tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57711030689497388652024-03-08T11:33:57.204+00:00'The Dillons' - Walking Ireland's High MountainsAn account of my efforts to climb the 'Dillons', Ireland's mountains over 2,000 feet of which there are 200 and those over 3,000 feet of which there are 12.
These mountains were categorised in 'The Mountains of Ireland' by Paddy Dillon, a book that is something of a bible to hillwalkers.Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04746760404046609039noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5771103068949738865.post-26223250627304464072013-10-01T10:11:00.001+01:002013-11-11T15:52:15.111+00:00Scarr on the double<span style="font-size: 12px; font-style: italic;">Date: July 16th 2012 <br />
Classification: Dillon, Hewitt, Marilyn<br />
Height: 641 metres<br />
County: Wicklow</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12px; font-style: italic;">Distance: 5.16km<br />
Dillon Count: 52</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12px; font-style: italic;">Second Occassion</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12px; font-style: italic;">Date: June 5th 2013<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/10033973665/" title="At the summit of Scarr by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img alt="At the summit of Scarr" height="314" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3747/10033973665_2f4339f722.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
It's been a quite a while since I've updated this blog. In that time, I've been up Scarr in the Wicklow Mountains twice. The first time was on a walk from Glenmacanass Waterfall whilst the second occasion was during an IMRA race.<br />
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I can't remember much of either occasion. The walk from Glenmacannas is straightforward and quite easy-going after the initial climb up to Kanturk. The path from Kanturk is well defined with the pretty nondescript summit of Scarr being marked with a small and unimpressive cairn. I walked the mountain on a fine summers evening with the out-and-back route easily done within the hour including stops to take some photos. Views from the top are impressive with Tonelagee dominating the view to the west and the vista continuing around to The Great Sugarloaf and the glistening Irish Sea. <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/10018586594/" title="Evening view from Scarr by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img alt="Evening view from Scarr" height="333" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7423/10018586594_560c9cfac3.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<i style="font-size: small;">View from the top of Scarr</i></div><br />
On the descent, the light from the sun setting over Tonelagee cast vibrant colours on the slopes of Scarr as well as the surrounding hills.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/10034006425/" title="Scarr by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7301/10034006425_2d88f3e3ae.jpg" width="500" height="393" alt="Scarr"></a><i style="font-size: small;"><br />
Sunlight on the slopes of Scarr</i></div><br />
Recollections of the IMRA race are equally vague other than it was a gorgeous summer evening. The weather brought a big crowd out with 230 taking part. This was one of the more runnable IMRA races and I think I managed to run the majority of the ascent. As always with these races, the descent was great fun and extremely tiring. I finished the race in a credible position of 110 with a time 47:51.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://www.imra.ie/photographs/74262.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="213" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Feeling the going on the descent</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The route used for the IMRA race is longer than the walk from Glenmacannas (close to 8km) but is probably more interesting and certainly offers better walking on a more defined path. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.imra.ie/maps/Scarr%20race%20%28OS%29.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://www.imra.ie/maps/Scarr%20race%20%28OS%29.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://www.imra.ie/photographs/74262.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="548" src="http://connect.garmin.com:80/activity/embed/296557195" width="465"></iframe>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04746760404046609039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5771103068949738865.post-10726835355110912862012-08-14T22:58:00.000+01:002012-08-14T22:59:24.684+01:00A Quick Walk In The Galtees<span style="font-size: 12px; font-style: italic;">Binnia/Cush<br />
Date: July 16th 2012<br />
Classification: Dillon, Hewitt, Marilyn<br />
Height: 639 metres<br />
County: Tipperary</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12px; font-style: italic;">Distance: 6.31km<br />
Dillon Count: 51</span><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/7694066450/" title="At the summit of Cush by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img alt="At the summit of Cush" height="304" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8422/7694066450_5549c99666.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
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</i></span>Another mountain 'bagged' when stopping-off on a drive down the country. A detour through the Glen of Aherlow on an overcast day led me to the foot of the cloud-covered Galtee Mountains.<br />
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From the north, Cush (or Binnia as Paddy Dillon calls it) looks very impressive, it's cone shape appearing to rear-up steeply from the land below. Indeed, it looks almost impossibly steep from some angles. However, it's profile starts to take on a much more gradual form as you drive towards Clydagh Bridge.<br />
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For most, Cush would represent the first mountain on a day of exploring the Galtees. It is most often used as a stepping-stone on the way to Galtybeg and Galtymore. I probably represented a very small subset of walkers that climbed Cush purely for it's own sake. I was also using it to get in a bit of training for a planned walk of the Mourne Wall.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/7652874198/" title="Cush by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img alt="Cush" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8025/7652874198_fb5108a254.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<i style="font-size: small;">Initial Path Up Cush</i></div><br />
I started my walk by parking at Clydagh Bridge forest entrance where there is room for a number of cars. From here, follow the road uphill to a stile on the left which bears a 'No Dogs' sign. Cross the stile and follow an obvious track along the edge of the forest before crossing a fence and heading straight for the summit of Cush.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/7652875600/" title="Heading for Cush by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img alt="Heading for Cush" height="240" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8151/7652875600_aaf45e795a.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<i style="font-size: small;">Heading For The Summit</i></div><br />
The walk up Cush was indeed steep and a combination of 3 hours driving and ever increasing cross-winds meant that I found the going quite tough. With each upward step, the wind stiffened and by the time I eventually reached the top, it was blowing a gale. To add to that, the gale was blowing in a covering of cloud and the surrounding mountains soon disappeared from view.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/7694065068/" title="Galtybeg and Galtymore from Cush by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img alt="Galtybeg and Galtymore from Cush" height="270" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7123/7694065068_0c2ef399d9.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<i style="font-size: small;">Galtybeg and Galtymore being enveloped in cloud</i></div><br />
It's hard to pinpoint the summit of Cush but my GPS reckoned it was close to a gathering of rocks at the edge of a cliff so I settled for that, took a few photos and quickly made my way back down off the mountain. In fact, I made my way a bit too quick and headed off running on a slightly wrong bearing meaning that I had to take a detour at the foot of the mountain to get back on track!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/7694068016/" title="Cush & Galtybeg by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img alt="Cush & Galtybeg" height="272" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8292/7694068016_e3c99c9bc5.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<i style="font-size: small;">Looking back at Cush and Galtybeg</i></div><br />
On a fine sunny day, I'd imagine Cush would be a beautiful walk and that, being the most northerly of the Galtee Mountains, would make an excellent viewing platform for the range. On the day I visited, the strong wind made for difficult walking conditions and the cloud cover robbed me of any views. Hopefully, I'll walk Cush again in better conditions!<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/7694074256/" title="Cush, Galtee Mountains by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img alt="Cush, Galtee Mountains" height="359" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7136/7694074256_7416e5ee07.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<i style="font-size: small;">Final climb up Cush</i></div><br />
<iframe width='465' height='548' frameborder='0' src='http://connect.garmin.com:80/activity/embed/202441535'></iframe>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04746760404046609039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5771103068949738865.post-11397779722329963642012-06-26T14:22:00.002+01:002012-06-26T14:25:01.522+01:00Djouce (again)<br />
<span style="font-size: 12px; font-style: italic;">Djouce<br />
Date: June 13th 2012<br />
Classification: Dillon, Hewitt, Marilyn<br />
Height: 725 metres<br />
County: Wicklow</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12px; font-style: italic;">Distance: 13km<br />
Walked Previously</span><br />
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Another jaunt to the top of Djouce, this time as part of an uphill-only IMRA race which started at Crone Woods. This is the only uphill-only race in the IMRA calendar and I'm not sure I'm the biggest fan of this type of race. The most enjoyable part of hill-running for me are the descents and it's on the downhill section that I normally make up a few places. <br />
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The conditions on top of Djouce were completely different to the <a href="http://climbingirelandsmountains.blogspot.ie/2012/05/quick-up-and-down-djouce.html">last race</a> with a thick mist resulting in very limited visibility. However, this did offer the big advantage of hiding the pain that lay ahead. Once more, the last pull towards the top of Djouce was pure agony but after what seemed like an eternity, the trig point eventually emerged from the mist and the suffering was over.<br />
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A great route for a walk or a run with excellent views down onto Powerscourt Waterfall.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/7186383961/" title="Hill Running, Djouce Mountain by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img alt="Hill Running, Djouce Mountain" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8026/7186383961_a2f81a65b4.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<i style="font-size: small;">Heading back down</i></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/7371613994/" title="Hill Running, Djouce Mountain by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img alt="Hill Running, Djouce Mountain" height="500" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5342/7371613994_82186b716d.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<i style="font-size: small;">Heading back down</i></div>
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="548" src="http://connect.garmin.com:80/activity/embed/191473697" width="465"></iframe></div>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04746760404046609039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5771103068949738865.post-17176436362032680812012-05-31T23:30:00.002+01:002012-06-07T13:01:45.857+01:00A quick 'Up and Down' Djouce<br />
<span style="font-size: 12px; font-style: italic;">Djouce<br />Date: May 23rd 2012<br />
Classification: Dillon, Hewitt, Marilyn<br />
Height: 725 metres<br />
County: Wicklow</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12px; font-style: italic;">Distance: 8.31km<br />
<a href="http://climbingirelandsmountains.blogspot.com/2009/10/white-hill-and-djouce-hill-walking-lite.html">Walked Previously</a></span><br />
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This was my second visit to the summit of Djouce and easily my shortest stay ever on top of a mountain.<br />
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With the hill-running bug taking hold, I decided to give the Irish Mountain Running Association's (IMRA) Leinster League a shot. This is a series of hill-races over the summer and Djouce was to be my fourth race in the league and the toughest challenge to date.<br />
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As always, the organisation of the race was excellent. A field opposite the race-start doubled up as a temporary car-park and registration area. Registration was quick and efficient and not long after signing up, we made our way over to the starting point at Glasnamullen woods and soon the race director casually announced that the race had begun.<br />
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The first couple of kilometres were to lull me into a false sense of security as we ran along a trail up a gradual incline surrounded by trees. This section served to stretch the runners out a bit and I settled into my usual slot somewhere in the middle of the field.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Runners on the lower slopes of Djouce (Courtesy Angus Tyner)</i></span></div>
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With summer having finally arrived, I was thankful to be running in the cool shade of the trees. Leaving the woods and emerging onto the open mountainside, the going begun to get tougher as the incline steepened and the ground underfoot became uneven. The pace quickly dropped and most of us settled into a routine of walking the steeper sections and running the rest. With calf-muscles burning, I was delighted to turn a corner onto the Wicklow Way which contours along the upper slopes of Djouce providing some easier ground on which to run as well as amazing views across to the Great Sugarloaf Mountain.<br />
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However, it wasn't long until we had to leave the Wicklow Way and tackle the last steep section before the summit of Djouce. After what seemed like an eternity, the cairn finally came into view followed by the summit marshall standing alongside the Trig Point marking the top of Djouce. The marshall advised us all to lift our heads and take in the views but I could only muster a quick glance up and my brain was in no fit state to attempt to make sense of what looked to be a stunning vista.</div>
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I had convinced myself on the ascent that once I got to the top, all the hard work was done and the downhill section would look after itself. I really couldn't have been further from the truth.. The descent was ridiculously fast and I soon found myself careering over some very uneven and rocky ground. Each step on the hard ground pounded my tired legs further into submission and I hadn't factored in the high level of concentration required to quickly pick each footstep on this kind of terrain. </div>
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</span><i style="font-size: small;">On the Descent (Courtesy Mick Hanney)</i></div>
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On a couple of occasions I stubbed my toe off a rock, a sure sign that my concentration was waning as my body tired. The third such time was to prove unlucky as I tripped over a rock I hadn't seen and was sent flying headlong off the trail. Luckily for me, I landed in a soft bed of heather and was quickly back on my feet albeit with some of the wind knocked out of my sails.<br />
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The last couple of kilometres coming off the mountainside and down through the woods were to prove very tough and I was pretty much a busted flush by the time I crossed the finish line. However, all the thoughts I had on the way up, all the times I told myself I'd not be doing this again, my resolution that next week I'd stay home and have a few beers instead.. all of that was forgotten within a few seconds of crossing the finishing line.<br />
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The pain and tiredness quickly vanished and what was left were memories of a hugely enjoyable 55 minutes on the mountain where there was nothing else on my mind other than the next step I was going to take and the pure feeling of exhilaration from the crazy descent. This escape from the stress and worries of everyday life combined with the amazing feeling of freedom is pretty much the essence of hill-running for me.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="548" src="http://connect.garmin.com:80/activity/embed/184165709" width="465"></iframe></div>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04746760404046609039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5771103068949738865.post-57020515684643410752012-05-22T15:54:00.002+01:002012-05-24T22:47:35.906+01:0050 Up in South Wicklow<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/7242306286/" title="Trig Pillar on Croaghanmoira Summit by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img alt="Trig Pillar on Croaghanmoira Summit" height="347" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8005/7242306286_f94145ef6f.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Thursday, 3rd May</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span">Staring and Finishing Point: <a href="http://www.google.com/maps?q=52.92273,+-6.38511&hl=en&ll=52.922371,-6.385589&spn=0.010388,0.029955&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=55.192325,122.695313&t=h&z=16&layer=c&cbll=52.922472,-6.385457&panoid=1Axc5a6t6a7d_d5hVKQbRw&cbp=12,257.53,,0,0">View on Google Maps</a><br />
Length: 4.12km</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br />
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</i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><i style="font-size: x-small;">Croaghanmoira</i></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; font-style: italic;">Classification: Dillon, Hewitt, Marilyn</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Height: 664 metres</i></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Dillon Count: <b>50</b></i></span><br />
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Having being stuck on 49 Dillons for 8 months, I finally found time to bag number 50 and reach something of a minor milestone. My interest in running, something I initially took up to build up fitness for my <a href="http://climbingirelandsmountains.blogspot.com/2010/05/mourne-wall-walk-my-legs-dont-seem-to.html">Mourne Wall Walk</a>, had led onto an interest in Hill Running. This interest was augmented by a reading of Moire O' Sullivan's excellent book <a href="http://www.walkingandhikingireland.com/?p=1359">'Mud, Sweat and Tears'</a>. Having read the book, I set my mind on taking on some of the <a href="http://www.imra.ie/">Irish Mountain Running Association</a> hill races in 2012.<br />
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And so, the small amount of spare time I had which previously would have been used for hill-walking, was spent running. However, a trip down the country provided the perfect opportunity to get a walk in and having done a tough hill-race the previous evening, my legs were happy to be able to take things at a slower pace.<br />
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I had been interested in Croaghanmoira for some time as I'd read a few reports of people running up the mountain. Tracks left over from it's deforestation provided ideal terrain for this activity and offered the opportunity to quickly bag the mountain without too much of a challenge to my tired legs.<br />
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Earlier in the day, I had stopped off at The Great Sugar Loaf, a mountain I had wanted to climb for some time but had never got around to. The drive from The Sugar Loaf down to Croaghanmoira was navigated by a cheap and cheerful app on my iPhone and whilst I highly doubt it was the most efficient route, it took my through some wonderfully scenic parts of County Wicklow culminating in the longest stretch of downhill road I've ever driven on.<br />
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From the <a href="http://www.google.com/maps?q=52.92273,+-6.38511&hl=en&ll=52.922371,-6.385589&spn=0.010388,0.029955&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=55.192325,122.695313&t=h&z=16&layer=c&cbll=52.922472,-6.385457&panoid=1Axc5a6t6a7d_d5hVKQbRw&cbp=12,257.53,,0,0">starting position</a>, Croaghanmoira is a very handy mountain to climb. There are a number of tracks making their way up the mountain. I choose to aim for the corner where the trees meet the clearing and quickly picked up a track which took me to this location. From there, the track swings right keeping along the tree-line. Very soon, the shapely summit of the mountain comes into view and another track leads you directly to the top.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/7240388222/" title="Me on Croaghanmoira by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img alt="Me on Croaghanmoira" height="267" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7211/7240388222_5325969caf.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Me at the trig point on the summit of Croaghanmoira</span> </span></span></span></span></span><br />
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The summit of the mountain is adorned with a trig-point from which some of the first Ordnance Survey measurements were taken. It's easy to see why Croaghanmoira was used for these early measurements as it's relatively isolated position makes for superb views of the surrounding landscape. I was particularly lucky in that I got probably the one good clear evening in a prolonged period of wet and cloudy weather.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/7221937056/" style="font-size: small;" title="View From Croaghanmoira by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img alt="View From Croaghanmoira" height="333" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7242/7221937056_9049bbd517.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Views from the summit</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/7255457770/" title="Wicklow Mountains from Croaghanmoira by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img alt="Wicklow Mountains from Croaghanmoira" height="326" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7102/7255457770_108eb292bf.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Trig-pillar on the summit</span><br />
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Despite this being a straightforward walk, I still managed to take a wrong turn on the return journey. I had decided to jog back down whilst listening to some music and after a short while found myself on a track surrounded by trees on all sides - I'd become so distracted by the music that I'd managed to miss my turn off one track onto another. Feeling slightly embarrassed, I took another track in the correct direction to complete the walk back to my starting point.<br />
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In summary, a handy wee walk and one definitely worth taking on a good clear day to enjoy the exceptional views. <br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="548" src="http://connect.garmin.com:80/activity/embed/179628716" width="465"></iframe><br />
<b>More Photos</b><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/7251818996/" title="Croaghanmoira Path by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img alt="Croaghanmoira Path" height="395" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7227/7251818996_f2ba45ed3b.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Track down the mountain</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/7248835558/" title="Croaghanmoira Trig Pillar by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img alt="Croaghanmoira Trig Pillar" height="361" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8014/7248835558_65771c0dcc.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Trig Pillar</span>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04746760404046609039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5771103068949738865.post-87337813656143258932011-09-26T21:55:00.030+01:002011-10-03T14:09:24.334+01:00An Evening In The Knockmealdowns<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/6190417728/" title="Slievenamon and The Golden Vale by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6165/6190417728_0e0a47e908.jpg" width="500" height="262" alt="Slievenamon and The Golden Vale" /></a><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small; "><span class="Apple-style-span">Wednesday,14th September 2011</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span">Staring and Finishing Point: Glennandaree Bridge<br />Length: 10.4km</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /><i style="font-size: x-small; "><br />Knockmealdown<br /></i></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small; font-style: italic; ">Classification: Dillon, Hewitt, Marilyn, County Top<br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span">Height: 795 metres<br /></span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small; "><i>Dillon Count: <b>48</b></i></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; "></span></i></span><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i style="font-size: x-small; ">Knockmoylan<br /></i></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small; font-style: italic; ">Classification: Dillon, Hewitt,<br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span">Height: 768 metres<br /></span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small; "><i>Dillon Count: <b>49</b><br /><br />Sugarloaf Hill<br />Classification: Dillon, Hewitt<br />Climbed Previously<br /></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><br /></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">After a summer of seemingly incessant rain, I was suprised to find myself in a position where I had a few evening hours to spare in relatively decent weather whilst working for a couple of days down in </span>county Tipperary. After a quick study of my map, I decided to head for the nearby Knockmealdowns. My target was Knockmealdown itself, the highest point of County Waterford. The added bonus is that the mountain comes with a 2nd 2,000 footer free, that being Knockmoylan which is only a very short stroll away.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">I had a couple of previous encounters with the Top of Waterford without having actually set foot on it. On one occassion, I had ventured up nearby Sugarloaf Hill on an extremely misty morning but decided not to bother crossing over to Knockmealdown given the conditions and the complete lack of views. On another occassion, we again opted out of walking the range having spent the previous day on the Galtees taking in the highest point of the Premier County. Our excuse that time was again a thick blanket of mist covering the mountains but the truth was that it all looked like too much hard work after a night spent sampling the hostelries of Clogheen. If anyone finds themselves camping in the rather quaintly named Pallas Green campsite just outside clogheen or staying in village itself, I have to recommend taking a visit to the not-so-quaint yet very unique establishment that goes by the name of Halley's Pub. It is the kind of place that you very much have to take for what it is, the only small nod towards modernisation being the TV installed in the corner to show Hurling matches or recordings of past Hurling matches. There is every chance that the TV was also showing matches from the future on the night we visited, you'll have to trust me when I say that it just is that kind of place! If the pub doesn't fall down around you, I can almost guarantee that you will have an improbably good time!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">From Clogheen, you drive out to the dramatic hair-pin bend at the Vee Gap which was supposedly constructed as part of the famine relief scheme in the 1840's. Close to the Gap is the Bianconi Hut, </span>an old stone building which was a stagepost to provide relief to horses after the seemingly incessant climb up to the Vee. The hut was named after Carlos Bianconi, an Italian emmigrant who was the founder of public transportation in Ireland at a time preceding railways. Bianconi established regular horse-drawn carriage services on a nationwide basis in the early 1800's.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">Shortly after The Vee is Bay Lough, a well-known Corrie lake at the foot of Knockaunabulloga. Locals will tell you that the Lough is inhabitated by 'Pettitcoat Loose', a woman of loose morals who </span>was banished to the lake after casting her spell over a multitude of men. She was supposedly sent to the far bank of the lake to spend eternity attempting to empty it with a thimble and the story goes that she can be seen on occassions sitting on the bank trying in vein to carry out her impossibly mundane task. Indeed, few if any people will swim in the lake for fear of being pulled under by it's folorn inhabitant.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">A walk of the Knockmealdowns can be started from a number of locations from the Vee onwards but I decided to start from the foot of Knockmealdown itself at Glennandaree Bridge. There are a couple </span>of parking spots here to take a number of cars.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /><br /><iframe width="562" height="314" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://www.google.com/maps?q=52.22216,+-7.94162+&hl=en&sll=52.222121,- 7.94157&sspn=0.002438,0.006539&vpsrc=0&t=h&layer=c&cbll=52.222028,- 7.941545&panoid=CJISSFbcz3Z9bRbTsHlE3Q&cbp=11,90,,0,0&ie=UTF8&z=14&source=embed&output=svembed"></iframe><br /><small><a href="http://www.google.com/maps?q=52.22216,+-%20%207.94162+&hl=en&sll=52.222121,-7.94157&sspn=0.002438,0.006539&vpsrc=0&t=h&layer=c&cbll=52.222028,-%20%207.941545&panoid=CJISSFbcz3Z9bRbTsHlE3Q&cbp=11,90,,0,0&ie=UTF8&z=14&source=embed" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">View Larger Map</a></small><br /><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">From the parking spot, make your way up the gentle slope veering slightly away from the Glennandaree Stream. The going is pretty easy initially but there is some heather to be encountered on the </span>lower sections of the mountain. As you gain height, the heather relents and the ground becomes rockier as you approach the summit. The distance from the bridge to the top of County Waterford is approximately 2.5km. The summit stands at an impressive 794 metres and is marked by a trig pillar. I recently spoke to a woman whose ancestors carried the raw materials to build the trig pillar to the top of Knocmealdown and she and her family carry on the tradition by climbing the mountain each year. There are very steep falls nearly immediately from the trig pillar to the North of the mountain so care should be taken on a misty day.</span></div><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/6190332416/" title="On Top of County Waterford (Knockmealdown) by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6153/6190332416_574f3a471d.jpg" width="500" height="292" alt="On Top of County Waterford (Knockmealdown)" /></a><br /><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-style: normal; font-size: x-small; "><i>Me at the Trig Pillar on Knockmealdown</i></span><br /></i><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/6189880071/" title="Knockmealdown Trig Pillar by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6158/6189880071_b3f869f101.jpg" width="500" height="310" alt="Knockmealdown Trig Pillar" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small; "><i>Trig Pillar on Knockmealdown</i></span><br /><br />Although the day was overcast, I was treated to really extensive and exceptional views. The overriding feeling standing at the trig pillar is that you are surrounded by an array of mountains which rise rather majestically from the flat plains of patterned and coloured fields which immediately surround the range. To the North-East sits the spectactular bulk of Slievenamon whilst due East are the impressive Comeraghs. Looking North-West leads the eye to the long and majestic range of the Galtees. It's only to the South that the hills relent to give views along the South coast and out to the Celtic Sea.<div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">Having bagged Knockmealdown, the walk across to Knockmoylan was very straightforward. Indeed, Knockmoylan barely qualifies as being a seperate summit but it is well worth a visit. Simply follow </span>the remnants of the county wall before branching off in a North-East direction to the cairn standing at 768 metres. Again, the views are extensive particularly out across the plains of Tipperary over to the Galtee Mountains.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/6192029702/" title="At the summit of Knockmoylan by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6175/6192029702_379a53bb96.jpg" width="500" height="309" alt="At the summit of Knockmoylan" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small; "><i>At the summit cairn on Knockmoylan</i></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><br /></i></span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/6191546935/" title="From Knockmoylan to Knockmealdown by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6157/6191546935_89734fce54.jpg" width="500" height="286" alt="From Knockmoylan to Knockmealdown" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small; "><i>Looking from Knockmoylan across to Knockmealdown<br /></i></span><br />Making good time, I decided to complete a short horseshoe by following the county wall over to Sugarloaf Hill which I had bagged previously in a heavy mist. The crossing from Knockmoylan to Sugarloaf Hill along the ridge is over some of the easiest high ground I have walked on, so much so that I managed to jog most of it. To reach the summit of Sugarloaf Hill, you need to make a diversion from the County Wall at the place where it heads downhill. From there, it is a steep but short walk over rocky ground. The mountain is marked by 2 summit cairns, the second of which is the highest according to my GPS. Again, the views really are exceptional and probably my favourite of the walk, reaching out across the patchwork of colourful fields that make up the Golden Vale.</span></div><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/6192601135/" title="On the summit of Sugarloaf Hill by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6167/6192601135_e06afedd72.jpg" width="500" height="326" alt="On the summit of Sugarloaf Hill" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small; "><i>At the summit cairn on Sugarloaf Hill</i></span><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/6191864569/" title="View from Sugarloaf Hill by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6151/6191864569_519bc6aa3a.jpg" width="500" height="278" alt="View from Sugarloaf Hill" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small; "><i>View from the summit of Sugarloaf Hill with Slievenamon in the background</i></span><br /><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span">From Sugarloaf Hill, I headed back to the County Wall to descend to the road over some very steep and eroded ground. On the way down, views opened up across Bay Lough and I spent a short while watching to see </span>if Pettitcoat Loose would make an appearance on the bank of the Lough. Heaven knows what I would have done had she done so!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/6192774127/" title="Bay Lough from the slopes of Sugarloaf Hill by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6151/6192774127_2c4974b1d0.jpg" width="500" height="281" alt="Bay Lough from the slopes of Sugarloaf Hill" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small; "><i>Bay Lough from the slopes of Sugarloaf Hill. Thankfully, Pettitcoat loose wasn't sitting on the bank!</i></span><br /><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">Unless you have two cars, the final part of the walk requires following the road back to the parking spot at the bridge. Luckily for me, I was only on the road when a rickety old jeep passed me by, slowed down, then stopped before a head popped out of the drivers window offering me a lift. The jeep had seen better days and judging by the smell and the various empty wrappers from sheep-related medicinal products littering the interior, it had also most likely had a history of ferrying sheep along the same road. In any case, I wasn't complaining and was happy of the lift. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">The elderly farmer was more interested in talking about the Comeraghs than the Knockmealdowns and seemed genuinely disappointed when I told him that I hadn't walked them yet. However, his interest quickly perked up when I mentioned that I had climbed Slievenamon in the recent past. Upon relaying this fact, I was subjected to a barrage of sheep-related questions, none of which I had the answer to. For some reason, the old man wanted to know if there were any sheep on the mountain and how high up they were. Feeling completely out of my depth, I made up a story that there was a very heavy mist down the day I walked the mountain so I couldn't see my hands in front of my face never mind any sheep in my immediate surroundings. I think he just about bought my story!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><i>The horseshoe is highly recommended and once the height has been gained, it offers some very easy high-level walking. The downside of starting from the bridge is the steep and eroded descent down from Sugarloaf Hill but I believe there is an easier route down towards the Vee Gap. The walk could be lengthened to include Knocknafallia and Knocknagnauv to the West. </i></b></span></div><br /><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><b>GPS Log</b></i></span></i><br /><iframe width="465" height="548" frameborder="0" src="http://connect.garmin.com:80/activity/embed/115049698"></iframe><br /><br /><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><b>Additional Images</b></i></span></i><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/6192665689/" title="Slievenamon and the Comeraghs from Sugarloaf Hill by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6177/6192665689_cc56f0a34b.jpg" width="500" height="299" alt="Slievenamon and the Comeraghs from Sugarloaf Hill" /></a><br /><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-style: normal; font-size: x-small; "><i>Slievenamon and the Comeraghs from Sugarloaf Hill</i></span></i><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/6193199678/" title="From Sugarloaf Hill to the Galtees by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6179/6193199678_3960ce0ec1.jpg" width="500" height="291" alt="From Sugarloaf Hill to the Galtees" /></a><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-style: normal; font-size: x-small; "><i>View over the Golden Vale to the Galtee Mountains from the cairn on Sugarloaf Hill</i></span></i></div><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/6192719067/" title="View along the County Wall by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6179/6192719067_a9f621454c.jpg" width="500" height="344" alt="View along the County Wall" /></a><br /><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-style: normal; font-size: x-small; "><i>View along the County Wall</i></span></i></div><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/6192743829/" title="View across the Gap by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6159/6192743829_913934c55b.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="View across the Gap" /></a><br /><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-style: normal; font-size: x-small; "><i>View down to the gap on the steep descent of Sugarloaf Hill. </i></span></i></div>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04746760404046609039noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5771103068949738865.post-19337803798723569672011-09-13T14:22:00.006+01:002011-09-26T13:03:22.255+01:00Taking the Leap to the Top of Cork<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/6031987383/" title="On Top of County Cork by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img alt="On Top of County Cork" height="269" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6124/6031987383_0ef36bf7b2.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Saturday, 6th August 2011</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span">Staring and Finishing Point: Priests Leap Car-Park</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /><i style="font-size: x-small;"><br />Knockboy<br /></i></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small; font-style: italic;">Classification: Dillon, Hewitt, Marilyn, County Top<br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span">Height: 706 metres<br /></span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>Dillon Count: 47</i></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"></span></i></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>The Priests Leap</i></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Classification: Minor Top</i></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Height: 519 metres</i></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span">Following the now tried and trusted pattern of the previous week, the weather continued to oscillate between periods of warm sunshine and periods of heavy, almost thundery showers. The last day of my holiday began with a torrential downpour before seemingly settling into a prolonged bout of radiant sunshine. Armed with a set of co-ordinates kindly texted to me by my neighbour, I stepped out the front-door of our holiday home into the morning sunshine. The co-ordinates would lead me to the rather infamous Priest's Leap, the starting point of choice for a walk up Knockboy, the highest point in County Cork. It was more in hope than expectation that I entered these co-ordinates into a free GPS application I had downloaded to my iPhone. However, I was pleasantly suprised when, coming into Bonane, the phone patiently prompted me to turn left and when doing so, I caught sight of a small signpost marked 'Priest's Leap Pass'.</span><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span">In the past, I had read several reports of the drive up to the Priest's Leap and not one of them made pleasant reading. The only small crumb of comfort was that I had been told that the road was far more exposed if approaching from the Glengariff side. The fact that one section of the road wasn't even marked on the OS map didn't much help my frame of mind. However, although very narrow and with passing spots few and far between should another vehicle be met, the road didn't prove anywhere near as bad as I had anticipated. Luckily, the only traffic I met was a friendly local who had no hesitation in shoving his van into reverse and speeding off backwards before skilfully parking the van halfway into a ditch in order to let me pass.</span><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span">My reliable old workhorse of a car had been dragged up several mountain roads during it's lifetime and it took most of this one in it's stride. The early morning downpour resulted in a continuous river or water running off the mountains and down the upper section of the road. As I passed from the section of road marked on the map to the section that wasn't, I had to engage first gear to make the final steep climb to the top of the pass.</span><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span">There is a <a href="http://maps.google.com/?q=51.79367,-9.4714">parking spo</a>t at the top of the pass close to the cross marking the The Priest's Leap. The parking spot is just about wide enough to accomodate three cars. The cross marks the spot from which legend has it that a priest being pursued by English soldiers jumped with his horse and landed in Bantry several miles away. The views from the top of the pass are simply magnificent, encompassing Bantry Bay to one side and across over the Caha Mountains and the Reeks to the other.</span><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><br /><div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/6041323700/" title="Priests Leap by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img alt="Priests Leap" height="310" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6147/6041323700_7e4dac5c9e.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>View from Priests Leap<br /></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" >I was so busy concentrating on reaching the top of the pass that I hadn't noticed the change in the weather nor the buffeting wind that was coming across the mountain. However, that soon became apparent when I stepped out of the snug interior of my car and set off uphill towards Knockboy.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span">As for the walk itself, there's not much I can say to recommend it. It had been described as something of a trudge and I wouldn't vary too much from that description. I was only minutes up the hill when a heavy and prolonged shower of rain arrived to dampen my spirits. To add insult to injury, the shower was swiftly followed by a thick mist. Realising that this had now become a case of bagging the summit as quickly as possible, I ventured on making my way up to Lough Boy. At the Lough, I managed to miss the fence that leads to the summit so took the lazy option of following my GPS instead. The most impressive aspect of the walk was the noise of several streams of water, enlarged by the recent rain showers, cascading down the mountain.</span><br /></span><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/6033013181/" title="View from Knockboy by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img alt="View from Knockboy" height="250" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6083/6033013181_2d94a6a163.jpg" width="500" /></a></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>View from Knockboy</i></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><i></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span">After what seemed like an eternity of trudging through pools of water and muck, the trig point that marks the highest point of County Cork finally came into view. I delayed at the summit long enough to send a text to my neighbour thanking him for his co-ordinates before retracing my steps back down the mountain to my parking spot.</span><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" >By the time I got back to the car, the weather was showing signs of clearing so I ventured up the hill at the other side of the road. Depending on what map you study, the hill is called Cummeenshrule, Knockboy West Top or Priests Leap. From the carpark, it's a handy walk to the summit which is marked by a pool. The walk took me through some bog complete with cut and stacked turf and offers great views down to Glengariff.</span></div></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/6040829709/" title="Turf Cutting at Priests Leap by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img alt="Turf Cutting at Priests Leap" height="391" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6142/6040829709_2bba54cb44.jpg" width="500" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Overall, not one of the most enjoyable walks I've ever been on. I've been told the views from Knockboy on a clear day are stunning and I'm sure the walking would be a lot easier in drier conditions. One to save for a sunny summer's day (if you are lucky enough to get one!)</b></span><br /><br /><iframe frameborder="0" height="548" src="http://connect.garmin.com:80/activity/embed/105020882" width="465"></iframe></div>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04746760404046609039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5771103068949738865.post-82816111788178137042011-08-22T12:34:00.009+01:002011-08-25T10:09:11.930+01:00Cloudy Boughil<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/6025254357/" title="On The Summit of Boughil by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6124/6025254357_1f054b89b3.jpg" width="500" height="275" alt="On The Summit of Boughil" /></a>
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<br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">Friday, 5th August 2011</span>
<br /><span class="Apple-style-span">Staring and Finishing Point: Barfinny Lough</span></span>
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<br /><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">Boughil</span>
<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic; ">Classification: Dillon, Hewitt</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span>
<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic; "><span class="Apple-style-span">Height: 631 metres</span>
<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic; ">Dillon Count: 46</span></span><span>
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<br /></i></span></span><div><span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">It seems that the worst time to plan any hillwalking in Kerry is during the summer months. Kenmare is literally besieged by mountains with the rugged sandstone Cahas of the Beara Peninsula to the South, the Shehy mountains to the East and the Derrynasaggart and Reeks to the West. This fantastic conglomeration of mountains was incidental for most of the week I spent in Kenmare as they remained mostly covered with a thick soup of dark, brooding and often rain-laced clouds.</span></span></span></span></div><div><span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">
<br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">One mountain that I could see from the doorstep of our holiday home was Boughil and on the second-last day of our stay, the obstinate clouds finally moved from it's summit and I made the short drive early morning towards Killarney to take my first hike in a number of months. </span></span></span></span></div><div><span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">
<br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">Boughil sits a short drive from Molls Gap and forms an impressive bulk when driving from that direction. Dominated by the mountain is the picturesque and serene Barfinny Lough. Indeed from the shore of the lake, the steep slopes of Boughil look quite intimidating. </span></span></span></span></div><div><span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">
<br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">There is plenty of space for parking beside Barfinny Lough (<a href="http://maps.google.com/?daddr=51.93303,-9.67062">carpark is here</a>). From the carpark, follow the road back in the direction of Molls Gap until you reach a fence running up Boughil. This fence leads all the way to the summit of Boughil. Whilst as easy as it gets from navigationally, the mountain's steep and rocky slopes do put up a fight and will get the pulse racing.</span></span></span></span></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/6025707007/" title="Squall over Moll's Gap (from Boughil) by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6189/6025707007_26fe8a0bd8.jpg" width="500" height="402" alt="Squall over Moll's Gap (from Boughil)" /></a>
<br /><span style="font-style: italic; "></span><span>Squall over Moll's Gap</span>
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<br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span">Keeping with the theme of my week, soupy cloud had moved in during my climb and by the time the small summit cairn came into view, the cloud had completely engulfed the upper reaches of the mountain and visibility was down to less than 50 metres. As I took a much needed swig from my water bottle, the light drizzle begun to morph into heavier rain and i reconsidered my idea of crossing to Cnoc na gCapall and started back on my descent of Boughil.
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<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" >Picking my way down the slippy rocks, I could see squalls of rain all around. One particularly heavy shower seemed to have stationed itself over Molls Gap whilst another was heading for Kenmare in what looked like an orchestrated effort to hit all the tourist spots in one fell sweep. Lower down the mountain, I started to move in and out of the cloud cover. <span class="Apple-style-span" >This led to a very strange and vertiginous sensation - by times it felt like the clouds were below me as 'peep-holes' intermittently </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" >opened up to reveal glimpses of Barfinny at the foot of the mountain.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">
<br /><div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/6030494332/" title="Barfinny Lough from Boughil by tullyallenp, on Flickr" style="font-size: 14px; "><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6082/6030494332_47e4df1c8e.jpg" width="500" height="332" alt="Barfinny Lough from Boughil" /></a>
<br /><span>Barfinny Lough from Boughil</span></div><div><span>
<br /></span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span">In summary, Boughil is a very handy hill to bag and the fact that the fence can be hand-railed to the summit means that there are no navigational issues. The only real challenge is the steep slopes which got quite slippery after the rain shower. I can't comment on the views from the summit due to the cloud cover. However, from very early in the climb, there are great views down to Barfinny and over across Molls Gap and the surrounding countryside. Probably best when linked with Cnoc na gCapall (itself a Dillon) to make a longer walk.</span><span class="Apple-style-span"><div style="font-size: 14px; "></div></span></div>
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<br /><iframe width="465" height="548" frameborder="0" src="http://connect.garmin.com:80/activity/embed/105020772"></iframe>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04746760404046609039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5771103068949738865.post-87563522810287971842011-03-28T09:59:00.008+01:002012-08-15T23:07:59.414+01:00The Last of The Mournes<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/5058422974/" title="Cove Mouintain by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img alt="Cove Mountain" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5243/5338882282_3b94a70ff8.jpg" width="500" /></a> <br />
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<span style="font-size: 78%;">Monday, 3rd January 2011 <br />
Staring and Finishing Point: Bloody Bridge Car Park <br />
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Chimney Rock <br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">Classification: Dillon, Hewitt</span></span><span style="font-size: 78%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 78%; font-style: italic;">Height: </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 78%; font-style: italic;">656 metres </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 78%; font-style: italic;">Dillon Count: 44</span><span style="font-size: 78%;"> </span> <br />
<span style="font-size: 78%; font-style: italic;"><br />
Slieve Beg</span><span style="font-size: 78%; font-style: italic;">(Minor summit)</span><span style="font-size: 78%; font-style: italic;"> </span><span style="font-size: 78%; font-style: italic;">Height: 590 metres </span><span style="font-size: 78%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 78%; font-style: italic;"><br />
Cove Mountain <br />
Classification: Dillon, Hewitt </span><span style="font-size: 78%; font-style: italic;">Height: 655 metres <br />
Dillon Count: 45<br />
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<i>Total Distance Covered: 17.10km</i><br />
<i>Elevation Gain: 1000 metres</i><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span">A superb walk on an amazing winters day provided the ideal way to complete all the Mourne 2,000 footers. These were the last 2 mountains in the Mournes and after some time studying various route options, I decided to tackle them from Bloody Bridge taking the rather uninspiring route up as far as Carr's Face before leaving the beaten track. A fire on the slopes of Chimney Rock had shorn most of the heather from it's lower slopes and this with a combination of a heavy overnight frost left the ground very firm.</span> <br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/5327859297/" title="On the summit of Chimney Rock by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img alt="On the summit of Chimney Rock" height="311" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5281/5327859297_9eef7292a0.jpg" width="500" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%; font-style: italic;"></span></span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-size: 78%;">Dawn on Chimney Rock</span> </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">Chimney Rock is a pretty drab summit but it does offer great views along the coast as well as across to the Higher Mournes. I followed an obvious track back to the crossing at the Bog of Donard before following the Brandy Pad as the clouds cleared to reveal strong winter sunshine. The walk along the Brandy Pad was some of the best walking I have had in a long time, the combination of the sun shining on the remnants of the recent snow combined with the fresh winter air brought about that euphoric feeling that the hills can provide on occassions.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/5342321097/" title="The Brandy Pad by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img alt="The Brandy Pad" height="333" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5163/5342321097_4a25614923.jpg" width="500" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%; font-style: italic;"></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-size: 78%;">The Brandy Pad</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/5333791481/" title="The Devil's Coachroad by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img alt="The Devil's Coachroad" height="396" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5085/5333791481_64d0253234.jpg" width="500" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%; font-style: italic;"></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-size: 78%;">The Devil's Coachroad</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">I left the Brandy Pad at the large cairn below Slieve Beg. It's only a short walk to the top of Beg and a view of the impressive and slightly frightening Devils Coachroad. From Beg, it's only half a kilometre over to the summit of Cove but it's over some very steep ground, ground which hadn't been exposed to the sun leaving some rocks covered in ice. It was a relief to reach the summit cairn of Cove and to finally complete all the Mournes. At the summit carin, you really get a feeling of being right in the middle of the Mournes</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/5333839917/" title="On the Summit of Cove by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img alt="On the Summit of Cove" height="281" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5204/5333839917_c728a25ced.jpg" width="500" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%; font-style: italic;"></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-size: 78%;">On The Summit of Cove</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/5334527928/" title="View from Cove towards Commedagh by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img alt="View from Cove towards Commedagh" height="394" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5129/5334527928_1ed820f67c.jpg" width="500" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%; font-style: italic;"></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-size: 78%;">View from Cove towards Commedagh</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">An unusual route but a highly recommended one. The walk along the Brandy Pad in such conditions is superb and both Chimney Rock and Cove offer views of the Mournes different to the more popular mountains in the range</span><span class="Apple-style-span">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 8px;"> </span></span></div>
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<b>More Photos</b><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/5328422404/" title="Dawn on Chimney Rock by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img alt="Dawn on Chimney Rock" height="404" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5122/5328422404_2802847fe7.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-size: 78%;">Dawn on Chimney Rock</span></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/5328516042/" title="View from Chimney Rock Mountain by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img alt="View from Chimney Rock Mountain" height="345" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5006/5328516042_df227bc119.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-size: 78%;">View from Chimney Rock</span></span></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/5333714833/" title="Binnian, Lamagan, Cove and Beg by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img alt="Binnian, Lamagan, Cove and Beg" height="420" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5007/5333714833_6ce1da926f.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-size: 78%;">Binnian, Lamagan and Cove</span></span></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/5339572862/" title="From cove to Bearnagh by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img alt="From cove to Bearnagh" height="336" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5050/5339572862_e21779bc49.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-size: 78%;">From Cove to Bearnagh</span></span></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/5342406299/" title="Below Donard by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img alt="Below Donard" height="402" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5284/5342406299_b269b42ba4.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-size: 78%;">Below Donard</span></span></span>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04746760404046609039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5771103068949738865.post-69553178968986920642010-10-11T12:04:00.011+01:002011-10-02T22:25:46.004+01:00Backside to the Wind: Tonelagee and Turlough Hill<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/5058422974/" title="The Wicklow Mountains by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4132/5058422974_286f5bd640.jpg" alt="The Wicklow Mountains" height="423" width="500" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Sunday, 26th September, 2010<br />Staring and Finishing Point: Wicklow Gap<br /><br />Tonelagee<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Classification: Dillon, Hewitt, Marilyn</span></span><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;">Height: 817 metres<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;">Dillon Count: 42</span><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;">Stoney Top </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;">(Minor summit)</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;"><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;">Height: 714 metres<br /></span><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;">Turlough Hill<br />Classification: Dillon<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;">Height: 681 metres<br />Dillon Count: 43</span><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Wicklow is wonderfully scenic in places but I find it hard to get excited about hiking the mountains there. We took a scenic drive to Wicklow Gap where there is plenty of parking but it does tend to fill up quickly at the weekend.<br /><br />The walk up to Tonelagee is initially through dense heather but the going gets easier as height is gained and the ground gets rockier. It was only on the way down that we discovered a path which was over some very eroded and boggy ground. The summit of Tonelagee is pretty non-descript but offers a good viewing point across to the reservoir on Turlough Hill. Given the translation of the mountain's name (backside to the wind), we were pretty lucky to get the seemingly unusually calm conditions at the summit trig pillar.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/5028911185/" title="TĂ³in le Gaoith by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4089/5028911185_2ee5f68c20.jpg" width="500" height="405" alt="TĂ³in le Gaoith" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;"><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">View from the summit of Tonelagee</span></span></span><br /><br />The minor summit of Stoney Top is only a short walk from Tonelagee. Stoney Top is another unremarkable summit but the walk across provides a great vantage point down onto the heart-shaped and spectactular Lough Owler. It also crosses a unusual and desolate piece of ground covered in dark bog and gleaming rocks, the whole scene is quite other-worldly.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/5036193523/" title="Bog Crossing by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4106/5036193523_f9a42cf24b.jpg" width="500" height="355" alt="Bog Crossing" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;"><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Crossing the bog towards Stoney Top</span></span></span><br /><br />Having made our way back to the car-park for a bit of lunch, we took the lazy way up Turlough Hill following the meandering access road as it wound it's way to the top of the mountain. The road offers superb views across to the bulk of Tonelagee. Turlough Hill itself provides the location for Ireland's only pumped-storage hydroelectricity plant which was built between 1968 and 1974.At the time of completion, it was the largest civil engineering project ever carried out in Ireland. The upper reservoir completely dominates the top of the mountain. Indeed it more resembles an abandoned building site with long-since dried lumps of concrete lying on the ground amongst scattered rocks and pieces of wood.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/5037297842/" title="Tonelagee & the Wicklow Gap by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4092/5037297842_fee58e2866.jpg" width="500" height="384" alt="Tonelagee & the Wicklow Gap" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;"><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">View of Tonelagee from the access road</span></span></span><br /><br />For the purist, there really isn't a lot to recommend and the mountain lacks any real distinct summit. Make your way towards the quarry from which the stone to build up the reservoir was presumably drawn and pick out the highest point.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/5037558394/" title="Turlough Hill & Camaderry by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4099/5037558394_094696d040.jpg" width="500" height="335" alt="Turlough Hill & Camaderry" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Reservoir on Turlough Hill</span></span><br /><br /></span><br /><br /><iframe src="http://connect.garmin.com:80/activity/embed/50673109" frameborder="0" height="548" width="465"></iframe>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04746760404046609039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5771103068949738865.post-44054732602455379402010-08-27T12:41:00.004+01:002010-08-27T13:03:42.998+01:00The Dreaded Midge & The Western Mournes<span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" ><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4922655623/" title="View from Eagle Mountain by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4102/4922655623_c5d30620b7.jpg" alt="View from Eagle Mountain" width="500" height="303" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Sunday, 22nd August, 2010<br />Staring and Finishing Point: Deers Meadow<br /><br />Pigeon Rock Mountain </span></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >(Minor summit)</span><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Height: 534 metres<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" ><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Slievemoughanmore </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >(Minor summit)</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" ><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Height: 560 metres<br /></span><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Eagle Mountain<br />Classification: Dillon, Hewitt, Marilyn<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Height: 638 metres<br />Dillon Count: 40</span><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" ><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Shanlieve<br />Classification: Dillon, Hewitt<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Height: 626 metres<br />Dillon Count: 41</span><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">After some tough walking for the Mourne Seven Sevens just a couple of weeks previously, it was back to a more leisurely pace for a hike along Batts Wall to take in the couple of Western Mournes featured in Paddy Dillon's book. A 6am alarm-clock call saw us on the road early and as we drove down the M1, the low covering of cloud began to dissipate. By the time we arrived at Deers Meadow, the sun was making an attempt at breaking through the clouds.<br /><br />A stile close to the lay-by at Deers Meadow gives access to Batts Wall which was to be our guide for the mornings walk. The wall led us gently up to our first minor summit of the day, Pigeon Rock Mountain. The gaping hole in the wall which was there on my last visit had been repaired somewhat meaning that the summit cairn which had been moulded from stone from the fallen section of the wall was now more a small gathering of rocks. The corner of the wall gives good views down to Spelga Dam and across to the impressive bulk of Slieve Muck.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">The wall swings left then right to lead down Pigeon Rock and up the steeper slopes of Slievemoughanmore, the second minor summit of the day. To visit the summit of Slievemoughanmore, you need to deviate around 150 metres away from the wall. There are two cairns of pretty equal height, neither of which would appear to mark the summit proper according to my GPS. One of the cairns provides a superb viewpoint down onto Spelga Dam surrounded by Cock Mountain and Slievenamiskin.<br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4920007889/" title="View from Summit Cairn on Slievemoughanmore by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4116/4920007889_80525d508b.jpg" alt="View from Summit Cairn on Slievemoughanmore" width="500" height="303" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" ><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">View from the summit cairn on Slievemoughanmore</span></span><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4920185139/" title="View from Slievemoughanmore by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4098/4920185139_27542a5a29.jpg" alt="View from Slievemoughanmore" width="500" height="311" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" ><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">View from Slievemoughanmore</span></span><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Rejoin the wall to descend from Slievemoughanmore down to the Windy Gap. A more apt name would probably be the Boggy Gap with a short section of ground very much waterlogged. So wet is this section that it appears that a stretch of the wall has been lowered to provide dry passage across it. Once across the gap, the climb begins up the steep rocky slopes of Eagle Mountain, our first Dillon of the day and the 40th Dillon of my own personal quest. Keep to the right hand-side of the wall which climbs steeply before swinging left to give way to a more gradual incline. When the wall swings right, cross the stile and the summit cairn is located just a short walk away. The best views of the walk are available from the cairn on Eagle encompassing Spelga Dam right across to the Higher Mournes with Bearnagh, Muck, Donard and Binnian all visible.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4922505273/" title="Eagle Mountain by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4115/4922505273_dc55a5bc5d.jpg" alt="Eagle Mountain" width="500" height="303" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" ><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Me at the summit cairn on Eagle</span></span><br /><br />From Eagle, it really is a case of two Dillons for the price of one as it's only a short dander across to Shanlieve. Again, the cairn on Shanlieve is situated just away from the wall and lay among a white carpet of Bog Cotton. Shanlieve itself is rather unremarkable but provided us with a logical stopping point for a bite to eat. While we chewed away on our sandwiches, the local midges had a field-day chewing away on us.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4922757421/" title="At the summit cairn on Shanlieve by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4140/4922757421_ecd98102a1.jpg" alt="At the summit cairn on Shanlieve" width="500" height="295" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" ><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Me at the summit cairn on Shanlieve</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4923380966/" title="Shanlieve Summit Cairn by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4139/4923380966_abeae6f1e4.jpg" alt="Shanlieve Summit Cairn" width="500" height="291" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" ><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Shanlieve summit cairn</span></span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4923975600/" title="Into The Great Wide Open by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4122/4923975600_1dba59fc81.jpg" alt="Into The Great Wide Open" width="500" height="300" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" ><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Jason escapes the midges on Shanlieve</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4924584070/" title="View from Shanlieve by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4139/4924584070_e72215d5bc.jpg" alt="View from Shanlieve" width="500" height="291" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" ><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">View from Shanlieve</span></span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4924209757/" title="Hole In The Wall by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4076/4924209757_c9ebb80e9a.jpg" alt="Hole In The Wall" width="500" height="328" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" ><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Hole in Batts Wall on Shanlieve</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />The big drawback of this walk is that it requires you to reverse your route back to the starting point. On reaching back to the Windy Gap, we decided to contour along the base of Slievemoughanmore. This route provided great views along the cliff-face of Eagle and down into the Valley but the heathery and wet ground proved quite heavy going. As we arrived back to Deers Meadow, most people were only starting their days walking with quite a number of people visible making their way along Batts Wall up the steep slopes of Slieve Muck. I can't say I envied them!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4926637122/" title="Descending Eagle Mountain by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4120/4926637122_3431fa2274.jpg" alt="Descending Eagle Mountain" width="500" height="332" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" ><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Jason Descending Eagle to the Windy Gap</span></span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4927159729/" title="Batts Wall, Eagle Mountain by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4077/4927159729_1406ac7e83.jpg" alt="Batts Wall, Eagle Mountain" width="500" height="342" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" ><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">The steep descent along the wall leads to the Windy Gap</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4929757074/" title="Eagle Mountain and Slievemoughanmore by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4073/4929757074_bb535a0334.jpg" alt="Eagle Mountain and Slievemoughanmore" width="500" height="370" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" ><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Cliffs on Eagle Mountain</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4931239979/" title="Shadow & Light on Slieve Muck by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4142/4931239979_205280870a.jpg" alt="Shadow & Light on Slieve Muck" width="500" height="370" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" ><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Descending back to Deers Meadow</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />2 more Dillons bagged to bring my total to 41 and only 2 remaining of those in the Mournes. The car journeys will be getting longer after that!<br /><br /></span><br /><br /><iframe src="http://connect.garmin.com:80/activity/embed/46137420" width="465" frameborder="0" height="548"></iframe>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04746760404046609039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5771103068949738865.post-85780227794663003102010-08-04T16:25:00.003+01:002010-08-04T16:45:08.800+01:00The Trip to Tipp (and Limerick)<span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" ><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4841549295/" title="On the slopes of Galtymore by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4103/4841549295_0b01c6a806.jpg" alt="On the slopes of Galtymore" width="500" height="426" /></a><br /><br />Saturday 3rd July, 2010<br />Staring and Finishing Point: King's Yard<br /><br />Monabrack<br />Classification: Dillon, Hewitt<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Height: 629 metres<br />Dillon Count: 37</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" ><br />Carrignabinnia (Minor summit)<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Height: 822 metres<br /></span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Lyracappul<br />Classification: Dillon<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Height: 825 metres<br />Dillon Count: 38</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" ><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Slievecushnabinnia (Minor summit)<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Height: 766 metres<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" ><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Galtymore<br />Classification: Dillon, Hewitt, Marilyn, Munroe, County Top (Tipperary and Limerick)<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Height: 919 metres<br />Dillon Count: 39</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" ><br /></span><br /><br /><iframe width='465' height='548' frameborder='0' src='http://connect.garmin.com:80/activity/embed/39354779'></iframe>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04746760404046609039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5771103068949738865.post-30126549566061604242010-05-18T23:19:00.012+01:002010-06-25T23:55:32.799+01:00The Mourne Wall Walk - 2nd time lucky!<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4583940826/" title="Slient Valley & Slievenaglogh from Slieve Binnian by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4003/4583940826_97ddbe6d81.jpg" alt="Slient Valley & Slievenaglogh from Slieve Binnian" width="500" height="293" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" ><br />Date: 3rd May 2010<br /><br />Slieve Binnian<br />Classification: Dillon<br />Height: 747 metres<br />Walked previously<br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Wee Binnian (Minor summit)<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Height: 460 metres<br /></span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Moolieve (Minor Summit)<br /></span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Slievenaglogh (Minor summit)<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Height: 445 metres<br /></span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Slieve Muck<br />Classification: Dillon<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Height: 674 metres</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Walked previously<br /><br />Carn Mountain (Minor summit)<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Height: 588 metres<br /></span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Slieve Loughshannagh<br />Classification: Dillon<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Height: 619 metres</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Dillon Count: 32<br /><br />Slieve Meelbeg<br />Classification: Dillon<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Height: 708 metres</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Dillon Count: 33<br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Slieve Meelmore<br />Classification: Dillon<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Height: 680 metres</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Dillon Count: 34<br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Slieve Bearnagh<br />Classification: Dillon<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Height: 739 metres</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Dillon Count: 35<br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Slievenaglogh (Minor summit)</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" ><br />Height: 586 metres<br /></span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Slieve Corragh (Minor summit)<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Height: 640 metres</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" ><br />Slieve Commedagh</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Classification: Dillon<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Height: 767 metres</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Dillon Count: 36<br /><br />Slieve Donard<br />Classification: Dillon, Hewitt, Marilyn, County-top<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Height: 850 metres</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Walked Previously<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">A wise man once told me that the definition of failure isn't to fall down; it is not to get back up again. I had waited eight long months to get back up again, a time stretching from August 23rd 2009 to 6:20am on Monday, May 3rd 2010 when I found myself at the foot of the Mourne Mountains and the start of my second attempt at the Mourne Wall Walk.<br /><br />I suppose you could say that the previous attempt had not gone well... you would be pretty correct in saying that it had ended in something of abject failure and quite a bit of misery. On that occasion, the Mournes had quite simply chewed us up and spat us out again. We were the proverbial lambs to the slaughter; badly prepared, totally lacking the requisite fitness and arrogantly believing that we could triumph over whatever Nature could throw at us including the forecasted stormy weather.<br /><br />Those arrogant presumptions were given fuel as we started out from Carrick Little car-park heading towards glistening peaks which were bathing in the warmest of autumnal sunshine. The first part of that particular walk had seen the Mournes effortlessly lull us into a false sense of security, so much so that we’d even had an extended lunch break down by Silent Valley reservoir all the while untroubled by our lack of progress and completely oblivious to the ominous gathering of a melee of dark clouds overhead.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/3859375414/" title="On The Tor (Slieve Binnian) by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3464/3859375414_2f00e5977b.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="On The Tor (Slieve Binnian)"></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Time out on Slieve Binnian on the first attempt</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/3862281644/" title="Silent Valley by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3426/3862281644_62a1076062.jpg" width="500" height="396" alt="Silent Valley"></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Crossing Slient Valley reservoir on first attempt</span><br /><br />Not even the discovery by one member of the party that he had left half his water supply in the car boot failed to lighten the mood. In our minds, we were Kings of the Mountains and anything that they could throw at us.<br /><br />The prevailing mood began to change as we struggled up one side of Slievenaglogh and back down the other and by the time we reached the foot of Slieve Muck, the dark clouds had dropped down out of the sky and were rushing and dancing over the ground all around us.<br /><br />Slieve Muck itself quite simply broke our spirit; our overfilled back-packs combined with a complete lack of visibility meant that each and every step became a mammoth task. It was only due to a now gale force wind at our backs that we managed to get to the top of Muck at all. The scene at the top was akin to Armageddon as menacing black clouds danced impetuously across its flat summit only occasionally giving way to reveal a glimpse of a forlorn looking trig pillar which appeared to be crying out for rescue.<br /><br />Things went from bad to worse on the crossing from Muck to Carn. The last of the daylight ebbed away and the storm continued to pick up bringing heavy showers of rain with it. Murphy’s Law then kicked in to dictate that the walk spiraled even more in the direction of disaster; the heel of my walking boot splitting open as I tripped over a muddy rock and ended up on my backside.<br /><br />We spent a very uncomfortable night camped to one side of the wall taking whatever shelter we could from the raging storm, our tents fiercely battered by the winds and occasionally threatening to pull free from their stakes. The next morning saw the storm still raging leaving us with no option but to abandon the walk. We downheartedly descended off the mountains and spent the long and miserable walk back by road to the car-park at Carrick Little with the bitterest taste of failure in our mouths.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/3863516058/" title="Vango Banshee by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3480/3863516058_53217c6fc9.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Vango Banshee"></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Base-camp! Camped out on the original attempt</span><br /><br />Failure…. Abject Failure! It didn’t sit well with me over the winter months. Spurred on by that failure, I took up jogging and spent much of the winter building up my fitness levels to tackle the Wall again when the weather got better and the days got longer. Several people accused me of succumbing to some kind of mountain-related madness and there was probably more than a bit of substance in those accusations.<br /><br />And so, at 6:20 am on the morning of May 3rd, I found myself starting out again from Carrick Little car-park on the road to redemption.<br /><br />This time I had packed light, a pair of Inov8 trail running shoes had been broken in on some shorter walks and on my back was a Camelbak Alpine Explorer pack which has an integrated 3 litre hydration reservoir. Instead of doing the walk over two days and having to carry overnight gear, I decided to do it over one long day. The good people at Mapyx Quo had provided me with an electronic copy of the Mournes Maps and their software had proved invaluable in allowing me generate a very detailed route card to download to my GPS. What the route card showed was that the most difficult part of the walk was the initial section as far as Muck by which point almost 50% of the ascent would be complete over just 33% of the distance. Once more, Muck looked like being a focal point in the walk – after that, everything should be a lot simpler!<br /><br />The walk itself is something of a classic, described by the author Paddy Dillon as ‘one of the greatest mountain walks in Ireland’ and it is hard to disagree with him. The walk covers close on 35 kilometres with a total ascent approaching 3000 metres and the route itself was followed as part of an organized walk which ran annually between 1957 and 1984 only to be cancelled as a result of its own popularity when fears were raised over erosion to the route due to the huge crowds participating.<br /><br />The wall itself was built between 1904 and 1922 by the Belfast Water Commissioners to enclose the water catchments in the Mournes. Between Carn Mountain and Long Seefin where it is at its stoutest, you can’t help but be impressed by the wall and in awe of the huge effort that must have gone into building it.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4580844435/" title="Heading for Slieve Binnian by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4037/4580844435_9a3795ceb0.jpg" width="500" height="402" alt="Heading for Slieve Binnian"></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Starting out on the Carrick Little track heading for Slieve Binnian </span><br /><br />There are a number of places from which to start the walk but I chose the car-park at Carrick Little. From there, a short walk along a track brings you to the wall itself which offers a sure guide almost to the summit of the mighty Slieve Binnian, halting only when it reaches the summit Tor where it is replaced for a stretch by a wire fence. With a height of 747 metres and a height-gain of around 580 metres from the car-park, Binnian represents the perfect pulse-raiser. The summit proper is atop the impressive Tor and you’ll need to grapple with some rock should you wish to reach it. At 7am, I had the summit all to myself but dwelt there just a short while to admire the magnificent views down onto Silent Valley below as well as North-West across to some of the mountains I would climb later in the day including Meelmore, Meelbeg and Loughshannagh.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4582176992/" title="Stile beneath Slieve Binnian by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4041/4582176992_efa1e83237.jpg" width="500" height="402" alt="Stile beneath Slieve Binnian"></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >A stile crosses the wall close to the summit of Binnian</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4583553495/" title="On the summit of Slieve Binnian by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4005/4583553495_c928e49b97.jpg" width="500" height="371" alt="On the summit of Slieve Binnian"></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Brief stop at the summit of Binnian</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4583802973/" title="Slieve Binnian North Top by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4048/4583802973_dbfd3fb25f.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Slieve Binnian North Top"></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >View from Binnian across to Loughshannagh, Meelbeg and Meelmore</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4584512925/" title="Looking down at Wee Binnian and Moolieve by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4037/4584512925_7fb2b4c540.jpg" width="500" height="359" alt="Looking down at Wee Binnian and Moolieve"></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Looking down at Wee Binnian from Binnian</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4585283880/" title="Slieve Binnian &amp; Wee Binnian by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4027/4585283880_a4e98494e6.jpg" width="500" height="380" alt="Slieve Binnian &amp; Wee Binnian"></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >The wall running from Slieve Binnian to Wee Binnian, Doan in the background</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4586407454/" title="On the summit of Moolieve by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4054/4586407454_b88da3d14b.jpg" width="500" height="386" alt="On the summit of Moolieve"></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >On the summit of Moolieve, Slievenaglogh to the left</span><br /><br />The descent down Binnian is over some very steep ground and you need to take care to avoid the slabs immediately below the Summit Tor. The wall passes over the summit of Wee Binnian but this can be bypassed through the notch to the left. The minor summit of Moolieve is next before you lose all of the height you gained by following the wall down to the reservoir at Silent Valley. As I crossed the reservoir and glimpsed up at Slievenaglogh towering over the water, apprehension set in. The stretch from Silent Valley to the summit of Muck had proved troublesome on my last effort albeit in more difficult conditions.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4586508722/" title="Silent Valley Reservoir by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4024/4586508722_801d218093.jpg" width="500" height="386" alt="Silent Valley Reservoir"></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Crossing the Silent Valley reswervoir, Slievenaglogh is to the left</span><br /><br />On the far side of the reservoir, turn right at the shelter and follow a track uphill. At the bend, leave this track to follow a vague path uphill through some wet ground and thick vegetation. Cross the fence at the top of this path and follow it up to the wall. This section of the walk is particularly boggy but the wall avoids the worst of the bog by continuing uphill before taking a ninety degree right turn to head for the slopes of Slievenaglogh. Take it from me that you are best advised not to give into the temptation to take a short cut through the bog. The climb up Slievenaglogh is steep in places across some bouldery ground but with a bit of care, a decent path can be picked to the summit of the mountain at 445 metres which is marked by a summit cairn. From the cairn, the path across to Slieve Muck is clearly visible.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4586157299/" title="Slievenaglogh Summit Cairn by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4039/4586157299_e9a3fdc736.jpg" width="500" height="386" alt="Slievenaglogh Summit Cairn"></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Summit cairn at Slievenaglogh</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4587686210/" title="Looking north from Slievenaglogh by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4065/4587686210_56e03a3caa.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Looking north from Slievenaglogh"></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Looking North towards Ben Crom from Slievenaglogh</span><br /><br />Cross the wall to descend Slievenaglogh over some more very steep ground. A track leads from the bottom of the mountain across Banns Road before veering away from the wall to pass through a gap in a subsidiary wall. Veer back towards the wall and follow it up the relentlessly steep and seemingly never-ending steep slopes of Slieve Muck. There are a couple of points where the ground becomes too steep even for the wall and it gives way to slabs. You will need to steer to the right of these sections.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4587140047/" title="Heading for Slieve Muck by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4046/4587140047_992ced73cd.jpg" width="500" height="386" alt="Heading for Slieve Muck"></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Heading for Slieve Muck</span><br /><br />It was towards the top of Muck that I felt the first slight twinges of cramp in my legs but these were eased somewhat when the steep slopes gave way to gentler ground leading to the trig pillar on the summit plateau. It was a huge relief to reach this point of the walk so early in the day and with already over half the total ascent done, I could now look forward to tackling the sections of the walk which were new to me in the knowledge that most of the hard work was now behind me.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4588560181/" title="Trig Pillar on Slieve Muck by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4015/4588560181_645025ef1a.jpg" width="500" height="342" alt="Trig Pillar on Slieve Muck"></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Trig pillar on Slieve Muck with the Cooley Mountains to the background</span><br /><br />The section from Muck along Carn, Loughshannagh, Meelbeg and Meelmore is relatively straightforward with the height gain and loss between each mountain being small compared with that between Binnian and Muck. What I hadn’t anticipated was the cramp in my legs that was to arrive sharply and sporadically throughout the rest of the walk particularly during the ascents. The stone lookout tower on the whale-back bulk of Slieve Meelmore is an obvious landmark but the actual summit is marked around 100 metres away by a stone cairn. What is very striking along the stretch from Meelbeg to Meelmore is just how steep the section of the wall running up Slieve Bearnagh is – it really looks a preposterous and impossible angle from certain viewpoints.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4592979307/" title="Carn and Muck from Loughshannagh by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3358/4592979307_1a2b218920.jpg" width="500" height="386" alt="Carn and Muck from Loughshannagh"></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Looking back at Carn and Muck from Slieve Loughshannagh</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4594794645/" title="From Meelbeg to Meelmore by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1164/4594794645_6b13c933ee.jpg" width="500" height="386" alt="From Meelbeg to Meelmore"></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >View from Meelbeg to Meelmore - the steep wall climbing Bearnagh can be seen to the right</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4596272881/" title="Slieve Meelmore by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1348/4596272881_3773d981c7.jpg" width="500" height="386" alt="Slieve Meelmore"></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >The impressive bulk of Slieve Meelmore</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4598261296/" title="On the summit of Slieve Meelmore by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4058/4598261296_676848c57f.jpg" width="500" height="352" alt="On the summit of Slieve Meelmore"></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >At the lookout tower at Meelmore</span><br /><br />The best method of climbing Bearnagh is to keep well to the right of the wall where the incline is somewhat gentler before picking your way upwards. I had by now adapted a pretty erratic zig-zag style of walking uphill, taking four or five lateral steps for each step upwards. By the time I reached the top of Bearnagh, I had adapted something of a ‘Basil Fawlty’ style funny walk and with quite a few people picnicking at the base of Bearnagh’s impressive summit Tor, I decided it would be best not to make an exhibit of myself by attempting to scramble up the rocks to the summit proper.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4597661421/" title="North Tor, Slieve Bearnagh by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4040/4597661421_7f02555115.jpg" width="500" height="383" alt="North Tor, Slieve Bearnagh"></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >North Tor, Slieve Bearnagh</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4598403216/" title="Commedagh, Donard &amp; The Brandy Pad by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4015/4598403216_5c96f3185e.jpg" width="500" height="366" alt="Commedagh, Donard &amp; The Brandy Pad"></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Commedagh, Donard and the Brandy Pad from the slopes of Bearnagh</span><br /><br />The wall continues across Bearnagh via a couple of smaller Tors which can be bypassed over a distinct path before dropping down to Hare’s gap. The gap was a hive of activity with people of various nationalities consulting maps and making plans for the day ahead. I on the other hand had the finish line in sight and only had eyes for the last stretch of mountains ahead running from Slievenaglogh across to Ulster’s highest point, Slieve Donard via Slieve Corragh and the mammoth bulk of Slieve Commedagh.<br /><br />The steps leading from Hare’s Gap up the initial steep section at the foot of Slievenaglogh were sheer torture and I was glad when a man and his son stopped briefly to discuss the black clouds that were approaching as well as the man’s deep-held physicological fear of Slieve Bearnagh after he had come to an abrupt stop halfway up it's relentless slopes on a previous assault. I was that busy concentrating on not blowing-up myself that I completely missed the ‘Diamond Rocks’, a crystalline outcrop of granite on the ascent to the summit cairn on Slievenaglogh. By the time I had crossed to the unassuming Slieve Corragh, I reckon I probably looked much like an unwanted extra out of a low-budget 1950’s war-film. Luckily this section of the wall doesn’t attract much walker traffic so my continuous utterances about ‘only 2 more left’ went unheard. The views from Corragh are arguably amongst the best along the walk with Slieve Bearnagh towering over the impressive Ben Crom Reservoir providing a spectacular backdrop.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4598481548/" title="Summit cairn on Slievenaglogh by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1217/4598481548_e1bda92e47.jpg" width="500" height="386" alt="Summit cairn on Slievenaglogh"></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Summit cairn, Slievenaglogh</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4598363523/" title="View from the summit of Slieve Corragh by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3116/4598363523_616b14032f.jpg" width="500" height="386" alt="View from the summit of Slieve Corragh"></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >View from the summit of Slieve Corragh across Ben Crom Reservoir</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4599950750/" title="Slieve Commedagh by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3311/4599950750_7190b31a77.jpg" width="500" height="386" alt="Slieve Commedagh"></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Looking ahead to Slieve Commedagh</span><br /><br />It was on the ascent of Slieve Commedagh that the heavy black clouds finally made their move, streaming across Commedagh before depositing a heavy shower of hailstones over the mountain. Surely, only the mountains can delivery all four seasons within the space of a couple of hours. My pace of ascent had slowed to a crawl up Commedagh and the digits on my GPS counting down the distance to the summit seemed to be moving with the same lethargy as myself. I had now taken on a ‘boom and burst’ method of walking, pushing myself hard for 10 seconds before stopping for a prolonged rest. When the lookout tower finally emerged from the clouds at the summit of Commedagh, I only had one more mountain to climb, albeit the highest of the day.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4599457759/" title="On the summit of Slieve Commedagh by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3411/4599457759_0f6e0895bc.jpg" width="500" height="386" alt="On the summit of Slieve Commedagh"></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Lookout tower on Slieve Commedagh. Me being held up by the wall!</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4601520824/" title="Slieve Donard by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1160/4601520824_571b013a35.jpg" width="500" height="386" alt="Slieve Donard"></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >The final climb up Slieve Donard - looks quite simple in this photo</span><br /><br />I dropped out of the cloud down to the broad gap between Commedagh and Donard. Again, groups of people were gathered at the gap whilst others were at varying stages of ascending and descending both mountains, those close to the visible only as tiny dots. Buoyed on by the sight of my last summit, I made good progress upwards stopping occasionally to speak to people taking the ‘tourist trail’ up the mountain including one man in his fifties who lived within sight of Donard but who had only climbed the mountain for the first time that afternoon. He told me that he had proudly phoned his son in Australia from top of Donard to break the news to him. Slieve Donard was the first mountain I ever climbed and I had been taken by the impressive views both out to sea and across the rest of the Mournes. On a clear day, views reputedly stretch to the Wicklow Mountains as well as across to the Isle of Man.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4600942047/" title="Ray of light on Slieve Commedagh by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3367/4600942047_086444b1b0.jpg" width="500" height="386" alt="Ray of light on Slieve Commedagh"></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >A ray of light catches the gap between Commedagh and Donard</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4602190942/" title="On the summit of Slieve Donard by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1345/4602190942_0794bb2703.jpg" width="500" height="339" alt="On the summit of Slieve Donard"></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >On the summit of Donard.. exhausted</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4601924799/" title="Great Cairn, Slieve Donard by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1344/4601924799_20a05a8d1c.jpg" width="500" height="386" alt="Great Cairn, Slieve Donard"></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >The Great Cairn on Slieve Donard</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4605191552/" title="Descending Slieve Donard by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1204/4605191552_3248258591.jpg" width="500" height="355" alt="Descending Slieve Donard"></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Descending Slieve Donard towards the Bog of Donard</span><br /><br />If I had any feeling of completion when standing beside the huge cairn that marks Ulster’s summit, it was misplaced. I had not banked on the long descent from the mountain down to the Bog of Donard and over to Long Seefin. After what seemed like an eternity of walking with bits of sporadic running, I finally reached the curious little stone tower below Long Seefin at which point the wall loses its epic proportions. A right turn at this tower takes you down the hill where you have a couple of options as to how to complete the walk. I opted to stick as close to the wall as I could following it down across the Annalong River and up the other side. This proved to be a bad choice; what looked like a short last stretch of the walk through Annalong Woods turned out to be something of a nightmare slog. The section of woods I passed through had been felled leaving thick grass and brambles which were knotted into the hidden remnants of the tree felling, all sitting atop uneven and boggy ground. The conditions underfoot and aching legs made for very slow and frustrating progress and it was a feeling of immense relief that greeted the sight of the track leading back to the car-park at Carrick Little, so much so that I broke into a jog back to arrive at the car-park some 10 hours and 43 minutes after I had left.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4606289568/" title="Below Slieve Donard by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1355/4606289568_fc0288f54a.jpg" width="500" height="370" alt="Below Slieve Donard"></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Looking back at Slieve Donard from the Bog of Donard</span><br /><br />The overriding feeling was one of relief, relief that I was finished, relief that I could sit down for a while and most of all relief that I had laid to rest the ghost of eight months previous. I had hoped to complete the walk in sub 10 hours but the struggle through Annalong Woods on exhausted legs had greatly eaten into my time. Along the 35km, I had fallen out with the wall on numerous occassions as it stood idly by watching dispassionately as I was seized by cramp and rendered immboile. At several stages, I had vowed never to visit it again but deep down I was full of admiration for it and knew that sooner rather than later I’d be back again walking alongside it. Most of all, I spent my time in a state of wonder and amazement at the amount of human effort, sweat and tears that must have been expended in building this amazing, unprobable and magnificent structure.<br /><br />The walk really is a superb way to experience the Mourne range. The wall itself makes the mountians very accessible and navigation very easy. The circuit of the wall should not however be underestimated, the height gain and section as far as Slieve Muck in particular representing a very tough challenge which requires more than a decent level of fitness.<br /><br />For me the main thing was not that I had fallen, it was that I had got back up again!<br /><br /><iframe src="http://connect.garmin.com:80/activity/embed/32183145" width="465" frameborder="0" height="548"></iframe><br /><br /></span>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04746760404046609039noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5771103068949738865.post-43483829650959659252010-04-26T09:52:00.009+01:002010-04-29T12:13:16.747+01:00The lesser known Sugarloaf<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4562261321/" title="On the summit of Sugarloaf Hill by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3496/4562261321_8c34901927.jpg" width="500" height="399" alt="On the summit of Sugarloaf Hill" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Sugarloaf Hill<br />Classification: Dillon, Hewitt<br />Date Walked: 25th April 2010<br />Height: 663 metres<br />County: Tipperary/Waterford<br />Mapsheet: 74<br />My Dillon Count: 31<br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />Nestled on one side of the Knockmealdown range which straddles the Tipperary and Waterford border, Sugarloaf Hill is far less glamorous than the iconic mountain which shares it's name in County Wicklow. It is however still a popular starting off point for walkers setting off on a hike along the length of the range.<br /><br />For me, some business in the area later in the day meant that an early start would give me some time to 'bag' a top or two. I had originally intended to climb Knockmealdown itself and tick off another county-top but arriving in Cahir, the whole range was covered by cloud seemingly ready to explode into prolonged rain showers.<br /><br />The drive through the sleeping villages of Ballylooby and Clogheen only confirmed my fears as the first rain-drops in a couple of weeks sporadically appeared on my windscreen. The drive up towards the Vee Gap took me into the cloud and as I reached Bay Lough, the mountains had completely disappeared behind a thick veil of cloud so I decided to avail of the car-park and instead take in Sugarloaf Hill. The car-park is overlooked by a grotto and I was slightly freaked out as it would disappear into cloud cover then suddenly reappear.<br /><br />The walk up Sugarloaf Hill begins behind the Bianconi Hut which was used in the last century for changing horses who had carried out the mammoth task of pulling large carraiges up to the Vee Gap before continuing on along the mountain road. The walk is made easier by the fact that a ruined boundary wall acts as a sure guide all the way to the top. Indeed, there is a well-worn track to the side of the county wall which is quite heavily eroded in places. Falling into a false sense of security and spending far too much time concentrating on my new Garimn Oregon GPS, I wandered away from the wall along what looked to be a gentle meandering path but turned out to be a dead-end and for my stupidity, I had to contour back to the wall through deep rain-sodden heather.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4561139897/" title="Knocknalougha & Bay Lough by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3040/4561139897_8e56bcc098.jpg" width="500" height="362" alt="Knocknalougha & Bay Lough" /></a><br /><br />The climb up is quite steep in places and my legs were soon complaining after a three-hour drive but the walk to the top is relatively short. As the wall swings to the right leading towards Knockmealdown, a short walk to the left leads to the summit cairn of Sugarloaf Hill. The popularity of the summit was evident by the various names and shapes formed on the ground from stones presumably taken from either the cairn or the county wall. Views from the cairn were only of the immediate surroundings and it was only by chance that I glimpsed what looked like a second cairn nearby. A short walk leads to this second cairn which although much larger, would appear to be slightly lower than that at the wall.<br /><br />The walk back down gave me my first chance to try out my Inov8 Roclite trail runners which I had donned for the hike. The runners are very comfortable and handle the wet very well - I'm not sure how suited they are to hill walking given the low heel but they gave me no problems on this short walk.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4562373285/" title="County Wall, Sugarloaf Hill by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3586/4562373285_f33118ce4a.jpg" width="341" height="500" alt="County Wall, Sugarloaf Hill" /></a><br /><br />Typically, it was only close to the bottom that the cloud started to move off opening up views out over the Gap across to the Galtee Mountains. All in all, Sugarloaf Hill is an easy top which would probably provide stunning views on a clear day. The starting elavation of the carpark at the Vee means that the height gain to the summit is not much more than 300 metres - hopefully there'll be a bit less cloud next time!<br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >GPS Log</span><br /><iframe src="http://connect.garmin.com:80/activity/embed/31264996" width="465" frameborder="0" height="548"></iframe>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04746760404046609039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5771103068949738865.post-33648105939579823602010-03-03T22:38:00.007+00:002010-04-26T14:50:00.843+01:00The Purple Mountains & The Eastern Reeks<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4387483740/" title="On the summit of Tomies Mountain by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2734/4387483740_ec2caaf635.jpg" alt="On the summit of Tomies Mountain" width="500" height="378" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Date: 16th Feb 2010<br /><br />Purple Mountain<br />Classification: Dillon, Hewitt, Marilyn<br />Dillon Count: 25<br /><br />Tomies South<br />Classification: Dillon, Hewitt<br />Dillon Count: 26<br /><br />Shehy Mountain<br />Classification: Dillon, Hewitt<br />Dillon Count: 27<br /><br />Tomies Mountain<br />Classification: Dillon, Hewitt<br />Dillon Count: 28<br /><br />Cnoc na Bhraca<br />Classification: Dillon, Hewitt<br />Dillon Count: 29<br /><br />Cnoc an dTarbh<br />Classification: Dillon, Hewitt<br />Dillon Count: 30</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Clear blue skies, splendid sunshine, a gentle cool breeze and a fresh sprinking of snow.. there are some days that are made for walking and with a massive chunk of luck, I was treated to one of these on the one full day I had spare on a trip to Kerry. I had made provisional plans to tick off a few of the easier summits in the area with Boughil, Knocklomena and Knockbrack looking the most likely but these plans were soon put aside when I awoke to the unexpected snow cover.<br /><br />At the peak of the summer holiday season, the gap of Dunloe is heaving with people and it's long and winding road is the sole property of the infamous jaunties as they hoard the masses up and down the gap on horse-drawn carraiges for the princly sum of thirty quid. At 8am on a winters morning, there wasn't a single person in sight and for a short while, I was the king of the gap as I took the opportunity to drive to it's head. Having jogged the gap a couple of days previous and looked up longingly at the peaks on either side, I couldn't believe my luck to see the same mountains now covered in snow and bathing in the early morning sunshine.<br /><br />After a short deliberation, I ditched my plans to drive to Barfinny Lough and tackle the peaks in that area instead deciding to park at the head of the gap and head for the summit of Purple Mountain. The key to Purple is to find the fence that runs from the road up to the amazingly picturesque Glas Lough, a perched lake at a bearing of 40 degrees from the head. As you climb, the gap disappears from view and the large impressive bulk of the Eastern Reeks begin to dominate the landsacpe.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4375717258/" title="The Head of the Gap from Purple Mountain by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4001/4375717258_bf79f93b1f.jpg" alt="The Head of the Gap from Purple Mountain" width="500" height="351" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4376588130/" title="Glas Lough on a Winter's Morning by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2742/4376588130_55373a5d0d.jpg" alt="Glas Lough on a Winter's Morning" width="500" height="372" /></a><br /><br />From the lake, a track can be followed up the higher slopes of Purple. The track becomes quite vague in places but if you can stick with it, the going is much easier than wading through the energy sapping heather which gives the mountain it's name. The heather gives way to scree as you move further up the mountain and a cairn marks the first top which has a spot height of 793 metres.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4376262949/" title="On Top of the World by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2740/4376262949_9b48e38a4b.jpg" alt="On Top of the World" width="500" height="391" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4376018945/" title="View from Purple Mountain by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4028/4376018945_6b29c853c7.jpg" alt="View from Purple Mountain" width="500" height="374" /></a><br /><br />This point gives amazing views across to the Eastern Reeks and from here, it's only a short walk to the summit proper of Purple. The summit is marked by a number of cairns, the largest of which would seem to be at the summit proper. Looking across to the Reeks from this viewing point, you really do feel on top of the world as the ground quickly falls away down to the gap. This top marked another minor milestone being my 25th 'Dillon' to date.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4376417353/" title="On the summit of Purple by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4028/4376417353_ab9affc94b.jpg" alt="On the summit of Purple" width="500" height="392" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4379214485/" title="From Purple to Shehy by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2711/4379214485_8fe72a7293.jpg" alt="From Purple to Shehy" width="500" height="430" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4381529523/" title="The Purple Mountains by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2446/4381529523_6d3d064180.jpg" width="500" height="362" alt="The Purple Mountains" /></a><br /><br />I had heard the climb up Purple described as hellish but I was pleasantly suprised to find it pretty straight-forward. Maybe my recent jogging had begun to pay off or maybe the mountain poses a far greater challenge come summer when the heather nestling on it's slopes comes into full bloom. In any case, the hard work climbing Purple pays off as the summit proves to be something of a peak-baggers delight. From Purple, I had ticked off another couple of tops in what can have been no more that a quarter of an hour. A short walk from Purple led to Tomies South (or Purple North-East Top) and from there, another short stroll through the deepest section of snow took me to the summit of Shehy Mountain. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4384643970/" title="Cairn at Tomies South by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4027/4384643970_b69b0e5de8.jpg" width="500" height="418" alt="Cairn at Tomies South" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4383910431/" title="On the summit of Tomies South by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2704/4383910431_49a60d58b8.jpg" width="500" height="343" alt="On the summit of Tomies South" /></a><br /><br />Shehy offers contrasting views to the other tops on the Purple Range. While the reeks dominate the views from elsewhere on the range, Shehy looks down on Lough Leane which is speckled with a handful of small islands and on this morning was glimmering a vibrant shade of blue in the early winter sunlight. The names of the islands on the Lough suggest that each has a story to tell.. Brown Islan and Innisfallen sit beside the intriguingly named Lamb and Heron Islands. Beyond the lake lies Killarney town sitting in a bowl surrounded to the east and north-east by a line of mountains with the eye leading from Magnerton onto Stoompa, Crohane and onto the iconic Paps which I had visited previously, each mountain looking very much like a cup-cake neatly powdered by an icing of snow.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4384693770/" title="Summit Cairn on Shehy Mountain by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2662/4384693770_dcdedf4853.jpg" width="500" height="418" alt="Summit Cairn on Shehy Mountain" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4384708748/" title="On the summit of Shehy Mountain by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4003/4384708748_834c0cdbfb.jpg" width="500" height="341" alt="On the summit of Shehy Mountain" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4384940002/" title="View over Killarney from Shehy Mountain by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2731/4384940002_db78725158.jpg" width="500" height="418" alt="View over Killarney from Shehy Mountain" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4385028133/" title="Looking down on Upper Lake, Killarney by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4027/4385028133_47627fdf4c.jpg" width="500" height="402" alt="Looking down on Upper Lake, Killarney" /></a><br /><br />From Shehy, I retraced my steps back to Tomies South from where a steep descent followed by a gentle climb led quickly to the fourth top of the day at Tomies Mountain. Tomies is topped by a large cairn and again offers really exceptional views across to the Eastern Reeks. The highest point of the mountain is marked as 'An Cathair' on some maps. Indeed, there seems to be some confusion about the names of a couple of tops along the range. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4385815886/" title="View from the slopes of Tomies South Top by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4064/4385815886_18db302d46.jpg" width="500" height="429" alt="View from the slopes of Tomies South Top" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4385072773/" title="Looking towards Dingle Bay from Tomies by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4004/4385072773_e583067f59.jpg" width="500" height="405" alt="Looking towards Dingle Bay from Tomies" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4386214292/" title="On the summit of Tomies Mountain by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4015/4386214292_5d175d3405.jpg" width="500" height="402" alt="On the summit of Tomies Mountain" /></a><br /><br />I had considered retracing my steps back to the head of the gap but that would have involved a climb back up the steep slopes of Tomies South so I continued along the direction in which I was following before veering North at the cairn-topped mound below Tomies. The fun ends at this point as the descent quickly becomes tough going through knee deep heather. A good navigational aid is to aim for the brightly coloured green shed as this marks the start of a track back down to the road. I met a friendly couple of walkers on my descent of Tomies and the conversation there formed my plan for the second part of the walk. I had intended walking back up the gap to my car but with the day still young, I decided to take in some of the Eastern Reeks. The woman walker I met suggested taking the 'zig-zag' path up to Strikeen hill and following the plateau across to the reeks.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4388139730/" title="Killarney View by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4019/4388139730_29faae8205.jpg" width="500" height="398" alt="Killarney View" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4387479199/" title="Descending Tomies Mountain by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4049/4387479199_9d50835eb4.jpg" width="500" height="416" alt="Descending Tomies Mountain" /></a><br /><br />The trudge down Tomies proved to be tiring and by the time I had passed an empty Kate Kearneys and reached the bottom of the Turf Road, a slight cramp in my legs placed doubts in my mind about tackling the Eastern Reeks. A short break for a snack and a drink rectified this and the zig-zags provided a gentle way of ascending to the plateau as well as providing great views down to the gap along the way. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4388932045/" title="At the top of the turf road by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2743/4388932045_434117d005.jpg" width="500" height="414" alt="At the top of the turf road" /></a><br /><br />My main concern had been the blanket bog at the foot of Strikeen which gave the turf road it's name. The road gave access for locals to cut turf for use in their homes and although some cuttings could still be seen, the ground wasn't anywhere near as heavy as I had anticipated. The elevated plateau across to the reeks really is a special place with the mountains rising majestically above the flat plain to the West.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4389998720/" title="Turf cuttings at the old bog by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4059/4389998720_136b808f11.jpg" width="500" height="403" alt="Turf cuttings at the old bog" /></a><br /><br />The walk across the bog will eventually bring you to the foot of Cnoc an Bhraca. This is the starting point of the famous Reeks Ridge walk and you can avail of the distinct path to take you all the way to the top of the mountain which is marked with a large cairn. The snow cover meant that I wandered from the path on a couple of times but the climb is quite easy going and the small exertion is well worth it for the stunning view across to the Eastern ridge. The view leads the eye firstly to the grotto on Cruach Mor and then on along the razor-sharp edge leading to the impressive Big Gun.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4390214895/" title="Cnoc an Bhraca Summit Cairn by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4053/4390214895_7f2b6119f5.jpg" width="500" height="402" alt="Cnoc an Bhraca Summit Cairn" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4390988770/" title="On the summit of Cnoc an Bhraca by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2686/4390988770_d7b2b5f42b.jpg" width="500" height="272" alt="On the summit of Cnoc an Bhraca" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4391849833/" title="The MacGillycuddy's Reeks from Cnoc an BhrĂ¡ca by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2490/4391849833_11ae00bff0.jpg" width="500" height="392" alt="The MacGillycuddy's Reeks from Cnoc an BhrĂ¡ca" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4392512484/" title="Strickeen Hill and Lough Leane from Cnoc an Bhraca by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4018/4392512484_76a8f9de45.jpg" width="500" height="402" alt="Strickeen Hill and Lough Leane from Cnoc an Bhraca" /></a><br /><br />From Cnoc an Bhraca, it was a very short crossing to the sixth and final top of the day. Cnoc na dTarbh translates as 'hill of the bulls' and the only logical explaination I could get for the name was that it was named after one particular rock formation among the many on its summit which resembled the horns of a bull when viewed from a certain angle. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4395012161/" title="On the summit of Cnoc na dTarbh by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2723/4395012161_4d0eae5bd0.jpg" width="500" height="416" alt="On the summit of Cnoc na dTarbh" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4395723342/" title="The Reeks Eastern Ridge from Cnoc na dTarbh by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2502/4395723342_e1f5802f09.jpg" width="500" height="402" alt="The Reeks Eastern Ridge from Cnoc na dTarbh" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4395831126/" title="View from Cnoc na dTarbh by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4027/4395831126_05bbe59d8e.jpg" width="500" height="402" alt="View from Cnoc na dTarbh" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4398451166/" title="The MacGillycuddy's Reeks - Knocknapeasta, The Big Gun and Cruach MhĂ³r. by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2488/4398451166_49eb080337.jpg" width="500" height="416" alt="The MacGillycuddy's Reeks - Knocknapeasta, The Big Gun and Cruach MhĂ³r." /></a><br /><br />Taking advice from the woman I had met earlier on the slopes of Tomies, I descended Cnoc nd dTarbh by keeping on the Black Valley side of Drishana to avoid the worst of the ground and my tired legs were very glad of the easy going. In fact, I strayed a bit too far towards the Black Valley side and came out on the road quite close to the road juntion between the gap road and the Black Valley road. Looking down on the Black Valley, it is easy to see where it gets it's name. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4398478963/" title="Sunset on the Black Valley by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2748/4398478963_f2bfd540c6.jpg" width="500" height="270" alt="Sunset on the Black Valley" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4399720122/" title="Descending Drishana by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4070/4399720122_e88253d689.jpg" width="500" height="393" alt="Descending Drishana" /></a><br /><br />Surrounded by mountains, the valley lay in shadow while the bright sun lit up the surrounding landscape. Due to it's orientation and the positioning of the mountains around it, the valley manages to avoid direct sunlight for a large proportion of the day. A walk of around 1km took me back to the welcome sight of my car feeling exhausted but delighted with the 6 Dillons I'd bagged and a very enjoyable days walking.</span>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04746760404046609039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5771103068949738865.post-25357246869496025702010-02-10T16:35:00.016+00:002010-02-21T19:41:40.227+00:00Slievelamagan - The Crawling Mountain In The Fog<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4374951201/" title="Slievelamagan Summit by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2799/4374951201_33bb81bf24.jpg" width="500" height="293" alt="Slievelamagan Summit" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Slievelamagan<br />Classification: Dillon, Hewitt, Marilyn<br />Date Walked: 7th February 2010<br />Height: 704 metres<br />County: Down<br />My Dillon Count: 24<br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">The Mournes.. When they are good, they are good but when they are bad... well, they are just horrid! On this particular morning, they were akin to the stereo-typical teenager on a lazy Sunday morning - lying under a thick blanket and refusing to get out of bed! I arrived at an empty Annalong Car-park to a blanket of fog so thick that you could almost taste it. The normally scenic drive from Newry out through Warrenpoint, Rostrevor and on towards Annalong offered up no views of the hills whatsoever. As I set off walking from the car-park, I could barely see the wall from one side of the laneway to the other and the fog had painted anything that I could see in a million shades of grey.<br /><br />What mornings like this do provide is an opportunity to test out some navigation skills. The various tracks and trails around the Mournes (along with the Wall) offer a level of comfort and provide surely one of the best locations for cutting your navigational teeth. The walk from the car-park to the gap between Binnian and Slievelamagan demonstrated this fact with a very distinct track leading the way which was just as well as the fog along this stretch was as thick as I had experienced. I passed by Annalong Wood barely able to see the trees, walked by an invisible Blue Lough and trailed along the foot of Slievelamagan without being even able to glimpse it it's famed steep slopes. There is something a bit unnerving about being at the bottom of something so massive, fully aware that it is there yet unable to see it. The track does branch off in a few places and I would highly recommend the excellent OSNI 1:25000 map which has each branching faithfully reproduced.<br /><br />When you reach the point where the track is crossed by another distinct trail running from Binnian across to Lamagan, simply bear right and follow this second track up the slopes of Slievemagan. This was my first walk with a GPS having borrowed a friend's to try out. After taking a compass bearing to the summit at the gap, I also marked a waypoint as I wasn't sure how distinct the track up Lamagan would be. It turned out to be more a dual-carriageway than a track so much so that I was half expecting to see a retail park plonked somewhere along the climb. What the GPS does offer is another layer of comfort in such poor visibility as well as a countdown informing you how far you have to go to reach the summit.<br /><br />I had read that Slievelamagan was the hardest of the high Mournes peaks to climb. Indeed, it's name translates as 'the creeping/crawling moutain' or 'by hands and feet' supposedly so called because of it's relentlessley steep slopes. Given that I couldn't see these relentlessley steep slopes, I had no idea what I was facing into but I was relieved to find that the pull to the summit wasn't as tough as I had anticipated and I soon found myself at the large cairn. The reputed great views of the range were denied to me due to the fog which was so thick at the summit that my camera packed in due to the dampness. I had provisionally planned for a traverse to Cove but decided to leave that for another day and retraced my steps back down to the gap.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4372505341/" title="SLVLMG 2.83m by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4007/4372505341_0227696334.jpg" alt="SLVLMG 2.83m" width="373" height="500" /><span width="375" height="500" style="font-size:85%;"></span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />SLVLMG 2.83m</span></span><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />At the gap, I threw my coat into my backsack and jogged back down the track through Annalong Valley. The run took me back past the hidden Blue Lough and along the edge of the barely visible forest. Ever so often, a group of walkers would suddenly emerge from one side of the soup-like fog before quickly disappearing into the other side. My legs were heavy by the time I got back to the car park and I resolved to purchase some trail runners for my next trip to the Mournes.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />GPS Info</span><br /><a href="http://www.wandermap.net/route/390589/export.gpx">Download the gps trace (as .gpx format)</a><br /><br /><div style="border: 2px solid rgb(109, 180, 102); margin-top: 2px; margin-bottom: 2px; width: 600px; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 9px; color: rgb(83, 83, 83); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-style: normal; text-align: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-bottom: 3px ! important;"><iframe src="http://www.wandermap.net/route/390589/widget?width=600&height=400&maptype=2&extended=true&unit=miles&redirect=no" border="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" width="600" frameborder="0" height="515"></iframe><br />Hike route <a style="color: rgb(109, 180, 102); text-decoration: underline;" href="http://www.wandermap.net/route/390589">390589</a> - powered by <a style="color: rgb(109, 180, 102); text-decoration: underline;" href="http://www.wandermap.net/">Wandermap</a> </div>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04746760404046609039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5771103068949738865.post-80558643106263537222009-12-14T21:45:00.045+00:002009-12-22T22:56:50.506+00:00Stepping Back Into History - The Kilbride Circuit<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4186281246/" title="View from Seefin by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2758/4186281246_8f5961c539.jpg" alt="View from Seefin" width="500" height="366" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Kippure<br />Classification: Dillon, Hewitt, Marilyn<br />Range: Wicklow Mountains<br />Mapsheet: 56<br />Walked previously<br /><br />Kilbride Circuit<br />Date First Walked: Decemeber 12th 2009<br />Range: Wicklow Mountains<br />Mapsheet: 56<br />Distance: 11km<br /><br />1. Seefin<br />Classification: Dillon<br />Height: 621 metres<br />County: Wicklow<br />My Dillon Count: 20<br /><br />2. Seefingan<br />Classification: Dillon, Hewitt<br />Height: 724 metres<br />County: Dublin/Wicklow<br />My Dillon Count: 21<br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >3. Corrig Mountain<br />Classification: Dillon, Hewitt<br />Height: 618 metres<br />County: Dublin/Wicklow<br />My Dillon Count: 22<br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >4. Seahan<br />Classification: Dillon, Hewitt<br />Height: 648 metres<br />County: Dublin/Wicklow<br />My Dillon Count: 23</span><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">After what seemed like an eternity of weekends cancelled due to the Irish weather, the incessant rain finally stopped and the wind died down giving us a much-welcomed chance to get back out onto the hills. The varying plans for successive previous weekends, all of which had been cancelled, had included a walk up Croagh Patrick, a traverse of the Knockmealdowns and a walk in the Mournes. With the forecast predicting a dry weekend, we settled on a trip down to Wicklow having decided that negotiating the pre-christmas traffic around Newry would rule out the Mournes. I was joined on the trip by my neighbour Jason.<br /><br />Compared to other ranges around the country, the rounded granite mountains of Wicklow can seem quite dull while the raised and blanket bog covering the range can make for very heavy going in places. In the past, I've struggled to get enthuaistic about a trip to Wicklow but this was overcome somewhat by the choice of an interesting circuit of the Kilbride Rifle Range to take in the 'Three Sees', namely the mountains of Seefin, Seegingan and Seahan, all of which were topped with passage tombs. The circuit also takes in the boggy hump of Corrig Mountain.<br /><br />To add further flavour to the morning, we decided that we'd combine a recently resurrected hobby of running with our interest in hillwalking by staring off the morning with a run up the access road to the summit of Kippure. And so, at 9am on a cold Saturday morning, we found ourselves limbering up beside the gate at the foot of the access road looking up at the cloud-covered summit of Kippure for a glimpse of the RTE transmitter. Around 25 minutes later, I rounded the far corner of the fence enclosing the mast to reach the lonely trig pillar. Next step is to try out some hill-running proper! This was the second time I'd stood at the highest point of Dublin and like the last time, I was denied any view of the surrounding hills and could only catch glimpses of the 120 metre high mast as the clouds scurried by.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4206655151/" title="Kippure by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2698/4206655151_d9a48a2004.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Kippure" style="border: 1px dotted ;" width="375" height="500" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Jason nearing the top of Kippure</span></span><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4187625720/" title="Job done by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2774/4187625720_b6de25df46.jpg" alt="Job done" style="border: 1px dotted ;" width="375" height="500" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Feeling sumg after running up Kippure</span></span><br /><br />After a leisurely jog back down the road and a bar of chocolate, a short drive took us to Kilbride Rifle Range outside which there is room for parking. From outside the range, a short walk along the road in a southerly direction takes you to it's edge where a fence runs uphill along a forest. You will pass a flag-pole which indicates whether or not firing is taking place in the range. It's then simply a case of following the edge of the forest uphill until it swings right at which point you need to take a bearing uphill. In keeping with my experience of the Wicklow Hills to date, navigation is easy due to a distinct track which leads all the way to the large cairn marking the summit of Seefin.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4187698469/" title="The Fool on the Hill by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2801/4187698469_a747a5cef8.jpg" style="border: 1px dotted ;" alt="The Fool on the Hill" width="323" height="500" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Jason atop Seefin</span></span><br /><br />The impressive passage tomb is something of a miniature Newgrange and is the most interesting of the circuit. You will need to be both slim and agile to squeeze through the very narrow portal into the equally narrow and dark passage. However, you don't necessarily have to squeeze through the passage to get to the burial chamber itself as the roof of Seefin is open, presumably having collapsed at some stage in the distant past. A short and easy walk up Seefin would be the perfect walk for children who would enjoy exploring the cairn. Seefin marked something of a minor milestone for me being the 20th Dillon that I had climbed to date.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4188670262/" title="On the summit of Seefin by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2785/4188670262_dee3cb9688.jpg" alt="On the summit of Seefin" style="border: 1px dotted ;" width="500" height="374" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Me on the passage tomb atop Seefin</span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4189506039/" title="Kilbride Circuit by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2486/4189506039_ae6bf23bc8.jpg" alt="Kilbride Circuit" style="border: 1px dotted ;" width="500" height="374" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Seahan, Corrig and Seefingan viewed from below seefin</span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4189770325/" title="Bogtrotting in the Wicklow hills by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2571/4189770325_8eb72203d2.jpg" alt="Bogtrotting in the Wicklow hills" style="border: 1px dotted ;" width="500" height="252" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Jason crossing from Seefin to Seefingan</span></span><br /><br />From Seefin, a short walk of about 1km along the edge of the firing range in a north-easterly direction takes you to Seefingan. A small section of boggy ground needs to be negotiated between the hills before reaching the broad summit of Seefingan. The cairn on Seefingan is similar in size to that of Seefin but unlike it's neighbour, it doesn't have a portal or chamber although an indentation on the east side of the cairn looks like it could have been a passage entrance. The cairn is topped by a concrete pillar which marks the edge of the firing range. The cairn is positioned away from the summit proper, presumably as it's position would make it more visible from the ground below. The summit proper is around 200 metres away from the cairn towards Kippure and for completionists, some very boggy ground has to be encountered to reach the top which is marked with a firing range sign.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4190769858/" title="View from Seefingan by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2504/4190769858_8f11634f22.jpg" alt="View from Seefingan" style="border: 1px dotted ;" width="500" height="365" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />View from the cairn on Seefingan</span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4190401447/" title="'Nearly There' by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2723/4190401447_c522577d32.jpg" alt="'Nearly There'" style="border: 1px dotted ;" width="500" height="214" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Approaching the summit proper of Seefingan</span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4190290257/" title="On Seefingan's Summit by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2542/4190290257_0c6e33b0d0.jpg" alt="On Seefingan's Summit" style="border: 1px dotted ;" width="333" height="500" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Me at the summit proper of Seefingan</span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4190709827/" title="Seefingan Cairn by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2733/4190709827_fcbecbbed6.jpg" alt="Seefingan Cairn" style="border: 1px dotted ;" width="500" height="312" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Walking across to the cairn on Seegingan</span></span><br /><br />Next up is a longer slog across boggy ground towards Corrig Mountain, the poor relation of the circuit but a 'Dillon' nonetheless. The trudge was made worthwhile as the cloud-cover began to move away opening up stunning views across the Wicklow Mountains, the summit cone of the Great Sugar loaf poking out over the distant hills looking very much like one of the Great Pyramids of Egypt. The summit of Corrig is marked by another concrete pillar stood in the middle of a boggy pool. What the summit lacks in appearance, it makes up for with excellent views out to Dublin with Howth and Ireland's Eye visible to the North of the capital.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4193441400/" title="Heading for Corrig Mountain by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2713/4193441400_0967800f45.jpg" width="500" height="245" alt="Heading for Corrig Mountain" style="border: 1px dotted ;" width="500" height="312" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Heading for Corrig Mountain</span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4193121831/" title="Corrig Mountain by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2697/4193121831_ddaf9672d2.jpg" width="500" height="342" alt="Corrig Mountain" style="border: 1px dotted ;" width="500" height="312" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />On the rather plain summit of Corrig Mountain</span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4194961912/" title="View from Corrig Mountain by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2725/4194961912_6399a48a1e.jpg" width="500" height="243" alt="View from Corrig Mountain" style="border: 1px dotted ;" width="500" height="312" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />View from Corrig across Dublin and Howth</span></span><br /><br />A very distinct and wide track leads from Corrig to Seahan, the last top of the circuit. For the first time of the day, the sun broke through the grey clouds and illuminated and coloured the slopes of Seahan. A short and easy walk of about 1km takes you to the top which contains a passage tomb, a cairn and a wedge tomb. The summit is marked by a large trig pillar sat atop the cairn. Again, the views are excellent and the summit of Seahan offers the best perspective of the circuit which you have just walked, the previous three tops clearly visible. From Seahan, head south-easterly to meet a track which will take you back to the road from which a walk of around 2km will take you back to the entrance of the firing range.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4193178349/" title="Winter Light by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2723/4193178349_e38d5a2c32.jpg" width="500" height="312" alt="Winter Light" style="border: 1px dotted ;" width="500" height="312" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />A rare bit of sun lights up the slopes of Seahan</span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4194356919/" title="The last few steps by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2519/4194356919_cf7921943b.jpg" width="500" height="321" alt="The last few steps" style="border: 1px dotted ;" width="500" height="312" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Jason climbing Seahan - Kippure mast visible in the background</span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4196161216/" title="Seahan Summit by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2630/4196161216_a35ba27fc7.jpg" width="500" height="323" alt="Seahan Summit" style="border: 1px dotted ;" width="500" height="312" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Me at the summit of Seahan</span></span><br /><br />The circuit of the Kilbride Rifle Range offers the ideal walk for a winter's day. At 11km, the circuit can be comfortably completed in 4 hours while the cairns offer plenty of interest during the walk. It might be worth considering doing the route in reverse (Seahan first) thereby keeping the best tombs until last.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" ><u>More Photos</u></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><u><br /></u></span></span><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4192177335/" title="Seefingan Cairn by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2750/4192177335_190d4987ff.jpg" alt="Seefingan Cairn" style="border: 1px dotted ;" width="323" height="500" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Time out on Seefingan</span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4194490667/" title="Sunburst by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2667/4194490667_5e84fbceb6.jpg" width="500" height="219" alt="Sunburst" style="border: 1px dotted ;" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />The sun breaks through the clouds over the Wicklow Mountains (from Seahan)</span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4196206664/" title="Descending Seahan by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2495/4196206664_7fdfb71428.jpg" width="500" height="290" alt="Descending Seahan" style="border: 1px dotted ;" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Descending Seahan - Find the track and you are grand!</span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4195518509/" title="Seefingan and Seefin by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4042/4195518509_b62834271a.jpg" width="500" height="287" alt="Seefingan and Seefin" style="border: 1px dotted ;" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Seefingan and Seefin</span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4196310618/" title="On the slopes of Seahan by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4005/4196310618_8bbed3b268.jpg" width="500" height="186" alt="On the slopes of Seahan" style="border: 1px dotted ;" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />On the slopes of Seahan</span></span>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04746760404046609039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5771103068949738865.post-73631254060186431672009-11-17T09:59:00.017+00:002009-11-23T14:09:10.116+00:00Dooish - iPod Required<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4123375262/" title="On Dooish by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2499/4123375262_3f768cbb33.jpg" width="500" height="268" alt="On Dooish" style="border: 1px dotted ;" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Date First Walked: November 13th 2009<br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Range: Derryveagh Mountains<br />Mapsheet: 6<br />Distance: na<br />Classification: Dillon, Hewitt, Mailyn<br />Height: 652 metres<br />County: Donegal<br />My Dillon Count: 19<br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-size:85%;">Having completed a very enjoyable walk of Muckish, I found myself quickly slipping back into a lazy state of mind back in the car and was in two minds as to whether or not to bother with Dooish. I took a drive out towards the mountain and decided that given that I was in the area and had some spare time on my hands, I might as well give it a go.<br /><br />Compared to Errigal and Muckish, it's hard to get excited about climbing Dooish. The mountain stands at 652 metres, just a mere 14 metres lower than Muckish. However, from the R251, it appears merely as a hump along the ridge running from Maumlack to Saggartnadooish. From certain angles, Dooish looks quite like a dorsal fin rising gently from the surrounding sea of brown hills. In any case, it was deemed good enough by Paddy Dillon to qualify for inclusion in 'The Mountains of Ireland' so I was going to have to climb it at some stage.<br /><br />To reach the base of the mountain, take the R251 towards Dunlewy. A few miles after the turn off for Falcarragh, you will see a pull-in point on a straight stretch of road which provides space for parking.<br /><br />The walk is immediately hard-going over heavy boggy and tussocky ground and I found that the best approach is to keep to whatever high humps and bumps that can be found. There are a few streams to be crossed along the way and after passing under a power line, I had to remove my back-pack to squeeze through the strands of a deer fence. I'm not sure if this fence was to keep the deer in or out but having seen deer earlier in the day at the foot of Muckish, I saw a large group high on the slopes of Dooish which lies on the opposite side of the fence.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4122320808/" title="View from slopes of Dooish by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2687/4122320808_b02eba6c1c.jpg" width="500" height="383" alt="View from slopes of Dooish" style="border: 1px dotted ;" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />View from the upper slopes of Dooish</span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4121761423/" title="View to Muckish from Dooish by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2205/4121761423_181e4f7fee.jpg" width="500" height="255" alt="View to Muckish from Dooish" style="border: 1px dotted ;" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />View across to the bulk of Muckish from close to the summit of Dooish</span></span><br /><br />The direct line to Dooish is blocked by a small cliff so I picked a path up the east side of the mountain aiming for a gap above the col between Saggartnadooish and Dooish itself. I can only describe Dooish as something of a slog, the ground is boggy underfoot and very steep in places. Dooish is one of those mountains which makes you question your motives for hillwalking as it pulls and drags at your calf muscles with every step upwards. </span><span style="font-size:85%;">Around halfway up, I threw on my iPod partially to lift my mood but mainly to stop me from constantly reminding myself that I could by now be back at the hotel enjoying a hot shower.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />Once more, I had the mountain to myself and I didn't see a single other walker during my time away frmo the car. The only brief company I had was higher up the mountain was I was suprised to see a field-mouse scurrying through some heather.<br /><br />Eventually, the obvious slope leading to the summit came into view and after a short climb in a south-westerly direction, the boggy ground gave way to glorious rock and I reached the welcoming beehive cairn as Morrissey belted out 'Everyday is like Sunday' in my ear. I couldn't help myself but sing along. Despite it's relative lack of height and the fact that it's a short walk, reaching the summit of Dooish felt very rewarding for some reason.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4123096736/" title="On the summit of Dooish by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2486/4123096736_0c5433f94f.jpg" width="500" height="292" alt="On the summit of Dooish" style="border: 1px dotted ;" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />At the beehive cairn marking the summit of Dooish</span></span><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4123939455/" title="Dooish Cairn by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2731/4123939455_112fa518a9.jpg" width="500" height="294" alt="Dooish Cairn" style="border: 1px dotted ;" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Summit cairn and shelter with Errigal and Mackoght in the background</span></span><br /><br />The views from the summit are excellent running from Muckish to the north-east across to Aghla Beg then Aghla More and Errigal divided by Altan Lough and then on across the Glenveagh National Park. Not wanting to face back into the boggy ground I'd climbed up, I set off in a south-westerly direction swinging north at the col to take me back towards the road. Just off the summit is a small weather station of some kind with a data-logger attached, it's small turbine spinning frantically in the prevailing wind. There is some steep and slab-ridden ground to be encountered on the way down but with a bit of care, a route can be picked back down offering great views of Errigal all the way.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4124236929/" title="Dooish weather station by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2677/4124236929_65f7874459.jpg" width="328" height="500" alt="Dooish weather station" style="border: 1px dotted ;" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Small weather station just below the summit</span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4125094294/" title="View from Dooish by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2535/4125094294_2f4e63bce7.jpg" width="500" height="383" alt="View from Dooish" style="border: 1px dotted ;" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Descending Dooish opens up views towards Errigal, Makoght, Altan Lough and Aghla More</span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4125891220/" title="Aghla More and Aghla Beg from Dooish by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2730/4125891220_607b7a1f1b.jpg" width="500" height="380" alt="Aghla More and Aghla Beg from Dooish" style="border: 1px dotted ;" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />View across to the Aghlas (More and Beg) on the descent</span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4124523781/" title="Below Dooish by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2752/4124523781_0f47871764.jpg" width="500" height="383" alt="Below Dooish" style="border: 1px dotted ;" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />View from the lower slopes of Dooish</span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4125463189/" title="The Road to Errigal by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2624/4125463189_02a167f4aa.jpg" width="500" height="354" alt="The Road to Errigal" style="border: 1px dotted ;" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />It's a short walk along the road (with great views to Errigal) back to the parking spot</span></span><br /><br />All in all, a tougher climb than it looks mainly due to the steep and boggy ground which probably wasn't helped by heavy rain during the previous week. Despite this, it's a rewarding walk and a good way to get an alternative view of the surrounding hills. Just remember to bring the iPod!</span>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04746760404046609039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5771103068949738865.post-69383623458354855822009-11-16T13:19:00.046+00:002011-09-27T17:07:09.754+01:00Muckish - On The Pig's back<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4113392876/" title="View from Muckish by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2593/4113392876_28ce28fcd9.jpg" alt="View from Muckish" style="border: 1px dotted ;" width="500" height="410" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;">Date First Walked: November 13th 2009<br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;">Range: Derryveagh Mountains<br />Mapsheet: 2</span></span><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;">Starting and Finishing Point: See map below<br />Distance: na<br />Classification: Dillon, Hewitt, Mailyn<br />Height: 666 metres<br />County: Donegal<br />My Dillon Count: 18<br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-size:85%;">While driving towards Dunlewy to climb Errigal a couple of months previous, I was met with the spectactular sight, as I rounded a corner, of Muckish sitting illumniated under a vivid rainbow as the surrounding landscape lay hidden under heavy rain. I hadn't been familiar with this mountain beforehandbut on returning from Donegal, it had become a mountain that I really wanted to climb so when I found myself back in the area unexpectedly for a weekend, I made time to head back to the North-West of the county.<br /><br />In any other area, this distinctive mountain would be an iconic landmark but given that Errigal is just a few miles away, Muckish somewhat understandably tends to get overlooked for it's famous neighbour. The Irish name of the mountain is 'An Mhucais' which translates as 'pig's back', a name which derives from the distinctive flat-top of the mountain. The flat top is crowned with a huge cairn which is visible for miles around as well as a metal cross which sits on a stone pedestal to the Northern end of the summit plateau. The southern end of the summit plateau gives way to an intimidating looking rocky cliff face.<br /><br />There are two recognised routes up the mountain, one is via Muckish gap to the South with the second tougher option being via the 'Miner's path'. This follows a precipitous winding path up the northern side of the mountain, part of which was used by workers to reach an old and now defunct quarry where high grade quartz sand was mined on the it's flanks. Given that I was on my own and also the fact that I am a bit of a coward, I opted to take the easier option.<br /><br />I approached the mountain from Letterkenny taking the turn onto the R255 towards Dunlewy a few miles after Kilmacrenan. This road meets the R251 from which spectactular views open up to the impressive south-east face of Muckish. The cairn atop the mountain can clearly be seen along this stretch of road and as you round several corners, you get the feeling that you are driving right into the mouth of this unusual mountain. Continue along the R251 until you see a sign for Falcarragh (An Fal Carrach). Take this turn which brings you up to Muckish Gap. There is a roadside shrine at the highest point of the gap and there is room to park either at the shrine or on the righthand side of the road just after the shrine.<br /><br /><iframe width="562" height="314" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&source=embed&hl=en&geocode=&q=muckish,+donegal,+Ireland&aq=&sll=52.249665,-7.584686&sspn=0.619635,1.674042&vpsrc=0&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Muckish&t=m&layer=c&cbll=55.088563,-8.00226&panoid=Z5cQHob2gQs4dhm76OyRsQ&cbp=11,0,,0,0&ll=55.088563,-8.00226&spn=0.013852,0.096474&z=13&output=svembed"></iframe><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" >Parking spot for Muckish</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; "> </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><small><a href="http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&source=embed&hl=en&geocode=&q=muckish,+donegal,+Ireland&aq=&sll=52.249665,-7.584686&sspn=0.619635,1.674042&vpsrc=0&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Muckish&t=m&layer=c&cbll=55.088563,-8.00226&panoid=Z5cQHob2gQs4dhm76OyRsQ&cbp=11,0,,0,0&ll=55.088563,-8.00226&spn=0.013852,0.096474&z=13" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">View Larger Map</a></small><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4116684965/" title="Muckish Mountain by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2746/4116684965_50bdc946cb.jpg" style="border: 1px dotted ;" width="500" height="291" alt="Muckish Mountain" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Approaching Muckish</span></span><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4117724702/" title="At the foot of Muckish Mountain by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2790/4117724702_98cd15e351.jpg" width="500" height="382" style="border: 1px dotted ;" alt="At the foot of Muckish Mountain" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />At the foot of Muckish</span></span><br /><br />From the parking spot, cross some boggy ground after which a short climb towards the obvious gap leads to a track. Follow this track which climbs very gently around the mountain and after a short walk, first the cross on the Northern edge of the summit will come into sight followed by the cairn to the southern end of the summit. At this point, you need to pick a path up the steep slope of the mountain and as you gain height, a rocky path just below the plateau leading towards the cairn will come into view.<br /></span><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4111335847/" title="Muckish from the Gap by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2531/4111335847_8f41b0551b.jpg" alt="Muckish from the Gap" style="border: 1px dotted ;" width="500" height="378" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Aim for the obvious gap at the start of the climb</span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4112229584/" title="Climbing Muckish by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2726/4112229584_0624720a6c.jpg" alt="Climbing Muckish" style="border: 1px dotted ;" width="500" height="358" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Climbing the south-eastern slopes of Muckish towards the large summit cairn</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">The last part of the climb along the rocky and peaty path leads onto the rock-strewn summit plateau of Muckish and it's fair to say that it really is otherworldy up there, somewhat akin to walking on the moon. After passing some smaller cairns, you will reach the massive cairn and from there, a very enjoyable walk takes you over to the trig pillar beyond which lies the large metal cross. The cross was placed on top of the mountain in 2000 replacing a wooden one which was destroyed in a storm. I'm not a fan at all of crosses on mountain summits but perhaps this one is understandable given the summit's spot height!</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4113609014/" title="Muckish Cross by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2500/4113609014_5a227e11b6.jpg" style="border: 1px dotted ;" alt="Muckish Cross" width="500" height="293" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />The cross on the Northern edge of the plateau</span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4113982697/" title="On the summit of Muckish by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2651/4113982697_44d68af785.jpg" alt="On the summit of Muckish" style="border: 1px dotted ;" width="500" height="333" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Me at the trig pillar - just a tad breezy!</span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4117198726/" title="Muckish Trig Pillar and Cross by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2628/4117198726_5f0e2b2541.jpg" style="border: 1px dotted ;" alt="Muckish Trig Pillar and Cross" width="500" height="364" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Muckish summit furniture</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">From the cairn, there are fantastic views along the route of the famous Glover Highland Walk taking in the Aghlas, Makoght and Errigal. The rocky hump just below the cross on the opposite end of the plateau offers contrasting panoramic views along the northern coast of Donegal taking in Rosguill in the foreground and stretching to Fanad as far as Inishowen dominated by Slieve Snaght and it's surrounding hills. As I stood at the trig point to take a couple of photos, a vivid rainbow briefly formed over Bloody Foreland to the North-West.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4117198844/" title="View from Muckish Trig Pillar by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2758/4117198844_c7a84dd49a.jpg" style="border: 1px dotted ;" alt="View from Muckish Trig Pillar" width="500" height="383" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Rainbow over Bloody Foreland</span></span><br /><br />After several rainy days, I had struck lucky and my walk along the summit was made in splendid November sunshine albeit with a biting gusty wind. The rocky plateau really is a wonderful place and is a real pleasure to walk although I have heard that it can be quite disorientating in mist.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4112924003/" title="Muckish View by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2644/4112924003_ae3d9e9c22.jpg" alt="Muckish View" style="border: 1px dotted ;" width="500" height="374" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />View from the northern edge of the plateau</span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4114592253/" title="Muckish Summit Cairn by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2756/4114592253_e518ef04b1.jpg" style="border: 1px dotted ;" alt="Muckish Summit Cairn" width="500" height="383" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />View along the plateau back towards the summit cairn</span></span><br /><br />I retraced my steps back down the mountain towards my parking spot. For the duration of my walk, I had not seen a single soul with my only brief company being a couple of deer who were making their way along the foot of the mountain.<br /><br />Muckish quite simply is a wonderful and unusual mountain, easily walked from the Gap and highly recommended. While Errigal understandably hogs the limelight in the North-West of Donegal and is obviously and essential visit, make sure to combine a walk up it's glistening quartize slopes with a walk along the iconic and magnificent pigs back of Muckish.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><u>More Photos</u></span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4116751037/" title="The Wild North-West by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2544/4116751037_8c5e032f91.jpg" width="500" height="192" style="border: 1px dotted ;" alt="The Wild North-West" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />The wild north-west - Muckish and surrounding hills</span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4117042595/" title="Trig Pillar on Muckish by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2635/4117042595_80223c00f9.jpg" width="500" height="329" alt="Trig Pillar on Muckish" style="border: 1px dotted ;" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Trig Pillar marking the summit of Muckish - Horn Head in the background</span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4118156096/" title="Rainbow over Bloody Foreland by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2632/4118156096_20de5e71bf.jpg" width="500" height="383" alt="Rainbow over Bloody Foreland" style="border: 1px dotted ;" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Rainbow over Bloody Foreland</span></span><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4118212098/" title="Walking over Muckish by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2713/4118212098_81a749af2c.jpg" width="500" height="327" alt="Walking over Muckish" style="border: 1px dotted ;" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Walking back towards the cairn</span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4118507076/" title="Camoflague by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2717/4118507076_31ea063438.jpg" width="500" height="264" alt="Camoflague" style="border: 1px dotted ;" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />At the summit cairn</span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4117784591/" title="Muckish summit plateau by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2543/4117784591_ed15286755.jpg" width="500" height="383" style="border: 1px dotted ;" alt="Muckish summit plateau" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Looking along the summit plateau - descend via the path to the left</span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4118614800/" title="Descending Muckish by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2506/4118614800_6d487a2481.jpg" width="500" height="379" alt="Descending Muckish" style="border: 1px dotted ;" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Descending Muckish</span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4118641752/" title="Muckish Path by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2763/4118641752_6262c1d8eb.jpg" width="500" height="368" alt="Muckish Path" style="border: 1px dotted ;" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />The eroded track back down Muckish</span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4119133947/" title="Rocky Path by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2621/4119133947_c93c1520f3.jpg" width="500" height="369" alt="Rocky Path" style="border: 1px dotted ;" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Rocky patch leading back down Muckish</span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4119428871/" title="Muckish Plateau by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2704/4119428871_38a241e58e.jpg" width="500" height="383" alt="Muckish Plateau" style="border: 1px dotted ;" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />The long summit plateau of Muckish</span></span><br /><br /><br /><<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4121854856/" title="Descending Muckish by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2575/4121854856_50de51030c.jpg" width="500" height="290" alt="Descending Muckish" style="border: 1px dotted ;" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />View from the lower slopes of Muckish</span></span></div>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04746760404046609039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5771103068949738865.post-42766612028755510482009-11-04T23:37:00.013+00:002011-09-27T16:57:06.805+01:00Slievenamon - Running Up That Hill<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4082331841/" title="Slievenamon by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2559/4082331841_fd739e75b5.jpg" alt="Slievenamon" width="500" height="290" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;">Date First Walked: November 4th 2009<br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;">Range: n/a</span></span><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;">Starting and finishing point: Kilcash (see map below)<br />Mapsheet: 67<br />Distance: 5km<br />Classification: Dillon, Hewitt, Mailyn<br />Height: 721 metres<br />County: Tipperary<br />My Dillon Count: 17<br /></span></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">Slievenamon is yet another Irish mountain steeped in legend. It's Irish name, Sliabh na mBan, translates as 'mountain of the women' with the story going that Fionn Mac Cumhaill decided to choose his bride from a group of women racing to the top to meet him sitting at the summit. The first to reach the top of Slievenamon was another legendary Irish figure Grainne, albeit with some assistance from Fionn who showed her a short-cut.<br /><br />Driving from Waterford to Clonmel, Slievenamon comes into focus after the village of Mooncoin appearing as a striking and isolated heather-covered dome standing over the low-lying green countryside. Even from a distance, the wide track that offers easy access to the summit of the mountain can be clearly seen.<br /><br />Slievenamon can be reached from Waterford by following a series of by-roads but the easiest way is to get yourself onto the Kilkenny to Clonmel road from which you can take the turn off for Kilcash about 10km before Clonmel. From here, a drive along some minor roads leads ever uphill into the small village. Continue on through the village following the signs for 'Slievenamon Drive' until you come to a sign for 'Slievenamon Summit'. Park up here and follow the track leading off from the left-hand side of the road.<br /><br /><iframe width="562" height="314" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&source=embed&hl=en&geocode=&q=kilcash+slievenamon&aq=&sll=52.404919,-7.53675&sspn=0.009713,0.026157&vpsrc=0&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Slievenamon&t=h&layer=c&cbll=52.410667,-7.533084&panoid=DbpFfpFo_gWMRPyC2DVLfA&cbp=11,314.55,,0,0&ll=52.410667,-7.533084&spn=0.014765,0.096474&z=13&output=svembed"></iframe><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" >Starting Point for Slievenamon</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; "> </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><small><a href="http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&source=embed&hl=en&geocode=&q=kilcash+slievenamon&aq=&sll=52.404919,-7.53675&sspn=0.009713,0.026157&vpsrc=0&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Slievenamon&t=h&layer=c&cbll=52.410667,-7.533084&panoid=DbpFfpFo_gWMRPyC2DVLfA&cbp=11,314.55,,0,0&ll=52.410667,-7.533084&spn=0.014765,0.096474&z=13" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">View Larger Map</a></small><br /><br />Given the folklore surrounding Slievenamon and having recently read that it is regularly used as a venue for mountain races, I decided to throw on my runners and have a go at jogging up the mountain. After all, how hard could it be? The answer was that it was quite hard indeed and way beyond mere mortals like myself. Those mountain running folk must be made of stronger stuff than I am as it wasn't long after I'd crossed the gate at the top of the track and started up the open slopes of Slievenamon that I had to stop for water. After a couple of short bursts of jogging, I quickly downgraded my plans to a brisk walk to the top.<br /><br />The walk up Slievenamon is as straightforward as it gets. From the road, take an initial path beween walls which leads to a gate providing access to the open slopes of the mountain. Even at this point, there are expansive views across the surrounding low-lying lands and over to the Comeraghs which appear to tower over Slievenamon. Simply follow the wide distinct track which climbs gently and eventually leads to a cairn at a false summit. From the cairn, pick your way along a vaguer track to the summit proper. The summit is marked by a rather folorn looking trig point as well as a mysterious standing stone and a huge cairn which is said to mark the entrance to the Celtic underworld.<br /><br />Being November, my visit to the top was accompanied by very strong winds and cloud cover so I was only offered fleeting glimpses out at what looked like excellent and very extensive views across to the Comeragh and Galtee Mountains. A very vivid rainbow to the East hinted at moisture in the air and I was only starting into the descent when the heavens opened and threw down a prolonged shower of hailstones. The onset of more inclement conditions gave me an excuse to try my hand at running down the mountain and while this proved an easier task than running upwards, it presented challenges all of its own. I can only describe my running style as something of a 'semi-controlled fall' but it was great fun all the same!<br /><br />The popularity of the mountain showed itself in the fact that as I jogged down the mountain, I was met by several different groups of people making their way up towards the now completely cloud-covered summit. Obviously the locals are a hardy breed!<br /><br />All in all, a handy and safe walk which would be very suitable for children during the summer months. Don't bother with the rest of the 'Slievenamon Drive' afterwards as it really is a non-event consisting of a crawl around some increasingly dilapidated and narrowing roads without offering up any worthwhile views.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4083274058/" title="Slievenamon Cairn by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3517/4083274058_3f7e74b1b4.jpg" alt="Slievenamon Cairn" width="500" height="333" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />The large cairn on the summit of Slievenamon, reputedly the entrance to the Celtic underworld</span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4082600129/" title="Trig Pillar, Slievenamon by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2798/4082600129_8298100fd9.jpg" alt="Trig Pillar, Slievenamon" width="364" height="500" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Trig Pillar on the sumit of Slievenamon</span></span></div>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04746760404046609039noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5771103068949738865.post-90467317698380966592009-10-22T19:35:00.009+01:002009-11-01T16:08:00.543+00:00White Hill and Djouce - Hill Walking Lite!<span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4007483393/" title="Djouce Trig Pillar and Cairn by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2585/4007483393_f1e8651414.jpg" alt="Djouce Trig Pillar and Cairn" width="380" height="500" /></a><br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Date First Walked: October 12th 2009<br />Range: Wicklow Mountains<br />Mapsheet: 56<br />Distance: ????<br /><br />White Hill<br />Classification: Dillon<br />Height: 630 metres<br />County: Wicklow<br />My Dillon Count: 15<br /><br />Djouce<br />Classification: Dillon, Hewitt, Marilyn<br />Height: 725 metres<br />County: Wicklow<br />My Dillon Count: 16<br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Hill-Walking Lite! Had a couple of hours to pass prior to a work meeting so decided to make use of the time and bag another couple of summits. The presence of the Wicklow Way has inadvertently made Djouce a very accessible mountain. The waymarked trail begins in Dublin's southern suburb of Rathfarnham and travels across the Dublin and Wicklow uplands before finishing in County Carlow some 127 kilometres later</span>. <span style="font-size:85%;">The popularity of the trail has led to large-scale erosion on the slopes of White Hill resulting in the laying of a boardwalk over the mountain and to within a short walk of the summit of Djouce.<br /><br />Start the walk by parking in Ballinastoe woods which is to the left just past the magnificent Lough Tay when coming from the Sally Gap. Follow the signs for the Wicklow Way through the woods and you will soon reach the start of the boardwalk. From here it's only a short walk to a memorial to J.B. Malone, the pioneer of the Wicklow Way which provides a splendid viewing point across to the cliff face leading down from Fancy Mountain to Lough Tay. Follow the boardwalk to the rather nondescript summit of White Hill which is marked by a couple of small rock formations.<br /><br />From the summit of White Hill, you can see across to the trig point on the summit of Djouce. Simply follow the boardwalk down to the gap where it swings right. At this point, leave the Wicklow Way and follow the obvious wide and eroded path up the slopes of Djouce. The path swings right at the top and it's only a very short walk across to the summit of the mountain which is marked by a trig point perched on top of a large mass of rock. To one side is a rather bedraggled looking cairn. The summit offers excellent views across to the Great Sugar Loaf as well as across Dublin Bay up to Howth.<br /><br />From the summit of Djouce, you can walk across to War Hill and take in a third 'Dillon' but unfortunately time was against me so I retraced my steps back to the car-park.<br /><br />I can't say the boardwalk is my cup of tea but the very visible erosion along the Wicklow Way make it quite obvious as to why this action was taken. It's undoubtedly a very easy way to gain such height as well as such great views across Dublin Bay and it would certainly be an exellent walk for children as well as the perfect introduction to hillwalking. It's actually easier walking up the boardwalk than coming back down it. The descent took me back to youthful days of being on a bike with dodgy brakes.. you are never quite sure if you can stop should you really need to!<br /><br /></span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4007351867/" title="White Hill by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3497/4007351867_e581aceac7.jpg" alt="White Hill" width="375" height="500" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">On the summit of White Hill</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4008262980/" title="On the boardwalk/Wicklow Way by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2433/4008262980_8e17cd1335.jpg" alt="On the boardwalk/Wicklow Way" width="380" height="500" /></a><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Looking along the boardwalk from White Hill to Djouce<br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4008214116/" title="First Light, Wicklow Mountains by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2531/4008214116_be286de4e5.jpg" alt="First Light, Wicklow Mountains" width="500" height="444" /></a><br />On the slopes of Djouce<br /><br /></span></span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4008124480/" title="Djouce by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2577/4008124480_0a92072921.jpg" alt="Djouce" width="380" height="500" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Me on the summit of Djouce</span></span>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04746760404046609039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5771103068949738865.post-24875426310507291362009-10-21T23:12:00.005+01:002009-11-17T10:28:43.764+00:00Ballineddan, Slievemaan and Lugnaquilla<span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" ><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/3998862184/" title="On top of Wicklow by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3499/3998862184_c3e867cce9.jpg" alt="On top of Wicklow" width="500" height="374" /></a><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" ><br />Date First Walked: October 5th 2009<br />Range: Wicklow Mountains<br />Mapsheet: 56<br />Distance: ????<br /><br /><u>Ballineddan Mountain</u><br />Classification: Dillon<br />Height: 652 metres<br />County: Wicklow<br />My Dillon Count: 12<br /><br /><u>Slievemaan</u><br />Classification: Dillon, Marilyn<br />Height: 759 metres<br />County: Wicklow<br />My Dillon Count: 13<br /><br /><u>Slievemaan</u><br />Classification: Dillon, Hewitt, Marilyn, County Top (Wicklow)<br />Height: 925 metres<br />County: Wicklow<br />My Dillon Count: 14</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Fresh from the excitment of Sawel and Errigal the previous day, another early start saw me on the road and heading for Wicklow, this time with my sometimes walking colleague Jason for company. For some reason, I find it difficult to get excited by the Wicklow Mountains in the same way that I'd look forward to a walk elsewhere but the prospect of climbing the highest point in both Wicklow and Dublin added a little bit of spice to the walk.<br /><br />The route of this walk was to pass through the Glen of Imaal Artillery Range so we'd checked the previous week to ensure there would be no firing on the day we intended walking. You can do this by calling the Army Range Warden Service in Seskin School on 045 405653. Just to be sure, we called into Seskin School to double-check on the morning of the walk. The school looks like it hasn't changed since the days it was actually used as a school and after a couple of rings on the doorbell which turned out to be broken, Jason let out a couple of yells of 'Hello' and was greeted with replies of 'Come In' from inside.<br /><br />The HQ proved to be no more salubrious on the inside and we followed the noise of a TV to an office at the end in which sat a rather portly spectacle-clad middle-aged man in army uniform. The man was in the midst of enjoying a cup of hot tea while battling with a multitude of pullouts and supplements that made up his Sunday broadsheet. With one eye skirting over the front-page headlines about the massive wastage of taxpayers money by Ceann Comhairle John O' Donoghue, the man was also trying to take in an episode of the comedy show 'Love and Marriage' which obviously made up RTE2's Sunday morning schedule. We were provided with a couple of recommended 'safe' routes up Lug and were told that it was alright to descend via Camara Hill. We left the Range Warden Service HQ content that we would not be met with any stray grenades and on the way out, we passed some American tourists who seemed to be slightly confused about the 'Army' building they were approaching.<br /><br />We started our walk from the woods at Ballinfoyle which is a couple of kilometres away from the 'Dwyer McAllister Cottage'. Some parking is available on the roadside and a gate leads straight onto the slopes of Ballineddan. We quickly realised that we could put away our compasses as the way up the mountain was marked by a very distinct track caused by the dreaded quad bikes. From the gate, it's a pretty leisurely walk up to the small summit cairn on Ballineddan from which there are views across the shoulder to Slievemaan with the large mass of Lugnaquilla behind it.<br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/3995880545/" title="On Ballineddan by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3535/3995880545_219038431d.jpg" alt="On Ballineddan" width="500" height="333" /></a><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Me on the summit of Ballineddan</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />The quad track continued across the shoulder and on on up to Slievemaan with a short walk of about 1km leading to the small summit cairn on it's summit. Unfortunately, the summit is badly eroded with the small plateau something of a quagmire as it appears that the quad bikers use this as a place to perform turns ripping up the ground.<br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/3996694706/" title="Slievemaan by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3431/3996694706_95d9a2755d.jpg" alt="Slievemaan" width="500" height="369" /></a><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >The scarred slope leading up to Slievemaan<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/3997325637/" title="Me On Slievemaan by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3479/3997325637_6d349e8e28.jpg" alt="Me On Slievemaan" width="500" height="333" /></a><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Cairn on the heavily eroded summit of Slievemaan<br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Slievemaan gives a view across to the giant lump that is Lugnnaquilla whose summit is less that 200 metres higher. Unfortunately, the scars continue on up the face of Lug and the gap between Slievemaan and Lug is extremely boggy in places. From the gap, it's a slightly steeper climb up the south-western face of Lug upto the flat summit plateau known as 'Percy's Table'. Whilst we had clear conditions on top of the mountain, I've been told it can be a confusing place in mist and the impressive 'Prisons' on either side pose obvious dangers. A walk along the summit plateau leads to the huge cairn topped by a trig pillar marking the highest point of the mountain but don't expect to have the summit to yourself as it proved to be busier that my local village shop during our stay there. A directional indicator housed in a rather unsightly square of concrete sits beside the summit cairn and helps sort out the impressive views which look across the Wicklow Range and over to Mount Leinster and the Galtee Mountains to the South West.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/3997541797/" title="On The Slopes of Lug by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3201/3997541797_664156edf8.jpg" alt="On The Slopes of Lug" width="500" height="383" /></a><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Lower slopes of Lugnqauilla<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/3997717567/" title="Photo Op on Lug by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2555/3997717567_6ae1826eb8.jpg" alt="Photo Op on Lug" width="500" height="298" /></a></span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Photo Op on Lug<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" ><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">Walk back along the plateau taking care to avoid the North Prison and descend the Western Slope in a slight North Westerly direction towards Camarahill. You are now within the confines of the artillery range so only take this route when you are sure no firing is taking place. The last word of caution is to beware of a very muddy area at the foot of Lug as I found that it contains the dreaded floating bog and ended up with one leg waist high in bogwater and a broken camera! After crossing Camarahill, you will reach a stretch of road called 'the Banana Road' - walk a short distance on this and take the first turn to the left which after around 1km will lead across a stream which can be forded across a series of rocks. After crossing the stream, you meet a larger road and need to turn left and follow the road for around 1.5km back to where you parked up at Ballinfoyle.<br /><br />All in all, quite a handy walk especially when you take into account the height gain. Don't expect to have the hills to yourself as Lug's proximity to Dublin ensures that there is always plenty of walkers on the hills. There are better walks to the summit available from the Glenmalur side of the mountain.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4001459718/" title="Directional Indicator, Lugnaquilla by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2475/4001459718_c96a3c4633.jpg" alt="Directional Indicator, Lugnaquilla" width="500" height="383" /></a><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Directional Indicator on Lug</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4001678882/" title="Percy's Table, Lugnaquilla by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2659/4001678882_5c87c4f5a2.jpg" alt="Percy's Table, Lugnaquilla" width="500" height="383" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Percy's Table, Lugnaquilla<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4001494661/" title="Jason on Lugnaquilla by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3437/4001494661_44b8e7958f.jpg" alt="Jason on Lugnaquilla" width="500" height="383" /></a><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Jason on the summit of Lugnaquilla<br /><br /></span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4001663071/" title="Jason Descending Lugnaquilla by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2462/4001663071_e63a5092c2.jpg" alt="Jason Descending Lugnaquilla" width="500" height="315" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Jason descending Lugnaquilla<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/4005882873/" title="Jason at the North Prison, Lugnaquilla by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2662/4005882873_529b460eaa.jpg" alt="Jason at the North Prison, Lugnaquilla" width="500" height="383" /></a><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Jason at the North Prison, Lugnaquilla</span>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04746760404046609039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5771103068949738865.post-76094146936885610122009-10-21T09:48:00.007+01:002011-09-27T17:21:17.545+01:00The Magestic Errigal<span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;"><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/3991491720/" title="Makoght, Altan Lough and the Aghlas by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2558/3991491720_4cfc34e36a.jpg" alt="Makoght, Altan Lough and the Aghlas" width="500" height="366" /></a></span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;">Date First Walked: October 4th 2009<br />Range: Derryveagh Mountains</span></span><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;">Starting/Finishing Point: See Map Below<br />Mapsheet: 1<br />Distance: ????<br />Classification: Dillon, Hewitt, Mailyn, County Top<br />Height: 751 metres<br />County: Donegal<br />My Dillon Count: 11<br /></span><br />An absolute peach of a mountain! Another of Ireland's iconic mountains and one that I'd been wanting to climb for some time. Having climbed Sawel earlier in the day in gale conditions, I had hoped that my drive from Tyrone to Donegal would see the worst of the weather pass over. The drive took me through the full range of Irish weather, from bright sunshine to heavy showers but as I turned a corner some miles from Leterkenny, I was treated to the wonderful sight of a full rainbow sitting over Muckish mountain. A few miles up the road, I got my first glimpse of Errigal looking imposing and magestic as it sat under a dusting of rapidly passing cloud.<br /><br />Errigal quite simply looks like a proper mountain. There are some mountains in Ireland that look like big hills, some of the rounded tops of Wicklow for example but Errigal despite is relative lack of height, just looks the part. The mountain appears to change shape as you drive around it and it totally dominates the small village of Dunlewy with it's steep western slopes leading up to it's superb serrated edge on top. The quartzite that characterises the mountain appeared to gleam brightly when hit by the odd sporadic ray of sun that somehow managed to escape the cloud cover. The wind failed to die down and I questioned the sensibility of climbing the mountain in such counditions but the appearance of another car in the carpark at the foot of the mountain gave me a bit of courage and I decided to head up. I found further comfort when another walker appeared at the foot of the mountain and began to make his way up the lower slopes.<br /><br /><iframe width="562" height="314" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&source=embed&hl=en&geocode=&q=Errigal+mountain,+Donegal,+Ireland&aq=&sll=54.647618,-8.635769&sspn=0.073202,0.209255&vpsrc=0&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Errigal,+County+Donegal,+Ireland&t=h&layer=c&cbll=55.024829,-8.089793&panoid=ZJZDti_mAS6o8z3MMsy8Pg&cbp=11,327.78,,0,0&ll=55.024829,-8.089793&spn=0.013874,0.096474&z=13&output=svembed"></iframe><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span">Parking Spot for Errigal</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; "> </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><small><a href="http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&source=embed&hl=en&geocode=&q=Errigal+mountain,+Donegal,+Ireland&aq=&sll=54.647618,-8.635769&sspn=0.073202,0.209255&vpsrc=0&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Errigal,+County+Donegal,+Ireland&t=h&layer=c&cbll=55.024829,-8.089793&panoid=ZJZDti_mAS6o8z3MMsy8Pg&cbp=11,327.78,,0,0&ll=55.024829,-8.089793&spn=0.013874,0.096474&z=13" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">View Larger Map</a></small><br /><br />The traditional way to climb Errigal is from the carpark a mile or so outside Dunlewy at the foot of the mountain. From the carpark, a walk across heavily eroded and boggy ground leads to a very visible track of shiny scree and this is where the climb really begins. The ground is quite steep but it's a relatively short climb before you reach the lower ridge which has a collection of cairns and a stone shelter. There is quite a steep incline to the right along this ridge so it might not be for those who do not have a good head for heights. From the ridge, it's a pretty straightforward climb up to the first top which is the highest at 751 metres. A short narrow track called 'One Man's Pass' leads across to the twin summit which is slightly lower.<br /><br />I had been accompanied with gusting wind on my way up Errigal, the kind of wind that you can hear coming a few seconds before it hits you and this made the walk across the ridge that bit more exhilirating and indeed terrifying. There were are few times where I had to crouch down and take hold of rock as the wind threatened to knock me off my feet but I was delighted to make the summit, possibly the smallest summit of any of the 'Dillons' - it really is tiny. You really do feel like you are on top of the world on the summit of Errigal and the view down to Makoght, Altan Lough and the Aghlas immediately below is breathtaking as is the view back across the Poisioned Glen and out towards the coast. The gust factor just stayed on the right side of terrifying while on the summit although I stayed sat firmly on my backside for the duration of my time at the top of Donegal.<br /><br />If the conditions are windy, the best bet is to retreat from the top back down to the circular stone shelter for refreshments which is exactly what I done. One word of warning - lower down as you descend the scree, make sure to take care as this is probably trickier than the ascent.<br /><br />Errigal is one mountain that I simply cannot recommend highly enough. It certainly wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea in such high winds but on a calm sunny day, it would be a complete different proposition. The views from the top are superb and like I said, it's one Irish mountain that really does feel like a proper mountain.<br /><br />My favourite so far and one that I'll definitely be returning to.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/3987073222/" title="Approaching Errigal by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2465/3987073222_945c162c8a.jpg" alt="Approaching Errigal" width="500" height="382" /></a><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;">Approaching Errigal</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/3986501949/" title="Errigal by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2478/3986501949_6d999a7432.jpg" alt="Errigal" width="500" height="333" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;">Errigal from Dunlewy<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/3988627804/" title="Dun Luiche, Dun Na Gall by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3478/3988627804_088000f6c5.jpg" alt="Dun Luiche, Dun Na Gall" width="500" height="382" /></a></span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;">Ruined Dunlewy church and Errigal</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/3988757170/" title="Above the scree on Errigal by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3532/3988757170_914de1417c.jpg" alt="Above the scree on Errigal" width="399" height="500" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;">Climbing the scree with Poisioned Glen in the background<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/3989205199/" title="On Top Of Donegal by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2584/3989205199_2a5c16c349.jpg" alt="On Top Of Donegal" width="500" height="374" /></a></span><span style="font-style: italic;"></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;">Sat on the summit - on top of Donegal<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/3990214284/" title="Errigal Ridge by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2431/3990214284_fdaac16a69.jpg" alt="Errigal Ridge" width="399" height="500" /></a></span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;">View back along the ridge - shelter is at the end of the ridge<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/3990409306/" title="Descending Errigal by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2670/3990409306_282065da02.jpg" alt="Descending Errigal" width="500" height="383" /></a></span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;">Another view along the ridge<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/3990582832/" title="One Man's Pass by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3480/3990582832_9c2f4f0fa6.jpg" alt="One Man's Pass" width="500" height="371" /></a></span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;">One Man's Pass<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/3990962076/" title="Altan Lough and Aghla More (from Errigal) by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2495/3990962076_42c240af10.jpg" alt="Altan Lough and Aghla More (from Errigal)" width="500" height="369" /></a></span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;">Altan Lough and Aghla More<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/3991337926/" title="Cairns on Errigal by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2627/3991337926_bcda5e3836.jpg" alt="Cairns on Errigal" width="500" height="383" /></a></span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;">Cairns at the lower end of the ridge<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/3990618843/" title="Shelter Wall on Errigal by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3522/3990618843_c56b64bd23.jpg" alt="Shelter Wall on Errigal" width="500" height="383" /></a></span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;">Shelter wall with the ridge in the background<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/3991428130/" title="Gimme Shelter by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2586/3991428130_50b01228b0.jpg" alt="Gimme Shelter" width="500" height="383" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;">Gimme shelter - me taking shelter from the wind<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;"><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/3993751444/" title="Derryveagh Mountains (from Errigal) by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2444/3993751444_76569252f6.jpg" alt="Derryveagh Mountains (from Errigal)" width="500" height="381" /></a><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;">Derry veagh mountains from the scree on the way back down<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/3994197916/" title="Errigal by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2600/3994197916_26551f903f.jpg" alt="Errigal" width="383" height="500" /></a></span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;">Errigal from the stream close to the carpark</span></div>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04746760404046609039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5771103068949738865.post-34639382329843354942009-10-20T20:51:00.002+01:002009-11-17T10:23:40.388+00:00Sawel - My 10th 'Dillon' In A Gale Force Wind<span style=";font-family:";font-size:85%;" ><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/3982975695/" title="Trig Pillar on Sawel by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2462/3982975695_0a22c930c0.jpg" alt="Trig Pillar on Sawel" width="500" height="334" /></a><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Date First Walked: October 3rd 2009<br />Range: Sperrin Mountains<br />Mapsheet: 13<br />Distance: ????<br />Classification: Dillon, Hewitt, Mailyn, 2 County Tops (Derry and Donegal)<br />Height: 678 metres<br />County: Derry/Tyrone<br /></span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >My Dillon Count: 10</span></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />Something of a very minor milestone - my 10th Dillon!<br /><br />Another quick up and down as I done Sawel as part of an effort to get to the highest point in each county in Ireland. Despite forecasts of high and gusty winds, I decided to take my chances and made an early start and headed for the Sperrin Mountains.<br /><br />Sawel can be included as part of a long walk of the Sperrins but its summit can be easily reached by climbing the East shoulder from the road between Sperrin and Port. Travelling the narrow road from the Sperrin direction, park up at the layby on the right after the second cattle grid. Cross the road and follow the fence uphill which acts as a guide most of the way to the summit of Sawel. The lower parts of the mountain are boggy in places with numerous peat hags and wet areas to be encountered. As you gain height, the boggy ground gives way to a nice covering of grass more akin a country field than the upper reaches of a mountain.<br /><br />My walk to the top was done with the rising sun on my back and it lit up and painted the Eastern slopes of Sawel in bright and vivid colours. I was sheltered most of the way to the top but as I got within 200 metres of the summit, I could hear the wind howling across from the direction of Dart Mountain to the West. Crossing the crest of the hill, I was nearly blown off my feet and my plans to cross over to Dart were quickly cancelled for another day. The summit proper is just a short distance to the right of the fence which marks the county boundary between Derry and Tyrone and consists of a raised mound of rocks topped by a trig pillar. On the other side of the fence were a dishevelled looking group of sheep desperately huddled on the eastern side of a large peat hag in a vain effort to avoid the worst of the winds. The sheep seemed to look at me jealously knowing that I could gain shelter by heading back down the east side of the mountain from which they were denied access by the fence - their options were limited to staying put and sitting out the gale or heading back towards Dart running the high risk of having the wool blown off their backs. Such was the strength of the wind that I was blown off the crest containing the trig pillar on a couple of ocassions so I quickly retreated back to a more sheltered area.<br /><br />For anyone gathering county tops, the summit proper of Sawel is actually in County Derry with the highest point in county Tyrone lyning some 30 or 40 metres away just across the fence down the southern slope of the mountain. To date, nothing marks this very important spot so perhaps someone will take it upon themselves to construct a small cairn there! </span><span style=";font-family:";font-size:10;" ><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/3985415376/" title="Sperrin Sunrise by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3424/3985415376_07315ddd47.jpg" alt="Sperrin Sunrise" width="500" height="382" /></a><br /></span><!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--></span><span style=";font-family:";font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-style: italic;">Sunrise over the Sperrin Mountains</span><br /></span><span style=";font-family:";font-size:85%;" ><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/3983562538/" title="On Top of Derry (Hold on to your hat!) by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2615/3983562538_bcb4669aed.jpg" alt="On Top of Derry (Hold on to your hat!)" width="500" height="358" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style=";font-family:";font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-style: italic;">Me on the summit of Sawel holding onto my hat!</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/3984161986/" title="On Top of Tyrone by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2645/3984161986_46048710d4.jpg" alt="On Top of Tyrone" width="500" height="338" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style=";font-family:";font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-style: italic;">The highest point in Tyrone on the southern slopes of Sawel</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/3981180029/" title="Sawel Peat Hag by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2592/3981180029_3373af2b73.jpg" alt="Sawel Peat Hag" width="500" height="333" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style=";font-family:";font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-style: italic;">Peat Hag on the slopes of Sawel</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/3984718867/" title="Early morning on Sawel by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3472/3984718867_f57fa932a6.jpg" alt="Early morning on Sawel" width="500" height="356" /></a><br /></span><span style=";font-family:";font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-style: italic;">Early morning on Sawel</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/3984591433/" title="First Light on Sawel by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3512/3984591433_a2c80e37c6.jpg" alt="First Light on Sawel" width="500" height="364" /></a><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:";font-size:85%;" >Sawel from it's lower slopes</span>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04746760404046609039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5771103068949738865.post-51992583712309295022009-10-20T20:32:00.001+01:002009-10-22T10:15:17.872+01:00Carrigvore - The Big Rock<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/3972045165/" title="Carrigvore, Wicklow Mountains at Dawn by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3449/3972045165_d905250ba2.jpg" alt="Carrigvore, Wicklow Mountains at Dawn" width="500" height="333" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Date First Walked: October 1st 2009</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Range: Wicklow Mountains</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Mapsheet: 56</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Distance: Circa 3km</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Classification: Dillon, Hewitt</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Height: 682 metres</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">County: Wicklow</span></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >My Dillon Count: 9</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">With a new pair of boots to break in and an hour to spare in Wicklow, I decided to take a quick walk up to the summit of Carrigvore from Sally Gap. Lacking any great interest in its own right, the mountain is normally walked as part of a longer circuit.<br /><br />Start the walk up Carrigvore from Sally gap. You are helped by the fact that you are already at over 500 metres so it’s only another 180 metres to the top of the mountain. After a short initial walk through heather, a track is quickly picked up which leads to a widening ditch nearer to the top which can be made in 20 minutes. The summit of the mountain is adorned by a large rock formation which gives Carrigvore its name. A number of deer grazing on the summit moved off on my arrival.<br /><br />The walk back down gives time to take in the views of the desolate area around Sally Gap and along the winding military road.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/3975403568/" title="Carrigvore Tor by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2431/3975403568_5cc7eaa116.jpg" alt="Carrigvore Tor" width="500" height="315" /></a><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">The large rock formation on Carrigvore<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/3972397467/" title="Approaching Carrigvore by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3008/3972397467_99345e8bec.jpg" alt="Approaching Carrigvore" width="500" height="333" /></a></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">View from the summit of Carrigvore<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50277096@N00/3974106297/" title="Desolation by tullyallenp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3418/3974106297_ee8df73009.jpg" alt="Desolation" width="500" height="333" /></a></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Sally Gap and the Military Road from Carrigvore</span>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04746760404046609039noreply@blogger.com3