Routes
Day 1: South West Coastal Route (25 Kms)
The route takes us around the beautiful Ring of Hook, taking in Fethard-on-sea, Slade, along the cliffs to historic Hook Head and finishing at the infamous Loftus Hall.
Day 2: The Blackstairs Walk (29 kms)
The most challenging of all the days, this route is considered one of the classic routes in Irish hill-walking.
The Blackstairs Walk is a 28Km mountain walk along the Carlow Wexford Border and traverses the entire range.
The average time to complete this walk is 9 hours. Starting at Killanure, the route follows the Carlow-Wexford border taking in Mount Leinster, Scullogue Gap, Blackstairs Mountain and at finishes at Glynn (Co. Carlow).
Mount Leinster and the Blackstairs are a ridge of rounded granite peaks lying between the beautiful Barrow valley and the rich lowlands of Wexford.
The summit of Mount Leinster is the highest point in Wexford (793 metres), and from here on a clear day affords truly extensive views of the whole South East of Ireland, taking in much of the coast and all other mountain ranges.
Blackstairs Mountain itself is approached from the Sculloge Gap and just past the summit it is possible to inspect Cahir Rua's Den, where a notorious outlaw once lay low.
The route then descends gradually to the finish line at Glynn.
Day 3: The Three Rocks Trail (18 km)
The Three Rocks Trail is a 13 km nature walk which takes us across Forth Mountain, west of Wexford Town. You will walk through unspoiled countryside, with wonderful views, passing historical sites. Along the route, near the Skeater Rock, there is a cairn, or prehistoric burial mound. This viewing point gives a commanding view of South Wexford coastline and was used as a key lookout point by the rebels in 1798.
From Carrigfoyle Rock there are wonderful panoramic views. Other interesting sites include the ruins of Carrig Church, Carrig River, the Norman castle at Barntown and St. Alphonsus Church, designed by Pugin. South of Barntown is the ruin of a church used in 1798, and beside it the old one-room school.
The Three Rocks camp, on the eastern side of Forth Mountain is where in 1798 the main body of the rebels waited before one of the main battles of the rebellion. The rebels won, the troops left Wexford and on May 30th Ireland’s first (short-lived) republic was declared.
The route takes us past the ruined Ferrycarrig Castle on an outcrop overlooking the River Slaney and you pass the Round Tower (a memorial built in 1858 to Wexford soldiers who died in the Crimean war) and the Irish National Heritage Park.
From here we continue towards Wexford town, passing the Faythe Harriers grounds at Pairc Charman on a triumphant final march into the town.
Itinerary subject to change