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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 68 for
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Kelly's Lough Circuit and Lugnaquillia
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Maintainer: padodes
 (Guide rating: 2.72) |
Overview
Walk length: 21.0km Ascent: 1100m Duration (without stops): 5:00 h:mm
This is a circuit above Kelly’s Lough in the heart of the Wicklow Mountains, which also takes in Lugnaquillia as an obvious extra. I have chosen to approach it from the south, which means that the hike is bracketed by a good walk-in and walk-out through the forest.
Points visited: Start = T098 890 - Corrigasleggaun = T047 910 - Lugnaquillia = T032 917 - Cloghernagh = T057 919 - Finish = T098 890 (Guide last changed: 2008-06-03)
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Approaches
The starting point is a forest entrance (T098 890 (Point A)) along the Military Road from Drumgoff to Aghavannagh, which has the advantage of putting one on a reasonably direct forest trail to the key point A on the map (T076 899 (Point B)). To get to this point, be careful to turn left at fork T081 898 (Point C) and right at fork T079 897 (Point D).
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First stage
Point A marks the beginning of the upland part of the circuit. It strikes out to the left of the forestry road, behind an easily identifiable “anti-quad rampart”, and heads upwards towards Carrawaystick Mountain and onwards to Corrigasleggaun, with Kelly’s Lough nestling below the steep ground to the right. There are two options here. One can either choose to follow a mostly visible track up the centre of this long whaleback of a mountain, or one can pick up a track that borders the steep ground above the lake and affords a good view of it most of the way (see first photo, looking back from near Corrigasleggaun). If you choose the centre route, weaving here and there between peat hags, it will take you by the cross (T063 904 (Point E)) that marks a plane crash here in 1992 in which two men lost their lives. Arriving at the indistinct top of Corrigasleggaun (T047 910 (Point F)), head slightly west of north to the narrow col (B on map at T047 915 (Point G)) that connects this mountain to the parallel whaleback that stretches from Lugnaquillia to Clohernagh The view west to the cliffs of the South Prison is particularly impressive at this point.
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Second stage and finish
Following a track up from the col to a small cairn at T044 918 (Point H), the next step, if one wishes, is to head westwards, over gently rising ground, to take in nearby Lugnaquillia (T0321 9177 (Point I)) and return again. If you don’t care to do this, subtract about 40 minutes from the overall route. Returning to the small cairn, your next destination is Clohernagh due east at T057 919 (Point J). From there, to complete the circuit around Kelly’s Lough, avoid turning directly south, which is very steep and craggy. Make a wide loop from E to ESE at first, over broken, heathery ground, before gradually swinging directly southwards to reach the stream in the valley below at approximately T062 911 (Point K) (C on map). Crossing this, you are back on a forest trail again that soon leads away to the left (visible in second photo, taken while descending from Clohernagh). Turn left at fork T087 901 (Point L), left again at T094 901 (Point M), and almost immediately right afterwards where you link up with a stretch of the Wicklow Way. At T103 898 (Point N) follow the Way as it branches off to the right up a narrow forest path (point D on map). This soon intersects the forest road you travelled earlier in the day. Turn left and walk the short distance back to your starting point.
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Comment
The route shown on the map is a saved GPS track, which gives an exact idea of the circuit. With the exception of some boggy stretches on Carrawaystick Mountain and some broken terrain descending from Clohernagh, it is over fine, firm ground all the way. To follow the forest sections, it is advisable to have the Healy Glendalough-Glenmalur Map. (The Harvey Wicklow Mountains Map stops short of including the full area concerned, and the OSI is badly outdated as far as forest tracks go.) Perhaps, too, a word of caution to the unwary is not out of place. In all seasons, even summer, the upland section can be very inhospitable in bad weather. Definitely not a place, most days, for T-shirt and jeans! In good weather, navigation is simplicity itself, but in cloud and fog on the broad and featureless tops you will need to keep an eye on your bearings. With normal precautions, though, this walk gives a great taste of some of the best that Wicklow has to offer.
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| Point A: T098 890 |
Point B: T076 899 |
Point C: T081 898 |
| Point D: T079 897 |
Point E: T063 904 |
Point F: T047 910 |
| Point G: T047 915 |
Point H: T044 918 |
Point I: T0321 9177 |
| Point J: T057 919 |
Point K: T062 911 |
Point L: T087 901 |
| Point M: T094 901 |
Point N: T103 898 |
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