This outstanding loop features a wide variety of surfaces and is 70% off‑road. It passes through beautiful woodland and has some very rideable mountain paths. It could be considered as either a hard gravel or a MTB route with a number of sections of rough singletrack, one short hike‑a‑bike and plenty of gravel.

The route starts from the carpark in Trooperstown Wood (53.0110, ‑6.2742). The first 12km of the route follows the Avonmore Way and is well signposted. Cross the bridge and you are straight into a stiff climb up the gravel track through the forest. At the junction turn right and descent into the valley before leaving the road for a short section through the woods. You then follow the road south for 2km before turning right and descending on lovely singletrack to the Avonmore River. Passing through the beautiful hamlet of Clara Bridge you enter the Vale of Clara, home to an oak woodland that has been under cover since the last ice age.

After 3.5km you turn left, leaving the Avonmore Way, and climb through the woods. A brief section of road brings you into a mixed forest, climbing on a gravel road before until you turn left at a bend and make a steep push for 100m up a muddy path which leads out onto the open mountainside. Follow rocky, rutted paths through the heather taking in the summit of Boot Hill before continuing north contouring around the western slopes of Trooperstown Hill. This path rises and falls, and is quite rutted with some rocky sections.

You briefly rejoin the gravel road you climbed earlier before turning right and descending through the pine forest on a gravel track down to Avonmore bridge and the start/finish on the other side of the river.

Refreshments

The route doesn’t pass anywhere to stop for something to eat or drink but there are plenty of options nearby in Laragh, just to the south of the start, and Roundwood, to the north.

Variations

It’s possible to extend this route by adding on another loop to the north. This extension adds 11.3km and 280m of height gain. 

Just before the bridge over the Avonmore turn sharply right to start the northern loop. Follow the track for 3km, at the junction turn left and then left
again onto the R763. Climb through Annamoe village and right onto a lane before turning right onto the road to Lough Dan. After 600m turn left
following signs for the Wicklow Way up a rough lane, crossing a stile and passing Brusher’s Hut. 

Crossing the open hillside you then drop down on a narrow path through a pine forest back to the Lough Dan road. Cross the road and descent through the forest to the R755. Turn right onto this for 250m and then turn left and descend back to the start/finish.