Walk 6 - The Burren Way Green Road on Poulacapple
Overview: This part of the Burren Way follows the old green road over Poulacapple between Slieve Elva and Ailwee. The walk from the northern end is fairly much uphill all the way until reaching the top of Poulacapple near Carn Beag, wheras the southern approach to the top is fairly flat. Walking conditions are good - although be prepared for muddy conditions on the top as the track leads through peat bogs that are still being cut for turf. If walking from end to end allow around 2 and a quarter hours. Parking is easier if walking from the South as you can park on the rough track that leads off from the N67.
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Getting there: From Lisdoonvarna take the N67 to Ballyvaghan. After approximately four miles you will reach a rough track to your left. This is an unsurfaced road that leads through forested land that eventually reaches a minor road leading back to the N67 or through the Caher valley and Fanore. There are a number of places to park along this track - I parked on a turning leading to a radio mast.
The Walk: From your car follow the rough track till until you reach a trail leading off to your right which is marked, as this is a way marked trail. This is the old bog road leading over the top of Poulacapple. When I walked this in April there was much evidence of turf being cut and left to dry at the side of the track. After approximately a mile you should see Carn Beag to your right which is approximately 200 yards off the track. It is worth leaving the track for the Carn as the views towards Ballyvaghan are uninterrupted from here.
Back on the track, it is not long before it reaches its highest point before meandering downwards to the Rathbourney river. Just after the first sharp bend on the way down the track passes through a gate with a style to its right. This is where the hoofmarks of the Glas Ghaibhneach cow are to be found- a legendary cow whose supply
of milk was so great that no vessel could contain it but who died of humiliation at not being able to fill a sieve! If anyone knows where these are and what they look like please photograph them as I could not find them! To the left of the track - on the other side of the wall can also be seen the remains of two collapsed wedge tombs.
At this point - if you have an hour to spare it is worth taking a trek across the fields in a North Westerly direction to Derrynavahagh wedge tomb which still stands. This tomb is not easily found, but again if you have Tim Robinsons map of the Burren it is not too hard to locate.
From the hoofmarks the track continues downwards through two sharp v bends until it reaches a third.Here you can either follow the Burren Way which leads straight on (and is the shorter option), or you can continue along the old bog road - which I found the more pleasant to walk .
If you began this walk from the Northern end the small church of Rathbourney is well worth a visit as is the other small church of Glenraha and the round earth fort next to it.
On top of Poulacapple
