A 5.2 km waymarked loop through a working organic farm in the heart of the Burren — hazel woods, limestone pavement, a holy well, and a legendary tea house with homemade apple tart waiting at the end.
Follow purple arrows and standing-stone slabs on this 5.2 km moderate loop (2–2.5 hrs, 140 m ascent). The terrain mixes sandy farm tracks, green roads, hazel woodland, and open Burren limestone pavement. Pick up a free hand-cut hazel walking stick at the trailhead, and wear proper boots — wet limestone is genuinely slippery. Clockwise is best, so the tea house comes at the end.
The Jeuken family run a certified organic and biodynamic farm. You'll share the trail with over 20 white-belted Galloway cattle, around 50 goats, plus donkeys, pigs and sheep. The farm practices winterage — the ancient Burren tradition of moving cattle onto the uplands for winter grazing — which keeps the scrub down and allows rare wildflowers like spring gentian and rock rose to thrive.
The trail skirts the quiet shores of Lough Avalla, a small lake where goats and cattle graze nearby. A wooden dock tempts swimmers on warm days. The shoreline offers a peaceful contrast to the rugged limestone stretches and is a good spot for a rest before the final leg.
Near the end of the loop, follow signs to the Jeuken homestead and its small tea room. There's no menu and no set price — you'll be offered tea, coffee, and home baking (the apple tart with fresh cream is famous, sometimes brownies or scones too). A donation jar sits on the counter; €5–10 per head is about right. Harry often comes out to chat and may show you his kitchen garden and fig tree.
Midway through the hazel wood you'll find a stone-lined holy well — glass mugs hang from a branch for drinking. Local tradition says the water helps with diabetes if drunk on the spot over six consecutive days. The trail also passes standing stones, a mass rock (a clandestine Catholic worship site from penal times), and a stone cairn at the highest point with sweeping views toward Lough Gealain.
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