Lugnaquilla & Marley Park to Knockree - 6th, 7th August 2011

8 weeks to go. We need to get some serious training in. So this weekend we decided to do one tough and one long hike. Lugnaquilla on Saturday (14km, 925m) and Marley Park to Knockree on Sunday (19km, 500m). I love Lugnaquilla so was really looking forward to getting on it again. It was only our third time to climb Lug but it already felt like an old friend.  No longer do I dread the steep climbs and for the first time ever, I got up Camara Hill without stopping. I think Johnny had the same idea in his head as he didn't ask me once did I want to stop for a breather. He just kept going and didn't even look back at me. Without the temptation of stopping I was able to keep going until I got to the top. For those of you who have climbed Camara Hill you will know why I felt a sense of achievement from doing this. It was a real sign that our fitness has improved dramatically. Other than that, the only thing worth mentioning from the hike is the fact that I fell in the bog and was covered in wet, muddy bog. As usual for me, it was a slow motion fall on my back resulting from a slip and as usual for Johnny, he found it hilarious. I am not going to go into the details of the hike as I have already two posts covering two previous trips up Lug on the blog.

Sunday then brought us back to stage one of the Wicklow Way again. Spirits high, weather good, we set off, doing the two car thing as before. Again, I'm not going to go into the details as they are already documented in a previous post. The only difference this time was that we had company from the half way mark. While having lunch, we met a lovely couple from Switzerland; Rosemary and Silvio. They were staying that night in Enniskerry and after finding out how far Enniskerry was from the end of the hike, were happy to accept a lift from us once we reached the car. This meant that we walked together for the last 10km of the hike and shared many stories of our travels and lives. What was strange was how much we had in common. Both Rosemary and Silvio had the same hats and camera as Johnny. Rosemary was involved in musicals and their daughter, Alice was travelling to Nepal the same day that we were; albeit from Switzerland. Wouldn't it be crazy if we bumped into Alice in Kathmandu. Once we reached the car, we drove to Enniskerry and Rosemary and Silvio treated us to a lovely raspberry scone and coffee for our hospitality. We exchanged e-mail addresses and promised to contact them should we ever go hiking in Switzerland.

Slieve Bloom Mountains - Offaly

We took the opportunity to do a hike in the Slieve Bloom mountains while visiting Johnnys relatives in Banagher. We had previously bought a map of the area and marked out a 14km route starting in Cadamstown. We parked the car in a small car park that marked the beginning of the Slieve Bloom Way and made our way towards Paul's Lane. Luckily Paul's Lane was signposted as we would have walked straight by it otherwise. It is basically a small lane on your right hand side. As it is summer, it is quite overgrown in parts and easy to miss. We began to walk uphill through the lane. Quite surprisingly, the lane is deceivingly long. Because of the trees it is shaded and as a result, very muddy. The longer the lane went on, the more pleasant it became; less muddy and less overgrown. After a short while, we were slightly confused as to where we were on the map. We were looking out for a left turn but couldn't seem to find it. We continued walking until we came to two waymarkers; one pointing straight on and one pointing left. It didn't seem to match our map but we knew we wouldn't get too lost once we were following way markers so decided to take the left turn into the woods.

We continued through the woods following the way markers, all the time trying to figure out where we were on the map. From the beginning we had met no people so couldn't run it by anyone. As we were not substantially elevated, we weren't concerned about getting lost. The worst that could happen us would be a longer walk back to the car. There was no danger of engulfing cloud or walking off the edge of a cliff or mountain. We just kept following the markers. After a little while we left the woods and were faced with crossing a field full of cows and a very large bull!!!!!. Johnny said he felt like he had just walked into a pub down the country. All the cows just turned and looked at us.

After crossing the field, with no interference from the bull, we had a lovely walk along a river. What was really nice was that the farmer had put down some materials for you to walk on where the terrain was very muddy. He had also covered any barbed wire fences with a plastic pipe at the crossing points. It just shows that some landowners have no issue with you crossing their land once you respect it. During this part of the walk we had to cross the river twice; the second crossing being the most beautiful one.

Two tall trees bordered the bridge like an entrance. Once again we continued by following the way markers until we reached a road. The way markers that we were following was pointing across the road. We stopped to have lunch and referenced the road to the map. For the first time during the hike, we knew where we were and we weren't following the route we had marked out in advance for ourselves. Rather than go completely off track by continuing to follow the way markers, we decided to turn right and follow the road back to Cadamstown and the car. If I was to guess the distance, I would say it was about 2/3 km. Back at the car, we went on the Internet on our phones to see where we had gone wrong and would you believe it, we went wrong at the very beginning. We were meant to walk past Paul's Lane and take a track about 200m past it. We had mistaken Paul's lane on the map for the track we were meant to take. No wonder, we had trouble following the map from the beginning. In total the hike was only 11km and not very challenging. The Slieve Bloom mountains are an ideal place for a nice woodland or hill walk. They are low level and offer a very different experience than Munroe hiking. In saying that, I found the hike very enjoyable. The only reason I would suggest hiking boots for this hike would be to avoid you ruining your trainers from the mud. Other than that, it could be done in trainers. 

Slieve Donard - Highest Mountain in Ulster (849m)

Since we didn't reach Donard the last time, we had to go back to conquer it. We decided to do it in a day trip, travelling early in the morning and driving home afterwards (with a few stop offs in Banbridge and Sainsburys). Knowing how steep it looked the last time we were in the Mournes, I was a little nervous. Given the steepness of the climb to the summit, we were sensible this time, deciding only to Donard on this day. We would do the Bloody Bridge route, parking in the car park across the road (Located on the left hand side about2.5km outside Newcastle).

 We arrived about 10.30am and made our way to the start of the route (See picture).

From the very beginning, the trail begins to climb. You will walk uphill along the right hand side of the Bloody Bridge River. The river runs over stone, downhill and on the way down people were swimming in it. I'd recommend bringing a towel and hiding it in the bushes so that you can have a swim on your way back to the car (obviously I'm referring to the summer time). You will be so hot and sticky after climbing to the top that you will really want to jump in on your way back. While walking along the river, you will cross it twice; once over a bridge and once over boulders, conveniently located to aid your crossing.

Shortly after crossing the river for the second time, you will see a wooden stile on your right. Don't take this. Just continue following the road around and you will see signs for the mourne wall. This is where you are aiming to get to before making your ascent to the summit. For some reason, on this day, I was finding the hike tough. My legs were tired (I don't know why) and the constant changing of sun to rain to lashing rain was wearing me out. I contemplated turning back a few times but knew Johnny really wanted to get to the top and didn't want to ruin this on him.

After walking up through a quarry and following the track across some bogland, we met the Mourne wall. It was a blessing as it was still raining and the wall shielded us from the worst of the rain and wind. The view over the wall was spectacular, with mountains shooting up all over the place. When we met this view, it reminded us why we loved the mountains so much the last time. It is very different than Wicklow. Wicklow has rolling hills. The Mournes are very individual mountains that shoot up high into the sky.

There is a good and bad bit to reaching the Mourne wall. The good is the shelter and the fact that it runs the whole way to the summit. The bad is that it is one hell of a climb to the summit. Its rocky, boggy, grassy, very steep and approximately 1km long. Definitely one for hiking poles. We gradually began our ascent, stopping every now and again for a minutes rest before continuing uphill. I suppose its hills like these that lend themselves to the sense of accomplishment once you reach the top and give you a goal the next time you come (to get up it without stopping).

And did we know it when we reached the top. It was so wild. Sheltered by the wall, the only impacting force was the cold. However once I walked past the wall to get a picture at the Cairn, I couldn't believe the wind that hit me. The reason I'm sitting in the picture opposite is because I couldn't stand with the force of the wind. Welcome to Ireland in July. I know we were nearly 3,000ft high but I thought it might be slightly calmer given that it was the summer.  Luckily our views weren't obscured. They were amazing. We could see the route following the wall over to Commedagh where we had hiked the last time. We only stayed a few minutes because of the cold and headed back down after a quick sandwich.

On the way back down, we had lovely views of the sea. It struck us that we climbed 849m from practically sea level. Although Lugnaquilla is higher (925m), you start at about 175m. That makes Donard a higher climb even though the mountain is not as high as Lug. After what seemed like a long trek back, we finally got to the car. Including breaks, the hike took us 4hrs 50 mins. That's only to cover 10kms!!!!!!!!. I know I slowed down the pace because I was tired but we have done double that distance in the same time on the Wicklow Way. I couldn't believe it.

Upon reflection, what makes Donard difficult is the fact that it is 100% uphill from the beginning. There is no levelling off at any time. The only time you are not going uphill is on the way down. I have seen other posts saying that it is a good hike for people at all levels. I really don't agree with this. Maybe I found it tougher because I was tired but my experience on that day is that a beginner would find this hike extremely difficult. Its tough going from the start and doesn't let up. Hiking boots and warm clothes for the summit are a must. I 'd also recommend plenty of energy food.



Mourne Mountains - Slieve Donard, Commedagh & Bearnagh

We decided to go to the Mourne Mountains for the June Bank Holiday weekend. The weather was due to be good and from research, we knew there were lots are good quality walking routes. We bought a map of the mountains and decided on a route that took in three of the four highest peaks in the Mournes: Slieve Bearnagh (739m), Slieve Donard (853m) and Slieve Commedagh (765m). The route would be approximately 17.5km. As we had already hiked in excess of 20km a couple of times in the Wicklow Mountains, we were confident that the chosen route in the Mournes was achievable. Keep reading to see how that changed.

So to access the Mournes, one of the best places to stay is in and around the town of Newcastle, Co.Down. To keep costs down we decided to stay in a campsite, located in Bloody Bridge, called Mourne Camping. We chose this campsite, as we didn't have a tent and this site had a small hut where you could hire bunkbeds. Lucky for us, no other people had booked into the hut so we had it to ourselves. The hut came with a small cooking tent, an outdoor fire and a picnic table. Sitting at the bottom of the mountains, it really is an idyllic location and even though, not luxurious, it was a really special place to stay.

The next morning we headed off to our start point. We parked the car in a car park about half a mile before you reach meelmore campsite. You will see it easily on the map. The route starts off following the Trassey Track. It is very stony and quite hard on the legs but is on the level. You follow this track until you come to a Y junction. To follow the route that we took you take the track to the right. An alternative hike is to take the track to the left, climbing up Hare's Gap and hike to Donard, Commedagh or both. Turning right we began to climb following the track between Meelmore and Bearnagh until we met the famous Mourne Wall.

The wall is over 6 feet in height and runs the entire length of the mountain range. The route we had planned told us to turn left once we crossed the wall and follow it up to the summit of Bearnagh. This was the first thing we had underestimated when planning our route. On the map, the Mourne Wall was clearly marked. We had taken it for granted that wherever the wall was marked, we could walk. This was not the case. It was not possible to follow the wall to the summit and would have been dangerous to do so. As such, we amended our route and followed a faint track ascending around the mountain. We didn't reach the summit but made it within about 20 meters.

Now to the next underestimation of the day. Our chosen route was to continue following the wall descending down Bearnagh until we were to reach Hare's Gap. Again, there was no specific track, just what I can only describe as an avalanche of rocks which got progressively bigger and steeper. The photo opposite only gives a small flavour of what we were faced with. To be honest, I don't know how Johnny didn't kill me. I would have, if I was him. I was the one who had chosen the route and it was turning out to be very difficult in very hot sunny weather. At times we were sitting down trying to ease ourselves down the rocks. The walking poles proved to be invaluable. A small slip could have had very serious consequences. When we reached the bottom and looked back up at what we had come down, I couldn't believe how long and steep it was. When I say my legs felt like jelly for about 10 minutes afterwards, I'm not exaggerating. Once we reached Hares Gap, we continued the track forward towards Slieve Donard. This track was on the level but again quite rocky.

The sun was very strong at this point and we were beginning to tire. We realised that we had not anticipated the amount of water needed for this hike on a very sunny day and began to worry about if we could continue. We continued walking until we could see the difficulty of Donard and stopped for lunch. We had some decisions to make. Do we continue, do we turn back or do we amend our route? After a much needed lunch and water, we decided to go with option three, to amend our route. If we went up Donard, we would run out of water, no doubt and with the tiredness we were already experiencing, this would be dangerous. Facing us was a steep climb up to the summit of Slieve Commedagh. We had seen some people climbing up it while we were eating lunch so knew it was climbable. Off we went, slowly climbing up the steep hill. There was no track so we were literally making our own path. Although it was very steep, once you take your time, you'll get up it.

Once at the top we crossed the wall and walked over to the summit of Commedagh (765m). It was strange because for the whole day we were in the hot sunshine. As soon as we reached Commedagh's summit, we were covered in cloud and couldn't see anything. We were unsure if the weather was changing so quickly continued on our hike. From this point we were on the homeward trail (Although we were still a couple of hours away from the car). We followed the wall as we descended from the summit. Again it was quite steep and rocky but nothing compared to earlier.

For a short upward section we decided to walk on the wall. There are man made steps in the wall to help you hoist yourself up so we assumed it was safe to walk on. I was nervous walking on the wall. The odd stone would move slightly and I was getting dizzy looking at my feet while walking so we got down. On the route back to Hare's Gap, we also summited Slievenaglogh en route. Once we reached Hare's Gap, we took a break for a few minutes and then began the descent down the Gap until we met Trassey's Track where we had walked so many hours before. By this time we were worn out, sun burnt and dehydrated. We made our way along the track only stopping to wash our faces in a stream (I felt like Bear Grylls) and then continued on until we reached the car. The most important part of reaching the car was getting more water. The amended hike had taken us seven hours. I can't imagine how long it would have taken us if we had continued with our original route. We were disappointed that we didn't summit Donard but it will always be there and our safety was more important.

The Mourne Mountains are spectacular. They are challenging and not to be underestimated. If you are considering hiking in the Mournes for the first time, there are a few things that are a must. The first is a map and a planned route. Your route should be well researched and you need to be comfortable with adapting that route if you need to. This is where your map will prove invaluable. The second is water. There are many lakes and running streams in the Mournes. These could be used to refill if you have the correct purifiers with you. The final piece of advice I personally would give is bring walking poles. They will save your knees on the steep rocky descents. If we would like to attempt the original route that we didn't accomplish, you can access it here:
http://www.walkni.com/d/walks/575/Slieve%20Donard,%20Commedagh%20and%20Bearnagh.pdf

Lugnaquilla - 28th May 2011

You must be thinking that we have given up on our hiking. It's been so long since I've posted anything. The truth is that we went on a walking weekend on the May Bank Holiday and I injured my back. Luckily for me, it was nothing too serious (even though it felt quite serious at the time) and a few tough physio sessions, exercises and lots of solpadeine did the trick. I took a few weeks out from the gym and hiking to make sure that I recovered and didn't aggravate the injury more than I already had by ignoring it creeping up on me.

So after 4 weeks of no exercise I was really eager to get back out in the open. Me and Johnny had decided that we would go on a hike on Saturday. The weather would dictate where we would go. It had been quite bad over the past week or two so we were unsure of what the weekend would bring. A quick check of the weather forecast showed that although cloudy, rain was not expected until the evening. Don't ask me why but I wanted to do Lugnaquilla again. And I wanted it to be tough and windy and wild. For someone that hates hills, the cold and dirty muddy weather, I don't know why I felt like this. Johnny was unsure about the weather but we decided to go with the view that if there was fog, we would turn back.

On the drive out we could see that the clouds were lying quite low. The top of the mountain could not be seen. Because of the dangers that surround Lugnaquilla, we decided to hike as far as we felt safe and then turn back. Once again the first hill was so tough. It really is. I'm not exaggerating. And then I got exactly what I wanted. Wind, wet bog land and water. It was exhilarating. My trousers were soaking, my boots were covered in mud and the wind was blowing in my face. It made the hike difficult but I enjoyed it all the more for it. Once we got to the top, we found shelter, had a quick lunch and got ready for our descent. It was only upon leaving the summit, did I realise how cold it actually was. My fingers, even though wearing gloves were in agony. I had two walking poles so couldn't put them in my pockets. Johnny didn't know what was going on. I'd usually be complaining but was laughing and smiling at the adventure. It was at that point, leaving the summit, fingers aching, nose running, mouth drooling from not being able to catch my breath and Johnny beside me that made me realise how much I had missed the outdoors over the past month. Even having my first mountain fall on the way down didn't put a dampener on the day and I think it even made Johnny's day more enjoyable :-)

I have only climbed Lugnaquilla twice but there is something that really attracts me to it. We definitely have to try other routes up it. Next on the list is the Mourne Mountains next weekend. We have climbed the highest mountain in Leinster and we now want to climb the highest in Ulster. We are thinking of taking in the three highest peaks in the Mournes (About 19km) but need to do a bit more research. Fingers crossed all goes well.

Lugnaquilla

Distance   Approximately 12km
Terrain     Mainly grassy hills with a large amount of rocks spread throughout
Ascent     Approximately 725m
Height      925m (3035 ft)
Summary  A tough, predominantly uphill walk to the summit. Weather can be completely different at
                 the summit than at ground level

We have wanted to do lugnaquilla for a while and eventually decided on Good Friday to attempt the hike. Lugnaquilla is the 13th highest mountain in Ireland and is the highest mountain on the island outside of county Kerry. When a few friends heard we were doing it, the asked to join us. Recently we have been hiking on our own so it was nice to have some company. I had read many reports about lugnaquilla and how unpredictable the weather can be at the summit. This made me nervous as did the reports of mountain rescue call outs. We were very clear that if the weather was not good or if it turned on our ascent, there was no option but to abandon.

So the first job was to decide what route to take. We had read that there are about 13 different routes of varying difficulties and grades to the summit. We agreed on a route up Camara Hill which the reports had outlined as the most straight forward route to the summit. This route leads you along the border of the Glen of Imaal,an army artillery firing range so it is vital that you ring ahead to make sure that no firing is taking place on the day of your hike. That confirmed, we were set to go. We all met at 8.30am on the sunny morning of Good Friday and made our way to Fentons pub where the hike begins. To get there, you head from Dublin along the N81 towards Baltinglass and take a left turn at a crossroads signposted Glen of Imaal. Around 7km down this road,
you reach Fentons pub where parking is available.

After arriving we went into the army office next door and got our free map of the mountain and its summit routes. With this in hand, we took off. It was evident within a couple of minutes that the group was not going to stay together for the duration of the hike as some took off faster than others. I take things at my own pace. The prize for me is not being first but to achieve what I have set out to do. Along these lines, I took the hike at a slow and steady pace as did a couple of the group. Right, so now to the real stuff. How difficult is the climb? Have no doubts; This is a difficult climb. By far the most difficult that I have done. The hills are steep and rocky. As soon as you reach the top of one, you walk for a small period of time on the flat and then start up another one.

I had my new walking poles with me (I remembered them this time) and they proved invaluable. Because of the rocks, there is a lot of stepping up and the poles helped with this. They took the pressure off my knees and helped with pushing myself upwards and forward. The worst part of the ascent is at the start so you don't have time to warm up. It is very steep and goes on for some time. After this the climbs are more like rolling hills with shorter distances to climb. There is a small river/ stream that you have to navigate across which wasn't a problem on a sunny day. I'm not sure if it would swell with rain. And then the last push comes. It's steep and practically all rock. Because it's not as long as the first steep hill, it seems easier, although it is just as steep. Just watch your step. Without proper hiking boots, it would be very easy to twist or break an ankle.

Once you conquer this final push, you cross a plateau until you reach the cairn at the summit. Myself and Niamh reached this about ten minutes after the majority of the rest of the group. We sat and had a sandwich or two and quickly began the descent. Unfortunately for us, the weather at the summit was not good so we didn't want to hang around. It was raining, blowing a gale and extremely cold (icy cold). Giving that it was about 17 degrees back at the car, I can't imagine what the summit would be like in winter. Not sure if I want to find out. The descent was just as difficult in places as the ascent. It was very steep and unforgiving on ankles and knees.

By the time we reached the car, I could really feel the days hike in my legs. In total the hike took me 4hrs 5mins (2hrs 20 mins ascent, 1hr 45 mins descent). Johnny did it about 10 minutes faster. So what advice can I give about Lugnaquilla. If you are not used to hiking or don't have hiking boots or the weather is bad - Don't do it. If you you are used to hiking, have hiking boots and the weather is good - Definitely do it. You will really feel like you have achieved something. One word of warning. The trail is not a marked trail and although it is very easy to ascertain the route to the summit in clear weather, it could prove very easy to walk off route in bad or foggy weather.

Walking off route can mean walking off a cliff edge so turn back if the weather deteriorates. I'm not sure what the other routes are like but I do recommend the Camara Hill route for your first time as you can see the route the whole way to the summit. Myself and Johnny thoroughly enjoyed the day, as did the rest of the group and I can guarantee that this won't be the last time we will be standing on the summit of Lugnaquilla. However we may try some of the other routes to get there.

Navigation Skills Hike - Meeting A Legend

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. So we turned up to do a navigation skills hike this morning as part of 53degrees north (Outdoor shop) walking festival only to meet Sir Chris Bonnington, an internationally famous mountaineer, recognised by the Queen for his contribution to mountaineering and more importantly to me, has summited Mount Everest. I was so nervous speaking to him and told him about our trek. He told me that we were going at the perfect time of year to get clear views of the summit and most importantly wished us luck. That's an omen. We will make it to Base Camp. I know it.

So getting back to the navigation skills. We paid €5 each for the 2 hour lesson. For this we were given an ordinance survey map and compass each (worth about €18 in total). We were taught map reading skills and how to determine direction by using the compass and map. We learned the 4 D's; Direction, Distance, Description and Deadline.

We used these skills to hike to the top of Cairn mountain. This was only a short hike but we took it slow in a group to learn how to use the map and compass. There was two guides to hand to help with any questions or difficulties with the compass.

Once we reached the top we had a brief stop and then proceeded back down to the car park. The hike was arranged as part of a walking festival by 53 Degree North and was really enjoyable and educational. Although we only touched on the basics, I already would feel more comfortable reading a map. Well worth the €5 and I have a new map and compass !!!!