Location: Nestled in the Comeragh Mountains, Mahon Falls is an 80-meter-high waterfall that combines natural beauty, outdoor adventure, and Irish heritage. View Map
About: Coming from the Irish word "Mathghamhna," meaning "bear," Mahon Falls has been a landmark for centuries. Located 20km from Waterford City and 30 minutes from Dungarvan, it is part of the Comeragh Mountains Special Area of Conservation. This region showcases rich biodiversity and geological features shaped by volcanic and glacial activity over millions of years.
Get there:
By Car: From Waterford City, take the N25 towards Dungarvan, then turn onto the R676 at Lemybrien, following signs for Mahon Falls. You can park in the main car park.
What to do: Walk to the falls! It's a 1.5km hike up to the falls from the car park and is fairly easy. If you need a bit more than a 40-60 minute round trip hike, there is a 4- hour trail. Known as the Mahon Falls And Coum Tay walk, this longer trail takes you on an 11km hike. This trail is harder to navigate and requires decent fitness levels. Good research and planning is advised before trying this one out!
The Magic Road: Beside the car park is the famous 'magic road' where cars look to be rolling uphill... if you stop on the road and take the brakes off an optical illusion makes it look like your car is rolling uphill. There are a few of these around Ireland and it's as simple as the downhill gradient on the road looks like an uphill slope. It's daft, but cool to check out if you have a spare 10 minutes!
What else: There are plenty of photography opportunities. The landscapes and wildlife are incredible. If you're there later on at night, the low light pollution means on clear nights the sky puts on an impressive show of stars.
Other stuff: Make sure to bring your own supplies, food and water as there are no facilities at the falls. It is also recommended you keep an eye on the weather as it can get quite treacherous in bad weather. Sturdy footwear is a given.
Check out the reel by our friend, Saoirse AKA, @wildhibernia
Featuring Creator...
@wildhibernia
Wearing...
Polar 1/4 Zip Fleece - Beige
Drybag 40L - Olive
Let us know what you think of this adventure guide & if you or anyone you know fancies getting involved in our Good Vibes Outside Series, please shout!