An Óige Hillwalkers Club July & August 2010 http://www.hillwalkersclub.com/ June Bank Holiday Weekend: Hikers relaxing during lunch before tackling O'Shea's Gully. Photo: Michael Shiels More photos on www.hillwalkersclub.com In this edition • Hike Programme July & August 2010 2-3 • Ring of Imaal 2010 Report 4 • Hillwalkers Away: Kerry Weekend 2010 5-6 • Challenge Walks 2010 / Dates / Committee 2009-2010 7 • Advance Notification: October Bank Holiday 2010 8 THE HILLWALKER The Hillwalker ● July & August 2010 1 Route: Carrick Little Car Park (GR 345 219) * HIKE PROGRAMME Mourne Wall * Slieve Binnian * Black Castles * North Tor (678m) * Slievelamagan Mtn * Cove July & August 2010 Mtn * Slieve Beg * Brandy Path * Kilkeel River * Ben Crom Reservoir * Silent Valley Reservoir. MEET: Burgh Quay Distance: 18km Ascent: 900m DEPART: Sundays at 10.00 am TRANSPORT: Private Bus Map: OSNI Discoverer Sheet 29 COST: €12.00 (unless stated otherwise) Note: Cost will be €15 for this trip and the bus will depart at the earlier time of 9.30am. 2nd pick-up point : On the outward journey, the bus will stop briefly to collect walkers at the pick-up point. Should the bus be full on Sunday, 1 August 2010: NO HIKE departure from Burgh Quay, this facility cannot be offered. Sunday, 8 August 2010: NO HIKE 2nd drop-off point : On the return journey, where indicated, the bus will stop near the outward pick-up point to drop off any hikers. We regret this is not possible on all hikes. Sunday, 15 August 2010: NO HIKE Sunday, 11 July 2010 Sunday, 22 August 2010 ---Cleevaun Lough ---Barravore Circuit Leader: Steve Buckney Leader: Bill Fine nd 2nd pick-up & return drop off points: Beside 2 pick-up & drop-off points: Bus stop the pond in Sean Walsh Park on the Tallaght By- before Loughlinstown Roundabout. pass. Route: Barravore Car Park (GR 067 941) * Route: Forest Entrance Ballylow Bridge Fraughan Rock Glen * Lugnaquillia * Cannow * (GR O 061 129) * Ballydonnell South * Duff Hill Spot Height 712 * Camenabologue * Table Track * Mullaghcleevaun East * Cleevaun Lough * * Glenmalure Y.H. * Barravore Car Park. tracks by Ballyhemushboy Brook * Ballynultagh Distance: 16km Ascent: 920m * Ballynultagh Gap CP. Map: OS 56, Harvey Distance: 18km Ascent: 750m Maps: OS 56, Harvey Sunday, 29 August 2010 ---Sally Gap to Ballyknockan Sunday, 18 July 2010 Leader: Mick Heneghan ---Lugnaquillia & Zig-Zags 2nd pick-up point: Bus Stop at Rathfarnham Leader: Ita O'Hanlon Castle, before the Yellow House. 2nd pick-up & drop-off points: Bus stop Route: Sally Gap * Carrigvore * Gravale * Duff before Loughlinstown Roundabout. Hill * East Top * Mullaghcleevaun * Billy Byrne's Route: Barravore Car Park (GR 067 941) * Gap * Monbane * Silsean * Ballyknockan. Footbridge * Forest Track * Fraughan Rock Glen Distance: 17km Ascent: 850m * Percy’s Table * Lugnaquillia * Cloghernagh Maps: OS 56, Harvey Ridge * Corrigasleggaun Mtn * Carrawaystick Mtn * Kelly’s Lough * Brook Track * Zig-Zags (GR 087 921). Sunday, 5 September 2010 Distance: 16km Ascent: 850m ---South West Wicklow Map: OS 56, 62, Harvey Introductory Hike Leader: Brian Flynn nd Sunday, 25 July 2010 2 pick-up & return drop off points: Beside ---The Mourne Mountains the pond in Sean Walsh Park on the Tallaght By- pass. Leader: Tom Kenny nd Route: Laneway (S 983 871) * Cornan West * 2 pick-up & drop-off points: Bus Stop on Carrig * Keadeen * Slievereagh * Ballinabarney Swords Bypass GR 185 463 (located ON THE Gap * Ballineddan * Rathgorragh * Toorboy. BYPASS just south of the footbridge which is adjacent to the R106 Swords to Malahide road Distance: 18km Ascent: 750m roundabout and very near to the Pavilion Maps: OS 56, 62 Shopping Centre). The Hillwalker ● July & August 2010 2 GENERAL HIKE NOTES NEW WICKLOW MAPS Introductory Hike East West Mapping have followed the Dublin Mountains map, published in 2009, with two This hike is tailored for non-members who are further maps, Wicklow Mountains West and considering joining the Hillwalkers Club. It offers Lugnaquilla. A fourth and final map, Wicklow the opportunity to sample a typical Hillwalkers Mountains East is planned for 2011. All maps are hike, as well as meeting club members. on a scale of 1:30,000 (same as the Harvey Interested individuals should equip themselves map). The 2009 map has proved to be very appropriately for a day in the hills: adequate accurate and the same would appear to be the hiking boots, waterproof coat and leggings, hat, case with these new maps. gloves, lunch and hot / cold drinks. In order to The appearance of the maps is very attractive enjoy the hike, you will need a good level of and not too cluttered. They are printed on high fitness. quality paper, which is water and tear resistant, Membership forms will be available, should you at least up to a point! Surveying was carried out wish to join the club on completion of the on foot and by bike over the years 2008-2010 introductory hike. Enquiries: 086-3563843 and the maps depict the network of tracks, paths, forests & hills of interest in detail. Many historical sites are plotted and named and a PARTICIPATION Mountaineering is an activity number of new place names not published on with a danger of personal injury or death. publicly available maps are included. Examples Participants should be aware of and accept these of this, some known to hillwalkers, are Three risks. People who take part in our club activities Cross Pass for Shay Elliott, Mottie Mountain for do so at their own risk and are responsible for Croaghanmoira and perhaps less well known, their own actions and involvement. Mweeleen for Trooperstown Hill. INTRODUCTORY HIKES An Introductory Hike Recent additions to the mountains such as the is organised once per month for aspirant Drumgoff Recreation area off the Military Road members. Any participant on these hikes must are included. A particularly pleasing feature are enter their name in our hike log on the bus. the forest and mountain tracks, which can be quite hit and miss on the OS maps. CO-ORDINATION If necessary, tickets are given out on Sundays to ensure that participants A minor quibble I would have is the substitution reserve a bus place as they arrive. of unusual spellings for well established ones such as Carrigvoher for Carrigvore at Sally Gap, LEADER The leader has the right to refuse or Shileshawn for Silsean near Ballyknockan. anyone who is not adequately equipped (e.g., These however are few and far between. All in without appropriate boots, rainwear, food, torch, all, welcome additions to the already impressive hat, gloves, etc). range of maps available for the Wicklow area and sure to supersede all of these, at least as far as the hillwalker is concerned. The leader may alter the The maps are available for purchase direct at route from www.eastwestmapping.ie and in booksellers in that described due course. Priced very reasonably, inc P&P, at in the program. €11.45 each, or €29 for all three maps. The leader sets Garry Byrne the pace of the hike and walkers are expected to obey the leader’s instructions at all times. EQUIPMENT It is essential to bring good rain gear (both jacket and overtrousers) and to leave It is with great sadness cotton t-shirts and jeans at home! Boots must that we learned about the be sturdy with proper ankle support and a rigid recent death of fellow non-slip sole such as Vibram. hillwalker Ciaran King. WALKING STICKS AND RUCKSACKS He will be greatly missed by all Remember that walking sticks and rucksacks members of An Óige Hillwalkers Club. cannot be brought onto the bus and must be stowed away in the boot during the journey. We offer our deepest sympathy to Ciaran's family and friends. May he rest in peace. Club members interested in leading a hike, please contact Gerry Walsh: [email protected] The Hillwalker ● July & August 2010 3 RING OF IMAAL After a skip and a hop across the very dry and soft peat of the ridge above the Glen of Imaal Report by Tom Milligan we found ourselves at Table Mountain and from there onwards to Lobawn, Captain Bolton's yard The Circuit of Imaal happened on one of the at Kilcoagh and down to the finish in sunny more delightful days of the year. The sun was Donard. The Garmin GPS told us we had done shining, the skies were blue, and this all added 38.1 kilometres with a little less than 1800 to the eagerness of the walkers who gathered at metres of ascent, but with the beautiful the Donard National School in Co. Wicklow on conditions we had on the day, the soft peaty dry the morning of Saturday, 19th June. Busy about hills (and the refreshments provided before the place on the day was Jim Barry and his team Keadeen and Ballineddan) it certainly seemed a of assistants who had spent the evening before lot less. marking out the route on the hills and by-roads to facilitate the passage of the walkers over a sometimes difficult terrain. One hundred and sixteen people registered for the event, so many An Óige hands were needed to ensure that all went well. For safety reasons also a Red Cross ambulance and Mountain Rescue was on hand in case of an emergency. Initially the temperature of the day was cool and some found themselves shivering as they waited around before the start at 7am. However, after a kilometre or two on the road out to Keadeen mountain temperatures were very comfortable indeed. This year the usual ascent to Ireland's biggest hillfort, Brusselstown Ring, was not on the route so the nearest we got to it was a view from the nearby road.