I first heard of this little known walk from my neighbour who takes her lovely dog there for exercise. A woodland with undulating paths that gives an outside loop of approx. 2.2 km, Ballyarr offers gentle ascents and descents in its upper and lower levels. There are wooden bridges over little streams and makeshift children’s swings at one point. A couple of laps will give a nice length of walk, or keep going for a more energetic workout!
To get there, take the N56 northward out of Letterkenny. From the Mountain Top roundabout travel for approx. 2 km then take a right turn onto the L1352 at Ellistrin and continue for 3 km. Look out for Carr’s Of The Diamond, and continue straight on for 550m to find the entrance (E) on the left. Parking is on the roadside and is limited, so consider parking at Carr’s pub and walking to the entrance from there. In the wood there is a network of connected paths but if you keep left at the start barriers, and navigate round the outside of the area as far as possible, you will achieve the 2.2 km loop.
- Trailhead: 500m past The Diamond on L1352 from Ellistrin.
- Facilities: None.
- Length: 2.2 km for the outer loop.
- Time: 25 – 30 min per circuit.
- Ascent: A couple of short climbs
