Ballyhoura Mountain Bike Trail

Ballyhoura Mountain Bike Trail

Ballyhoura Mountain Bike Trail
4.5
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.


4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles96 reviews
Excellent
70
Very good
18
Average
1
Poor
2
Terrible
5

Neil M
Portmarnock, Ireland39 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2020 • Family
This is the best fun ever! Travelled with myself, wife and 12 and 10 year old kids. There are multiple trails but we did the 17km one. Bear in mind that the rule of thumb is 1 MOUNTAIN KM is the equivalent of 3 road KM so doing the 17 is 50k in the road.
The uphills are tough but manageable, the downhills are awesome and exciting, you travel in fear and exhilaration in equal amounts.

We also went back the. Ext day and did the 6k for a quick spin and it’s good too although short!

Bring plenty of water, a bit of lunch, some hardy kids and you can’t go wrong.

At the end of it you are so tired you can hardly speak but afterwards the reminiscing is great!
Written August 1, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

noel g
Dublin, Ireland24 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Couples
My first visit here.It is well designed and quite challenging. I did the 17k loop. There is a sign at the start advising you to bring suitable clothes, food and water. This is sensible advice and should be heeded. Once out there is a definite feeling of remoteness.However your attention will be fixed on the trail and magnificent countryside. Well worth a visit. Can't wait to go again.
Written January 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Philip D
Dublin, Ireland32 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2014 • Solo
I've been going to Ballyhoura trails now since I started serious mountain biking about three years ago. Although there are individual trails around the country that are better, it is by far the best complete package in the country for mountain biking - and its getting better. There were legitimate complaints up to a year ago that the trails lacked real variety and bite - a bit too much bland single track trails through conifer forest - but now that they've added some great downhill sections plus a beginners pump track, its finally taking shape as a genuine top class mountain biking centre. They've also addressed the main problem with the initial design, which was that the 'green' route, while supposedly for beginners, was actually far too tough for inexperience riders, some of the timber bridges were quite scary for anyone who'd never faced something like that before. They've made them safer, so the tougher more technical stuff is now on the longer routes, as it should be.Having said that, the trails are still very much aimed at those who love flowing single track and open trails - there are relatively few tough technical sections, apart from the designated downhill detours on the Mountrussell and Garrane loops.

The facilities are basic, but work fine - coin operated showers, clean toilets, and an enclosed picnic area. The small bike hire shop - Trailriders - is small, but the guys there are really helpful and friendly. They sell coffee and snacks, but not sandwiches or hot food. There is a good variety of bikes for rent for anyone from beginners, to serious bikers stopping by - they also have road bikes, the local roads are great for cruising around. The carpark is well secured, although it costs 5 euro - not bad really considering the extent of the facilities.

The only real negative is that the Ballyhoura mountains are not, if truth be told, anywhere near the most scenic mountains in Ireland. There is a lot of dull conifer plantation, but when you do break out near the top there are lovely views over the Limerick Plains (assuming its not raining or misty). The best views are from the west, so you need to brave the really long trail, Castlepook, to really gain an appreciation for the area.
Written October 22, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Oggie
Ireland73 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021
a fiver to park is a bit steep. We weren't using the bike trails, just looking for a place to walk, so were a bit miffed at the cost of parking the car. Having said that, it meant we had use of the toilets and could get a cup of coffee, but it's still a bit steep
Written August 13, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

John M
Delray Beach, FL1 contribution
1.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2015 • Family
I took my wife and 2 brother-in-laws to cycle the trails and we made a reservation with the local bike rental shop (trail riders). The employee went through the rental agreement and I asked a few clarifying questions. I had concerns about the general condition of the bikes and the fact that we were solely responsible for anything that happened to the bikes including flats with no idea of what we would be charged. I reluctantly agreed to sign the waiver as we just wanted to have a nice day. The employee refused to rent us the bikes when I insisted on using my credit card (they do accept credit cards) that carried travel insurance for the rental. He said he refused us service because I looked dishonest. My wife took exception to his statement and demanded an apology, which did not come. I am a foreigner and there is nothing dishonest about the way I look. I am a well seasoned traveller and am very familiar with ways tourists are scammed. I am also a former competitive cyclist and know a thing-or-two about bikes. We hiked the trails and didn't allow this ignorance to effect our day.
Written May 12, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ColetteLimerick
Limerick4 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2015 • Friends
I’m a local and grew up in this area. My family still live here. I love hiking and enthusiastically observed the development of trails in the area by Ballyhoura over the last 10 years. I took great pride in showing off the trails and activities that we have here in Ballyhoura for as long as I recall. For the last few years I’ve been dying to try the mountain biking trail at Glenosheen. I live abroad and whenever I get back home my time is limited so I never had a chance until yesterday.... I convinced my brothers to take a day off work and both of them along with my husband and I made our way to Trailriders to pick up the bikes I’d reserved.
When we arrived the staff member went through the terms and conditions of the rental. When my husband asked for clarification on some of the terms the staff member took the rental agreement from us and held the form at arm’s length while we discussed the rental. I found this strange, but not deterring. Nonetheless, we all wanted to continue with our day’s activity and it was agreed that we would all sign the rental agreement. My husband took out his card to pay and to my shock and utter mortification the staff member refused payment from him because “he didn’t look honest”. One of the core services in the very place I’ve spent years talking about and promoting insulted a paying customer for no logical reason. I hate to say this but I really feel like he was discriminated against because he wasn’t Irish.
I can take solace in the fact that we didn’t travel too far that day. However, I’d advise people who are considering bike rentals here to go elsewhere. Especially if you are travelling a long distance to get here. They are completely unreliable and you may not even get your rental as it’s based on the whims and discriminations of an unprofessional staff member.
Written May 13, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Willie186600
Cork, Ireland5 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2015 • Family
My son (16) and I arrived just before 3pm on Sunday, May 24th, 3 full hours before closing time for the bike hire. My son had a bike but I needed to hire one. We intended doing the brown trail (17km).
Frustratingly, the shop would not give me a bike saying it was too late to hire a bike for the brown trail. I assured them we'd be back at 5pm but no, they said I should have read their website before we came. There was ZERO effort made to accomodate us even though I said we had driven a full hour to get there. Our afternoon was ruined really. My son did the brown trail on his own but the whole idea was that we would do it together from both a fun and safety point of view. Instead I sat in the car waiting for 2 hours. My son was back at 4:50pm as expected more than a full hour before closing time. I checked the bike hire website, there is NOTHING about bike hire ceasing early!!
The whole experience was very very frustrating!! We will not be back!
Written May 28, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Cousinbenson
9 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2013
I had fairly high expectations for these trails having read the other reviews on this site and others. We did the blue loop (40km) and were climbing for most of it up some winding single track but mainly fire roads expecting at the end to be rewarded with a decent stretch of descent on the way back down where we could could stop cranking the pedals for a bit, get out of the saddles and just open up. Unfortunately it never came.
The trails are so hard-packed that there's very little grip in the rain with very few natural features such as roots or rock gardens. In fact they are mainly featureless long flat straights full of pedalling, with awkward twisty corners and oversized rollers that are neither table-tops nor rollable at any speed (there were a few nice berms at the start).
Theres nothing of interest here for any sort of experienced rider who likes a technical challenge as there is nothing here technical - apart from the boardwalks when wet as they're not chicken wired. None of the trails vary in technical difficulty only in length which I found misleading and disappointing. Terrible trails for the slog you have to put in and I'd only recommend to complete beginners.
Written April 11, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Gwenfaen
Wales.18 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2013 • Solo
Short break in Ireland and took the bike in case an opportunity arose to visit Ballyhoura. The weather was warm and dry, and as it was a Friday the trails were pretty quiet. The trail centre is very poorly signed - if using a Sat Nav enter "Ardpatrick" and follow the signs from there. For people used to U.K. grades (Blue - Easy, Red -Challenging, etc.) the trail designations are misleading. The main difference between them is length. The Green Trail is not equivalent to a U.K. Green, and in my opinion would be quite intimidating for beginners/youngsters, particularly on the boardwalk sections.
The staff at the Trailriders centre are very helpful and very welcoming. There is a free Trail Guide.(The numbering system for the Waymarkers is hilarious). Although there is a small building with toilets and showers there is not a proper cafe, so bring your own packed lunch. Bike hire is 35 euros for a hardtail and 50 euros for a full-suspension.
I enjoyed riding the trails there - not technically challenging but flowing singletrack and a variety of views and surroundings. If you like 'all mountain' type riding well worth a visit, if you like steep techy downhill this is not for you.
Written September 9, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

J4444
London, UK29 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020 • Solo
Relatively inexperienced MTB rider with only a few hundred miles under my belt - escaping the family for a few hours did (most of) the white route.

There are definitely some slogged out miles up tracks especially on detours but the varied single track trails more than make up for it and suck you in to just going a bit further! Much of it is indeed quite pedally, but there are some long (gently) downhill sections that keep you out the saddle, a couple of pump sections, some north-shore type bridging and a few nice (small) features. Main trails (green, brown, white) were all rollable - there were folks out there with even less experience than me but I’d imagine some of it (small drops/rock gardens) might have been a bit too exciting for them at times and required a couple of walk arounds.

Thought about taking my 7 year old on the green loop but glad I didn’t - think it would have been too much for kids not already well drilled in single track - the name is confusing as it’s definitely not green by UK trail standards.

If I did it again I’d take in to account how pedally some of the single track is and adjust my route to my fitness for that so I could have enjoyed the final single track elements more.

Hire was great - very relaxed - friendly folks, £1,000 bike for £40 a day is a bargain and the one I took out was immaculately maintained. Spent just a couple of minutes running through the bike - not everyone has ridden a 1x set up with a dropper and UK brake set up (other way round to much of the world) so seemed a sensible use of time given there were folks from all over the world there that morning some of whom I suspect hadn’t been on a bike since they finished their last paper round 30 years ago. They also told me to go and ride around the carpark for as long as I wanted until I was sure the bike was all ok (which it was).
Written August 25, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Ballyhoura Mountain Bike Trail - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2025)

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