The best running trails around Cordoolagh

Cordoolagh offers a diverse running experience, characterized by an upland plateau landscape. You'll encounter undulating peatlands at higher elevations, scattered loughs, and rivers. Lower areas feature commercial coniferous forestry and farmland, providing a mix of soft-underfoot trails, sheltered woodland paths, and open routes alongside fields. The region is known for its scenic quality and open topography, especially at higher elevations.

Yes, there are options for beginners. For an easier run, consider the Running loop from Altawark. This route is approximately 3.7 km (2.3 miles) and features gentle elevation changes, making it a good choice for those looking for a less strenuous experience.

For scenic views, the Lough Antrwar on the An Trá loop is highly recommended, offering picturesque vistas around Lough Antrawer. Additionally, the higher elevations of Cordoolagh, particularly around Sliabh Beagh, provide long-ranging panoramic views across the remote landscape.

Yes, several routes in Cordoolagh are designed as loops. The Lough Antrwar on the An Trá loop and the Dummys Lough loop from Clones are both excellent circular options, allowing you to start and finish at the same point.

While running in Cordoolagh, you can explore several points of interest. You might encounter historical sites like Clones 'Wee' Abbey and Clones Round Tower. The landscape is also dotted with beautiful loughs such as Carnmore Lough, Lough Antrawar, and Lough Corry, which add to the scenic beauty of the routes.

Cordoolagh offers unique beauty throughout the year. The blanket bogland features unique plant species, and Lough Antrawer is particularly beautiful in August when the heather blooms. While specific seasonal conditions vary, the open topography and diverse landscapes provide rewarding experiences in most seasons, though peatlands can be softer underfoot after rain.

For a longer and more moderate challenge, the Lough Antrwar on the An Trá loop covers approximately 11.6 km (7.2 miles) and takes around 1 hour 22 minutes to complete, offering a good workout with varied terrain.

Running in Cordoolagh provides a distinctive experience due to its remote upland plateau landscape. You'll find extensive peatlands, unique blanket bogland habitats, and the rolling sandstone uplands of Sliabh Beagh offering expansive views. This combination of wild, open spaces, scattered loughs, and diverse forestry creates a visually striking and varied environment for runners.

This guide details 3 distinct running routes around Cordoolagh, offering options for different ability levels and showcasing the region's varied terrain.

The running surfaces in Cordoolagh are quite varied. You can expect to run on soft-underfoot trails through peatlands and blanket bogland, sheltered paths within commercial coniferous forestry, and open routes alongside farmland. The terrain is generally natural and unpaved, reflecting the region's remote and wild character.

Yes, the Cordoolagh landscape is dotted with numerous small to medium-sized loughs (lakes) and dissected by rivers like the Mountainwater and River Blackwater. The Lough Antrwar on the An Trá loop specifically offers scenic views around Lough Antrawer, and the Dummys Lough loop from Clones also leads through areas with loughs.