The best traffic-free bike rides around The Municipal District of Cahir — Cashel

Fireroads that wind through dense coniferous forest and open into sections with wide, scenic views. These gravel tracks provide a steady surface, ideal for hiking, cycling, or MTB, with gentle gradients and long, flowing stretches.

A beautiful blend of sweeping views and an enjoyable descent through the rolling landscape of the Galtee Mountains.

Carey's Castle Wood is a delightful mixed woodland on the north-western fringes of the Comeragh Mountains. The ruined castle that gives the woodland its name is a fine sight. Built on the banks of the Glenary River in the 1800s by the Carey family, it showcases a range of architectural styles. There's a network of paths and tracks through the woodland, making it a pleasant place to explore on foot.

Burncourt Castle is a fortified house and a National Monument in County Tipperary, Ireland. The castle was originally known as Everard's Castle, and was built by Richard Everard, 1st Baronet (d. 1650), son of politician and judge Sir John Everard. When Richard married Catherine Plunkett in 1620, his father awarded him a large estate around the River Tar. Around 1639 Sir Richard some of his land and began to build a fortified house. It was complete in 1641, and had 26 gables and seven chimneys. Archeological investigation found a cow skeleton in a pit that extended under the east wall of the castle. The cow appeared to have been killed and dismembered and left as a protective votive offering – the flanks were placed next to each other and the head placed on the upper backbone. The Everards took up residence just as the Irish Rebellion of 1641 began. In 1642 Sir Richard joined the Catholic Confederates at Kilkenny and became a member of the Supreme Council. Sir Richard's wife Catherine remained at the castle. In 1649, as Oliver Cromwell's Roundheads advanced on Everard's Castle, Lady Catherine burned it down, earning it the name of the Burned Court. Sir Richard Everard went on fight at the Siege of Limerick (1650–51), but was captured and hung in 1651 by Henry Ireton. Burncourt was abandoned. According to tradition Burncourt was seven years in building, seven years lived in and seven days burning. In the early 18th century, the painter Anthony Chearnley built a house adjoining the Burncourt ruin. The excavation also showed that there was no remaining debris from the castle burning, meaning that the roof slates and lead flashings were salvaged/looted for use elsewhere. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burncourt_Castle

This is a beautiful mixed woodland that lies close to the Glenary River, a tributary of the Suir. The main feature of this site is the ruins of the castle that gives the forest its name. It is just 500m from the car park down a mixed woodland trail that leads to the river. It is believed to have been built at some stage during the 1800’s by the Carey family, who were local schoolmasters in the Clonmel area. A number of architectural styles are still evident in the ruined remains, including; Gothic windows, a Celtic round tower, a Norman Keep, and both Romanesque and Gothic arches. The remnants of a walled garden can be found to the southern side of the castle. An ice-house is located just off the trail beyond the castle. This is a stone-lined pit which used to serve as a ‘fridge’ when the castle was inhabited. Carey’s Castle was occupied by monks and up to recent years the ruins of the alms house was still in evidence. A real gem of a site for local historians. https://www.coillte.ie/site/careys-castle/

Mitchelstown Caves was discovered accidentally on the 3rd of May 1833, by Michael Condon who was quarrying limestone when he dropped his crowbar into a crevice. He stooped down to pull out a few boulders to retrieve the bar, next minute he found himself looking down into a vast series of underground chambers, passages and caverns. https://mitchelstowncave.com/

We were on the East Munster Trail. Unfortunately, the castle is on the other side of the Glenary River and cannot be reached from the hiking trail. What a pity.

Panoramic views await you as you head up the Shanrahan Climb. With an average gradient of 7.2%, it is pretty spicy.