Hike to a Galtee Mountain Lake

At 493m above sea level Lake Muskry covers over 20 acres and is the largest of the five corrie lakes on the Galtees. Lake Muskry is a cirque, a corrie, or a coum. It resulted from the Ice Age that occured approximately 25,000 years ago. At that time a hollow was gouged out of the mountain by a mixture of ice and rock. Massive boulders that were plucked from the back wall were deposited in a semi-circular ridge in front of the lake. After the ice had melted the remaining conical hollow created a natural drainage basin that filled with water to a depth of 105ft forming Lake Muskry and the smaller lake behind it, Farbreaga. Rocks in the area are Old Red Sandstone or Conglomerate and there are many turf banks in the area, which were used widely until the end of the 19th Century. Lake Muskry was fomally known as Lough Béal Séad. Legend tells that the lake was home to 150 maidens who were transformed into birds every alternate year. One became the most beautiful bird in the world and to mark this she wore a golden necklace with a sparkling jewel at the end, so the lake became known as Loch Béal Séad - the lake with the jewel mouth. Its present name is derived from the territory of Muskry Quirk in which it is situated. Close by is the Galtee Waterworks Scheme, managed by South Tipperary County Council, pumping millions of gallons of water per day to households in surrounding towns and villages. No dogs allowed (even on leash).