow Way.
What Makes Up the Trail?
The Avondhu Way is the first part of the Blackwater Way. It stretches from Clogheen to a place called Bweeng in County Cork. The Duhallow Way is the second part. It goes from Bweeng all the way to Shrone.
The Avondhu Way
When you walk the Avondhu Way, you'll cross the Knockmealdown Mountains. After that, the trail leads you to the town of Fermoy. Then, it goes along the northern side of the Nagles Mountains. You'll pass through villages like Ballyhooly and Ballynamona before reaching Bweeng.
The Duhallow Way
The Duhallow Way section takes you over two more mountain ranges. These are the Boggeragh Mountains and the Derrynasaggart Mountains. This part of the trail will guide you through Millstreet before you finally arrive at Shrone.
Part of a Bigger Adventure: The E8 Route
Did you know the Blackwater Way is part of an even bigger trail? It's a section of the European walking route E8. This amazing route starts all the way in Dursey Island in County Cork, Ireland. It then travels across many countries and ends in Istanbul, Turkey!
Connecting Trails
The Irish part of the E8 route includes several other famous walking trails. These are the Wicklow Way, the South Leinster Way, the East Munster Way, the Blackwater Way itself, and parts of the Kerry Way and the Beara Way.
The Blackwater Way connects with the East Munster Way in Clogheen. If you want to continue your adventure to the Kerry Way, there's a path from Shrone to Killarney. However, this path isn't marked with signs like the main trails.
