Stradbally
An tSráidbhaile: Town with One Street.
Stradbally is a beautiful town, of great historical interest in Laois and is set in a spectacular location. From the top of the Windy Gap, the view sweeps down through the lovely dip with wide open fields of barley, wheat and grasslands.
Stradbally is perhaps best know for its annual Steam Festival, which takes place every August bank holiday weekend at Cosby Hall.
You are welcome to Stradbally and we hope you enjoy your stay and the walks in Oughaval and to Clopook.
The Cobbler’s Walk
The Mass Rock
Link Walk to Timahoe - Stradbally to Clopook
The Cobbler’s Walk 6 kms./ 1½ hours
Forest Walk
A complete circuit of Oughaval Wood. Muddy underfoot in places so wear boots or wellies. The walk
is named after an ancient rath or fort. To allow people to earn a living during the Great Famine
(1845-48), the local Cosby Estate employed people to build a folly on the site. This folly which could
be seen from miles around became known as Cobblers Castle. Oughaval Wood is owned and managed by Coillte.
A. Start from the car park at Oughaval or Stradbally Woods. Follow the forest road away from the car park, keeping straight on at the first two road junctions.
The woods are largely planted with a mixture of beech and cypress trees, with a prominent understorey of holly bushes. Note the network of old walls and ditches, remnants of boundaries that once subdivided forest from field.
B. Reach a gate but keep right and follow a waymarked trail through the woodland. This travels over the hill to rejoin a forest track further on.
C. Reach a junction. Turn right and then left uphill. The road levels out and then descends back to the car park.
The Mass Rock 3 kms./ ¾ hour
Forest Walk
A short forest walk that follows the traditional route to the Mass Rock.
A. Start from the entrance to the car park. Take a track that leads directly uphill. Cross a forest track and continue
uphill. The path levels out and then descends to reach the Mass Rock. This Mass Rock is a place where local people gathered to attend Mass during Penal times (1691-1727). Under the Penal Laws, the
practice of Roman Catholicism was forbidden hence the secretive location on the far side of the hill. The site was restored in 1957 and the Stations of the Cross are carried out here each year in Holy Week with Mass being said on special occasions during the year.
B. Turn right along the forest track.Reach a junction and turn right uphill. The road levels out and then descends
back to the car park.
Link Walk to Timahoe - 12 kms. in total
Stradbally to Clopook 7 kms./ 2½
Forest & Road Walk
This walk describes a section of the link walk to Timahoe. It covers from Stradbally to Clopook and crosses a fine airy hill with extensive views. See the Timahoe Walks leaflet for Clopook to Timahoe.
A. Start from the Green in Stradbally. Follow the main road towards Carlow for a short distance before turning right up a narrow tarmac road - Corrig Lane.
B. After c.45 minutes reach a sharp bend. Turn left up along Ballyprior Lane. This farm road climbs steadily uphill.
C. Continue on the farm road as it levels out. Pass through gates (close them!) to reach the track end. Follow the waymarked route down though fi elds into a valley. The walk then ascends onto Odlum’s Hill before descending to Clopook. There is a fine example of a lime kiln on Odlum’s Hill. Here before the advent of modern fertilisers, limestone rock was ‘burnt’ to produce a rock ash for spreading on the land. Admire the grassy felds here - it must be good stuff.
Oak Trees
Oughaval Wood derives its name from the Oak tree, which once covered this area. There are two types of oak native to Ireland, the Sessile Oak, which is the more popular and the Pendunculate Oak, often referred to as the Common or English Oak. They are slow growing but they produce a very high quality hard wood.
The Beech Way 2 kms./ ½
Forest Walk
A short forest walk, suitable for families. Visit the
Mass Rock.
A. Start from the car park at Oughaval or Stradbally Woods. Follow the forest track away from the car park. After c.10 minutes, turn right and uphill.
B. Reach a junction of paths with the Mass Rock on the right. Pass the Rock and continue up and over the hill before descending to the car park.
See Walk above for details on the Mass Rock.
Beech.
Magnificent subs t a n t i a l t r e e s when in their maturity reaching a height of 30-40 metres. Massive grey trunks with oval leaves which are a delicate green in spring, turning golden brown in autumn and usually stay on tree when dead. The fruit is in the form of small nuts or beech mast which can be eaten, but more often used as animal fodder. The timber is used in flooring and furniture.
An tSráidbhaile: Town with One Street.
Stradbally is a beautiful town, of great historical interest in Laois and is set in a spectacular location. From the top of the Windy Gap, the view sweeps down through the lovely dip with wide open fields of barley, wheat and grasslands.
Stradbally is perhaps best know for its annual Steam Festival, which takes place every August bank holiday weekend at Cosby Hall.
You are welcome to Stradbally and we hope you enjoy your stay and the walks in Oughaval and to Clopook.
- The local walks start from the car park at Oughaval or Stradbally Woods
- Choose a walk to suit your capabilities
- Guidance times are based on a steady pace with about half an hour for stops
- Dress appropriately - wear or carry warm and waterproof clothes
- Please observe the country code: close all gates and take litter home
The Cobbler’s Walk
The Mass Rock
Link Walk to Timahoe - Stradbally to Clopook
The Cobbler’s Walk 6 kms./ 1½ hours
Forest Walk
A complete circuit of Oughaval Wood. Muddy underfoot in places so wear boots or wellies. The walk
is named after an ancient rath or fort. To allow people to earn a living during the Great Famine
(1845-48), the local Cosby Estate employed people to build a folly on the site. This folly which could
be seen from miles around became known as Cobblers Castle. Oughaval Wood is owned and managed by Coillte.
A. Start from the car park at Oughaval or Stradbally Woods. Follow the forest road away from the car park, keeping straight on at the first two road junctions.
The woods are largely planted with a mixture of beech and cypress trees, with a prominent understorey of holly bushes. Note the network of old walls and ditches, remnants of boundaries that once subdivided forest from field.
B. Reach a gate but keep right and follow a waymarked trail through the woodland. This travels over the hill to rejoin a forest track further on.
C. Reach a junction. Turn right and then left uphill. The road levels out and then descends back to the car park.
The Mass Rock 3 kms./ ¾ hour
Forest Walk
A short forest walk that follows the traditional route to the Mass Rock.
A. Start from the entrance to the car park. Take a track that leads directly uphill. Cross a forest track and continue
uphill. The path levels out and then descends to reach the Mass Rock. This Mass Rock is a place where local people gathered to attend Mass during Penal times (1691-1727). Under the Penal Laws, the
practice of Roman Catholicism was forbidden hence the secretive location on the far side of the hill. The site was restored in 1957 and the Stations of the Cross are carried out here each year in Holy Week with Mass being said on special occasions during the year.
B. Turn right along the forest track.Reach a junction and turn right uphill. The road levels out and then descends
back to the car park.
Link Walk to Timahoe - 12 kms. in total
Stradbally to Clopook 7 kms./ 2½
Forest & Road Walk
This walk describes a section of the link walk to Timahoe. It covers from Stradbally to Clopook and crosses a fine airy hill with extensive views. See the Timahoe Walks leaflet for Clopook to Timahoe.
A. Start from the Green in Stradbally. Follow the main road towards Carlow for a short distance before turning right up a narrow tarmac road - Corrig Lane.
B. After c.45 minutes reach a sharp bend. Turn left up along Ballyprior Lane. This farm road climbs steadily uphill.
C. Continue on the farm road as it levels out. Pass through gates (close them!) to reach the track end. Follow the waymarked route down though fi elds into a valley. The walk then ascends onto Odlum’s Hill before descending to Clopook. There is a fine example of a lime kiln on Odlum’s Hill. Here before the advent of modern fertilisers, limestone rock was ‘burnt’ to produce a rock ash for spreading on the land. Admire the grassy felds here - it must be good stuff.
Oak TreesOughaval Wood derives its name from the Oak tree, which once covered this area. There are two types of oak native to Ireland, the Sessile Oak, which is the more popular and the Pendunculate Oak, often referred to as the Common or English Oak. They are slow growing but they produce a very high quality hard wood.
The Beech Way 2 kms./ ½
Forest Walk
A short forest walk, suitable for families. Visit the
Mass Rock.
A. Start from the car park at Oughaval or Stradbally Woods. Follow the forest track away from the car park. After c.10 minutes, turn right and uphill.
B. Reach a junction of paths with the Mass Rock on the right. Pass the Rock and continue up and over the hill before descending to the car park.
See Walk above for details on the Mass Rock.
Beech.
Magnificent subs t a n t i a l t r e e s when in their maturity reaching a height of 30-40 metres. Massive grey trunks with oval leaves which are a delicate green in spring, turning golden brown in autumn and usually stay on tree when dead. The fruit is in the form of small nuts or beech mast which can be eaten, but more often used as animal fodder. The timber is used in flooring and furniture. 
