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Annaloughan Loop
Jenkinstown, Co. Louth
Hidden gem
Free to visit
Annaloughan Loop is situated in the heart of the Cooley Peninsula, and starts starting and finishing at the car park of Fitzpatricks restaurant and bar.

Go hiking in Louth and enjoy the fantastic Annaloughan Loop on a quiet country trail with amazing views throughout.

A-B. From the car park, turn left and follow the purple arrow to a minor road where you turn left. Follow this road for about 300m to reach a narrow laneway on your left. Turn left and follow the laneway to exit at a farm shed where you turn right. Shortly afterwards, you turn right at a T-junction and follow the roadway to reach a barrier entrance to forestry. Just past the barrier turn right onto a forestry roadway.

B-C. After just 50m continue straight on at a junction and follow the forestry roadway as it ascends to a 3-way junction from where the loop ‘proper’ begins. Information plates on the waymarker offers you the choice of doing the loop clockwise or counter-clockwise. We suggest it is best done clockwise - so continue straight on. The loop continues to ascend for the next 2km - before joining a surfaced road. Turn right.

C-A. Follow the road for only 50m and cross a stile on your right which takes you onto a path by the edge of forestry (on your right). Keeping the forestry fence on your right, stay on this path for 1.5km as the loop crosses the shoulder of Annaloughan Mountain. Near the end of this section a slight deviation (left) from the fence takes you to a stile where you enter the forestry. Follow the stony path downhill to reach a 3-way junction where you turn left and downhill - after 300m swing right at a sharp bend and soon rejoin the outward section of the loop at the junction mentioned at B above. This time turn left and follow the purple arrows as they take you back to the trailhead.

Trail details

Type:
Walking Trail
Location:
Rockmarshall
Grade:
Moderate
Format:
Loop
Length:
5.974613862km
Ascent:
250m
Dogs allowed:
Yes
Time:
2 hours 45 minutes
Nearest town start:
Jenkinstown
Nearest town finish:
Jenkinstown
Start point:
Fitzpatrick's Pub/Restaurant
Finish point:
Fitzpattrick's Pub/Restaurant
Waymarking:
Purple arrow on white background
Facilities:
Car park, pub and restaurant at Trailhead
Contact details
Rockmarshall, Jenkinstown, Co. Louth, 47545, Ireland
Leave no trace
  • Plan ahead and prepare
  • Be considerate of others
  • Respect farm animals and wildlife
  • Travel and camp on durable ground
  • Leave what you find
  • Dispose of waste properly
  • Minimise the effects of fire
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