Wicklow Way surroundings

Frankiestylee

I'm getting sick to death of people messing around with the Wicklow Way. I would of imagined since it's so old etc etc that it would have some sort of protected status, but no, everytime I walk it these days something has been changed.
I brought some scouts along the first few stages today and I was really disappointed that it had changed to the point that I had to refer to a map. I'm not just talking natural growth here, I'm talking about whole forests on the route being chopped down, paths being dug up and diverted etc etc.

Does the Wicklow Way have no status etc? I thought Coillte or whoever is cutting down these trees might even leave the little strip the route cuts through, but apparently not.

I'm going to walk the full thing again this Summer... I'm kinda dreading what I might find.

copacetic

it's hardy 'old' in fact it is relatively new?

I'm not sure of the status but isn't it is basically just allowed across various peoples lands, presumably they are still entitled to do what they want with their own land? usually it is rerouted quite quickly, the main issue recently seems to have been trees down across the route and signs going missing..

Alun

The first section was opened only in 1980, and it was opened in it's totality in 1982 so it's not exactly some ancient pilgrim's way, or anything like that.

There's a lot of felling going on in Wicklow at the moment, not only on or around the Wicklow Way, some of it quite devastating, and the amount of care taken by Coillte, or rather their contractors, in leaving well walked paths intact, leaves a lot to be desired. Also, the amount of rubbish left behind .. old oil drums, broken down machinery, rusty steel cables and general litter is astonishing. I've contacted them on several occasions regarding this, and have effectively just been ignored.

Frankiestylee

I always got the impression it was quite old,and in the great schemes of things is it not? Sure it was officially opened then but I'm sure I remember hearing of it being around before then. Also isn't it part of some cross-European hiking thingie? Either way, it's quite important as route-ways go.

For most of the Wicklow Way, well the early stages anyway, it's up in the mountains and I doubt anyone has a claim other then the government.

It just annoys me, everyone seems to be caring about the environment these days, or at least they claim to, yet a really accessible route is getting messed up all the time, and don't even get me started on all the mansions that seem to be popping up near three rock mountain! :mad:

copacetic

Frankiestylee wrote:

I always got the impression it was quite old,and in the great schemes of things is it not? Sure it was officially opened then but I'm sure I remember hearing of it being around before then. Also isn't it part of some cross-European hiking thingie? Either way, it's quite important as route-ways go.

For most of the Wicklow Way, well the early stages anyway, it's up in the mountains and I doubt anyone has a claim other then the government.

It just annoys me, everyone seems to be caring about the environment these days, or at least they claim to, yet a really accessible route is getting messed up all the time, and don't even get me started on all the mansions that seem to be popping up near three rock mountain! :mad:

you'd be surprised, the government has no claim on any of the lands around the wicklow way until you get down to the national park. All the land around kilmashogue and three rock is either coillte or commonage/farmers land., just because it is high up doesn't mean no-one owns it. Witness the amount of fencing on the mountains..

Frankiestylee

Yeah I guess, it seems hard to believe though, most of it is just gorse bushes up high and then down lower, fair enough I knew Coillte controlled the forests, but I always thought they were a government organisation?

copacetic

Frankiestylee wrote:

Yeah I guess, it seems hard to believe though, most of it is just gorse bushes up high and then down lower, fair enough I knew Coillte controlled the forests, but I always thought they were a government organisation?

above the tree line is mostly common grazing for sheep, a lot of sections aren't used for that anymore but the same people still own the land. parts of the wicklow way go straight through farmers fields and land. coillte is state owned alright, but they are a business, not quite the same as being government owned land for amenity only..

Frankiestylee

Ah I see. Still feels strange though, but I guess if that's the way of it then that's how it is.

copacetic

agreed that ideally it would all be amenity land. in fairness to coiltte they ware very good in the main and are doing more and more to make the land available for use for all.

albertw

copacetic wrote:

in fairness to coiltte they ware very good in the main and are doing more and more to make the land available for use for all.

Unfortunately they also have left a popular part of the wicklow way, around the dargle crossing, looking like an asteroid hit it at the moment. (well 3 weeks ago anyway).

Given that this is a popular section of the wicklow way they really should make some effort to tidy up after the felling and signpost and make safe the bits of the wicklow way that passes through whats been felled.

Alun

albertw wrote:

Unfortunately they also have left a popular part of the wicklow way, around the dargle crossing, looking like an asteroid hit it at the moment. (well 3 weeks ago anyway).

Given that this is a popular section of the wicklow way they really should make some effort to tidy up after the felling and signpost and make safe the bits of the wicklow way that passes through whats been felled.

Agreed. It's a complete mess.

It's not only there though .. everywhere where Coillte (or rather their subcontractors) do any large scale felling, the area looks quite literally as though a bomb has hit it afterwards. Piles of discarded branches covering tracks, old leaking oil and diesel cans, bits of wrecked machinery and broken wire ropes, general detritus left by the crews, its a complete disgrace.