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| Maximum height for area: 925 metres |
Summits in area: 88 |
| OS Map(s): 28B, 49, 50, 55, 56, 61, 62 for all tops |
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Walk Guide 37 for
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Mullaghcleevaun Traverse
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Maintainer: Edgar
 (Guide rating: 3.25) |
Overview
Walk length: 12.0km Ascent: 680m Duration (without stops): 5:30 h:mm
This is a very satisfying trip over the second-highest of the Wicklow Mountains and, if you get the views, it provides a fantastic outlook over all the rest of them. Being on the edge of the range gives a view over the reservoir and the land beyond, putting the mountain terrain into dramatic relief. The walk was only possible thanks to my wife being able to drop and collect me on a day visiting up in Dublin. A set-up with two cars might be worth the hassle, though.
Points visited: Start = O102 050 - Carrigshouk = O097 052 - Mullaghcleevaun East Top - Mullaghcleevaun - Billy Byrne's Gap = O043 068 - Moanbane - Silsean - Finish = O005 072 (Guide last changed: 2007-02-01)
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Approaches
O102 050 (Point A) is at the foot of Carrigshouk on the R115, halfway between Laragh and the Sally Gap.
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Start
Head straight uphill from the road, ignoring the track on the south flank of Carrigshouk. Fun route-finding between the slabs (I went right of the leftmost large slab) and onto the first top.
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Points visited
Head across to the East Top of Mullaghcleevaun; there's a great sense of height and wilderness, only the radio tower over on Kippure spoiling the illusion. The ground is broken and haggy, making it very hard to follow a bearing in poor conditions. Onwards to the Main Top, you can follow the scarp edge over the N/NNE face to aid navigation. The ground drops dramatically away down to Cleevaun Lough. From the summit trig point, it might be worth making a dog-leg down to the gap in order to avoid descending too much of the steepest gradient. More broken ground will interfere with your straight path as you approach the gap, but the surroundings continue to be beautiful. The pull up Moanbane must be the archetypal curve for presenting a continuous false summit! Don't descend yet, as Silsean is a much more attractive top than this one, with a mysterious pond on the NE end of it's summit plateau.
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Finish
It's a long descent to Ballyknockan (470m), but the ground is easy to stick to a bearing on. The view ahead over the reservoir is stunning, providing lots of excuses for rests. There were sheep grazing on the lower slopes when I passed... I'm unclear on the access rights at this point. You could cross a fence and slog down through forestry land if you want to be super-discreet. Fortunately for those waiting for a lift home, there's a very nice pub called the Lakeview Lounge to your right at the T-junction you'll reach in the village. Two very friendly sheepdogs live there and will likely get between you and taking your boots off before you can go in.
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| Point A: O102 050 |
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