Distance: Distance: 5km
Start/End Point: T-junction at entrance to Menlo village
Surface: Tarmac
Parking: Limited carparking near the T-junction at entrance to Menlo village. No bike parking facilities
Narrative:
Menlo village and surrounds offer the opportunity for a number of attractive rural walks, mostly
within the Galway City boundary. If you are driving from another part of the city you will hopefully find
parking at the T-junction near the entrance to the village.
Starting at the T-junction there is a 5km loop which passes close to Lough Corrib and, from higher
ground, provides spectacular views of the Corrib and the mountains of Galway and Mayo. A left turn
from the T-junction requires that you now take all right turns offered to you, to return to the start.
The first item of note is An Lochán (a turlough) on the right. Depending on the amount of rain in the
preceding days this can fill up and cause flooding on the road (very occasionally) or it can be
completely dry. Don’t be confused by an engraved waymarker with An Lochán pointing to the left.
That is also the name given to a road running through the village which is on a separate walk.
You now go along a straight stretch of road known locally as An Chaológ Mhór, a reference to the
long narrow fields on the right. At the end of this road you turn right onto Bóthar an Choiréil (Quarry
Road). You are now leaving the village of Menlo and heading towards Angliham. For a few hundred
metres you pass well-spaced houses on either side, interspersed with the occasional field which
might contain cattle or donkeys. You are soon in the countryside, walking past fields where cattle,
horses and sheep are regularly grazing. It is not unusual to see pheasants and hares in this area.
You will eventually reach the disused Angliham quarry on your right. Tradition has it that the quarry
was opened by the Franciscan Order to obtain building stone for churches. It is also believed that the
‘Friars Cut’, linking Lough Corrib with the River Corrib, was the work of the Franciscans who needed a
convenient way to transport the stone from the quarry to the city and Galway port. Stone from the
quarry is said to have been shipped as far as South America to create imposing fireplaces in big
houses. It was also used as altar stones. The quarry was reopened in the 1970s and ‘80s, with output
being used primarily for chippings and concrete blocks.
There is a solid white line on the road at the quarry and when it ends there is a gap in the stones on
the left. You can enter here and follow a short path to the lake shore. Back on the road you will
quickly be forced to turn right for a climb of just over a kilometre. Whenever you stop to rest, be
sure to turn round to take in the views of Lough Corrib and the distant mountains. The white tower
of Moycullen Church is usually visible, to give you your bearings. Ignore the left turn which goes to
Kilroughter – that is for those seeking a longer looped walk.
At the junction shortly after the top of the hill, you turn right onto Bothar an Leachta (Monument
Road). From here it is mostly a gentle downhill slope for 1.5km to the starting point. At the top of
the final short hill you will see the Leacht (monument) on your left. Engravings on the Leacht show
that it is dedicated to a Connel family (a common name in the village still) and is dated 1693. The
road beside the Leacht is An Sean Bhothar. This is the original road from Menlo to Galway and is a
safer option if you are walking back to the city.
Please note that this route is on a road catering for motorised vehicles. So walkers must be fully aware of this and walk with caution.
Click here for the walking trail map from MapMyWalk.
