Tomies Wood to Dinis Cottage

Start Point: Tomies Wood Carpark@ O.S. Map 78 V 938 862. This walk requires a car drop at Dinis carpark @ O.S Map 78 V963 842

Tomies Wood to Dinis Cottage Walk is a unique and relatively unknown walk. Starting in Tomies Woods, you pass through the famous Rhododendron Forest before descending the eastern slopes of Shehy Mountain (762m) to see the ruins of rarely seen and historic Glena Cottage on the shore of Lough Leane before finishing with a cup of tea at Dinis Cottage. This walk is linear so requires a car drop.

Glena Cottage has a unique history. Originally built by Lord and Lady Kenmare for the use of friends and visitors to the Lakes, it is mentioned in the 1822 travel book called A Guide to the Lakes of Killarney. It was made famous in 1861 when Queen Victoria visited and had lunch during visit to Killarney. Supposedly a huge amount of money was spent to make the cottage and other services fit for Royalty and this nearly broke the bank for the family. Glena Cottage was unfortunately burned down in 1922 and was never restored. Since then the woods and taken over and all is left are the stone ruins of a once famous house.

The first 4km of this walk is on the National Loop Walk in Tomies Woods and therefore the gravel path is clear and obvious. For the next 6km there are no clear or obvious trails to follow but the lakeour left will guide us to Dinis.