Cooley Peninsula · County Louth
Táin Way Walking Guide
The Táin Way is a 40.3 km waymarked loop around Carlingford Mountain on the Cooley Peninsula, starting and finishing in Carlingford. This guide maps the route and everything along it, shows the climbs, and covers getting there and where to stay.
- Length
- 40.3 km
- Grade
- Moderate
- Time
- 2 days
- Ascent
- 1025 m
- Format
- Loop from Carlingford
- Dogs
- Not allowed
Trail facts from Sport Ireland Outdoors, Táin Way trail page, read 17 Sept 2026.
About the walk
The Cooley Peninsula reaches into the Irish Sea between Carlingford Lough and Dundalk Bay. It is the setting of the Táin Bó Cúailnge, the Cattle Raid of Cooley, in which Queen Meabh of Connacht and Cú Chulainn fight over the Brown Bull of Cooley.
The route loops around Carlingford Mountain (590 m) and its western outliers. It mixes quiet roads, forestry tracks and open mountain paths, and from the high ground the views run north across Carlingford Lough to the Mourne Mountains and south along the east coast. It touches the top of one of those outliers at Clermont, which has a Bronze Age cairn.
Carlingford itself is a medieval town where King John had a castle built, and it has the most places to stay on the loop. Waymarking is a yellow arrow on black background. The trail is managed locally by Carlingford Tourist Office.
Táin Way route map
The black line is the waymarked route; the yellow dot is the start in Carlingford. Tap a dot to see its name.
- Pubs, cafés and restaurants
- Places to stay
- Summits and viewpoints
- Heritage
- Water and toilets
Route and places from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), route relation 1015247, read 17 Sept 2026. Carry the official map (OSi Discovery Series Sheet 36 or EastWest Mapping Cooley 1:25,000): the digital line is a guide, not a substitute for waymarks on the ground.
Elevation profile
Height along the route from Carlingford, heading towards Omeath first. The route stays between 4 m and 424 m, with the highest point 424 m at about km 14.4.
Heights sampled every 200 m along the OpenStreetMap route from the EU-DEM 25 m via OpenTopoData. The official ascent figure (1025 m) is the one to plan with.
The route in two days
The trail page suggests 2 days. Distances below are measured along the mapped route from Carlingford, walking towards Omeath first; they are approximate.
Day 1: Carlingford to Ravensdale, about 19.7 km
From Carlingford the route heads north-west above Carlingford Lough towards Omeath, passing about 1.08 km from the village at km 7.7. It then climbs over the Clermont uplands, the highest ground on the walk, before dropping south into Ravensdale, where the Ravensdale Stone Circle sits near the route at km 19.7.
Day 2: Ravensdale back to Carlingford, about 20.4 km
The second half turns back east towards Carlingford, passing The Lumpers pub at km 25.4 and the slopes of Barnavave (349 m) at km 36.9, before the descent into Carlingford.
Along the way (outside Carlingford)
| km | Place | Type | Off route |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 | Rabelo | Pubs, cafés and restaurants | 680 m |
| 6 | An Táin | Pubs, cafés and restaurants | 90 m |
| 14.6 | Clermont Carn NE Top (448 m) | Summits and viewpoints | 210 m |
| 14.9 | Clermont (444 m) | Summits and viewpoints | 450 m |
| 16.8 | Clermont Carn (510 m) | Summits and viewpoints | 480 m |
| 17.3 | The Ben Rock | Summits and viewpoints | 490 m |
| 19.7 | Ravensdale Stone Circle | Heritage | 220 m |
| 21.9 | Sportsman | Pubs, cafés and restaurants | 630 m |
| 25.4 | The Lumpers | Pubs, cafés and restaurants | 50 m |
| 25.4 | Drumisnagh Hill | Summits and viewpoints | 500 m |
| 25.4 | Trumpet Hill (142 m) | Summits and viewpoints | 680 m |
| 26.8 | The Round Mountain | Summits and viewpoints | 530 m |
| 29 | Blueberries | Summits and viewpoints | 40 m |
| 36.9 | Barnavave (349 m) | Summits and viewpoints | 410 m |
From OpenStreetMap; opening hours are not included, so check before relying on a stop for food or water.
Where to stay in Carlingford
Carlingford is the start and finish and has the most accommodation on the loop. Mapped places to stay in the town include Grove House Bed & Breakfast, Abbey Lodge Bed and Breakfast, Four Seasons Hotel, Carlingford House, Ghan House, McKevitt's Hotel, The Oystercatcher Lodge, Carlingford Adventure Centre, Murphy's B&B Harbour-Side. For eating, there are pubs such as Milestone Bar & Lounge, Carlingford Arms, Ma Bakers, Magees, and cafés and restaurants around the harbour.
Carlingford hotels and B&Bs on Expedia
Search rooms in Carlingford for the night before or after the walk. Prices and availability are on Expedia.
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Getting to the Táin Way
Public transport: bus at the start Monday to Saturday (check with Bus Éireann). Distances below are straight-line from Carlingford.
Belfast (BHD) · 67 km
4 airlines fly here on our route maps:
Dublin (DUB) · 69 km
35 airlines fly here on our route maps:
- Aegean Airlines
- Aer Lingus
- Air Baltic
- Air Canada
- Air France
- American Airlines
- British Airways
- China Eastern Airlines
- Croatia Airlines
- Delta Air Lines
- EgyptAir
- Emirates
- Ethiopian Airlines
- Etihad Airways
- Eurowings
- Finnair
- and 19 more
Dublin Airport transport guide · Dublin Airport buses · Dublin Airport taxis
OpenStreetMap maps 37 parking areas within 500 m of the route. Check signs on the day for charges and restrictions.
Weather by month on the Cooley Peninsula
In NASA's averages for the area (20-year Meteorological and Solar Monthly & Annual Climatologies (January 2001 - December 2020)), the driest months are Apr and Feb (about 63 mm and 73 mm), the wettest is Oct (about 108 mm), and Jul is warmest at 14.9°C on average. These are regional averages over roughly 50 km, not a forecast.
| Month | Avg temperature | Rain (approx.) | Cloud cover | Wind at 2 m |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 5.4°C | 92 mm | 81% | 5.3 m/s |
| Feb | 5.2°C | 73 mm | 79% | 5 m/s |
| Mar | 6.1°C | 76 mm | 78% | 4.6 m/s |
| Apr | 8.1°C | 63 mm | 76% | 4 m/s |
| May | 10.7°C | 74 mm | 76% | 3.9 m/s |
| Jun | 13.4°C | 85 mm | 80% | 3.5 m/s |
| Jul | 14.9°C | 90 mm | 80% | 3.4 m/s |
| Aug | 14.7°C | 101 mm | 80% | 3.7 m/s |
| Sep | 13.1°C | 82 mm | 78% | 4.1 m/s |
| Oct | 10.7°C | 108 mm | 77% | 4.6 m/s |
| Nov | 7.9°C | 106 mm | 79% | 4.9 m/s |
| Dec | 6.0°C | 97 mm | 80% | 5.1 m/s |
Source: NASA Langley Research Center POWER Project, Climatology API. Monthly rain is the daily average multiplied by the days in the month.
Táin Way questions
How long is the Táin Way?
Sport Ireland Outdoors lists the Táin Way as a 40.3 km loop that starts and finishes in Carlingford, graded moderate, with 1025 m of ascent. It suggests 2 days.
Can you walk the Táin Way in one day?
The official time is 2 days. The loop splits almost in half at Ravensdale, about 19.7 km from Carlingford in the direction that passes Omeath first, which makes a natural overnight point.
Are dogs allowed on the Táin Way?
No. The official trail page lists dogs as not allowed, and notes that no dogs are allowed on farmland.
How much of the Táin Way is on roads?
About 21 km, or 52% of the route, follows local roads according to the trail page. The rest is forestry tracks and open mountain paths.
What is the nearest airport to the Táin Way?
Dublin Airport (DUB) is 69 km from Carlingford in a straight line, and 35 airlines on AirConnect's route maps fly there.