Fermoy Reservoir Loop

Park in the Glenabo Woods parking area and return to the entrance on the Ballyhooly road. Turn left and proceed until you reach the T junction at Stack’s Cross. The house facing you is known as Judge Kelleher’s House.Turn left at Stack’s Cross, and then take the immediate turn to the right.Walk up the wooded road, cross the bridge and pass a turn to your right. Keep straight ahead and enter the old Fermoy reservoir and filter beds, which used to supply water to the town of Fermoy.Having walked around the reservoir, return to the road and take the first left turn. Pass the next left and continue to the T junction. Turn left here and walk up a lovely wooded road. Take the next left turn and walk along this road to a point known as Carraig an Aifreann (Mass Rock). During the time of Penal Law (which outlawed the practice of Catholicism in Ireland), Mass Rocks were used as altars in religious ceremonies. Keep right at the next fork, and continue along this road until you arrive at the yellow way-marker. This is one of the way-markers for the Avondhu Way. At the way-marker, turn right onto the forestry road. From here, you will have spectacular views over the Blackwater Valley. Turn left at the next way-marker. From this way-marker, you can see right across the valley to the Cross of Corrin and Fermoy Golf Club. Follow the way-marker back to Glenabo car park and your starting point. – Information on walk provided by Barry Connolly, Tom Baker, Kevin O’Farrell and Tom Tobin, from their guide ‘Walking in Fermoy, the Galtees and Surroundings’ (Fermoy, 1999)