A-B. Starting from the car park,(the carpark is a short distance west of Marlfield and will be signposted from the village) enter the woods through the swing gate and veer right onto a woodland trail - following the blue (and green and purple) arrows. Follow this trail for approx 300m to reach a junction of tracks where all three loops turn left. Follow the trail downhill now to reach a 3-way junction where the shorter green loop turns left - you continue straight here.
B-C. After 400m along a downhill track, you reach a 3-way junction where the longer purple loop veers right - you turn left.
C-D. Now follow the blue arrows along a fairly level, winding track for approx 1km. The loop then descends via steps to rejoin the purple loop on a forest roadway close to the bank of the River Suir. Turn left here.
D-A. Continue along the riverbank roadway for 200m before turning uphill and ascending to reach the stone boundary wall at a gated entrance. Do not exit here - follow the woodland trail along the inside of the boundary wall for approx 1km to regain the trailhead.
The three walks start from the carpark.
Fox Covert Loop.
Glenbawn Loop
Dun Ui Faolain Loop
Today, Glenbawn Wood is owned by Coillte. In former times, the wood formed part of the Bagwell Estate, laid out by Fanny Bagwell and Sir Joseph Paxton in the 19th century. In previous times, it was the site for the fort of the Faolains chiefs of the Deise (the longest of the three loops here is called the Dun Ui Faolain). The woods teem with wildlife and diverse plant species and are a haven of solitude in today’s frantic world. Three loop walks have been developed as part of a regeneration of the wood by a local community group called the Two Bridges Partnership – this is the second longest in the set. The Glenbawn Loop, Fox Covert Loop, and Dun Ui Faolain Loop.
