Wicklow Walk Suggestions

paulocon

Hi,

Hoping to get out for a walk in the Wicklow Mountains on Saturday. We will probably have 5 hrs max to spend on the hills. Looking for some suggestions on a decent walk/route.

To date, I've done Lug via Ballineedan/Slievemaan route and back over Camara Hill. I've also done the circuit of Kilbride (Seefin, Seefingan, Corrig and Sehan), Kippure, Djouce and White Hill, Tonelagee and Turlough Hill.

Long term goal is to walk all the 600 metre mountains in Ireland so I suppose a walk encompassing one or more of the higher mountains in the range is what I'm after.

Thanks in advance,
Paul

loobylou

Dont you have a rugby match on Saturday??
Seriously though, how about Sally Gap, Gravale, Duff Hill, Mullaghcleevaun. Thats my plan for Saturday, maybe see you out there.

Alun

Watch out for car thieves ... my car was broken into at the Glenmacnass car park a couple of weeks back (hacksaw blade in gap between door and front wing, went through the wiring loom to pop the central door locking!)

There have been lots of break ins up at the car park up near the Sally Gap below Carrigvore too.

paulocon

loobylou wrote: »

Dont you have a rugby match on Saturday??
Seriously though, how about Sally Gap, Gravale, Duff Hill, Mullaghcleevaun. Thats my plan for Saturday, maybe see you out there.

Possibility alright but a bit too long for 5 hours I think? Paddy Dillon has this in his book as a route of 23k (including the walk back along the road to Sally Gap). Maybe a bit of a circuit taking in Duff Hill, Mullaghcleevaun and Mullaghcleevaun East Top might be possible within the time limit.

Other possibilities I was looking at maybe Clohernagh and Corrigasleggaun. No idea what any of these are like and haven't the maps to hand to check out the routes.

Final option is to bag a couple of the isolated tops such as Keadeen and Croghanmoira but that would leave to a couple of rushed walks with driving in between so not too pushed on that idea.

The break-ins are a concern alright and something that is mentioned anytime I mention the Wicklows. I drive an old workhorse of a car and never leave any valuables in it so hopefully it'll be left alone!

Alun

You could park at Carrigshouk, up to East Top, Mullaghcleeavun, Barnacullian Ridge (stay to the eastern edge to avoid most of the muck!) Stoney Top, Tonelagee and down to Glenmacnass. That's just shy of 15km and then it's another 2km back along the road. I can send you a GPX track if you like, as I did that (without the road walk) not too long ago.

Alternatively to shorten it a bit when you get to the top of the waterfall at the start of the Barnacullian, you can descend by the side of it and follow the Glenmacnass River to the end of the forest and join the road there.

paulocon

Alun wrote: »

You could park at Carrigshouk, up to East Top, Mullaghcleeavun, Barnacullian Ridge (stay to the eastern edge to avoid most of the muck!) Stoney Top, Tonelagee and down to Glenmacnass. That's just shy of 15km and then it's another 2km back along the road. I can send you a GPX track if you like, as I did that (without the road walk) not too long ago.

Alternatively to shorten it a bit when you get to the top of the waterfall at the start of the Barnacullian, you can descend by the side of it and follow the Glenmacnass River to the end of the forest and join the road there.

Cheers Alun,

Was up Tonelagee and Stoney Top last year. By the way, is there some confusion over the naming of Stoney Top/Barnacullion? Are they one and the same?

My other option is to throw the bikes into the car, drop them off somewhere and walk to that point before cycling back to the car. Hadn't thought of that but it might open up some linear routes..

Alun

On the East West mapping maps, Mullaghcleevaun East Top seems to have been renamed Stony Hill, but I wasn't aware of any confusion re: Barnacullian / Stony Top. There isn't really a summit on Barnacullian anyway to speak of despite it being marked on the map.

A shorter linear walk could be Carrigvore, Gravale, Duff Hill, East Top, Mullaghcleevaun, and then drop back down via East Top again and Carrigshouk ... about 14km. That'd knock off a few 600m+ summits.

You could also approach Mullaghcleevaun from the other side, e.g. Balinagee Bridge, Glenbride, Moanbane, Silsean, Billy Byrnes Gap, and then do the same route to Tonelagee but drop down the other side to the Wicklow Gap car park. Might be a bit too long though if you're limited to 5 hours.

EDIT: Here's the gpx file for the original walk (zipped as boards won't let me upload a gpx file apparently)

paulocon

Alun wrote: »

On the East West mapping maps, Mullaghcleevaun East Top seems to have been renamed Stony Hill, but I wasn't aware of any confusion re: Barnacullian / Stony Top. There isn't really a summit on Barnacullian anyway to speak of despite it being marked on the map.

A shorter linear walk could be Carrigvore, Gravale, Duff Hill, East Top, Mullaghcleevaun, and then drop back down via East Top again and Carrigshouk ... about 14km. That'd knock off a few 600m+ summits.

You could also approach Mullaghcleevaun from the other side, e.g. Balinagee Bridge, Glenbride, Moanbane, Silsean, Billy Byrnes Gap, and then do the same route to Tonelagee but drop down the other side to the Wicklow Gap car park. Might be a bit too long though if you're limited to 5 hours.

EDIT: Here's the gpx file for the original walk (zipped as boards won't let me upload a gpx file apparently)

Fair play Alun, loads of options there!!

We've been off the hills for a while so might just try Duff Hill, Mullaghcleevaun East Top and Mullaghcleevaun. Will get the maps out tonight for a study!

loobylou

Might see you up there then. I'll be the handsome, athletic looking guy with the black dog. Be sure to introduce yourself:D

Alun

There's a fair chance I'll be up there too ... I'll be wearing a red carnation and holding a furled up copy of the Times under my arm

paulocon

It's all gone a bit mountaindatingsingles.com in here. Think I might just head up to the Mournes!!

Alun

paulocon wrote: »

It's all gone a bit mountaindatingsingles.com in here. Think I might just head up to the Mournes!!

Now there's an idea for a website!

I'll be up there leading a group so no chance of anything untoward there :pac:

Alun

Didn't see anybody with a dog, but did meet 3 lads coming down off Mullaghcleevaun just below the summit as we were going up. that wasn't you Paul was it?

It was a stinker of a day though, should have stayed at home

loobylou

Went up to Sally Gap yesterday morning but the weather there was bad, low cloud and misty rain.
Executive decision made, went back to Pier Gates and did a circuit of Lough Dan, dry and sunny but a little too much road/track walking for me.
Anyway went back up to Sally Gap today and walked over to Mullacleevaun. Hard enough walk alright, took over 6 hours in all types of weather, cloud, rain sunshine. Only saw 1 other group all day.:D

Alun

We started at the car park at the top of the road from Lacken overlooking the reservoirs, and did a 21km circuit taking in Black Hill, Moanbane (via Hampden Bomber crash site), Mullaghcleevaun, East Top, Duff Hill and back via Ballynultagh, and tracks through the forest. It went OK for the most part but got caught up in some really nasty ground at the bottom of Duff, and ended up taking nearly 7.5 hours in the end!

BTW Someone's car got the break in treatment at the car park too (not one of our group fortunately). Driver's and passenger windows and one rear quarter window smashed in and for some reason (presumably because they were pissed off at not finding anything), one tyre slashed! It's starting to get a bit ridiculous out there with all the break-ins of late.

trellheim

Which car park was it, the Glenmacnass waterfall ?

Alun

trellheim wrote: »

Which car park was it, the Glenmacnass waterfall ?

My car was broken into at the Glenmacnass waterfall a few weeks back, but the one this Saturday was the one at the base of Black Hill and Sorrel Hill at the top of the road coming out of Lacken, overlooking the Blessington Lakes.

canon20

Would people pay to be dropped off at say Sallygap - Blackhill ect and walk back to a secure carpark in Laragh-Blessington-Roundwood ect.
While the gardai are constantly patrolling the Sallygap it doesent seem to be a deterrent to these wasters.

Theinsideman

can I suggest http://www.walkingroutes.ie/list.php?s=0&co=Co.%20Wicklow