Night-time trail running in Dublin Mountains

Micilin Muc

If anyone fancies a bit of night-time trail running in the Dublin Mountains over the winter, give me a shout. I usually run any (and all) of Three Rock and Fairy Castle, Kilmashogue, Tibradden, Cruagh and Hellfire Club (Montpelier Hill). Willing to explore any others!

All you need is a headtorch and a sense of adventure! A map and compass and some endurance needed for the more adventurous.

Edit: I run the hills around 4 out of 5 weeknights.

PaulieC

I do, but my wife said it's weird to go up the mountains at night with someone from the internet

Micilin Muc

cambo_gueno wrote: »

I do, but my wife said it's weird to go up the mountains at night with someone from the internet

You've already given me nipple accessories Cambo, how more weird can it get?

Disclaimer: Cambo gave me a spare roll of zinx oxide tape that prevents nipple chafing.

In all seriousness, night-time hill running is great craic. I'm sure there are a few others here who would be interested.

Enduro

I'm up there all the time. Mostly with no headtorch

jeawan

I'm up there mainly Wicklow side a few nights a week ,i do run up three rock as well as it only the other side of the valley to me . give me a PM if you want company as its more fun running in a pack then Solo

KielyUnusual

Micilín, after reading about yourself and Nerraw's nightime run up the mountains on his blog, it does sound intriguing. I'm working out in Bray but I'm not too familiar with the area. Would you be starting from somewhere near there on any of your mountain trails?

Micilin Muc

KielyUnusual wrote: »

Micilín, after reading about yourself and Nerraw's nightime run up the mountains on his blog, it does sound intriguing. I'm working out in Bray but I'm not too familiar with the area. Would you be starting from somewhere near there on any of your mountain trails?

I'm working in Dún Laoghaire so am very close to Bray with the DART etc.

From Bray itself, there are a few trails on top of Bray Head, along with the barriered cliff walk to Greystones. Further along the DART line and we have Killiney, Dalkey and Roches Hills. There's also Shankill to Carrickgollogan and Barnaslingan. No shortage of options, and I know the areas well enough too.

Any night - or morning - in particular that suits you? Monday to Thursday nights are good for me.

KielyUnusual

Mondays would probably suit me. I'll PM you and might arrange to meet up sometime over the next few weeks and head to the hills.

Micilin Muc

The first run is planned for tomorrow night:

Date: Tuesday, 27 November
Time: 7pm
Location: Meeting at Taylor's Three Rock pub carpark, running across to Kilmashogue Lane, up through Kilmashogue Woods to Three Rock and maybe some of the trails.
Distance: 10-20km
Pace: Whatever, no pressure at all
Terrain: Mostly fireroad, and maybe trail if visibility is good with the headtorches

Micilín Muc
Belcarra

wrstan

Sounds fantastic, I'd love to join you sometime, I have run many of those trails, but never in the dark!

You didn't mention Djouce which can be really spectacular, although you need to drive up to the carpark to get started.

Unfortunately tomorrow is out for me and in general, weekdays are more likely to be a challenge.

Micilin Muc

wrstan wrote: »

Sounds fantastic, I'd love to join you sometime, I have run many of those trails, but never in the dark!

You didn't mention Djouce which can be really spectacular, although you need to drive up to the carpark to get started.

Unfortunately tomorrow is out for me and in general, weekdays are more likely to be a challenge.

The problem with Djouce, apart from being further away from Dublin, is that the more isolated carparks can be a bit dangerous at night. Is there a busier pub carpark anywhere near Djouce?

wrstan

I see what you mean. You could park at the pub by the garage at Kilmac, but then you have a c. 5k run up hill on narrow unlit roads before you get to the Djouce carpark and then the same on the way back.

Or you could park up at that little par 3 on the way to Ballinastoe and run down, but that must be just as long!

jeawan

I might make it tomorrow ,7pm is a little early for me on Tuesdays but will try to get there for then.

Micilin Muc

The first run is planned for this Tuesday night:

Date: Tuesday, 27 November
Time: 7pm
Location: Meeting at Taylor's Three Rock pub carpark, running across to Kilmashogue Lane, up through Kilmashogue Woods to Three Rock and maybe some of the trails.
Distance: 10-20km
Pace: Whatever, no pressure at all
Terrain: Mostly fireroad, and maybe trail if visibility is good with the headtorches

Micilín Muc
Belcarra
Jeawan (maybe)

iamjenko

Would love to join you for some of these runs, this week's out for me though! Nest week hopefully!

jeawan

update i will be able to make it tonight cya then

digger2d2

Hope tonight's run went well.. Myself and claralara will definitely join you during December

Micilin Muc

digger2d2 wrote: »

Hope tonight's run went well.. Myself and claralara will definitely join you during December

Went well, lovely evening for it. A bit of fog made the fast descent a lot of fun. December starts next week

Micilin Muc

Date: Thursday, 29 November
Time: 8pm
Location: Meeting at Johnny Fox's and heading up Prince William's Seat and more.
Distance: 10-15km
Pace: Not too fast
Terrain: A bit of fireroad and some trails on the mountain. Hopefully some moonlight as the weather looks promising, but headtorch is important!

Jeawan
Micilín Muc
Belcarra (maybe)

belcarra

Yip, run was very enjoyable tonight. If it was like that every night...!
Make sure you have a good head torch by the way as mine was a piece of piss and dodgy enough when going fast with all the trip hazards on the route. Hoping to make it on Thursday night also.

jeawan

belcarra wrote: »

Yip, run was very enjoyable tonight. If it was like that every night...!
Make sure you have a good head torch by the way as mine was a piece of piss and dodgy enough when going fast with all the trip hazards on the route. Hoping to make it on Thursday night also.

Agreed Run was pretty enjoyable , headtorch is essential and not one that start flashing as you are running down the hill :P like mine

Should be good run on Thursday too .

KielyUnusual

Date: Thursday, 29 November
Time: 8pm
Location: Meeting at Johnny Fox's and heading up Prince William's Seat and more.
Distance: 10-15km
Pace: Not too fast
Terrain: A bit of fireroad and some trails on the mountain. Hopefully some moonlight as the weather looks promising, but headtorch is important!

Jeawan
Micilín Muc
Belcarra (maybe)
KielyUnusual (also maybe)

Might be a bit late for me because I'd have to stick around after work for a long while. Would love to do it though.

ThisRegard

What route are you guys planning on taking, just straight up Prince Williams on the trail, the reverse of the IMRA Wicklow Way Trail if you're familiar with it, or will you be going to the summit through the mucky stuff ?

Micilin Muc

ThisRegard wrote: »

What route are you guys planning on taking, just straight up Prince Williams on the trail, the reverse of the IMRA Wicklow Way Trail if you're familiar with it, or will you be going to the summit through the mucky stuff ?

Jeawan mentioned forest paths and trails, no mention of muckiness. Have you not exceeded your quota of yellow slips for this week, or are they transferable from week to week?

jeawan

I was looking at maybe Running from Johnny foxes road for a bit then unto the wicklow way up the forest trails there onto the top of the mountain then on to price williams seat , i haven't ran the IMRA wicklow way trail so not sure of the route . there is plenty of mucky stuff up there but will try to avoid most of it and stick to the trails as a few of the trails are under about 2 feet of water up there. ( fire break trails )

ThisRegard

Micilin Muc wrote: »

Jeawan mentioned forest paths and trails, no mention of muckiness. Have you not exceeded your quota of yellow slips for this week, or are they transferable from week to week?

Not sure they're transferable ! And to further muddy the waters, we got a gold ticket for Saturday night, a babysitter, and I don't think Nah, I can't go out for a few drinks tonight because I'm meeting up with the lads to go running in the wilds in the morning will cut it ! So I'd be inclined to a later rather than earlier start on Sunday now.

I wouldn't mind getting out tomorrow, I owe Prince William a kick in the crotch as it nearly killed me at the end of the Wicklow Way Trail one year.

This is the course, it stays on the Wicklow Way rather than heading over the summit itself.

http://www.imra.ie/maps/WW%20trail%20route.gif

jeawan

Well meet us at @ 8pm in johnny foxes can join in the fun should be a good run provided the weather holds which i think it will . we might even get a little snow !

PaulieC

If you're looking for a bit of fun, why not try getting to PWS via Cruach and Glendoo. Once you're out of Cruach woods, it's open mountain all the way, no paths or trails. Plenty of muck mind you.

Micilin Muc

cambo_gueno wrote: »

If you're looking for a bit of fun, why not try getting to PWS via Cruach and Glendoo. Once you're out of Cruach woods, it's open mountain all the way, no paths or trails. Plenty of muck mind you.

We're kind of tied to parking at safe carparks, preferably at pubs etc. Tibradden and Cruach carparks are dodgy enough at night! The closest pub is the Merry Ploughboy. It might be an idea for next week!

PaulieC

Micilin Muc wrote: »

We're kind of tied to parking at safe carparks, preferably at pubs etc. Tibradden and Cruach carparks are dodgy enough at night! The closest pub is the Merry Ploughboy. It might be an idea for next week!

Still park at Johnny Foxes and run from there past where you would turn off on the WW towards PWS and continue on to Cruach, on over Glendoo to PWS and back down the WW route to Foxes. It's probably about 10-12 miles in all, but the 3 or 4 over the open mountain will feel a lot longer.

Here's a route that I did a while back that gives you the path over Glendoo, following the closest things I could find to trails. Cut out the Three Rock/Tibradden bit and you could also take a more direct route up through Cruach. I might join you for one of you night trips, or if you are going out this sunday I'll be free for that

nerraw1111

cambo_gueno wrote: »

Here's a route that I did a while back that gives you the path over Glendoo, following the closest things I could find to trails. Cut out the Three Rock/Tibradden bit and you could also take a more direct route up through Cruach. I might join you for one of you night trips, or if you are going out this sunday I'll be free for that

That looks like a nice route. Might give that a go next month.

I should be free for a recce/run this sunday morning

rasher_m

How fast are these runs? Ive ran dublin marathon but im not the fastest. it sounds like fun though

jeawan

That seems like a pretty decent trail I'm not about Sunday but would love to run some of that if not all one weekend might be a bit long for a night run . Regarding pace we take it as slow as the slowest person in the group . If you ran the marathon you should be able for it just remember head torch and warm clothing as it can get cold higher up but we tend to be moving so that shouldn't happen too much .

grimbergen

Sounds fascinating and not the kind of thing I'd try by myself so I might well join you in a couple of weeks (tied up before that unfortunately).

Enduro

cambo_gueno wrote: »

Still park at Johnny Foxes and run from there past where you would turn off on the WW towards PWS and continue on to Cruach, on over Glendoo to PWS and back down the WW route to Foxes. It's probably about 10-12 miles in all, but the 3 or 4 over the open mountain will feel a lot longer.

Here's a route that I did a while back that gives you the path over Glendoo, following the closest things I could find to trails. Cut out the Three Rock/Tibradden bit and you could also take a more direct route up through Cruach. I might join you for one of you night trips, or if you are going out this sunday I'll be free for that

Have you run this in winter before? This is a fantastic route, but I'd only run it when the ground is either baked dry or frozen rock solid. The MTBers call the Cruagh->PWS section the "bog of death" for a good reason. The last time I ran that section I was lucky to make it out without having to wait for someone to drag my carcas out of the boghole I ran straight into.

jeffontour

Enduro wrote: »

The last time I ran that section I was lucky to make it out without having to wait for someone to drag my carcas out of the boghole I ran straight into.

Or use your carcass to step over said hole and keep ones knees dry.

Seriously though, that is a great route but running it alone does make me fear becoming a mountain rescue turned recovery stat.

PaulieC

Enduro wrote: »

Have you run this in winter before? This is a fantastic route, but I'd only run it when the ground is either baked dry or frozen rock solid. The MTBers call the Cruagh->PWS section the "bog of death" for a good reason. The last time I ran that section I was lucky to make it out without having to wait for someone to drag my carcas out of the boghole I ran straight into.

I ran it on 9th Sep at 7 AM after a few dry days. I'd never been up there before and basically figured out the route from Google Earth. The path that was visible from the satellite was actually nothing of the sort .



I also had the boghole experience, although it was only one leg. That bog water sure feels cold on the old scrotum...:eek:




It's not a route I'd recommend doing alone, it feels very remote even though you're not really that far away from Glencullen

Micilin Muc

Wow, that's insanely green for somewhere in Dublin/Wicklow! Which hill is it? Pity it'll be black tonight!

PaulieC

my camera does lie . There are some more photos from that day here (at the end of the set) which are more representative of reality

Enduro

Yup, that bog can get pretty cold pretty quickly when you're burried up to you're nether regions in it alright!

yeah, the satelite images are deceptive alright. The trench does serve as a useful handrail though for routefinding. There are definite traces of tracks beside it most of the way.

Those few dry days would have made a big difference to your experience. When it's dry it's possibly the best route I've ever run anywhere. But when it's wet it's just not worth it, to be honest. It's not only a little dangerous, but its also not going to be runnable at a speed to be of useful training value from a fitness point of view (Great training for mountain-toughness though!). The featherbeds->kippure run has very similar characteristics.

There's another trail beside the forest borders further south. That's also got a few very boggy patches, but I would guess it is much more runnable overall.

Krusty_Clown

Micilin Muc wrote: »

Wow, that's insanely green for somewhere in Dublin/Wicklow!

Eh.. Wicklow? The garden county of Ireland!

Micilin Muc

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Eh.. Wicklow? The garden county of Ireland!

The boggiest garden I've ever seen

jeawan

Micilin Muc wrote: »

The boggiest garden I've ever seen

BOG! parts of it could be considered swimming pools they are deep enough

belcarra

KielyUnusual wrote: »

Date: Thursday, 29 November
Time: 8pm
Location: Meeting at Johnny Fox's and heading up Prince William's Seat and more.
Distance: 10-15km
Pace: Not too fast
Terrain: A bit of fireroad and some trails on the mountain. Hopefully some moonlight as the weather looks promising, but headtorch is important!

Jeawan
Micilín Muc
Belcarra
KielyUnusual (also maybe)

Might be a bit late for me because I'd have to stick around after work for a long while. Would love to do it though.

I'm confirmed for this...provided I get the proper guarantees that I won't end up in a boghole!!

Micilin Muc

belcarra wrote: »

I'm confirmed for this...provided I get the proper guarantees that I won't end up in a boghole!!

Excellent!

No guarantees in trail running Isn't that the fun of it! We can guarantee we won't leave you behind in the hole ... for too long.

ThisRegard

Ok guys, I'll be there at 8.

earlyevening

Just seeing this now. I'd love to come along if I can find a head torch. Its not where I left it - madly searching at the moment!

Might be there at 8.

jeawan

I have a spare head torch if you can not find your one I'll bring it along

PaulieC

well ? Did you all make it back ?

jeawan

Aye all Made it back nice run on a very nice if not a little cold night also good to meet more people to run with .

PaulieC

what route did you do ?