Gorse free (almost) ascent for Baggers

Good Friday, showery weather, "Let's do one of the remaining easy ones in Local 100 " we thought. Didn't quite work out like that!
We would suggest that the start at A (O2600 1058) is no longer an option due to (understandable) parking signs / restrictions all along the lane. We started from the Grove Pub at Grove (O2655 0959) and strolled up the lane enjoying a sunny morning. Lovely views on the ascent forest track. As we reached the highest ground our thoughts turned to the summit. Initially we rounded the hill and descended slightly before trying to reach the summit from the south side. Problem! AVOID. We made 2 initial attempts to summit on "tracks" through gorse and failed. Our third was successful - luckily we were wearing our heaviest clothing and could push through bits of gorse. When we reached the summit we had a "so what" moment" with no views. Luckily we found a better descent track to the nearest forest track - and this is the section we have uploaded. We would advise using this section to ascend and descend the summit starting from D (O25453 10188). We have uploaded this section only as .gpx. We haven't uploaded the whole track since is is confusing due to our initial attempts and also because many of the tracks shown on EastWest have been disturbed by current harvesting of trees. Get out and do it before the gorse advances further. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/1513/comment/24161/

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Oh Deer a blessing in disguise

Visited Old Downs Hill Sunday, following track 4058 along good path for approx 3km to second switchback on trail through forest, on the left here a partially cleared area of woodland gives a view upwards to the large ringfort wall surrounding the top of the hill, at this point it is a distance of 200m to the top, went easily through mature woodland to the wall, now 160m from the top, crossed the wall and followed a well trodden but very rough narrow Deer path through the furze and discovered a small pile of stones indicating the top. Views restricted at top, get there soon before furze grows
and bars way of ascent . Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/1513/comment/20683/

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On yer Bike

There are plenty of bike trails on Downs Hill now, which makes it possible to leave good forestry paths and head straight up, more or less, following ascending bike trails - keep an eye out for mountain bikes obviously. I only encountered two of them on this visit, from Point A upwards. On my way to A I asked a friendly local man for directions. He advised me to park at the Grove pub and walk up. "You'll be lucky to find a place to park up there," he said, "there are no parking signs, cones and lengths of red and white tape everywhere to prevent people parking on verges."
He was right, there was so much red and white I thought Cork had won yet another All-Ireland. I did manage to find a spot adjacent to (but not blocking!) a commercial premises. This was my fourth local 100 top of the day and in the knackered state I was in no way was this pair of legs willing to walk up and down from the Grove (which would add approx 3 kilometres to the walk). Parking seems to be a big issue hereabouts, so if you have the time (and not involved in a top-bagging odyssey), then making a good roadwalk out of it, before you tackle the trails, might be in order. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/1513/comment/23154/

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Viewed from Ballinastoe

Downs Hill viewed from Ballinastoe Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/1513/comment/23777/

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