The highest peak in the Silvermine Mountains and the Shannon region, Keeper Hill (694m) rewards walkers with sweeping 360° views across Tipperary, Limerick, and on a clear day as far as the Macgillycuddy Reeks.
The main event: a strenuous 8.2 km linear trek (allow 3 hours) following red waymarkers from Doonane car park to the summit at 694 m. The route climbs through Ballyhourigan Wood via well-maintained forestry tracks, passing gullies and a waterfall known locally as 'the Spout'. The final steep push rewards you with a trig point, cairn and vast panoramic views.
A gentler 9 km loop (2.5 hours, moderate) that explores the forested lower shoulders of Keeper Hill. Follow purple arrows (blue on yellow on newer signage) through mixed woodland of beech, larch, spruce and pine. On the descent through Boolatin townland, keep an eye out for the old stone sweat house just off the trail.
This 43 km long-distance waymarked trail (yellow arrows) from Murroe to Silvermines village passes right through Doonane and Ballyhourigan Woods. You can tackle a short section of it from the car park for a taste of multi-day walking without the commitment.
The woods lie within a Special Protection Area for the hen harrier, a striking bird of prey. Males are silvery-white with black wingtips; females are brown with a white rump. Scan the open upland areas — patience is often rewarded.
On the Ballyhourigan Woods Loop near Boolatin, a stone sweat house — a small beehive-shaped structure once used for therapeutic sweating — sits close to the forest road. It's a fascinating glimpse into rural folk medicine and well worth the short diversion.
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