Mountain Grove Walk

 

The picturesque village of Piltown is situated between the undulating hills and forests of South Kilkenny and the foothills of the Comeraghs in Waterford.  The ares has many tourist attractions including the High Crosses of Ahenny and Kilkieran, portal tombs, Leac an Scail, Ormonde House and Kilkenny castle.  This looped walk explores the beautiful mixed woodlands at Mountain Grove.

Start and Finish: Car Park Mountain Grove Woods, Piltown, Kilkenny.
Distance: 4km
Estimated Time: 1hrs 30mins
Terrain: Forestry tracks and woodland trails
Difficulty: Easy suits all levels of fitness.

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The Route
From the car park the loop immediately enters the woodlands and follows a forestry track along the left bank of a stream.  Follow the track uphill and parallel to a stone boundary wall on your left.  After almost 1km the loop turns sharp right near the boundary to the forestry and descends sharply towards a stream.

Cross the stream and follow the boundary wall on your left for 1km before swinging right and heading downhill to the edge of the forest.  Here the loop sweeps right again and joins a wider sanded forestry roadway, which soon gives way to a narrow ‘green’ track.  After another half a kilometre take a sharp left at a Y junction.  Shortly after this the loop
turns right again and crosses a short section of woodland to join a forestry track where it turns left.  Following the stream this track descends while gently turning right and reaches an exit from the forest through a stone stile.