Lugnaquilla

nyarlthotepful

Hi there. My friend and I were thinking of climbing Lugnaquilla but neither of us are experienced climbers. I'd like to know if it's a manageable climb for two novices and any other advice that you might have to offer.

Thank you!

Joey the lips

Its seen more as a walk than a climb. If you went up crogh patrick you will do this no problem. I walked it with the wife and she loved it. Just watch coming done in the brambles there is a lot of unforseen holes. They are not too deep but if your not wearing good boots you might do your foot in.

Gaberial clearly does a walk and talk while your scaleing it. He is fantastic to listen to. It was just by chance he was up there when we were. Its an area with fantastic history.

nyarlthotepful

I'm glad to hear it. Thank you for telling me.

Daithi2004

The only thing I would say is look up websites that show you what to wear. Any hillwalking club website will show that. Wear hiking boots as this will protect your ankles. Also don't wear jeans or denim because if they get wet, you could end up with hypothermia. Wear track suit bottoms or old army type trousers as they dry out quicker. Look up http://www.walkingandhiking.co.uk/WhatToTakeOnWalk.html (Scroll down for information)

How is you map and compass skills? If you get to the top in clear weather and suddenly a cloud comes down, can you get yourself down. Which direction do you go? These things do happen and Dublin Wicklow mountain rescuer come out to situations like this. Please check the weather forecast.

nyarlthotepful

Thanks. I have suitable clothes for the climb and I know how to use a map and compass in theory. Do you think that's enough?
The weather is meant to be sunny with showers on the day we're going which I think is okay. What do you think?

Daithi2004

Here is a video of a climb:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuVdWefB66U&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpsKBgifzx0&feature=related



If you are confident, go for it

ipodrocker

the videos look class!

Esel

Joey the lips wrote: »

Its seen more as a walk than a climb.

Ah here! Unless by 'walk' you mean 'hillwalk' and by 'climb' you mean rope, harness and all the hardware . . .

nyarlthotepful wrote: »

Thanks. I have suitable clothes for the climb and I know how to use a map and compass in theory. Do you think that's enough?
The weather is meant to be sunny with showers on the day we're going which I think is okay. What do you think?

Map and compass theory will not be a great help if you encounter bad visibility on the day. Showers at sea level could well mean cloud at higher elevations. The North and South Prisons on Lug are very steep, and you don't want to stray into those areas.

Prepare a route card for the ascent and descent, and use it on the day even if it's clear just to see how accurate you were.

Cookie_Monster

it's easy enough. park at the ford carpark and go up from there, you don't even need hiking boots. I've done it a couple of times in lighter hiking shoes

Slogger Jogger

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

it's easy enough. park at the ford carpark and go up from there, you don't even need hiking boots. I've done it a couple of times in lighter hiking shoes

If you go via the zig zags and Clohernagh there is a clear trail from there to Lug. Clear unless the mist is down in a really bad way. Always have your map and compass and other essentials (food, water, rain jacket). We ran this route on Saturday as part of a circuit of avonbeg (results on imra site) and were generally lucky with the weather. Nasty head wind blowing towards us heading up Lug

activitymaster

hay yea its a good climb you will enjoy it. Just be careful the fog comes right down on the mountain and tends to cause lots of people a lot of trouble. It can be quite dangerous. The first leg is a mere walk followed by a steep climb and then its a climb to the top. When coming back down, Don't walk as the eye can see. Lots of people try to be quick and climb down resulting in a lot of injuries follow any of the local groups there at the weekend for your first time. Its worth it.

Don't know if you'd be interested but there is a group of us climbing on Sunday if you guys wanna tag along or even follow. We are looking o muser a few heads for the craic. We are meeting at 10 in lara if anyones intesested

Gunners13

Hi,

I'm just enquiring about climbing Lugnaquilla and whether it is feasible for novices. I have climbed Croagh Patrick and Slieve Donard. Is Lugnaquilla much harder than either of those? Also what is the best route??

Any replies would be appreciated. Thinking of doing it Monday or Tuesday.

Daithi2004

I wouldn't do it in the snow as it can be very dangerous. People have been rescued from there in the last snow and they were experienced walkers. It is fine in good weather with clear visibility. Can you navigate?

PosNeg

From personnel experience and through the grapevine I can tell you:

Last Saturday saw near white out conditions about 750m.
Crampons were useful/needed in the Fraughen Rock Glen last Tuesday night.
Also on Tuesday conditions in the South Prison Great Gully were 'uncomfortable' due to snow depth.

Easiest way up is the Camara Hill route. Navigation, grip, eye protection and warmth will be your biggest challenges. This weekend is possibly not the best for a novice to be up there. On the other hand if you can hook up with an experienced party and equip yourself for the current conditions you'll have a memorable time.

Daithi2004

Here is a comment The Dublin/Wicklow facebook account:



Callout 35: Art's Lough, Lugnaquillia Mountain

An Garda Síochána tasked mountain rescue in Wicklow for a second time today. Members of the Dublin/Wicklow Mountain Rescue Team and the Glen of Imaal Red Cross Mountain Rescue Team responded to the 2 hill walkers who had gotten into difficulty on Lugnaquillia Mountain (Leinsters highest) due to sheer ice conditions on steep ground. The party of 2 were located at Art's Lough by mountain rescue and were walked off the mountain safely where they were transported by mountain rescue landrovers.

Alun

Going by the grid reference quoted for this incident on the DWMRT website they were rescued from the steep ground directly above Art's Lough .. not a great place to be even in good weather, let alone in icy / snowy conditions, and one avoided by anybody with any local knowledge of the area.

Gunners13

Thanks Guys,

I have postponed the trip following your advices as no point in taking unnecessary risks. Wait till later in the Spring or early Summer.

What ye are saying about navigation is that necessary or I was wondering is there not a well worn track up the mountain that one could follow?

Also any suggestions for alternative hills/mountains that could be climbed this monday or tuesday that arent snow effected?!

Thanks for your comments to-date.

Daithi2004

Gunners13 wrote: »

Thanks Guys,

I have postponed the trip following your advices as no point in taking unnecessary risks. Wait till later in the Spring or early Summer.

What ye are saying about navigation is that necessary or I was wondering is there not a well worn track up the mountain that one could follow?

Also any suggestions for alternative hills/mountains that could be climbed this monday or tuesday that arent snow effected?!

Thanks for your comments to-date.

I personally think you need navigation skills. Yes, there is a path for most of the way but when you get near the summit (see first photo) the path is not too clear especially in snow. Here are two photos taken of me on Lug last January..






That is me in both photo. I have navigation skills but the photographer didn't so we had to make it down very quickly. The weather was fine when we set out from Fenton's pub but as we approached the summit, it got nasty. We had to shelter behind rocks until it blew over. Sorry, but I don't want to put you off but the mountain is manageable in good weather.

As regards other mountains, I am not from the area so I don't know. Maybe someone else can help you out on that one. I think you made the right choice.

Alun

I was up on Camaderry early this morning and parts of it were like sheet ice where the wind had blown the snow off the frozen snow underneath .. like a skating rink. I suspect Lug would have been the same if not worse.

The big problem with Lug that catches people out is that while in good visibility it's pretty easy to locate the summit, if the mist / cloud / snow sets in while you're up there (which happens a lot!) as it's pretty flat and featureless up there everything looks the same, and many people without proper navigation skills end up walking off the summit in completely the wrong direction, some ending up walking down some very steep ground, or worse ending up in a completely different valley to the one they set out from.

Daithi2004

Alun wrote: »

I was up on Camaderry early this morning and parts of it were like sheet ice where the wind had blown the snow off the frozen snow underneath .. like a skating rink. I suspect Lug would have been the same if not worse.

The big problem with Lug that catches people out is that while in good visibility it's pretty easy to locate the summit, if the mist / cloud / snow sets in while you're up there (which happens a lot!) as it's pretty flat and featureless up there everything looks the same, and many people without proper navigation skills end up walking off the summit in completely the wrong direction, some ending up walking down some very steep ground, or worse ending up in a completely different valley to the one they set out from.

That is exactly what happen to me as shown in the photos above.

Alun

Yes, the last steep climb up on the Camara Hill route is deceptive, as you think you're there once it levels out a bit, but in fact you have 500m or more still to go. Not only that but you can't actually see the summit cairn from there, and you don't really see it until you're quite close. Not a real problem in good visibility as you just keep heading uphill, but in the mist, you can be 20-30m away from it and still not see it, big though it is.

By the way, there's a really handy reference point to aim for when heading down from the summit of Lug that's close to the junction of the tracks heading to Clohernagh in one direction, and towards Camenabologue / Table in the other. It's a small circular patch of rocks and is on a bearing (magnetic) of 52 deg for 400m.

Daithi2004

That is good to know. I know that area.

duckysauce

class photo of lug from fb

Gunners13

Thanks Guys. By the sounds of it we definitely made the right decision to postpone. Otherwise we probably would have needed the assistance of Mountain Rescue!!! Still definitely going to climb it but in the good weather!

I've noted the routes suggested and will use them when we attempt it.

Anybody familiar with Slieve Donard would it be a similar climb/trek to that?

Alun

Slieve Donard is a lot easier as all you need to do, once you've got to the base of it, is follow the Mourne Wall to the summit. Either do it from Newcastle following the Glen River walk (http://www.walkni.com/walk.aspx?id=344) or from Bloody Bridge (http://www.walkni.com/walks/464/slieve-donard-from-bloody-bridge/).

Daithi2004

Alun wrote: »

Slieve Donard is a lot easier as all you need to do, once you've got to the base of it, is follow the Mourne Wall to the summit. Either do it from Newcastle following the Glen River walk (http://www.walkni.com/walk.aspx?id=344) or from Bloody Bridge (http://www.walkni.com/walks/464/slieve-donard-from-bloody-bridge/).

I disagree. I was up there two weeks ago and had to turn back because there are a lot of stone paths which were covered in ice, It was difficult to walk at the side of the path because there was no room to walk. Report of avalanches were issued last week by Mountain Rescue.

Alun

Daithi2004 wrote: »

I disagree. I was up there two weeks ago and had to turn back because there are a lot of stone paths which were covered in ice, It was difficult to walk at the side of the path because there was no room to walk. Report of avalanches were issued last week by Mountain Rescue.

I meant generally speaking, navigation wise. Clearly any route, however easy, can be adversely affected by snow and ice, but that wasn't what he was asking (I think.)

sarsfield06

Yesterday evening, Lug from Turlough Hill to the north.

PosNeg

Just in from a night walk over Lug. Conditions on the summit plateau were 'exciting'. Coming down towards Clohernagh there was evidence of substantial melting, the days left of alpine fun up there are unfortunately numbered.

Gunners13

Cheers guys. Some serious Photographs of the Lug in the snow. Think I'd need to be a bit more experienced before I attempt anything in them conditions!!

I've done the highest peaks in two of the provinces so Munster and Leinster left to do this Spring/Summer!!

To appreciate the views think good weather is a must!! Also easier planning for novices!

Appreciate all you comments. Good to hear from people that know what they are on about.

jimmer123

Can anyone tell me what the conditions are like on the lug at the moment??

Daithi2004

I think it is still the same. I was in the Glendalough area and tried to climb up to Lugduff yesterday and it was very cold and very icy on the lower Lugduff. Tried to drive to the Hellfire Club via Sally's Gap and nearly got stuck on the road to Kippure so I think in that info Lug would be the same

darjeeling

jimmer123 wrote: »

Can anyone tell me what the conditions are like on the lug at the moment??

Several inches of hard packed icy snow near & at the summit this morning, but melting fast - at least lower down - by afternoon.

Edit: added photos of the summit at around 10 a.m. Sat







And one of the Fraughan Rock Glen from mid-day.

mr spuckler

will be interesting to see how quickly this clears...the sunrise summit challenge is on next weekend, would think it won't happen if current conditions continue

Orion

darjeeling wrote: »

Several inches of hard packed icy snow near & at the summit this morning, but melting fast - at least lower down - by afternoon.

Was up there today. Started accent on the zig zags at 2.30. From halfway up it was total snow. At the plateau and summit it was hard packed with no sign of any melt.

mr spuckler

anyone know how lug is looking at the moment? planning on heading up saturday morning if it's clear-ish

Esel

mr spuckler wrote: »

anyone know how lug is looking at the moment? planning on heading up saturday morning if it's clear-ish

Unless you can task a satellite for a real-time view, you should assume that conditions are still the same as shown in the last (recent) pic above.

Remember that (wind-chill apart), temperature drops by 1 degree C for every 300m height differential. That's 3C for every 1000ft in old money. Clear-ish is not enough of a decider, tbh, even if you are fully equipped and able to navigate in bad conditions (strong winds, low/no visibility, frozen ground etc).

Unless you are prepared for winter conditions, you would be better to wait for the high-level snow to disappear.

Orion

well this week has been warmer and there's been some rain so I'd guess some of the snow is gone. Which will make it worse imo - trudging through slush is harder than walking on snow - especially on the way down.

mr spuckler

well as i said in another thread, i never got to find out how conditions were up top. as a group we weren't really equipped for the weather conditions even where we were and we made a collective decision to head back down before we got out of our depth. underfoot was well manageable as far as we got anyway.
the wind was extremely strong up there yesterday and i imagine it's worse today.

jimmer123

Turned around myself on Sat just a little bit from the top, feck all visibility. Got a little lost on the way down which scared the crap out of me but managed to get our bearings and got down in the end.

Gunners13

Hey Guys,

Another Bank Holiday looming so I'm wondering what the conditions are like on the Lug at the moment. Is it accessible for amatures this weekend?

hmmm

Gunners13 wrote: »

Hey Guys,

Another Bank Holiday looming so I'm wondering what the conditions are like on the Lug at the moment. Is it accessible for amatures this weekend?

The ground itself is fine. There are some patches of snow still left which tells you it is cold on top.