Hills and Mountains in Ireland with path/track to the top

acorn

I'm often asked my my non-hillwalking friends to point them in the direction of a hill/mountain with a track to the summit that would be suitable for people with no navigation skills.

I'd like to compile a bit of a list with the name of the hill and location or link to info.

A few that spring to mind

a. Diamond Hill : Connemara National Park :www.connemaranationalpark.ie
b. Mullaghmore : Burren National Park :
c. Keeper Hill : http://www.shannonregiontrails.ie/FindaTrail/Walking/Treks/TrailName,8016,en.html

I'm sure there's lots more around the country.
Thanks in advance

Blingy

The sugarloaf in Wicklow.

Down South

torc, Killarney

mr spuckler

croagh patrick, djouce

Mangerton Killarney has a track up as far as the Devil's Punchbowl and around the back of that coom.

acorn

Good stuff,
Keep them coming
Feel free to add a link or directions to start point etc
Could become a very useful list !

SomeFool

Brandon by the pilgrims path is well marked

carav10

SomeFool wrote: »

Brandon by the pilgrims path is well marked

Would still need navigation skills in poor visibility though as the crosses are quite far apart - not really a follow the path kind of walk. Whereas Torc in Killarney, like Glendalough has the sleepers all the way up so very hard to go wrong in any weather.

Orion

Maulin has a track all the way up. So does Croganmoira.

There's always the waymarked trails. The Wicklow Way for example is signed all the way and goes over a few mountains.

paulocon2

Kippure, Truskmore, Mullaghanish and Mount Leinster have roads to provide access to the RTE transmitters situated at the summit. Can also add Clermont Carn/Black Mountain in the Cooley mountains to that list - great views of Carlingford Lough from up there. There is also a mast on Corn Hill which is the County Top of Longford (but otherwise has little of interest).

Minuan Heights on Achill Island has a road most of the way to the top followed by a short walk to the summit. Fantastic views of the island from up there and a great walk for kids of a summer evening.

There are loads with 'tracks' but it depends what your definition of a track is. Even well defined tracks can be lost in bad conditions so I'd not recommend sending anyone up somewhere like Mangerton or Brandon unless they have maps and navigation skills.

Edit: Also, 'White Hill' which has boardwalk all the way up. Boardwalk also takes you quite close to the top of Djouce.

BarryD

Hmm.. the weather and prevailing conditions on mountains are the same whether you have a road, boardwalk or just ambling up through the heather. People can be lulled into a false 'sense of security' by presence of roads and tracks to summits. You'd want to be giving a health warning with your list

dogmatix

Just of the top of my head I propose the following (for the views)...
1. The three rock mountain in Dublin.
2. Bray head, Wicklow.
3. Trooperstown Hill, Wicklow.
4. That hill overlooking Lough Hyne in Cork.
5. The hell fire club, Dublin.

The three rock and hell fire club would be the most accessible of lot.

Esroh

Ben Levy / Mount Gable in Clonbur Co.Galway has a marked way from the Village.
Amazing views across Lough Mask, Lough Corrib, Joyce Country and the Turks.

Also a famine village with lots of preserved lazybeds on the shore of Lough Coolin at the base so a great place to bring kids for a bit of education.

acorn

dogmatix wrote: »

Just of the top of my head I propose the following (for the views)...
1. The three rock mountain in Dublin.
2. Bray head, Wicklow.
3. Trooperstown Hill, Wicklow.
4. That hill overlooking Lough Hyne in Cork.
5. The hell fire club, Dublin.

The three rock and hell fire club would be the most accessible of lot.

I was in West Cork at the weekend and saw a sign for Lough Hyne so off I went to investigate - it was great. Parking area, a well marked track through broadleaf woodland, bluebells and birdsong. Met a family on top, kids thrilled with themselves for climbing to the top of a "mountain". Exactly the kind of thing I was looking for.
Thanks for that dogmatix.

flemishgael

Is the loop walk around Diamond Hill signposted? I suppose it is, but not entirely sure.

duckysauce

flemishgael wrote: »

Is the loop walk around Diamond Hill signposted? I suppose it is, but not entirely sure.

it's marked alright

flemishgael

duckysauce wrote: »

it's marked alright

Thanks. Will do it end of this month

Niall_daaS

It should be considered that some hills, especially in the Wicklow area don't have paths to their tops but motorways. This is nice for unexperienced walkers, but in fact it's a massive damage to the countryside and nature. There is this broad eroded path up to Djouce, Co. Wicklow e. g. caused by people making a side step off the Wicklow Way and due to its very good accessibilty from Dublin (what makes it also famous for hill runners). It's a thing people should be aware of before they consider a nice and easy walk. And I think there are more to name, maybe not only in Wicklow.

beauf

What's the alternative

Niall_daaS

There is none. It's like all things that cause something. If the supermarket is 500 m from your doorstep nobody can forbid you to use the car. Or if you smoke nobody can tell you not to. But people should tell you that unnecessary use of a car has an impact on the air, that cigaretts are unhealthy - and that too much walking on an eroded path destroys a part of nature. What we make from this information is up to everyone of us.

beauf

I'm not sure why you posted if the only alternative you can think of is never walk on a popular route.

Niall_daaS

That's not what I said. I said people should be aware of what they do, not that they shouldn't go. So if there is a list of easily accessible hills it might be helpful to add this issue in a short note and build awareness of erosion. It's generally just leave no trace.

duckysauce

Niall_daaS wrote: »

There is none. It's like all things that cause something. If the supermarket is 500 m from your doorstep nobody can forbid you to use the car. Or if you smoke nobody can tell you not to. But people should tell you that unnecessary use of a car has an impact on the air, that cigaretts are unhealthy - and that too much walking on an eroded path destroys a part of nature. What we make from this information is up to everyone of us.

http://mountainmeitheal.ie/ you reckon these people are wasting their time so ?

Niall_daaS

duckysauce wrote: »

http://mountainmeitheal.ie/ you reckon these people are wasting their time so ?

No. They do a great and necessary job and make it possible for many people to enjoy outdoor activities like hill walking while reducing impacts on nature to a possible minimum.

But tell me what is wrong when I say that a deadly eroded top like Djouce which has no bordwalk, steps or similar (yet) should be protected from becoming even more damaged? And again: it's not about forbidding people to go up there or to not encourage newbies to do outdoor sports in general. It's just about building awareness.

Alun

The heavily eroded route on Djouce you're talking about was targeted a few years ago, with some edging stones placed to define the footpath and some polite signs erected to request people to keep between them. Unfortunately they were roundly ignored, the signs have 'disappeared', and it's back to 'normal' again.

duckysauce

Niall_daaS wrote: »

No. They do a great and necessary job and make it possible for many people to enjoy outdoor activities like hill walking while reducing impacts on nature to a possible minimum.

But tell me what is wrong when I say that a deadly eroded top like Djouce which has no bordwalk, steps or similar (yet) should be protected from becoming even more damaged? And again: it's not about forbidding people to go up there or to not encourage newbies to do outdoor sports in general. It's just about building awareness.

people are aware , hardly say Djouce is deadly by the way . It's you saying there is no alternative when there is one IE PATHS or boardwalks on popular routes.

Red Kev

Four handy ones, especially for kids. They all have other attractions such as Cairns, ruins, etc.

Knocknarea in Sligo.
Seltnasaggart, Roscommon.
Sliabh Bawn, Roscommon.
Turlough Hill, Wicklow.

spuddy90

Mount Leinster is a nice one. Can bring the kids up that one as its a road to top.

Niall_daaS

duckysauce wrote: »

people are aware , hardly say Djouce is deadly by the way . It's you saying there is no alternative when there is one IE PATHS or boardwalks on popular routes.

I think we both misunderstood each other. If there is an actual boardwalk or any other preserving action done it's absolutly fine to use them and to encourage people to do so.

I disagree with you about Djouce, but that's maybe another topic not to be discussed in this thread.

Carawaystick

Orion wrote: »

So does Croganmoira.

Drove up to the top once in a Hilux