Diamond hill

obi604 · 02-08-2020 9:41am #1

Hi

I see there are a few threads on diamond hill but they are a few years old. Couple of questions.

From trip advisor. Says it’s 3 hours.

Is this 3 hours up and 3 hours down?

freak scence · 02-08-2020 4:22pm

obi604 wrote: »

Hi

I see there are a few threads on diamond hill but they are a few years old. Couple of questions.

From trip advisor. Says it’s 3 hours.

Is this 3 hours up and 3 hours down?

3 hrs in total

obi604 · 02-08-2020 10:05pm

We ended up hopping in the car and doing this today with kids (5&6)

Enjoyable but you need to watch the kids like hawks. Hand holding for the dodgy parts.

Fascinating really whoever layed all the stones in the path/staircase for hundreds of metres, must have taken years. Big heavy stones that form a perfect staircase most of the way. (Could not find any info about the whole staircase layout scenario)

obi604 · 03-08-2020 10:53pm

Does anyone else know of any similar hikes to diamond hill? Near enough to Galway. And that would not be too risky for a family with 5 and 6 year old kids.

[Deleted User] · 05-08-2020 11:44am

@obi604 It was closed in 2002 because of the erosion. Opened again in 2005 after all the work on the track was completed. The initial estimate was €1.4m for the work but I think there was a large overrun. The wood and stones were ferried in by helicopter.

No doubt it was costly ( I heard €6m) but it's a great amenity to the area and a good family trip. The full loop is 7.5km with 366m height gain. There's nothing else like that that I can think of up there. Maybe do some of the Western Way up around Mám Éan/Garrytrislaun

obi604 · 05-08-2020 12:33pm

GerardS wrote: »

@obi604 It was closed in 2002 because of the erosion. Opened again in 2005 after all the work on the track was completed. The initial estimate was €1.4m for the work but I think there was a large overrun. The wood and stones were ferried in by helicopter.

No doubt it was costly ( I heard €6m) but it's a great amenity to the area and a good family trip. The full loop is 7.5km with 366m height gain. There's nothing else like that that I can think of up there. Maybe do some of the Western Way up around Mám Éan/Garrytrislaun

thanks, must have been some operation to lay that track, serious effort, stones really heavy etc

obi604 · 05-08-2020 12:58pm

tphase wrote: »

could try Errisbeg or Tully hill. No marked trail like Diamond hill (which is more like a 2 hour hike under normal circumstances but with wee ones in tow, might easily be 3 hours or more)

are these relatively safe without the marked trail etc?

obi604 · 05-08-2020 5:06pm

tphase wrote: »

could try Errisbeg or Tully hill. No marked trail like Diamond hill (which is more like a 2 hour hike under normal circumstances but with wee ones in tow, might easily be 3 hours or more)

cant really find errisbeg or tully hill on maps. do these appear on google maps. do they have car parks or just unofficial parking areas

obi604 · 06-08-2020 8:12am

Thanks for the links.

Wonder would Benbulben be suitable?

Losty Dublin · 10-08-2020 11:25pm

obi604 wrote: »

Thanks for the links.

Wonder would Benbulben be suitable?

It is not that easy a climb route wise and not the best one with kids, especially if they needed your hand in places. There is a shorter walk to the woods on the side that might do you for now. In the Sligo area Carrowkeel is a safe if easy bet; excellent views and the megalithic tombs on top to give added adventure. Kesh Caves outside Ballymote is a short if steep climb and Knocknarea, which is at Strandhill has a step and boardwalk leading to Queen Maeve's tomb.

obi604 · 11-08-2020 8:39am

Losty Dublin wrote: »

It is not that easy a climb route wise and not the best one with kids, especially if they needed your hand in places. There is a shorter walk to the woods on the side that might do you for now. In the Sligo area Carrowkeel is a safe if easy bet; excellent views and the megalithic tombs on top to give added adventure. Kesh Caves outside Ballymote is a short if steep climb and Knocknarea, which is at Strandhill has a step and boardwalk leading to Queen Maeve's tomb.

Thanks. Great input

obi604 · 11-08-2020 8:42am

Losty Dublin wrote: »

It is not that easy a climb route wise and not the best one with kids, especially if they needed your hand in places. There is a shorter walk to the woods on the side that might do you for now. In the Sligo area Carrowkeel is a safe if easy bet; excellent views and the megalithic tombs on top to give added adventure. Kesh Caves outside Ballymote is a short if steep climb and Knocknarea, which is at Strandhill has a step and boardwalk leading to Queen Maeve's tomb.

This info is great. Would anyone have similar info for Mayo. I have been looking online and on the AllTrails app etc but it’s hard to narrow things down and to find out if places defo have some kind of a trail and most importantly if child friendly.

The above post is just a perfect summation for Sligo in a few lines.

Losty Dublin · 12-08-2020 12:24am

Have a look at this site; it has plenty of ideas that should work for you.

http://www.mayowalks.ie/WalkingTrails/

GalwayGrrrrrl · 26-08-2020 5:39pm

obi604 wrote: »

Does anyone else know of any similar hikes to diamond hill? Near enough to Galway. And that would not be too risky for a family with 5 and 6 year old kids.

Mam Ean is very good for young children. If you park near the gate at Pás Mám Éan (Car Park) on google maps there is a very easy trail up to the church and holy well. It’s less than one hour up, probably 90 minute round trip if you don’t stop for snacks. Signposted from clifden road, right turn after maam cross.
There is a pilgrimage day in August - not sure exactly when so you might want to join/avoid that depending on your liking for crowds!

obi604 · 26-08-2020 9:53pm

GalwayGrrrrrl wrote: »

Mam Ean is very good for young children. If you park near the gate at Pás Mám Éan (Car Park) on google maps there is a very easy trail up to the church and holy well. It’s less than one hour up, probably 90 minute round trip if you don’t stop for snacks. Signposted from clifden road, right turn after maam cross.
There is a pilgrimage day in August - not sure exactly when so you might want to join/avoid that depending on your liking for crowds!

Nice one. Thank you. Does the trek have a path etc mapped out.

Would it be harder or easier than Diamond hill?

GalwayGrrrrrl · 26-08-2020 10:09pm

obi604 wrote: »

Ice one. Thank you. Does the trek have a path etc mapped out.

Would it be harder or easier than Diamond hill?

It’s a very obvious trail from the car park/ gate to the church. You can go further over the hill but that looked like a less obvious path and less suitable for small
children.
The path is stonier than diamond hill but it is much shorter, less steep and less dangerous (no steep drops etc). We did it as a practice hike the week before diamond hill and it was very manageable for us as inexperienced hikers.

obi604 · 26-08-2020 10:40pm

GalwayGrrrrrl wrote: »

It’s a very obvious trail from the car park/ gate to the church. You can go further over the hill but that looked like a less obvious path and less suitable for small
children.
The path is stonier than diamond hill but it is much shorter, less steep and less dangerous (no steep drops etc). We did it as a practice hike the week before diamond hill and it was very manageable for us as inexperienced hikers.

Thank you for the quick and clear info.

obi604 · 30-08-2020 10:07pm

GalwayGrrrrrl wrote: »

Mam Ean is very good for young children. If you park near the gate at Pás Mám Éan (Car Park) on google maps there is a very easy trail up to the church and holy well. It’s less than one hour up, probably 90 minute round trip if you don’t stop for snacks. Signposted from clifden road, right turn after maam cross.
There is a pilgrimage day in August - not sure exactly when so you might want to join/avoid that depending on your liking for crowds!

Did this walk today. Parked up and made it to the church in about 30 mins. Then decided to walk on for about another hour past the church. Kind of just up and down the peaks and troughs of the mountain ranges. Was a nice walk.
The 6 year old was a bit disappointed - he didn’t have the same sense of achievement as with Diamond hill, i.e. the whole reaching the top of a mountain etc.

With the mam ean walk, you go up a bit of a mountain or between bigger mountains but you don't actually fully climb one or get to a summit etc

All in all, nice day, out so thanks for the recommendation:)

On the way home at Maam cross I noticed a sign for maumturk/Killary fjord with a hiker sign. Anyone aware of any hikes up here for children? Similar to diamond hill.

Or around this general area.

obi604 · 31-08-2020 5:34pm

Anyone ever done the Kilary Harbour costal walk/Famine Walk in Galway?

[Deleted User] · 01-09-2020 1:22pm

obi604 wrote: »

The 6 year old was a bit disappointed - he didn’t have the same sense of achievement as with Diamond hill, i.e. the whole reaching the top of a mountain etc.

Very few Waymarked Trails go to the summits of mountains so you'll just have to grips with the whole navigation thing.

It'd be rare to find a waymarked trail that goes above 500m. I think it's an insurance thing.

obi604 · 01-09-2020 7:04pm

GerardS wrote: »

Very few Waymarked Trails go to the summits of mountains so you'll just have to grips with the whole navigation thing.

It'd be rare to find a waymarked trail that goes above 500m. I think it's an insurance thing.

Ah ok. Even 300 or 400 metres would be fine

GalwayGrrrrrl · 01-09-2020 9:06pm

https://12oclockhills.com/ I haven’t been there myself yet but the 12 o’clock hills in Clare have some marked trails of different lengths.

obi604 · 02-09-2020 7:06pm

GalwayGrrrrrl wrote: »

https://12oclockhills.com/ I haven’t been there myself yet but the 12 o’clock hills in Clare have some marked trails of different lengths.

Looks decent. Thanks. Anyone here ever done it?

a148pro · 02-09-2020 11:36pm

obi604 wrote: »

On the way home at Maam cross I noticed a sign for maumturk/Killary fjord with a hiker sign. Anyone aware of any hikes up here for children? Similar to diamond hill.

Or around this general area.

There is tonnes of hiking in that area, some relatively well known and some quite remote, but nothing with a marked level path like Diamond hill, or nothing that's really safe with kids. The 12 bens walk for instance is superb, but you wouldn't take a six year old up there.

I'm reluctant to recommend it, because the path is so so eroded that it would be a technical exercise to get the kid up it, but Croagh Patrick is as close as you'll come. The mountain is stunning, looks like something from a comic book or film about volcanoes. The path is really really obvious, and its short enough that a young child could conceivably get up there if they got up diamond hill. However, the bit to the summit is a total scree fest that you kind of "ski" up and down on loose large stones if you know what I mean? Not sure it'd be wise with a child. But otherwise ticks boxes of route being obvious, sense of achievement etc..

obi604 · 03-09-2020 6:32am

a148pro wrote: »

There is tonnes of hiking in that area, some relatively well known and some quite remote, but nothing with a marked level path like Diamond hill, or nothing that's really safe with kids. The 12 bens walk for instance is superb, but you wouldn't take a six year old up there.

I'm reluctant to recommend it, because the path is so so eroded that it would be a technical exercise to get the kid up it, but Croagh Patrick is as close as you'll come. The mountain is stunning, looks like something from a comic book or film about volcanoes. The path is really really obvious, and its short enough that a young child could conceivably get up there if they got up diamond hill. However, the bit to the summit is a total scree fest that you kind of "ski" up and down on loose large stones if you know what I mean? Not sure it'd be wise with a child. But otherwise ticks boxes of route being obvious, sense of achievement etc..

Noted on croagh Patrick. Was contemplating it but someone I know actually mentioned the same thing, these loose stones. And then with children, may not be advisable.

Anyone ever done the Kilary Harbour costal walk/Famine Walk in Galway.
I think it’s just a walk as opposed to a climb but seems like savage scenery etc.

obi604 · 08-09-2020 5:25pm

Any comments on Moylussa hike in county clare? would kids that have done diamond hill be able for this? its 532 metres so fairly high

obi604 · 10-09-2020 7:35am

Bump

blueskys · 10-09-2020 7:54am

Theres abbey hill just past kinvara in the burren. Nice walk to summit for kids 6years up, bout an hour up and an hour down with kids.Drive up Corker hill and park on the entrance to the green road. Walj along the green road till you see a gap in the wall and the trail opens up from there. Great views from the top on a clear day.
There's also The Galway wind farm walks by Oughterard, different grades walks for various abilities. Perfect for young children. These are the best two locations for hill/mountain walks within 45 mins of galway city. Beyond that theres the caher valley loop walk that starts at fanore beach carpark which is 3hrs long and the connemara walks. Good luck and enjoy.

obi604 · 10-09-2020 11:39am

blueskys wrote: »

Theres abbey hill just past kinvara in the burden. Nice walk to summit for 6years up, bout an hour up and an hour down. Drive up Corker hill and park on the entrance to the green road. Walj along the green road till you see a gap in the wall and the trail opens up from there. Great views from the top on a clear day.
There's also The Galway wind farm walks by oughterard, different grades walks for various abilities. Perfect for young children. These are the best two locations for walks within 45 mins of galway city. Beyond that theres the caher valley loop walk that starts at fanore beach carpark which is 3hrs long and the connemara walks. Good luck and enjoy.

Thank you, I am discovering new ones every day.
For Abbey hill, did you park at Saint patricks church and start from here?

blueskys · 10-09-2020 1:07pm

obi604 wrote: »

Thank you, I am discovering new ones every day.
For Abbey hill, did you park at Saint patricks church and start from here?

No but you can do it that way either, just a bit farther to drive that's all.

obi604 · 10-09-2020 1:49pm

blueskys wrote: »

No but you can do it that way either, just a bit farther to drive that's all.

Where did you park, could you pin it on a map if possible?

Diamond hill

Comments