Picture from Homerclesse : A Snowier Trig Point
Picture: A Snowier Trig Point
by Homerclesse 19 Feb 2010
Just back from a quick hike up Djouce, on a very cold February Friday with snow clouds covering the higher Wicklow Mountains. I started at Ballinastoe Woods carpark and took a right just after the maps. Continuing on the road till I reached a telegraph pole - where I took a short cut up the side of the woods. Following this trail brings you eventually to the wooden board walk which traverses Djouce, White Hill and down to the J.B. Malone memorial. I headed right here and followed the board walk until it took a sharp right. It's a simple matter of following the trail directly up from the board walk till you reach the Tors, and the Trig Pillar. A fair few people where up here already, huddling behind the rocks for shelter. It was at least -10 with wind chill. Most had approached from the Djouce woods side. I headed down that way, back towards the Wicklow Way, headed right around the Mountan until I picked up the board walk again. I took a bearing for the edge of the woods in Ballinastoe and trekked back to the car, across the Heather Deserts. Bad views today, but definitely try again when it's clearer.(Comment Rating 4.25)
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by spiderman 14 Apr 2008
This weekend we had planned some time ago to do a 'two dayer'. Luckily for us it also happened to be the opening weekend of the all new Knockree Hostel owned by an Oige - a fine facility but one I'm sure we can go into at another time. Day two saw ten of us start at Knockree where we caught up with the WW just above the descent to the Glencree River and on up to Crone Wood. The wooden bridge over the river appears to be a favourite haunt for campers and to their shame, some of them have left a disgraceful mess behind them on both sides. The walk through Crone is a pleasant one and the payoff is when you reach the view overlooking Powerscourt. From a lofty position it gives breathtaking views of the valley and waterfall. The walk continues along the ridge before it turns 'inland' and then downwards to cross the Dargle(?). The view of Djouce is breathtaking. While there are more challenging ascents around, it can be a bit of a slog in parts, particularly from the footbridge to the stile, then the walk evens out somewhat until the WW and the summit path split where it gets difficult although not of the proportions of Slieve Donard in the Mournes (which I now compare everything to - it helps me psychologically!). All told the walk is about 20km and after the 16km (Prince Williams Seat, Knocknagun, Ravens Rock we were a tired but satisfied bunch afterwards.
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Picture from padodes : Coffin Stone
Picture: Coffin Stone
by padodes 16 Nov 2008
The OSI map indicates the presence of a cairn on Djouce, slightly north of the trig pillar, but any trace of it would seem to have been obliterated. Since the Irish word ‘dioghais’, from which Djouce is derived, is usually taken to mean a fortified height, perhaps it might not be implausible to see in that a reference to the old cairn that once stood on top. More interesting today is the so-called ‘Coffin Stone’ on the lower NW flank of the mountain (O 1719 1050 (Point A) ). In the OSI map (and also in the Harvey map of Wicklow), for some unknown reason this feature is indicated as a Standing Stone, but any source I have consulted speaks of a Portal Tomb at this point. The enormous coffin-like slab is a capstone that would have rested on two tall stones or portals at one end, forming an entrance, and would have sloped down to a back stone, providing support at the other. The chamber formed in this way would then have been walled in with side slabs compacted with big stones and might or might not have been enclosed in a cairn. Today the portals appear to have fallen outwards, but perhaps they were not very high to begin with. What strikes me as unusual about this tomb is that it is almost hidden away among the hills, whereas so many of the megalithic monuments we are familiar with in Dublin and Wicklow are well within view of the fertile plains or valleys where the people would probably have lived. A boggy track leads from the top of Djouce down to the Coffin Stone and on to War Hill, but its start can be difficult to find in mist and fog. Here and there, the rusty iron posts of an old deer fence serve as a handrail, too, when you can see them. (Comment Rating 4.00)
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Wise Wicklow Way wanderers and their brilliant boardwalk
by YoungJohn 29 Jul 2010
On monday 26th July 2010 I drove out of Dublin to Enniskerry and headed for Roundwood turning right for the Sally Gap. I was endeavouring to do Paddy Dillons Walk No. 1 of White Hill, Djouce and War Hill. I parked on the right after Luggala Wood carpark, near the sign overlooking Lough Tay. A view worth driving for alone never mind the appearance of a reddish coloured hawk floating high on the warm summer breeze over the lake. I walked briskly along the forest path and stopped to view a second sign there. I should have gone down a path beside a stile nearly opposite the sign but erred and went along the forest path for nearly half an hour before turning back. I rued the loss of this hour but I did glimpse the mighty SugarLoaf when the horrid sitka spruce cleared for a few hundred yards. I returned to the sign, went down the bough covered path opposite and turned sharp left when it ended after a couple of hundred yards. This brought me to a wonder. I have to compliment and praise the wise people who designed and created the 'boardwalk'. What ever inspired them to place old railway sleepers side by side, end to end, cover them in chicken wire and staples for grip? Genius. I traversed the boardwalk over White Hill and with trusty stick braced myself against the ferocious gusts of wild wind blowing warm from the southwest in the gap between White Hill and Djouce. The wicklow way boardwalk veers suddenly to the right as one reaches the gravely trail to the top of Djouce. The views along the way are fantastic. Dublin Bay, Great Sugarloaf, Wicklow Harbour, The marvellous Wiclow Mountains all the way and further then Table Top, right over to Kippure. The vista from the Trig topped rock that is the zenith of mighty Djouce was breathtaking. The howling wind made sure that I was not without air for long! I clung to the Trig to take photo's and lingered for a good while over 'the sandwich' as I watched ships plough the waves of the Irsh Sea. I met but one family of Hikers, and that was at the start of the walk so I had the entire mountain to myself as I peered down at Poolbeg, Howth and beyond. Photo's don't do its grand views justice. I headed for Warhill but had to stop again to marvel at the 'Coffin' stone. I reckon it has to be a prehistoric tomb of sorts as other contributors have said. I sat in the sunshine for a break beside it and headed for War Hill across the boggy but passable gap, the wind still howling and the High Wicklow Peaks touching the clouds that threatened rain that thankfully never came. I intend to revisit this marvel of a mountain again God willing. (To end, I met a young Nordic couple as I left the 'hidden boreen' to the Wicklow Way and was delighted to spare them a wasted hour.).
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Picture from CaptainVertigo : Stepping it out on White Mountain...Heading for Djouce
Picture: Stepping it out on White Mountain...Heading for Djouce
by CaptainVertigo 5 Apr 2005
I climbed this mountain today (Easter Sat. 05) with most of the family to do a bit of research for the Navan Hillwalkers outing next Sunday.Well, the views were fantastic until the cloud came down low. What is pretty amazing is the "boardwalk" that runs from the carpark aforesaid along the Wicklow Way route. The "boardwalk" has been constructed as part of the fightback against the damage caused by overwalking in some of the most popular beauty spots.It makes things very easy...which feels like cheating. Take a look! Suitable for very small mountainy men.(Comment Rating 3.88)
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Picture from mcrtchly : Sunset on Djouce
Picture: Sunset on Djouce
by mcrtchly 5 Jan 2010
We climbed Djouce on the 3rd Jan 2010 in excellent snow conditions. Access from the Sally Gap road was not possible due to ice and snow on the road so we had to park just below the Djouce Forest car park. The snow was a bit soft in places and over a foot deep - snow shoes might have been useful. The conditions near the top were a bit icy and crampons were advisable. Very cold on the summit with a severe wind chill. Great views in all directions and we stayed long enough to see a wonderful sunset, getting back to the car as darkness fell.(Comment Rating 3.88)
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