Mountain Biking in Tipperary — The Complete County Guide

I’m David English, I’m 13, and I’ve grown up riding in Tipperary. This page is the county hub — if you searched mountain biking Tipperary, you’re in the right place. Below is every part of the county worth riding, the four mountain ranges that make Tipperary so good for MTB, and the day-trip options that border into Limerick, Cork, Waterford and Kilkenny.

If you’re after the granular, town-by-town breakdown, my Clonmel mountain biking hub goes deeper on the southern half of the county. This Tipperary page joins it up with the north of the county and the wider Ireland MTB picture.

Why Tipperary is one of Ireland’s best MTB counties

Tipperary is big. It’s the sixth-largest county in Ireland and it’s the only inland county that touches four mountain ranges — the Comeraghs, the Knockmealdowns, the Galtees, and Slievenamon. The Galtees include Galtymore, the highest inland peak in Ireland. The Comeraghs straddle into Waterford, the Knockmealdowns into Waterford and Cork, and the Galtees into Limerick — so almost every Tipperary ride opens up cross-county options.

There is no big purpose-built trail centre in Tipperary the way Coillte and partners run Ballyhoura up in Limerick or Castlewellan up in Down. What we have instead is a huge spread of Coillte forest, open mountain ground, and a small but real local riding scene. That’s a different proposition. You bring trail knowledge and route-finding skills, and you get the kind of long, varied, quiet riding day that the trail centres in other counties can’t match.

The four mountain ranges of Tipperary

The Comeragh Mountains

Mostly Co. Waterford but the northern slopes drop into Tipperary above Clonmel. Mahon Falls is the iconic landmark and the most popular car-park entry point. Riders use the Coillte forestry on the lower slopes to climb up, then link upland tracks across to the coum lakes. Big-day riding for confident riders, gentler loops on the lower forest tracks for everyone else.

The Knockmealdown Mountains

The range runs east-west on the Tipperary–Waterford border, south of Clogheen. The Vee Pass (R668) is the famous road climb but the surrounding Coillte forest network gives a lot of rideable ground in every direction. Quieter than the Comeraghs, classic Irish forest riding — long fire-road climbs into pine, fast descents.

The Galtee Mountains

The biggest inland range in Ireland, with Galtymore (917m) the highest inland peak. The south side faces Tipperary, the north side faces the Glen of Aherlow. Long fire-road climbs from the Coillte plantations on both sides. Open mountain riding for the fit and confident in good weather; the lower forestry is rideable year-round.

Slievenamon

The lone mountain east of Clonmel, between Slievenamon village and Carrick-on-Suir. Lower than the others (721m) but the most accessible “real mountain” for a quick after-school ride. The fire road to the summit is a long rideable ascent. A great hill to learn climbing pace on.

The Glen of Aherlow

The Glen runs between the Galtees and Slievenamuck, just north of Tipperary town. It’s one of the prettiest places in Munster and one of the most under-used MTB spots in the country. Coillte has a number of forestry entry points along the glen, and the higher tracks climb up toward the Galtee ridge on one side and Slievenamuck on the other. Mixed-ability ground — the valley floor is gentle, the climbs out are serious. Worth a dedicated day from Clonmel, Cashel or Limerick.

North Tipperary — the part most riders miss

Most of what you read about MTB in Tipperary focuses on the south of the county because that’s where the big four ranges are. The north of the county has its own quieter riding ground around the Devil’s Bit area, the Silvermines, and pockets of Coillte forest scattered through mid-Tipperary. Some of this terrain has uncertain access for mountain bikes — always check the landowner status before committing to a route. If you’re heading up that way, the southern Slieve Bloom and Ballyhoura options across the Limerick border (covered on my Ireland top trails page) are easier wins.

Clonmel — the natural base for a Tipperary MTB trip

I live in Clonmel and I’m biased, but it’s the obvious base. The town sits in the Suir valley with the Comeraghs to the south, Slievenamon to the east, the Knockmealdowns 15 minutes south-east, and the Galtees 30 minutes west. From Clonmel you can put together a different ride for every day of a week without driving more than 40 minutes. The full breakdown is on the Clonmel mountain biking hub.

Cashel and the centre of the county

Cashel sits roughly in the middle of Tipperary and works as a base if you want to be equidistant between the Galtees, the Knockmealdowns, the Glen of Aherlow and Slievenamon. The town itself is dominated by the Rock of Cashel — a heritage site, not an MTB venue — but the surrounding rural roads and forestry give you decent gravel and off-road riding for a recovery day.

Carrick-on-Suir and the eastern Tipperary edge

Carrick is the cycling town of Ireland — Sean Kelly is from here and the Carrick scene has a long road-cycling heritage. For MTB, you’re looking at the Slievenamon side from the west and the start of the Comeragh foothills to the south. The Suir Blueway is a flat off-road option for recovery days. Carrick is also the closest jump-off to the Comeragh forest entries on the Waterford side.

Cahir, Cashel and the Galtee approaches

Cahir is on the N8 between Clonmel and Cashel and is the natural exit point for Galtee-side riding. The R670 west out of Cahir takes you toward Mitchelstown and the south-facing Galtee forestry. Cahir Castle is the landmark in town. Galtee approaches from this side give the most direct access to the south ridge.

Tipperary border rides — Munster’s best, all within an hour

• Ballyhoura (Co. Limerick / Cork) — the biggest dedicated trail centre in Munster, an hour west of Clonmel. Red and black loops, proper waymarking. Worth a full day or a stop on a longer trip.
• Slieve Bloom (Co. Laois / Offaly) — a fast-growing trail-centre cluster in the Midlands, about an hour and a half north of Clonmel. Quieter than Ballyhoura, well worth the drive.
• Comeraghs (Waterford side) — the south-facing slopes are quieter than the Tipperary side. Mahon Falls is the main draw.
• Knockmealdowns (Waterford / Cork side) — the south side drops toward Lismore. Glenshelane Forest in Cappoquin is a gentle Coillte entry point.

Trail types — what to expect from a Tipperary MTB day

Honest answer: most Tipperary MTB is trail / all-mountain, not downhill or bike-park. You climb long fire roads, you link natural descents, you cover ground. A capable hardtail or a 130-150mm full-suspension bike is the right tool. You don’t need a downhill bike anywhere in Tipperary — if you want lift-served descents in Ireland you’re heading to Bike Park Ireland up in Rostrevor (see my Bike Park Ireland piece).

Tyres matter more than suspension travel here. Tipperary ground holds water. From October to April you want grippy mud-spec tyres front and back. From May to September you can drop to faster-rolling rubber. The wetter the year, the slower the ground dries on the higher Coillte plantations.

Tipperary MTB clubs and the local scene

Cycling Ireland’s MTB Commission lists affiliated mountain bike clubs around the country. Tipperary has a small but real club scene, mostly clustered around the major towns. Rather than list specific clubs here — they come and go and I don’t want to send you to a club that’s gone quiet — the most reliable current source is the Cycling Ireland club directory on cyclingireland.ie. Filter by county and you’ll see what’s active right now.

When to ride Tipperary

April through October is the prime window. May and September are honest favourites — the ground is firm, the midges are manageable, the days are long. June and July give you the longest evenings of the year, with rideable light until well past 9pm. Winter is rideable on the lower Coillte forestry but the higher mountain ground gets soaked and the exposure on the Galtee and Comeragh ridges is real. Don’t go up high in November-February unless the weather window is solid and you’re geared properly.

Bike shops and service in Tipperary

There are independent bike shops in Clonmel, Cahir, Tipperary town, Carrick-on-Suir and across the border in Waterford city. Rather than name shops that may change ownership or stock, I’ll point you to the simplest test — phone ahead and ask if they service mountain bikes specifically. Some Tipperary shops are road-focused. If you’re stuck and need a specific recommendation, drop me a message.

Getting to Tipperary for an MTB trip

• From Dublin: 2 hours to Clonmel via M7/M8 and Cahir.
• From Cork: 1 hour 20 minutes to Clonmel via the M8.
• From Shannon airport: 1 hour to Tipperary town, 1 hour 30 to Clonmel.
• From Rosslare ferry: 1 hour 40 minutes to Clonmel — the easiest landing if you’re driving from the UK.
• Cross-border options: Limerick (1 hour to Ballyhoura), Cork (1 hour 30 to Gougane Barra and the Cork forest network), Waterford (45 minutes to the south-Comeragh forestry).

Tipperary MTB — the honest take

If you want signposted, graded loops with a car park, a cafe and a bike-wash at the trailhead, Tipperary isn’t the easiest county. You should head to Ballyhoura or Slieve Bloom for that, or further north to Castlewellan and Rostrevor. If you want quiet riding through real Irish mountain country, with the option of a proper big-day epic when the weather is right, Tipperary is one of the best counties in the country. It’s where I learned to ride, and the riding still surprises me.

Next steps

• Clonmel mountain biking hub — the granular town-by-town breakdown.
• Comeragh Mountains MTB — the south.
• Knockmealdown Mountains MTB — south-east.
• Galtee Mountains MTB — west.
• Slievenamon MTB — east.
• Mountain biking in Wicklow — weekend trip option.
• Mountain biking in Cork — day-trip option across the border.
• Top MTB trails in Ireland — the whole country in one place.
• Best MTB trails in Ireland (blog post) — my personal ranked list.