B Walk – Walk 7 – Nine Stones to Kildavin

From the Nine Stones walkers will enjoy some stunning views as they drop down to the cattle grid on the Mountain Road, before travelling around to Tomduff and up to the cairn on Sliabh Bán and returning to the Nine Stones vantage point.

The Nine Stones Viewing Point provides an unrivalled vista of the rich and colourful Carlow countryside spread out like a tapestry before you. Eight counties can be viewed from this spot – Carlow, Laois, Kildare, Wicklow, Wexford, Waterford, Kilkenny and the mountains of Tipperary, and on a clear day the coast of Wales, to the east. On the lower side of the road, you will see an alignment of nine small stones in the ground.

These are said to commemorate nine shepherds lost on Mount Leinster in some distant winter storm, hence the origin of the viewing point’s name. The area contains extensive tracts of forest, owned by Coillte, Ireland’s commercial forestry company featuring mainly spruce, larch and fir.

From here walkers will travel over to Corrabut Gap before climbing Kilbrannish Hill and following the route of the South Leinster Way to its start, in the peaceful and unspoiled village of Kildavin.

Note: Departure time 9:00