The best running trails around Tullyvallan (Hamilton) West

Rising above the surrounding landscape with its striking tower, St. Brigid's Church tells a story older than its walls suggest. Built between 1927 and 1932, it stands on the foundations of an earlier 18th century church, connecting the past with the present. The stone facades and ornate statues give the building a timeless aura that invites pause. As you walk across the square in front of the church, you feel a certain calm emanating from the old stones. Inside, you'll find a warm atmosphere, with light streaming through the colorful windows and the artistic design of the ceiling and altar. It's a place where you can not only admire the architecture, but also find a moment of reflection - a quiet companion on your walk through the area.

The Ballykeel Dolmen, also known as the "Witch's Chair", stands alone on the edge of a green river terrace and invites you to take a look back into the past. With its three supporting stones and the imposing capstone, over three metres long, the dolmen looks like a stone sculpture left behind by a long-forgotten culture. The simple but distinctive tripod shape is a testament to the archaic construction that attracted people to this place over 4000 years ago. Excavations around the dolmen have uncovered the remains of a stone mound and Neolithic pottery that tell of the rites and customs of this early community. When you stand among the stones, you feel the mystique of the place - a place that inspires the imagination then and now. Nearby you will find other megalithic structures such as the Portal Tomb of Aughadanove, which together reflect the rich archaeological heritage of the region.

To be able to see the Ballykeel dolmen, you'll need to take a small detour from Mill Road onto Ballykeel Road. Here, you can view the Ballykeel dolmen and cairn, which is dated between 4000 and 2500 BC

This section of Lough Road crosses the Cloverhill Golf Course, which you can catch glimpses of at certain points above the side bushes, with Slieve Gullion in the background.

St. Brigid's is a relatively new church considering the area, as it was constructed between 1927 and 1932, although it was built over another 18th-century church that had previously existed in the area.

This dolmen is a monument that has a tripod shape. At the southern end of a tumulus, its capstone is three meters long. It is dated between 4000 and 2500 BC.

There are four different trails you can around Black Island to explore the forests and lough shore. There is a beautiful bluebell walk in the spring and views over Lough Muckno to Hope Castle.

There are four different trails you can take around Black Island to explore the forests and lough shore. There are beautiful bluebells in the spring and views over Lough Muckno to Hope Castle.