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The Summit
Monthly newsletter of MountainViews.ie for guestuser
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Oct 2015
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NEWS - INFORMATION - RECENT CONTRIBUTIONS - FEATURES - FORUMS
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UPCOMING EVENTS
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Oct 2015, Member organised trip to Lambay
There is a trip planned to Lambay Island, which contains a 126m Binnion, being organised by member Mark Brennan. Over 30 are going and the trip is now fully booked.
  16th to 18th Oct 2015, Mountaineering Ireland Autumn Gathering
Mountaineering Ireland (MI) and the Irish Rambler's Club invite you to join them
for a weekend of walks, talks and workshops on October 16th - 18th in
Glendalough, Co. Wicklow. MI look forward to exploring both the classic
routes and the lesser known paths in Glendalough and the surrounding
valleys. There will be three interesting short talks on Friday evening to set the
scene for the weekend, dinner on Saturday night in the Glendalough Hotel and
a choice of workshops on Sunday morning. Please register online at
www.mountaineering.ie Note. This is available to everyone including those not members of Mountaineering Ireland. Given that MV now has a formal relationship with Mountaineering Ireland (see item below), do come and see what is happening and share our approach to the sport of hillwalking.
On the evening of Fri 16th Simon Stewart, a member of the Ramblers and publisher of MountainViews, will be talking as one of three speakers. The topic will be "Selected Mountain Areas You May Never Have Considered." (Various Irish Mountain or Island areas, with less well known summits including photos, stories, starting points, long views, photo opportunities ) This will be based on his experience of climbing 750 summits in Ireland and will make use of others shared information.
This event is being hosted by the Irish Ramblers Club who have a page of information here.
Information and booking at MI: Details & booking, click here.
MOUNTAIN MEITHEAL: Mountain Meitheal are keen to find more people to help. Future dates:
04.10.2015
17.10.2015 18.10.2015 01.11.2015 14.11.2015
We publicise Mountain Meitheal because they make practical repairs to some of the more popular areas we walk on, using a voluntary community based approach. (More information at their website.)
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Regions: MOUNTAIN COMMENTS - TRIP REPORTS - TRACKS - SUMMARIES
In short: Discovery
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Featured track report
Nephin ventured...
In the wake of the review of the newly published Wild Nephin map featured in last month's newsletter, GSheehy has submitted a couple of substantial tracks in this supremely tough and beautiful tract of Irish hill country. The highlighted itinerary links Mulranny to the valley at Srahmore via a chain of lonely summits, including the fabled Corrannabinna arete. Gerard's notes include some handy access hints, and in common with an increasing number of submitted tracks he has effectively leveraged the new photo upload feature.
Note: As you may know, we recently started improving our shared track display. This is not finished by a long shot, however below shows how you can incorporate photos into a shared track.
GSheehy on Mulranny to Srahmore
Main walk Start: 07:52, End: 14:25, Duration: 6h33m, Length: 25.9km, Ascent: 1336m, Descent: 1367m
Places: Start at L83192 96765, Claggan Mountain NE Top, Maumthomas SW Top, Maumthomas NE Top, Corranabinnia SW Top, Corranabinnia, Glennamong, Glennamong E Top, Tirkslieve, end at F96948 02721 15km NE from Start (statistics such as Ascent or Length etc should be regarded as approximate. Duration depends on the speed of the person making the track)
First time up this country and what a treat. The forecast was good and I thought I'd get some smashing photos but it wasn't to be as that low hanging cloud just lingered and there were a few light showers.
I was in awe of the wild and tough walking terrain. Make no mistake, you'd know you'd had a decent walk when you get off the hill. No tracks up here, bar a few sheep ones, so you just walk it as you see it.
 Lough Anaffrin, Claggan Mountain NE (towards Achill)
I could tell that the beauty of the mountains themselves were hidden on the day, because of the weather, but they looked fantastic and worth another visit on a beter day.
Theres a bit of a scramble between Corrannabinna SW and Corranabinnia itself but it only added to the walk.
 Scramble
 Tirkslieve - Lough Feeagh
NB: I descended from Tirkslieve by following the fence down to F963 028 but there was a 'No Entry' sign on the other side of the gate where the hill meets the road. So, Id suggest heading to the foot bridge at F948 024 as an alternative.
NORTH: Peat hag hell.
Aidy stumbles into a hellish route up Benbeg in the Breifnes, but enjoys the wildness of this relatively untrodden top.
 Aidy on Benbeg, (Binn Bheag): Avoid The Peat Hag Hell
Approached from Cuilcagh (see comment for that mountain for first part of route), and the gloomy day meant I didn't see this area at its best. There was a wild feel to the place though, and on a good day, it looked like you could see for a huge distance down the midlands. The one thing I would recommend is, if coming from Cuilcagh, stay on the eastern side of the saddle, where although care is n ... Click here
NORTH: Emerald isle
Owey Island has merited no less than 5 comments recently – it has a small top, sea stacks, wild birds, cliffs and even a small lough, so it’s well worth the trip, reports wicklore.
 wicklore on Moylemore (Owey Island): Don't drink the water!
I followed in the footsteps of Chalky and Harry Goodman with a trip to Owey Island two weeks ago. Cruit Island is connected to the mainland by a bridge. At the north end of Cruit there is a pier down a sandy/stone track just before the golf club house. Call Dan Betty in advance on 0866013893 and arrange a lift to the island. He charges 10 euro return. He visits the island several times a day on er ... Click here
NORTH: Salt of the earth
Magnificent wildflower, wonderful views and fascinating geology make Loughsalt Mountain in Donegal NW well, worth the trip, says Happymourneview.
 happymourneview on Loughsalt Mountain, (Cnoc an Liatháin): Fabulous views of Errigal and Muckish
I ascended this relatively modest peak during late July 2015. I was staying at a local Bed and Breakfast. Upon my arrival, the friendly 'landlady' encouraged me to trek up to the summit before dinner which I just about managed to achieve!. A great trek to a rather rocky and unusual summit. There appears to be several little 'peaks' upon one sits the rather 'obliging' Trig point which marks the ... Click here
WEST: Burren butterflies
The hills were alive with a myriad of colourful butterflies at the top of sunny Mullagh More in Clare, reports paddyhillsbagger.
 paddyhillsbagger on Mullagh More, (An Mullach Mor): Burren Butterflies
Managed to climb this top on a lovely sunny day in September. One of the many sights on this fabulous top were the butterflies. The most common on the day I went up was the Grayling which is mainly a Burren species. Most of them were sun lounging on the limestone rocks! Click here
WEST: Wonderful rock formations – above and below ground.
The Burren’s unique geology makes for fascinating exploring, whether on the surface or in the systems of caverns beneath, reports wicklore from Ailwee Hill.
 wicklore on Aillwee: A rugged approach
In 2014 I took a route starting on the N67 coast road several kms north of Aillwee. This took me over two smaller rugged hills named Kiloghil and Moneen before reaching Aillwee. This approach showed the best of the Burren landscape –areas of limestone crisscrossed with clints (blocks or broad areas of limestone) and grykes (fissures between the blocks), rugged, thorny bushes and colourful flowers. ... Click here
Featured summit comment
 Aillwee: A rugged approach
wicklore
In 2014 I took a route starting on the N67 coast road several kms north of Aillwee. This took me over two smaller rugged hills named Kiloghil and Moneen before reaching Aillwee. This approach showed the best of the Burren landscape –areas of limestone crisscrossed with clints (blocks or broad areas of limestone) and grykes (fissures between the blocks), rugged, thorny bushes and colourful flowers. There are also lots of high limestone steps to negotiate which involved pulling myself up on various occasions. The tangled thorny growth that protrudes from between the rock also made navigation tricky in places. After a careful descent of the limestone steps to the south of Moneen I reached the track referred to by Sandman in his comment. The track leads up past the flat summit of Aillwee. It is a disappointing summit to reach after the excitement and challenge of the approach journey. The broad flattish summit of Aillwee is grassy, and is crisscrossed by tracks. I used these to find my down to reach a point on the R480 to the SW of Aillwee to complete a 12 km walk.
Aillwee is home to the famous Aillwee cave. It was discovered by a local man, Jack McGann when his dog chased a rabbit down a hole. Curiously, Jack did not tell anyone about the cave for 30 years. In 1973 he told some cavers about it. The rest (commercial development) is history. Because of streams carving out tunnels in the soft limestone, the Burren area is home to many cave systems that are still being discovered today. Doolin Cave has opened to the public in recent years and features the largest Stalactite in the northern hemisphere, at 23 feet. Their blurb poetically puts it that ‘. Visitors can hardly believe that it was formed from a single drop of water over thousands of years’. Having seen it in person, after a gruelling 8 storey climb down a circular stairway followed by a series of tunnels and caves, I can tell you that Doolin Cave is impressive. The Burren caves were back in the news recently when a father and son were rescued after spending 28 hours lost in the extensive Pollnagollum cave complex on Slieve Elva (Another MountainViews listed summit)
I read that in previous times local farmers had to become experts in managing broken legs in cattle due to the infinite amount of fissures/grykes in the limestone that cattle could stumble into. One account was about a local man on Aillwee who had a special recipe of swaddling, tar and herbs to wrap the broken legs in, which promoted recovery. This same man also spoke about, as a boy, how he explored all the old farmsteads of Aillwee that had been abandoned in the Famine as their owners died or emigrated. He talked of finding everything from whiskey to money in the old stone walls. Many decades later, as I strolled up the slopes of Aillwee, I had to watch my own step as I navigated across the same fissures in the rock, and wondered if any of the ruins I saw were where he had found his treasure as a boy.
SOUTH: Take Me To Church (and then go for a little walk)
For somewhere so favoured and frequented by the touring world and his sightseeing wife there's a lot of Kerry that's highly isolated and fundamentally quiet. omurchu has submitted a track exploring the final tangle of countryside between the Mangerton group and the huge cake selection at Avoca at Moll's Gap (or the Ring of Kerry road, depending on your priorities). His route is lavishly illustrated with some alluring photos, and uses the launching pad of the Kerry Way to cover a crescent of six summits from Peakeen round to Foardal...Knockanaguish might be tagged onto the start by the determined.
 omurchu on To Peakeen and beyond...
A nice 'handy' walk through part of the Killarney National Park starting and ending at the old church at Galways Bridge.| walk, Len: 16.2km, Climb: 795m, Area: Peakeen Mountain, Mangerton (Ireland) P Click here
SOUTH: A shaggy dog story.
On his ascent of Beann na Stiocairí, Wicklore is accompanied by a sheepdog who seemed determined to impress him.
 wicklore on Beann na Stiocairí: One man and not his dog
In his post on nearby Coomcallee, Skyehigh mentions the farm track in the Glenmore valley to the south. I used this to reach Beann na Stiocairì. A slow and scenic drive along several kilometres of narrow road through the valley from Waterville ends at a farm. The rough southern slopes of Beann na Stiocairì to the north can be appreciated along the road, while the equally rough and rugged slopes of ... Click here
SOUTH: Rhododendron to nowhere
One of the more oddly overlooked major mountains fastened to the Iveragh interior is Stumpa Duloigh, but it has been a veritable hotbed of MV activity in the last couple of months. Two variants of the circuit of the high summits at the head of the Black Valley have been uploaded (by Onzy, mvtrack3080, mentioned last month, and by CaptainVertigo), and an alternative approach to the southern arm (mvtrack3098 by simon3). Both the former have some excellent illustratative photographs and illuminating text, giving some very useful information especially regarding the very steep approach to Stumpa from the north...those looking at a clockwise traverse would do well to peruse the Captain's text in particular. A combination of these routes (with Broaghnabinnia and Mothallin as the terminal points) is a grand day's walking, and I'll assure you that a direct descent/ascent from/to the latter from the north doesn't encounter the rhododendrons that almost ate the valiant Captain.
 CaptainVertigo on Mothaillin to Stumpa Duloigh
Musings & DesiresLong before I ever read Adrian Hendroff’s walking guide “The Dingle, Iveragh and Beara Peninsulasâ€| walk, Len: 17.8km, Climb: 1079m, Area: Mothaillín, Dunkerron Mountains (Irelan Click here
SOUTH: Best reward to effort ratio in Kerry?
The rocky ridge of Callahaniska Hill in the Glenbeigh Horseshoe may not be one of Kerry’s famed tops, but its diminutive size offers rewards aplenty, says ciarraioch.
 ciarraioch on Callahaniska: Best Reward to Effort Ratio in the Kingdom?
Maybe it was the day that was in it, the glorious 6th of September 2015. In any case, having done upwards of 280 summits at this stage I have never been so rewarded with so little effort. Starting from A as indicated by Fergalh, the entire ridge was less than an hour there and back while taking plenty of time to savour the truly marvelous views of Corca Dhuibhne and Dingle Bay on one side, with Ca ... Click here
SOUTH: Diarmaid & Gráinne's airy perch
Binn Diarmada in Dingle West is a fine headland boasting spectacular views, potential access issues and a lot of Irish mythology, recounts ciarraioch.
 ciarraioch on Binn Diarmada: Diarmaid & Gráinne's Airy Perch
Many the good man has been led astray, and so it was with the handsome warrior, Diarmaid O Duibhne. Enticed into elopement by that trollop Gráinne, they went on the run from hoary old Fionn. So he fled back to the land of his tribe, the Corca Dhuibhne of the great peninsulas of West Munster, or the people of the goddess Dovinias as it has been written in Ogham. There he sought sanctuary for a whil ... Click here
EAST: New Vandeleur Lynam pops up!
Thanks to some high tech surveying by the intrepid jackill, Camaderry SE Top in Wicklow has been confirmed as a previously unknown VL. Another one for the list….
 jackill on Camaderry South East Top: Only just is good enough
Camaderry South East Top is that rarest of things, a new addition to the Vandeleur Lynam List of Mountains,(over 600m in height with a prominence of 15 meters or more).
The survey of this hill was made on the 6th of September during a field trip which also involved the survey of Tomaneena and Fair Mountain by MountainViews and our British counterparts The Database of British and Irish Hills. We ... Click here
EAST: The warning cry of the Sika deer…
It sounds like a bird, you know? Just one of the gems garnered by Aidy as he enjoyed an ascent up Cloghernagh in Wicklow.
 Aidy on Cloghernagh, (Clocharnach): Deer, Ticks And Maddening Weather
I was in Dublin for an evening in some very distinguished company (I have to say that because some of them will be reading this!), and couldn't miss the chance to take my first foray into the Wicklow mountains. Lugnaquilla was the obvious choice, being on the county top and 900+ lists, and my chosen route would take me over Cloghernagh on the way. I started from Glenmalur, parking at the Ballina ... Click here
EAST: The Height of...something
Sometimes only sallying forth into the Wicklow hills can undo all the calorific carnage wrought by the inaugral MV Barbecue, and so it was that Onzy and a theodolite (I'm sure that's the collective noun) of surveyors set off to determine the status of Fair Mountain and Camaderry Far East Top, taking in Tomaneena and the main summit of Camaderry along the way. This is an itinerary not easily augmented without massively lengthening the walk, but the determined and those not preoccupied by working out where the highest point of Turlough Hill is could use this as half of a round of the Glendasan valley.
 Onzy on DOBIH Surveying Visit
Day 2 of the visit of the Database of British & Irish Hills survey team to Ireland.Todays prime target was Tomaneena (Tu| walk, Len: 14.8km, Climb: 456m, Area: Fair Mountain, Dublin/Wicklow (Ireland) Click here
ARCTIC: Greenland with envy...
"Greenland is incredibly expensive, accommodation and food is mediocre in most places, the terrain is brutally rugged and the biting insects are horrendous!" But then you can say all that about Birmingham too...why should anyone prioritise Greenland, (he says deeply facetiously)? mcrtchly and kernowclimber (MV's first couple of multimedia and mining) have genuinely outdone themselves with a track (and associated film...see videography) that might not be something one can just copy on a stolen Sunday afternoon but could hopefully inspire those with the necessary resourcefulness. The trip along the Erik the Red track looks like a lifetime highlight. I needn't say any more. (Apart from 'the other two tracks look awesome too').
 mcrtchly on The Erik the Red Land's Trek
Watch the video of this trek on  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fSwxha_wvgThink of Greenland and you inevitably conju| walk, Len: 67.0km, Climb: 2143m, Area: Greenland, Vestgrønland () Click here
SPAIN: Spanish Main(land) & flamenco
Always prepared to be ground-breaking in terms of the information we provide, MV has now become the first Irish hillwalking website to offer not one, but two routes up the highest mountain in continental Spain. madfrankie has shown a slightly disappointing degree of sanity by immortalising the easiest way up Mulhacen in .gpx form, rather than turning on his Garmin (or whatever) having first given a two hour flamenco performance. Forgiveness can be happily hurled in his direction though, as his track is supplemented by plentiful notes as to how to follow in his footsteps.
madfrankie on Mulhacen - the easiest route up Spain's highest mountain
Mulhacen from CapileiraApart from Mount Teide on the Canary Island of Tenerife (which properly belongs to the continent | walk, Len: 11.1km, Climb: 833m, Area: Unid, Unid () Click here
Sorry if we didn't mention what you posted .. there's a list of all contributors for the month later.
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MOTLEY GATHERING
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MountainViews and Mountaineering Ireland sign a Memorandum of Understanding
The two organisations have a strong interest in the sport of hillwalking in Ireland. By cooperating the efforts of both can be strengthened to the advantage of hillwalkers in Ireland.
MountainViews acknowledges that Mountaineering Ireland is the national representative body for walkers and climbers and also the governing body for the sport of mountaineering as recognised by both the Irish Sports Council and Sport Northern Ireland. MountainViews will provide Mountaineering Ireland with lists and other content that will support the promotion of lists.
In turn Mountaineering Ireland recognises MountainViews as a leading online Irish hillwalking resource. Mountaineering Ireland recognises MountainViews as the authoritative source for the compilation and management of Irish hillwalking lists, such as the "Arderins", the "Vandeleur-Lynams", the "Irish County Highpoints", "Irish Highest 100", "The Local 100" and other lists as managed by MountainViews. Mountaineering Ireland will promote Irish hillwalking lists as an opportunity for a lifelong personal challenge.
A first step and beyond
The initial agreement concentrates on the lists that MountainViews maintains. This is an important component of what MountainViews offers hillwalking in Ireland. MountainViews believes it is important to provide a complete family of lists for different levels of challenge, to be authoritative, and to try to avoid fragmentation of lists, while respecting Irish cultural norms. MountainViews now provides an initial selection of lists for use by hillwalkers available through the Mountaineering Ireland website. Click here to see this.
Apart from lists MountainViews offers various other hillwalking resources such as extensive information for every summit, track sharing and videography. As the relationship progresses and in accordance with the agreement, MountainViews may explore support by Mountaineering Ireland for further services.
Cuilcagh - ruined wilderness?.
There is a substantial discussion of the extreme boardwalk on Cuilcagh, with photos etc.
 mcrtchly on Stairway to Cuilcagh
Following the recent discussion of using the Devil's ladder as a safe/unsafe way up Carrauntuohill I came upon a report of the new broadwalk on Cuilcagh Mountain (http://www.impartialreporter.com/news/roundup/articles/2015/07/15/409306-new-stunning-cuilcagh-boardwalk-provides-easier-route-to-summit-/) Click here
Visit of hill surveyors from Britain - Report
 Setting off from Wicklow gap. DOBIH to left, MV and OSi observer at right.
 Measuring the col at Table Mountain.
On 4th- 6th Sept, 2015, we welcomed the British group DoBIH (the Database of British and Irish Hills) to discuss and participate in a spot of hill-surveying. For one of the days we were accompanied by a surveyor from OSI (Ordnance Survey Ireland). Hill lists are an important part of what MountainViews does and measurement is a small but important part of ensuring lists are accurate.
You can find out about the "DoBIH" (Database of British and Irish Hills - www.hills-database.co.uk/. We have had reciprocal arrangements for sharing data with this group for some time and in early Sept 2013 we met up with them to compare methods
 Martin Critchley taking a measurement.
Results
Essentially the classification of Table Mountain, Co Wicklow as a Vandeleur-Lynam, was confirmed. The issue with this summit is not its height which is just over 700m but its prominence or drop. To be a V-L (as specified by Joss Lynam) requires a drop of at least 15m. The figure found was 15.36 All three surveyors agreed to within 3 cm.
Unexpectely a new Vandeleur-Lynam was found which we have named as Camaderry South East Top. This summit has height 677.3m and turned out to have prominence of, wait for it, 15.03m Essentially if you have ever walked up Camaderry from the east, as you might from the Glendalough carpark, you will have walked over or at least very close to this.
You can see a report about our previous meeting in the September 2013 version of our newsletter at mountainviews.ie/newsletters/month/2013-09/ where amongst other things there is a an explanation of why MV and others ever got involved with hill surveying.
The committee would like to thank all the members who gave of their time to make this joint surveying event a success particularly Martin Critchley and Sharron Schwartz.
MV Strategy
Just a reminder about this item which was covered more fully in previous months and thanks for those that contacted us about it.
The Committee’s Draft Strategy for MV is now available here. We invite input from all members of the Community as to how this should be further shaped. Any comments, criticisms, corrections, etc., are welcome on OnzyMV@gmail.com
The best mountain picture for September 2015?
 The mountains are thought to be made of water ice and to be about 3500m high.
Surely this backlit picture of Pluto, minor planetoid, taken by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft as it left the vicinity of the planet?
You can read much more about this by clicking here.
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CHALLENGE
A place for those interested in Challenge Walks
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MountainViews Challenge Notes, September 2015
mountainviews.ie/challengecalendar/
The loneliness of the Long Distance Challenge Walker . . . .
September saw the unofficial end to the season of Challenge Walking in Ireland as walks in Clare and Donegal welcomed strong numbers to their respective counties to finish out the year on a high!
Clare saw a great day on the Burren and Donegal saw the mighty Glover put 211 walkers through an incredibly tough day. As it would turn out - this day may probably have been the toughest day on a Challenge Walk this year!
You can read its incredible account here . . .
mountainviews.ie/challengecalendar/node/82/
What an end to a Season!! But the Irish Challenge Walker won't be content to simply dry out her gaiters, or stuff with newspaper his boots, no way . . . . if anything, now will be the start of preparations for next year!
The loneliness of the Long Distance Challenge Walker can be lamented for many a week now as stories of glorious weather on the Turks splice with legends of heroes on the Glover . . . you can read many an honest account on the Challenge Walk Calendar . . .
But as it’s only around 24 weeks to the "C" word . . . Community Hall, Ballyporeen . . . . which tends to be the first whippet out of the blocks (as is the Knockmealdowns Challenge), the avid Challenge Walker will just have to continue their pottering perhaps a little more alone than the norm.
But now the "underfoot conditions" are frostier, not sloppy and performing ravens put on their courting displays with no sign of the infamous horsefly leviathans . . . so the loneliness can be savoured after all . . .
So out in your Winter pottering if you do happen to come across a lonesome looking Bog-Trotter. . . she's probably just trying out new socks or he's probably just tweaking a better GPX track and not as disheartened as they may seem. But do offer food! Fun-size Mars bars being a favourite of the "Lesser Spotted Challenge Walker" . . .
Chase you all up Topside boys and girls when come the time that we get to speak again - any residing families of "mouses" will have been duly evicted from cosy gortex boots and bog-infused fleeces shouldn't have as bad a "hum" as they do at this present point in time!!
Support a Challenge Walk near you,
-- Jim Holmes.
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emVee-Tube
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Videos this month:
Videography by Peter Walker.
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WEBSITE NEWS
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Improvements to GPS tracks - more
We are enhancing the GPS track sharing as discussed in the last few month's newsletter and we have been getting some comments in. If you are new to the enhanced track editing, take a look at the sample at
mountainviews.ie/track/713/
Last month we told you about various difficulties that have been reported and our attempts to rectify them. Refer there for information.
Victims of our own success
This month we have been continuing to improve the system. One change has been to provide a facility to prevent duplicate tracks appearing in the Main Area Display. The issue is that for some popular starting points there can be a large number of shared gps tracks starting. An example would be Crone Wood carpark in Co Wicklow. However many are the same or at least very similar. Our new option allows moderators to stop duplicates appearing on the Main Area Display. However such tracks are still available using the Tracks, Walks | View all tracks menu. With approaching 1500 tracks shared (mostly for Ireland) I hope everyone understands the need for this measure. However if you find that your cherished track which is better than any other is not appearing in the area display, and you want this changed, then do contact us at at admin@mountainviews.ie
Let us know at admin@mountainviews.ie of any teething troubles or lack of clarity in how to do things. A nasty bug surfaced in Sept, whereby after some tracks were edited the website started to hang -- all the website not just the person editing the tracks. With the help of user reports we finally nailed this particularly subtle issue. Thanks mcritchly, vax man.
Do you have ideas as to what you would like to see regarding our track sharing? Please do contact us at at admin@mountainviews.ie We will do a series of enhancements, however may not return to this area for some time, so now is your chance to propose changes.
Upload to a Garmin GPS unit
This information is being repeated from last month. Since we introduced the track sharing system there has been a method for exporting shared tracks. This takes two forms: "Download a GPX file" and "Upload to a Garmin GPS unit". For Garmin users (the vast majority of people using standalone GPS units according to my experience) this is really handy. You can go directly from the website to the device using a supplied cable. Seriously neat. Used by many many other websites as well as MV.
Bad news I am afraid. This feature relied on a tool provided by Garmin ("Garmin Communicator") which relied on a method supported by browsers such as Google Chrome, Firefox and MSIE. The browser manufacturers have deemed the method insecure and are phasing it out. Garmin has apparently not decided to replace their tool with something similar. So you are likely to find that following a browser update the "Upload to a Garmin GPS unit" feature will die - usually saying that Garmin Communicator plugin is not available or some such. If a replacement becomes available, we will see what we can do.
Meanwhile you can still export data to a GPX file and use other software to get it onto your device.
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SUMMITEERS CORNER
A place for those interested in Summiteering, Bagging or Highpointing.
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Recent Additions or Changes to MV Lists
jackill states that the following are newly classified Vandeleur-Lynams:
Knockaunapeebra – Comeraghs
Camaderry SE Top – Dublin/Wicklow
Brandon Far North Top – Brandon Range
The others that make the additional tops on the 600 metre list are,
The three additions to the VL list also now feature in the 600 metre list.
A Guide to Ireland's Mountain Summits - The Vandeleur-Lynams & The Arderins
MountainViews first book available online and in many bookshops. The first reprint with numerous minor amendments is available.
 simon3 on A Guide to Irelands Mountain Summits
MountainViews first book available online and in many bookshops.
As members will know, for over a decade, Mountainviews.ie has been providing unique information to hillwalkers on all aspects of exploring and enjoying Ireland's upland areas. It's been a collaborative effort by over 1000 of you, and currently contains over 6000 comments on 1057 mountains and hills on the island of Ireland ... Click here
Bulk sales to groups such as Scouts/ Guides: contact admin@mountainviews.ie for a discounted price.
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This month.
Kudos to our contributors.
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We welcome the following new members who enrolled this month.
100WattWarlock, 2jobs, ajayaitch47, bamocom, Barneyg, Blanche-Heron, Blue1, Cathal-Kelly, Christian33, CiaraK, Cricket, DHiggins, dranganbelle, Eamonn_Waldron, Edwardryan, Ericka, ErickFarias, Fanatic, feeneyp, g0vwp, Gazelle, Grantbuaile, hak493r, hdgl, Hilltoptreks, JackD68, jawakow, jdobberstein, jgebhard, jillbrown, Jillu2, JohnMac, josephmcg, jwstar03, kasha, mcoward, MichaelMh, MurphChops, Nelson, niallmcl, oboh, pablo400, pan_radek, Paradox_Pete, PatrickKinsella, paulmoleary, paulnarch, petern, PPruz, prosein, Reno, rfjak, sb, Scarroll, Selene, Shane2ndcork, Sioban, stalker, stevehat, thebigyin, Tohora, TomasMadden, TomTynan, torms123, Trorylane, Twinkletoes, xthiago (67)
Our contributors to all threads this month:
Aidy (9), BleckCra (1), CaptainVertigo (13), Colin Murphy (1), Conor74 (2), David-Guenot (2), Dessie1 (1), Fergalh (1), GSheehy (3), Garmin (1), Jim Holmes (2), Kennyj (3), Onzy (6), Peter Walker (3), aidand (2), brenno (2), ciarraioch (6), conormcbandon (2), Communal summary entries (9), happymourneview (1), hivisibility (2), jackill (5), kernowclimber (3), maclimber (1), madfrankie (1), markwallace (1), mcrtchly (9), omurchu (3), paddyhillsbagger (2), peter1 (1), sandman (10), simon3 (7), tamjk (8), thomas_g (3), wicklore (12)
For a fuller list view Community | Recent Contributors
There were comments on the following summits
Aillwee, An Starraicín, Ballyscanlan Hill, Bascadh West Top, Beann na Stiocairí, Beenarourke, Benbeg, Binn Diarmada, Binnion Hill, Broaghnabinnia, Burren, Caha South-East Top, Callahaniska, Camaderry South East Top, Carrigarierk, Carron Mountain, Cloghernagh, Cloonagh, Cnoc na Toinne, Corrigasleggaun, Crucknaree, Cuilcagh, Cúlóg, Derrygarriff, Fauscoum, Garravagh North Top, Hill of Allen, Killane Mountain South-West Top, Knockagreenan, Knockalongy North-East Top, Knockalongy South-West Top, Knockboy South Top, Knockcraugh, Knockmealdown, Knocknamanagh, Knocknamanagh NE Top, Loughsalt Mountain, Lugnagun, Lugnaquilla, Moylemore (Owey Island), Mullagh More, Mullaghanattin, Reenearagh, Sceilg Mhichíl, Sheegouna, Spinans Hill, Stumpa Dúloigh, Truskmore, Truskmore SE Cairn
and these shared tracks Black Rock Mountain, Blackstairs Mountains Ireland, Corran, Nagles Mountains Ireland, Crockfadda, Donegal NW Ireland, Croghan Kinsella East Top, Dublin/Wicklow Ireland, Fair Mountain, Dublin/Wicklow Ireland, France, Midi-Pyrénées , Greenland, Vestgrønland , Greenland, Vestgrønland , Hag's Tooth, MacGillycuddy's Reeks Ireland, Knocknabreeda, Dunkerron Mountains Ireland, Meenteog, Glenbeigh Horseshoe Ireland, Mothaillín, Dunkerron Mountains Ireland, Muckish, Donegal NW Ireland, Muckish, Donegal NW Ireland, North Mayo Ireland, North Mayo Ireland, Peakeen Mountain, Mangerton Ireland, Slievenamuck, Galty Mountains Ireland, The Priests Leap, Shehy/Knockboy Ireland, Unid, Unid tracks were created (none in period)
Thanks to all 1210 who have ever contributed summits or routes info and forums.
For a full list view Community | Contributors Hall of Fame
Summary.
MountainViews now has 7725 comments about 1407 different hills & mountains out of the total in our current full list (1494). We want to get a good gps track showing each of the major ways up every summit in Ireland. If you see an option to add a "Short Summary" then do please consider creating one since another objective is to have a short summary for every summit in Ireland. There's a few (87) opportunities for you to be the first to comment on a summit.
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NOTICES
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Notices
- If you are contributing, please be careful to respect the interests of landowners.
Suggest access routes well away from houses, gardens or that could conceivably impact farming activities. When walking, keep away from gardens or farm buildings. Use stiles or gates wherever possible. Never do anything that could allow animals to roam where the farmer did not intend. Ask permission where appropriate.
- Report suspicious activity to the police forces, as below.
- If your car is broken into in an upland area report it to the PSNI or Gardai as this will help them be aware of the issue and tackle it in future. Store the numbers. In Northern Ireland use the PSNI non-emergency number 0845 600 8000. In the Republic you can find the local Garda District HQs phone numbers at www.garda.ie/Stations/Default.aspx. Specifically for the hotspot of Wicklow: the Garda Divisional Headquarters in Bray is 01 6665300.
- If you hear of a problem area or route, write it up in MountainViews
which does everyone a service.
Report rubbish tipping in the Republic - ring EPA hotline 1850 365 121
Report quads in national park area (in which they are banned). For Wicklow please phone the Duty Ranger: 087-9803899 or the office during office hours Telephone: +353-404-45800. Put these numbers in your phone, take regs etc. Let MV know of contact numbers for other areas.
- If you have climbed some of the less well known places, we would appreciate a summit rating and also GPS readings for summits.
- If we can, let's make MV have more than one route up a summit so as to reduce the tendency for paths to appear. Your grid refs in comments for different starting points show up on MountainViews maps as well as GPS tracks.
- MountainViews are on Twitter as MountainViewsIE. Follow us and we will follow you back. Any queries to secretary@mountainviews.ie
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 Visit the MountainViews Facebook page.
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This newsletter
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| This newsletter |
Editor: Simon Stewart, Homepage:
www.simonstewart.ie
Assistant editors: Colin Murphy, David Owens
Challenge Info: Jim Holmes
Track reviews: Peter Walker, Tom Condon
Book reviews: Conor Murphy, Aidan Dillon, Peter Walker, Michael Kinahan
Videography: Peter Walker, Video Reviews: Paul Moore
Graphics design advice: madfrankie
Facebook assistant editor: Simon Byrne
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Annual 2025
