Summit Bagging

Halloween Jack

Have been hillwalking for about a year now, mainly in and around Wicklow. My usual walking partner has bailed so I brought a buddy along a few weeks back and he's absolutely loving it.

We started talking about other mountain areas in Ireland etc and before long we arrived at the notion of trying to do them all. We've now got a bee in our bonnet about doing all the 600 plus tips in the country and have been poring over the lists on mountainviews.

Has anybody else here attempted this type of thing? I have the paddy Dillon cicerone guide ordered but until it comes has anybody have any good routes, traversing lots of tops? Anybody any advice on best areas to base yourself in for a long weekend getting into the hills etc?

I realise it's an almost reductive way to look at the hobby, but it's a fun kind of motivation to go and explore parts of the country we wouldn't normally be in.

SNAKEDOC

This so called summit bagging is a good way to stay motivated and i catch my wife ticking off the peaks we've covered on a weekend hike. She has actually become veray adapt at picking routes with the goal of peaking at least twice or three times p hike which i dont really go for. In regards to trying to cover all the peaks in ireland its a tough ask whats your time frame and where are you based. Check on line for little challenges like the four peaks challenge coming up its the four highest in each provence. When setting routes just sit down with a good map and pick your way carefully through the best routes.
The most ive done in one day is seven peaks or high points in wicklow covering 24km which was a tough slog but worth the effort. Some peaks need a day to themselves others can be part of a massive list in one day particularly the ridges in wicklow like camaderry conavala lugduff and monbaun, or white hill djouce war hill maulin and taunduff. As i said before careful selection is critical for an endevour like this in a short time frame if not settle in for a long few years before reaching your goal. Best of luck. I myself have resigned myself to peaking all of leinster first.

Pat Mustard

You wouldn't be the first, OP.

Bagging the Munros.

The Irish Munros.

SNAKEDOC

Ah the munros is one thing but doing all the peaks in the country is completely different. There are over 500 high points or peaks in ireland there are only what 13 munros. A weekend per munro and your done if your really after it. Doing all the peaks takes time and planning.

duckysauce

http://mountainviews.ie/ it's all there

Have done a fair bit of it, have bagged most in Kerry and West Cork. At the start was getting in long days where I was ticking off up to 10 or so outings along the Dunkerrons or Reeks, but of course now have to start travelling a good distance to get numbers like that in. So prefer to find new routes or do challenges like walk the full length of some range even if I have done all the summits in it before. So if you want any tips on the Reeks, Cahas, Shehy/Knockboys, Mangertons or Dunkerrons, let me know.

SNAKEDOC

You know i wa thinking with all the experienced walkers here we could start a how to for walkers by walkers for each area of interest in the country ie the reeks the mourns wicklow dublin and so on. Maybe nominate yourself to do a right up on the spot you consider yourself to be expert in. Would anyone be interested.

Always happy to suggest routes and the like...but mountainviews.ie hard to beat for maps, pics, info, walk suggestions complete with GPS info etc. etc.

Halloween Jack

Thanks for all the replies lads, just on the way back from my first expedition, which was nothing short of disastrous;)

Started at glenmacnas headed down the road for a bit and climbed up to the east top of mullacleevaughn, terrain was absutely horrific and weather wasn't much better. We made our way along the ridge toward tonelagee across vegetation less bog before getting caught in thick rain/cloud and had descend down the flank of the ridge!

I'll put it down to experience and try again next week, was supposed to bag 5 tops today, ended up with one and swollen ankles!

Halloween Jack

SNAKEDOC wrote: »

This so called summit bagging is a good way to stay motivated and i catch my wife ticking off the peaks we've covered on a weekend hike. She has actually become veray adapt at picking routes with the goal of peaking at least twice or three times p hike which i dont really go for. In regards to trying to cover all the peaks in ireland its a tough ask whats your time frame and where are you based. Check on line for little challenges like the four peaks challenge coming up its the four highest in each provence. When setting routes just sit down with a good map and pick your way carefully through the best routes.
The most ive done in one day is seven peaks or high points in wicklow covering 24km which was a tough slog but worth the effort. Some peaks need a day to themselves others can be part of a massive list in one day particularly the ridges in wicklow like camaderry conavala lugduff and monbaun, or white hill djouce war hill maulin and taunduff. As i said before careful selection is critical for an endevour like this in a short time frame if not settle in for a long few years before reaching your goal. Best of luck. I myself have resigned myself to peaking all of leinster first.

The point about careful route selection is a sage one, as I found out today, they don't show peat hags and swamp on the OS map!

SNAKEDOC

Halloween Jack wrote: »

The point about careful route selection is a sage one, as I found out today, they don't show peat hags and swamp on the OS map!

Yea its hit and miss especially in this weather. After so much rainfall i tend to stick to routes i know to be in good nic so i dont get caught out. I leave the unknown routes for the summer months and longer days. Where were you out of interest. Some sopts are marked as marsh areas but the osi maps especially the large scale ones are poor for specifics. I stray away from the 1.50000 scale and go for the 1.25000. Cant wait for the new scale osi maps they're out soon i think.

Alun

I don't hold out too much hope for the new 1:25k OSi maps to be honest. They'll be more readable, true, but if they contain any more detail relevant to hillwalkers (marshy areas, crags, boulder fields, tracks etc.) I'll be surprised.

Halloween Jack

Was up in wicklow, near enough the Sally gap.

Your bang on about the maps, I think there is a 25000:1 for the wicklow area I must try and lay my hands on.

Good advice about saving new routes for summer too;)

SNAKEDOC

Halloween Jack wrote: »

Was up in wicklow, near enough the Sally gap.

Your bang on about the maps, I think there is a 25000:1 for the wicklow area I must try and lay my hands on.

Good advice about saving new routes for summer too;)

I bought a map last weekend and it turned out to be a crap yoke years old with the wicklow way going a different route on it. Again as i have learned maps are hit and miss. I have the four map series of wicklow east west lug and dublin mountains i find them grand but a few spots ive noticed small descrepencies, nothing to write home about but still.
If your spending an extended time in wicklow bagging summits a bike is the best transport in my opinion a weekend would see a good number of peaks scratched off the list.

Alun

SNAKEDOC wrote: »

I have the four map series of wicklow east west lug and dublin mountains i find them grand but a few spots ive noticed small descrepencies, nothing to write home about but still.

Let them know, if you find any problems. The author, Barry Dalby, is here on boards as user BarryD. If you spot any real errors, you'll even get a free copy of the next issue of the relevant map, can't say fairer than that!

BarryD

SNAKEDOC wrote: »

I have the four map series of wicklow east west lug and dublin mountains i find them grand but a few spots ive noticed small descrepencies, nothing to write home about but still.

Sure, always appreciative to hear of any omissions/ new features and so on. In particular, I'm currently revising our Wicklow West sheet, so if anyone has spotted any errors on that, I'd be pleased to hear.

By way, I hear quite often from people that Moanbane and Silsean are in the 'wrong place' - reasons for this are well enough covered on our website. I've heard / seen no evidence to date that the name Silsean etc, applies anywhere but the NE side of the hill.

SNAKEDOC

Alun wrote: »

Let them know, if you find any problems. The author, Barry Dalby, is here on boards as user BarryD. If you spot any real errors, you'll even get a free copy of the next issue of the relevant map, can't say fairer than that!

Thanks for that. Ah it was only small stuff i spotted. There is a car park marked on the old coach road in wicklow as access to croone wood but the car park is closed a while now as i said nothing to write home about.

BarryD

Is that the small car park at Curtlestown Wood entrance? Crone car park is hardly closed??

Halloween Jack

Have been thinking of setting a target for myself for the year in terms of summits, I want something challenging but also realistic, I've come up with 75 between now and New Years Day, which I think is doable, I've still got 25 odd in wicklow to climb, which would represent a third of my total.

That would leave me 50, with the mournes, comeraghs, galtys and knockmealdowns all around 2 hours drive away I'm optimistic I can hit my numbers.

Anybody think that's about right? Am I being too ambitious/not ambitious enough?

Will be going out on Saturday in wicklow and hoping to bag 2/3 and get back on track after last week's disaster;)

BarryD

Halloween Jack wrote: »

We made our way along the ridge toward tonelagee across vegetation less bog before getting caught in thick rain/cloud and had descend down the flank of the ridge!

If you're up there again, keep to the eastern edge of the ridge between Mullaghcleevaun and Tonelagee. Here there's a 'grassy strip' or least easier going. Normally you'd follow the crest of any ridge/ spur, partic in poor visibility but the centre line of this ridge is more like purgatory, partic with all the rain recently!

Same ridge was scene of one of very few occasions when I can say I was absolutely lost and didn't have a clue as to where we were - it was as if the fairies had just lifted us up and dropped us somewhere else. Many moons ago, set out from Dublin in evening time to walk the Lug Walk I think, though as we never got there I can't be sure. Night turned drizzly and mizzly but we were going grand till reaching Mullaghcleevaun in the wee hours before dawn. Duly headed down to pick up aforesaid 'grassy strip'. We thought we carried on down past what OS call Barnacullian and expected to cross saddle and rise to Tonelagee. However somehow in the mist and tiredness, we veered across the face of Barnacullion and ended up on featureless slopes and then into forestry. Hadn't a clue where we were, thought in fact we'd gone down towards Glenmacanass (I should add that this was in pre OS 1:50,000 map days, so old one inch map which required imagination to interpret!). Ended up in what was now daylight on a road completely mystified, to then find a sign saying Annalecky and realised we were miles off course and down in Kings River valley. Hmm - long damp trek back to Hollywood and main road.. good slagging after that one

Yes, in retrospect, a bit more attention to the compass would have told us that we were going SW rather than S and I didn't know much about slope aspect at the time. Thought we knew the ground well etc. But as they say, you learn from your mistakes!

Edit to add: anyone else have stories of being quite lost on the hills, not just a little bit mislaid as sometimes happens but being genuinely clueless for a period of time as to where you were Maybe another thread altogether..

Halloween Jack

BarryD wrote: »

If you're up there again, keep to the eastern edge of the ridge between Mullaghcleevaun and Tonelagee. Here there's a 'grassy strip' or least easier going. Normally you'd follow the crest of any ridge/ spur, partic in poor visibility but the centre line of this ridge is more like purgatory, partic with all the rain recently!

Same ridge was scene of one of very few occasions when I can say I was absolutely lost and didn't have a clue as to where we were - it was as if the fairies had just lifted us up and dropped us somewhere else. Many moons ago, set out from Dublin in evening time to walk the Lug Walk I think, though as we never got there I can't be sure. Night turned drizzly and mizzly but we were going grand till reaching Mullaghcleevaun in the wee hours before dawn. Duly headed down to pick up aforesaid 'grassy strip'. We thought we carried on down past what OS call Barnacullian and expected to cross saddle and rise to Tonelagee. However somehow in the mist and tiredness, we veered across the face of Barnacullion and ended up on featureless slopes and then into forestry. Hadn't a clue where we were, thought in fact we'd gone down towards Glenmacanass (I should add that this was in pre OS 1:50,000 map days, so old one inch map which required imagination to interpret!). Ended up in what was now daylight on a road completely mystified, to then find a sign saying Annalecky and realised we were miles off course and down in Kings River valley. Hmm - long damp trek back to Hollywood and main road.. good slagging after that one

Yes, in retrospect, a bit more attention to the compass would have told us that we were going SW rather than S and I didn't know much about slope aspect at the time. Thought we knew the ground well etc. But as they say, you learn from your mistakes!

Cheers for the info Barry, it was my first time in and around there, the terrain was truly horrific, looked an absolute doddle on the map:)

I read on mountainviews that beyond carrigshouk there are sheep trails that provide relatively hassle free access to the east top of mullacleevaun, does anybody know if that's the case? I will be down there on saturday morning and might have another crack at it, hope to find a better route from there up to the main summit too.

BarryD

Depends on visibility - if good, you can often look along and pick out the best line to take. If I was doing that circuit though, I think I'd head to Tonelagee first and then across to Mullaghcleevaun. The Glenmacanass River above the waterfall is notoriously hard/ dangerous to cross in wet weather, so you should aim to cross first thing rather than at end of the day in failing light. Also better ground on uphill going this way, have fun!

Edit: when I say, cross river early in day, I mean if it looks handy. Any real doubt, do not attempt! Same place is a doddle in summer conditions but would definitely be tricky as of now, I'd guess.

Alun

BarryD wrote: »

If you're up there again, keep to the eastern edge of the ridge between Mullaghcleevaun and Tonelagee. Here there's a 'grassy strip' or least easier going. Normally you'd follow the crest of any ridge/ spur, partic in poor visibility but the centre line of this ridge is more like purgatory, partic with all the rain recently!

The route I always follow is a really handy gully / stream coming off Mullaghcleevaun at about 160 deg which takes you all the way down to join the main stream that eventually heads over the waterfall. Follow this almost to the waterfall, then cross it and head up the bank and over the broken down fence to find the 'grassy strip'. I remember making about 10-15 mins headway on a group of walkers who headed straight over Barnacullian during the Lug Walk last year doing this

Halloween Jack

Thanks again lads, will probably hit tonelagee first on saturday, then see how we feel from the top:)

The glenmacnass river is actually easy enough to cross at the moment, just beyond the carpark there are stepping stones, which are just about doable.

BarryD

That's it alright, just take note that this river can rise (and fall) quickly as quite a few people have learnt over the years, self included

Not pleasant to be stuck on the wrong side of it, within sight of the carpark!!

Alun

Regarding accessing via Carrigshouk from the road, I usually head for the bottom of the most northerly small crag marked on the East West map. There's a steep 'ramp' of sorts to the right of this with a tree sticking out of the rock at the top which I use as a landmark. Follow this up and aim for the saddle below the summit of Carrigshouk. There are also some tracks marked to the north of this in the same map, but I've never tried these. Last time I was there thy had just felled that area so it was bit of a mess, but it might have cleared up by now. There's also a route up starting further south and up to follow along a fence, but that can be pretty mucky when wet.

I'm surprised the Glenmacnass is crossable at the car park at the moment to be honest. I'd have assumed the worst after all the recent rain.

Alun

BarryD wrote: »

Not pleasant to be stuck on the wrong side of it, within sight of the carpark!!

Only one sensible option in that case .. back up to the forest above the car park and pick up the forest tracks back to Laragh. Then either get a taxi or beg a lift back to the car park to pick up the cars!

Halloween Jack

Had two nice days on the hills in the last two weeks, went back up to glenmacnass and did tonelagee and Stoney top, was still quite snowy up there and very enjoyable.

On Saturday we went up seefin and did that circuit round the firing range.

According to mountainviews that's 7 tops off my list

Alun

Halloween Jack wrote: »

On Saturday we went up seefin and did that circuit round the firing range.

We were up there too, might have bumped into each other. It was pretty windy heading up Seahan, wasn't it

Halloween Jack

Alun wrote: »

We were up there too, might have bumped into each other. It was pretty windy heading up Seahan, wasn't it

Certainly was! We were literally being blown off course heading toward the summit!

there was a group passed us by on seefingan, amongst all the bog, maybe yourselves?

Hadn't been in that area before, quite a nice little walk.

Alun

There were 8 of us out, we did come across a couple of groups of 5 or 6 and a couple of guys together I think. I was concentrating too hard on not being blown over to take too much notice of who we met to be honest!

Yes, it's a nice area all right. If you head north a few kms from Seahan along the edge of the forest, you get some nice views of the Boharnabreena reservoirs and the Glenasmole Valley over to the Featherbeds and the Dublin Mts., as well as views out over Dublin, Dublin Bay, Howth and beyond.

Halloween Jack

Alun wrote: »

There were 8 of us out, we did come across a couple of groups of 5 or 6 and a couple of guys together I think. I was concentrating too hard on not being blown over to take too much notice of who we met to be honest!

Yes, it's a nice area all right. If you head north a few kms from Seahan along the edge of the forest, you get some nice views of the Boharnabreena reservoirs and the Glenasmole Valley over to the Featherbeds and the Dublin Mts., as well as views out over Dublin, Dublin Bay, Howth and beyond.

We were the two guys, i think everybody up there was motoring along trying to get out of that wind;)

SNAKEDOC

I've being up around tonlagee a few times now and crossed the river ad glenmac nass, i was just wondering why there is not a foot bridge there as all times ive being there i had to walk a long way to find a crossing point rather than have to wade across.

Halloween Jack

SNAKEDOC wrote: »

I've being up around tonlagee a few times now and crossed the river ad glenmac nass, i was just wondering why there is not a foot bridge there as all times ive being there i had to walk a long way to find a crossing point rather than have to wade across.

It would certainly be handy, judging by the trails that are worn in up there it must be a popular enough walk.

However i could see problems with bringing even more litter to the area immediately the other side of the river, in the woods there, which is disgraceful.

Alun

SNAKEDOC wrote: »

I've being up around tonlagee a few times now and crossed the river ad glenmac nass, i was just wondering why there is not a foot bridge there as all times ive being there i had to walk a long way to find a crossing point rather than have to wade across.

Very good question! I have heard various stories about the building of such a bridge over the years, but I'm not sure about how true they are, and wouldn't want to relay incorrect information on a public forum.

EDIT: Did a bit of Googling and found this article on mountainviews.ie that gives a summary of what I had heard through the grapevine ...

http://mountainviews.ie/motleyviews/general/comment/5904/

BarryD

I think there was a footbridge there for a while in the 1990s? A little upriver from the carpark. It was 'controversial' and was helped on it's way during a particularly large flood.

River crossings are part & parcel of hillwalking and mountaineering. It's an important skill to be able to judge where, when and how to cross a river. And of course, to judge when & where not to attempt it. It's one of the dodgier parts of an otherwise relatively safe past time. So there are people would feel that the Glenmacanass river here should be left as it is, as a place where people should learn & appreciate this skill. Handy when you go elsewhere in the country or over to Scotland etc., where there are plenty of mountain rivers of size.

SNAKEDOC

the only reason i mention it is that the waterfall is a big attraction and there is a great big carpark there and to look at any map with several trails around on the south side of the river one could be forgiven for thinking there is a bridge there. i had to walk two k's up river with my wife some months ago to find a half way safe crossing point. i managed to cross but the wife walked for another km before finding a crossing point she was comfortable with. many other groups would just chance jumping from rock to rock and end up in the drink.

paulocon2

How is the challenge coming along?

It's something I was at myself (Paddy Dillon's book was acting as my list) but work + family commitments mean that my progress is slow/non-existent. Normally try and grab a top or two if away on a break, got through all the Mournes and a fair bit of the Wicklows but most of the other involve day excursions which isn't feasible at the moment.

Great challenge all the same and a great way to see the country!

Halloween Jack

paulocon2 wrote: »

How is the challenge coming along?

It's something I was at myself (Paddy Dillon's book was acting as my list) but work + family commitments mean that my progress is slow/non-existent. Normally try and grab a top or two if away on a break, got through all the Mournes and a fair bit of the Wicklows but most of the other involve day excursions which isn't feasible at the moment.

Great challenge all the same and a great way to see the country!

Has taken at back seat this last few weeks as both me and my walking buddy have exams.

Hope to get out next weekend at least once in wicklow.

We will definitely be heading further afield during the summer, with the comeraghs and the reeks being the priority;)