The Knockmealdown Mountains

Knockmealdown Loop — Directional Guide

Start: Bay Lough Car Park

1. Head northwest up through the Glentaunemon valley, steeply uphill
2. Climb Sugarloaf — hardest section of the hike
3. From Sugarloaf, the ridge sweeps southeast — follow the Tipperary/Waterford county boundary wall along the spine
4. Pass a small cairn marking Knockmoylan (slightly off the main ridge — continue past it)
5. Follow the wall over 3 false summits (~300m of the 574m total gain)
6. Reach the Knockmealdown trig point — main summit, 574m total elevation gain; views north into the bowl valley
7. Return: descend and take the lower contour path back, avoiding re-climbing Sugarloaf, tracking back down to Bay Lough Car Park

Summary

• Start: Bay Lough Car Park (not the Vee road)
• Head northwest up Glentaunemon valley
• Climb Sugarloaf — steepest ascent
• Follow county boundary wall southeast along the ridge
• Pass Knockmoylan cairn (off-route, bypass)
• Summit Knockmealdown trig point
• Return via lower contour path back to car park

Route Map