What is it with the Irish highlands and the Devil? Among an abundance of demonic upland appellations is the Devil’s Coachroad in the Mourne Mountains, the Devil’s Glen in Wicklow, the Devil’s Ladder on Carauntoohil and the Devil’s Punchbowl on Mangerton Mountain. And then there is the proudly individualistic hill standing sentinel above Templemore, Co Tipperary.
A charming legend holds that a fleeing demon, being pursued over Devil’s Bit Mountain by (you’re right) St Patrick, created the unmistakeable notch in this otherwise flat topped eminence by taking an angry bite from its summit and later dropping it to form the Rock of Cashel. Unfortunately, for mythology buffs, the Devil's Bit is entirely sandstone while the Rock of Cashel is a limestone outcrop. Nevertheless, a new loop walk on Devil’s Bit Mountain offers a moderate and charming outing with inspiring views and abundant other genuine historic resonances.
From your startpoint, ascend a stony lane by a field and then through woodland until you encounter the prominent edifice known as Rock Tower. This is not an ancient round tower as you might suspect, however, but an 18th century, eye grabbing “folly” built by the wealthy Carden family of Templemore. Nevertheless, it was the site for a monster meeting in 1832, when, according to local tradition, Daniel O’Connell addressed an assembly of 50,000 although some historians doubt that “the Liberator” himself was actually present.
Now, continue by following purple arrows left along a forestry road, while enjoying captivating views south to the Galtee Mountains. Ignore a couple of leftward junctions and continue to a three-way intersection where the arrows go right. The path now propels you uphill through forestry and then across more open mountainside before a short rocky section leads to the summit of Little Rock. This outcrop is crowned by a huge white cross built to celebrate the Marian Year of 1954. Here you are rewarded with views to Lough Derg and the Slieve Blooms, while to the south you gaze across the lush pasturelands of Tipperary bounded in the far distance by the great upland rampart consisting of Slievemamon, the Comeragh and Knockmealdown Mountains.
Retreat by your route of ascent is the easiest option now, but a more interesting descent is by a track opposite the side from which you ascended. A short, but steep, scramble down past a statue of the Blessed Virgin leads to the gap forming the actual Devil’ s Bit.
Descend by following the track to rejoin the purple arrows just above an altar, which on a late July Sunday each year – known locally as Rock Sunday – is the scene of an open air Mass in honour of St James. This is just one example of pattern day pilgrimages, which take place annually on many Irish mountains and are mostly examples of early pagan worship later Christianised. Descend the short distance to Rock Tower and retrace your steps downhill to your startpoint.
