Silver River Nature Trail
- Cadamstown Village, Co. Offaly
- Download Map (PDF)
- Listed in Loop Walks, Cadamstown, Eco Walks
- Distance: 7km / 2.5 - 3 hours
- Services: Clonaslee (10km), Kinnity (5km)
- Trail Grade: Strenuous
- To suit: Higher levels of fitness
- Terrain: Old lane, riverside and road woodland
- Min. gear: Sturdy walking shoes, fluids
- Trail maintenance: enquiries@slievebloom.ie
Trail Directions
At the picnic area beside the Mapboard take a look at the strangely shaped boulder. This is claimed to be the inauguration stone of the O’Flanagan’s of Cinel Arga it was found 25 years ago on the slopes over Cadamstown (Stop1).
Follow the green arrows across the Silver River Bridge and follow the R421 road to the left for 300 mts and turn left. Follow this tarred road for 1km to reach Tobar Lughna (a Holy Well) on your right to the ruins St Lugna’s Monastery and across the road is the derelict Letter House (Stop 2).
Follow the green arrows past May Scully’s cottage joining the Slieve Bloom way, turn left and follow green arrows through woodland. After crossing a small stream, Purcell’s Brook, turn left on to old laneway reaching the Silver River Weir. On this stretch of the river, contact between the old red sandstone and the older underlying Silurian Rocks is clearly exposed (Stop 3).
As you make your way along the riverbank there is a cliff section through the old red sandstone that overlies the lowest beds of the series, this can be seen in the river bed downstream (Stop 4).
Continue along the Silver river path you will see the Waterfall and River Gorge. The present Silver River gorge is post glacial in age. The original channels in the Slieve Bloom were probably destroyed by glacial movement during the Ice Age (Stop 5).
As you leave the river bank ascend through the wood and cross the stile, turn left and admire the view over Cadamstown village and County Offaly (Stop 6). Follow the path down the fields, back to the carpark.
Directions to Cadamstown trailhead
Cadamstown, historically called Ballymacadam, is a small village in County Offaly, Ireland. It lies on the R421 regional road, just north of the Slieve Bloom Mountains. It is about 20 km from Tullamore and 6 km from Kinnitty. Dempseys pub is usually open in the evenings but unfortunately there is no tea shop in the village at the present time.
The Silver River Eco Walk is a 7 km loop which follows a series of laneways, riverbank paths, forestry tracks and minor roads. This highly rated walk offers an excellent mix of scenery, wildlife, geolology and heritage. HIghlights along the away include Letter Lughna Abbey, May Scully’s Cottage and the Silver River Gorge with its impressive rock exposures and beautiful waterfalls. The walks is categorised as an Eco Walk on account its wildlife and geological importance.