Glen of Imaal Loop, Military range

Planning a trip in the next week or two would like to do the Glen of Imaal Loop: http://my.viewranger.com/route/details/NTAzMg==

Coming in from the Donard side, but we're worried about crossing into the military range, it appears that this used to be aloud only when the red flags we'rent showing, but I cant find any recent information on this.

Anybody know if the rules still apply, no red flag good to go?

or is it just off limits all the time?

uck51js9zml2yt

The guys heading to Lebanon next week have just finished training in the glen.

Kristina Puny Flamingo

Kristina Puny Flamingo wrote: »

The guys heading to Lebanon next week have just finished training in the glen.

So what you're saying is the boys are away, so it's coo you guys? :cool:

uck51js9zml2yt

Dakota Vast Veil wrote: »

So what you're saying is the boys are away, so it's coo you guys? :cool:

I'm saying the battalion going to the Leb won't be there. I never said anything else.
There's a high probability of a lot of live munitions on the ground,providing my brother didn't count it back on the box.

Kristina Puny Flamingo

Kristina Puny Flamingo wrote: »

I'm saying the battalion going to the Leb won't be there. I never said anything else.
There's a high probability of a lot of live munitions on the ground,providing my brother didn't count it back on the box.

I was only jesting

But seen as you have the inside line, I'm sure you can answer my question about whether or not the land is completely off limits to civilians, or if there are no flags, as used to be the case, you can follow the trail up to Table Mountain and around?

uck51js9zml2yt

Dakota Vast Veil wrote: »

I was only jesting

But seen as you have the inside line, I'm sure you can answer my question about whether or not the land is completely off limits to civilians, or if there are no flags, as used to be the case, you can follow the trail up to Table Mountain and around?

Honestly, I've no idea:) All I know is the lads spent the last month training between the curragh and the glen.
I've not even seen him and probably won't for another 6 months..... Unless of course a family member dies and he flies home. ...its happened twice

Alun

When they're not firing, the two access routes are open to the public. The times when the range is being used are posted on the Mountaineering Ireland website here ...

http://www.mountaineering.ie/aboutus/news/2015/default.aspx?iid=854

These are for October, but the November ones should be up on the website soon. If not just give the Army Range Warden Service in Seskin a call on (045) 404 653. Generally speaking they don't fire at weekends, but on the rare occasions they do it'll be on the website, and there'll be red flags flying that are obvious to anyone joining the route at the main access points, and probably a soldier posted to warn people off as well.

Good luck, it's a great walk, but give yourself plenty of time, it's probably a good 6 hr walk. The last part coming down from Table is a decent track down to the forest, and then wide forest tracks after that, so it's not too bad if it's getting a bit dark at that point.

Kristina Puny Flamingo

Kristina Puny Flamingo wrote: »

Honestly, I've no idea:) All I know is the lads spent the last month training between the curragh and the glen.
I've not even seen him and probably won't for another 6 months..... Unless of course a family member dies and he flies home. ...its happened twice

Jaysus :eek: well hopefully that doesn't happen

Cool, hopefully someone else will else will tune in with the does and do not's of the Glen Imaal loop.

Alun

Alun wrote: »

When they're not firing, the two access routes are open to the public. The times when the range is being used are posted on the Mountaineering Ireland website here ...

http://www.mountaineering.ie/aboutus/news/2015/default.aspx?iid=854

These are for October, but the November ones should be up on the website soon. If not just give the Army Range Warden Service in Seskin a call on (045) 404 653. Generally speaking they don't fire at weekends, but on the rare occasions they do it'll be on the website, and there'll be red flags flying that are obvious to anyone joining the route at the main access points, and probably a soldier posted to warn people off as well.

Good luck, it's a great walk, but give yourself plenty of time, it's probably a good 6 hr walk. The last part coming down from Table is a decent track down to the forest, and then wide forest tracks after that, so it's not too bad if it's getting a bit dark at that point.

Perfect thank you for the link, I found a similar timetable, but it was dated 2012, that was why I thought maybe they had closed access off completely to the public.

We can start preparing now, really looking forward to it.

Alun

Probably should have been a bit clearer on the access routes ...

The route from Seskin to Lug via Camara Hill is within the firing range boundaries but follows an agreed access route when firing is not happening. Do not deviate from this.

From Lug to Table you're walking along the boundary of the range to your left.

From Table to just above the forest, again you're within the range but again on an agreed access route. Almost impossible to miss.

Eventually you come across a gate across the track with a sign directing you off right down a quite steep, and boggy at the bottom, slope to Oiltiagh Brook which you cross with the help of two rather ramshackle wooden bridges and then onto a Coillte motorway to the road where you walk another 2km or so back to Seskin. There's a Ogham stone in a a clearing to your left just before you hit the road if you're interested in that sort of thing

Alun

Alun wrote: »

Probably should have been a bit clearer on the access routes ...

The route from Seskin to Lug via Camara Hill is within the firing range boundaries but follows an agreed access route when firing is not happening. Do not deviate from this.

From Lug to Table you're walking along the boundary of the range to your left.

From Table to just above the forest, again you're within the range but again on an agreed access route. Almost impossible to miss.

Eventually you come across a gate across the track with a sign directing you off right down a quite steep, and boggy at the bottom, slope to Oiltiagh Brook which you cross with the help of two rather ramshackle wooden bridges and then onto a Coillte motorway to the road where you walk another 2km or so back to Seskin. There's a Ogham stone in a a clearing to your left just before you hit the road if you're interested in that sort of thing

Perfect, thanks for the info, the link I posted in my original comment keeps to the agreed access route?

Ogham stone love any sort of ancient object or structure, will definitely be checking this out.

Alun

Dakota Vast Veil wrote: »

Perfect, thanks for the info, the link I posted in my original comment keeps to the agreed access route?

Yep, it would appear so.

Halloween Jack

As an aside, has anybody ever been up that direction when they were firing?

Had a daydream about going up lug from the glenmalure side and watching them firing.

Alun

Halloween Jack wrote: »

As an aside, has anybody ever been up that direction when they were firing?

Yes, I've walked along the boundary from Table, via Camenabologue to Lug one weekday when they were firing. Heard a lot of what sounded like heavy machine gun fire, but couldn't see anything.

uck51js9zml2yt

Halloween Jack wrote: »

As an aside, has anybody ever been up that direction when they were firing?

Had a daydream about going up lug from the glenmalure side and watching them firing.

It would be foolish to wander within the boundary when they are firing. Bullets don't discriminate !

I'll send flowers to your funeral

Halloween Jack

Kristina Puny Flamingo wrote: »

It would be foolish to wander within the boundary when they are firing. Bullets don't discriminate !

I'll send flowers to your funeral

With no ridge walks or scrambling in Wicklow it's one way to introduce a bit of danger;)

Alun

Kristina Puny Flamingo wrote: »

It would be foolish to wander within the boundary when they are firing. Bullets don't discriminate !

True, but that isn't what he asked though!

Carawaystick

Halloween Jack wrote: »

As an aside, has anybody ever been up that direction when they were firing?

Had a daydream about going up lug from the glenmalure side and watching them firing.

Was along the ride from Table mountain to Lug one time there was mortar fire and heavy machine gun fire. Kind of incongruous with the skylarks singing. It was a cloudless calm day.
No sign of anything, but there's a huge convex curve before you get to see down into the glen.

Found a load of spent blank 5.56& 7.62 shells once in Glenmalure on the North side of the glen about a km up from the hostel, on the gentler slopes higher up. There were a few smoke canisters too - or maybe 23 mm blank grenades.
I presume it was defense forces training, and not the 'ra

unkel

Decent two page article about this walk in this weeks Sunday Times (Irish edition). Written by Declan Cunningham who is a team leader with Wicklow mountain rescue. Unfortunately not available online afaik...

Next time you're on Camenabologue, beware. It means "pass of the bullocks"