The Raheenleagh Wind Farm is located 10km west of Arklow on the slopes of Croghan Mountain. There are 3 trails totalling 15km which lead up to eleven 80m high wind turbines with stunning views over the Wicklow Mountains and the Irish Sea.
At the entrance to Raheenleagh, meaning the small grey rath or fort, is a site known locally as the ‘White Heaps’ due to the cairns of quartz which may have marked prehistoric burial mounds. Bronze Age graves or cists were also found at Ballinagore Bridge and a decorated burial urn from that period is in the National Museum.
The present windfarm and walking trails at Raheenleagh now welcome visitors, and the site in managed by Coillte and the ESB. There are three waymarked trails:
Croghan trail (blue trail) which passes close to three wind turbines as it makes its way up to a spectacular viewing point which includes a view of the old goldmining area in Ballinagore Bridge. The trail is also the traditional walking route to the summit of Croghan mountain (606m).
Forde’s Farmhouse trail (green trail) is named after the Forde family, the owners of most of the land on Raheenleagh up until the early 1940s. This trail marks the path used over the years to get to the dances in Ballycoog via the viewing point on Croghan hill, a walk of about eight miles, each way.
Bann River trail (red trail) separates from the Forde Farmhouse trail just after it passes over the source of the Bann river which is a key tributary of the Slaney and provides a lot of the drinking water for North Wexford.
Parking: Off road, at the barrier.
Grade: Easy
Not suitable for Wheelchair users.
Robust buggies will cope on these trails.
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