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The Summit

Monthly newsletter of MountainViews.ie for guestuser

June 2018

HILLWALKING
NEWS - INFORMATION - RECENT CONTRIBUTIONS - FEATURES - FORUMS

Irish PIC OF THE MONTH

Challenge: Blackstairs Walk 2018

NORTH, SOUTH, WEST, EAST, ENGLAND, Route ideas and places to go.

Oldest hillwalking club in Ireland The Brotherhood of the Lug

2 videos featured this month. gerrym & David Guenot

Volunteering in 2018? We could use help on or off the committee. Some general help but also from specialists, from publicists and programmers.

General Data Protection Regulation How we use email data relevant to the newsletter.

Hillwalkers Winter Talks Ideas wanted for next season.

UPCOMING EVENTS for HILLWALKERS

MOUNTAINVIEWS: Hillwalkers' Winter Talks

The Hillwalkers' Winter Talks are over for 2017/ 2018. We are interested in suggestions for talks for the 2018/ 2019 winter. They should be of interest to hillwalkers. Previous topics have included trekking abroad, historical walking, photography, geology, archaeology, weather forecasting, islands, conservation, camino, mountain rescue, mapping and disabled walking.

The Winter Talks are being organised by the MountainViews committee.

MOUNTAINVIEWS: Member's Meet: Brandon Area

There is a an outdoor event planned for 8th Sept. Details are here.

MOUNTAIN MEITHEAL: Mountain Meitheal are keen to find more people to help.

Mountain Meitheal make practical repairs to some of the more popular areas we walk on, using a voluntary community based approach. (More information at their website.)

Picture of the month

View from Croaghmore, Dingle West area, of the Blaskets

For original comment, click here.

Photo: Member David-Guenot took this photo of Mackoght and more on a windy day from Errigal

Regions: MOUNTAIN COMMENTS - TRIP REPORTS - TRACKS - SUMMARIES
In short: Discovery

Featured Track of the Month
St Finbarr's Way
This month's selection is a two-part trip along St Finbarr's Way between Drimoleague to Gougane Barra as uploaded by jgfitz, which apparently is a pretty clearly waymarked Pilgrim's Path with some somewhat damp conditions underfoot at times. It's a varied route with riverside sections giving way to bleaker high stretches, passing over or near to several summits, with even a castle thrown in. As described here this is a two day walk, although challenge walk afficionados could probably manage it in one. www.pilgrimpath.ie/pilgrim-paths-day/st-finbarrs-pilgrim-path-cork/

jgfitz on Drimoleague to Kealkill (St. Finbarr's Way: 1st Half)

Main walk Start: 11:57, End: 18:43, Duration: 6h46m, Length: 22.5km, Ascent: 597m, Descent: 651m
Places: Start at W12837 47326, Mullaghmesha, end at W04750 56109 12km NW 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)

St. Finbarr's Way is a Pilgrim Paths route, way-marked as Slí Barra. The official trailhead is actually Top of the Rock, W 128 469, near Drimoleague. From there, the route follows the cascades upstream on the Ilen River for 5km to Castledonovan.

The Cascades on the Ilen River

After another 1.4 km, the official trail departs westwards from the Ilen River, then north and east, i.e. a semi-circular route over Mullaghmesha. (it is possible to take a short cut by going straight ahead instead of the semi-circular route). It then heads north into the Mealagh Valley, crossing the Mealagh River via a newly constructed footbridge, and then northwest to Kealkill, the end of the first half of the Pilgrim Path. Some sections of this route are on minor roads, particularly at the beginning and end. The northern section of the Mullaghmesha circuit and the descent from there into the woods is very boggy and slippery, and best left until the drier months of the year, and to be avoided after heavy rain. Regarding signage, whilst the Slí Barra signs are very clear, there are other signs on the same route which can be confusing - Sheep's Head Way, Deelish Cascades, etc. There is also an alternative route pointing towards Kealkill. Despite the very poor underfoot conditions in several places, the scenery including the views of Bantry Bay and Beara Peninsula was excellent.

NORTH: The journey is the thing…
So says the Greek author Homer, and Aidy…for his trip to the summit of Slievetooey Far W Top in Donegal rewarded him with spectacular, rarely seen views.

Aidy on Slievetooey Far W Top, (Sliabh Tuaidh Far W Top): All About The Journey, Not The Destination
I had a mixed day weatherwise, with dark skies, rain and flat light one minute, and blue skies the next, but it only added to the spectacular views to be had from the summit. If anything, the views on the approach if you come from the west at Port, are even more amazing along the coastal cliffs. On the way back I headed for Port Hill more directly, and found an unexpected bonus in the views arou ... ... Click here ...

NORTH: A quiet mountain.
Spelhoagh in the Sperrins isn’t anything to write home about in terms of aesthetic, but it’s a peaceful, pleasant climb nonetheless, reports Wilderness.

Wilderness on Spelhoagh, (Oughtmore East Top): Quiet mountain
I climbed this mountain coming from the West side from Oughtmore mountain. I've never tried it but I'm sure Spelhoagh can also be easily accessed from the Moneyneany Road on the East side as well : the Dunlogan Road and Ubbernagapple Bridge" C719998 " look like good areas to approach this summit. The top is mainly green with minor peat hags. I found one small rock at the top; I don't kn ... ... Click here ...

WEST: A View To Achill
Ireland's largest offshore island is renowned for the huge high thrills of Croaghaun and Slievemore, but there is plenty of other shoreline well worth exploring. David-Guenot has visited Achill's southern corner with a walk across two Binnions with varying terrain and outstanding prospects over to Clare Island. It's a middling day out in terms of distance but the island has several other summits that could be quickly visited before or after.
David-Guenot on Derreens Hill-Knockmore
| walk, Len: 16.8km, Climb: 663m, Area: Tievereivagh, Achill/Corraun (Ireland) Tievereivagh, Knockmore ... Click here ...

WEST: Finders keepers
Member lanmb found the ascent of Keeper Hill in the Shannon area relatively easy, but very rewarding in terms of the summit panorama.

ianmb on Keeper Hill, (Sliabh Coimeálta): A surprisinghly easy climb rewarded by stunning views
Walked this today (26/04/2018) with my wife. Traveled from Clare via Limerick and Newport, parked in a lay-by just inside Ballyhourigan Woods at the foot of the track that services the transmission masts at the summit. Followed this track all the way to the summit. The lower half of the walk is a typical forestry access route, views are largely obscured by trees and there is nothing much else to ... ... Click here ...

WEST: The Benny Hill Show
In his determination to sample every conceivable challenge walk that Ireland has to offer, GSheehy has revisited the notion of a route taking in all of Connemara's Twelve Bens. He rapidly discovered that working out which hills actually are the desired dozen is almost as difficult as the underfoot brutality of the walk he eventually undertook, with over 3000m of rough ascent and a contouring section to put the fear of God into you. All yours.

GSheehy on The Twelve (Listed) Bens
If you want to get a good ass kicking from a mountain range then go to the Bens.If you want to give yourself twelve of t| walk, Len: 33.4km, Climb: 3313m, Area: Binn Doire Chláir, Twelve Bens (Ireland ... Click here ...

WEST: Jaw-dropping
So describes derkelly274 of his looped ascent of Nephin, approaching from the north and descending to the west, which rewarded with impressive views on all sides.

derkelly274 on Nephin, (Néifinn): A looped climb from the North. Stunning views all around!
First time climbing Nephin for both myself and my friend. We decided to go at it from the North as it seemed like a more interesting prospect. There was access to the woods on the northern slope off the narrow road running E-W at G109104 and we drove in here (the gate was open) to see how far it would bring us. Thankfully the road had been continued in a zig-zag up the hill, beyond what was on Goo ... ... Click here ...

WEST: The Thur Necessities
The N16 road east from Sligo runs through some splendid scenery, and once you pass under the dazzling limestone of the Dartrys the hills to the north take on a more retiring nature. This area contains two substantial Carns that are often regarded as twins, Dough Mountain (a somewhat lumpy plateau) and the slightly (only slightly, mind) more interesting eminence of Thur Mountain. Your track reviewer had a quick look at it one Sunday afternoon, and my dog and I can state it's a quick trip with an easy track leading to some tussocky escapades and excellent views. Both summits could easily be taken in during a single afternoon.

Peter Walker on An afternoon on Thur Mountain
Generally considered (if considered at all) as the twin of Dough Mountain to its west, Thur Mountain provides a manageab| walk, Len: 4.1km, Climb: 113m, Area: Thur Mountain, Dartry Mountains (Ireland) ... Click here ...

Featured summit comment

IS IT A BIRD, A PLANE OR JOHN WAYNE?
Sometimes we get surprised by what awaits us on mountain summits. Imagine Simon3’s surprise when he found a helicopter on top of Kippure back on May 5. A gentle reminder that, while we pursue mountains for pleasure, a certain breed of tough mountainy types earn their living by dangling precariously from the pinnacles of summit masts, as Simon attests in his appropriately titled post: “A Draughty Workplace”

Spare a thought for the guys who actually have to work on transmitters on the top of mountains. We visited Kippure on a cold day with a breeze. If I understood what the guys there were saying they were putting a new aerial as in photo on to the very top of the mast. This involved climbing to the top and working there. It looks like the heavy lifting was going to be done by the helicopter. The side of the helicopter was emblazoned with airtelis with the "rte" bit emphasised. Was this some hitherto unknown junket by "RTE" , the national broadcaster? In fact Airtelis is a French company that specialises in aerial infrastructure work.
[ED: Featured summit comments are picked by our esteemed sub-editor David Murphy ]

SOUTH: Golden moment
David-Guenot captures a fine view of Blasket just before sunset.

David-Guenot on Croaghmore, (An Cró Mór): The Sleeping Giant just before sunset...
A cropped zoom on Blasket Island, taken from somewhere between Been Hill and Beenmore, with (left to right) Inishvickillane, Inis na Bro and An Tiaracht to its left. ... Click here ...

SOUTH: It never rains but it pours.
Peter1’s first ascent of Dromderalough was in rain, so after two days of sunshine he tried again, and it poured! Still, he discovered a rock with a hole in it!

peter1 on Dromderalough, (Drom idir Dhá Loch): Here we go again
Ah yes...The Dromderaloughs...in cloud and rain...'climb me once, shame on me, climb me twice, shame on thee'. I had climbed Dromderalough some years ago in Autumn, in cloud and rain, using Paddy Dillon's guide to the 2000 footers. It was before I found the MV website and realised there was another top, NE top, which is higher, so I knew that I would have to return some day. Then an MV member (?) ... ... Click here ...

SOUTH: One of those rare perfect days
When you can see the Blackstairs and the Reeks from the summit of Galtybeg, you just know you’ve picked the perfect day for hillwalking, reports jackill.

jackill on Galtybeg, (Cnoc Beag na nGaibhlte): One of those rare perfect days
Every once in a while comes a rare day when everything just works, even though it shouldn't. Dodgy back, banjaxed knees, starting time silly o'clock, have to be home by noon to evict the crows from my chimney and cut the grass before it becomes silage. None of these matter when you can see the Blackstairs and the Reeks, the sky is bluer than the bluest blue thing, and even though it's April short ... ... Click here ...

EAST: The much-trodden path…
Track wear on Djouce is so bad that Simon3 managed to snap it from 10km out in the Irish Sea!

simon3 on Great Sugar Loaf, (Ó Cualann): The wearing of Djouce.
Occasionally you hear that the track wear on Djouce is so bad that it can be seen from Wales. Maybe so, but then it is hard to see any part of Ireland from Wales. I was curious therefore to look at this picture of Djouce from very roughly 10km out of Dublin port. And yes the east track up Djouce is visible from here at least appearing as a lighter streak from the top towards the Sugar Loaf. ... Click here ...

EAST: Boys from the Blackstairs
A fair number of MountainViewers partook of one of the calendar's most popular events, the Blackstairs Challenge, and of the uploaded tracks from the day we're selecting that from our master of measurements, jackill. It's a substantial walk without seeming as intimidating as some of its counterparts, and this year's was held on on a day of excellent weather (with at least one marriage proposal). If your interest is tickled for next year's running, be aware that this one sells out in minutes.
jackill on Blackstairs Challenge route 2018
| walk, Len: 34.0km, Climb: 1524m, Area: Black Rock Mountain, Blackstairs Mountains (Ireland) Black Rock Mountain, Mount Leinster East Top, Mount Leinster, Blackstairs Mountain, Carrigalachan, Carrig ... Click here ...

EAST: Short circuit
Taking the direct route up from Glenmalure rather than the long circuitous route, Bunsen7 ascended Camenabologue SE on a fine spring day affording great views of the valley.

Bunsen7 on Camenabologue SE Top: Direct Route from Glenmalure
Followed directions posted on MV to find the forest ride up from Glenmalure. See track 3766. The first section of forestry SW of the forest track has been felled, making the forest ride more obvious. Track 3766 was undertaken in exceptional weather, and after a dry spell - I have some history with this hill having come a cropper in the col to its northwest on a wet day some time ago. Similar ... ... Click here ...

ENGLAND: A bit on the side of the Side
One of the most famous mountain scenes in Britain is the dramatic outline of the Lake District's Langdale Pikes, a view seen to tremendous advantage from the track uploaded by simon3. His route covers the lower eminence of Lingmoor Fell and its rocky subsidiary of Side Pike, and also visits two of the area's most famous pubs. Anyone wanting a bit extra could extend this walk across the other side of the valley to the complex wonderland of Loughrigg Fell...this is all utterly wonderful hill country.

simon3 on Barnavave and Slieve Foye from Carlingford
This route mostly takes low gradient tracks to ascend to first Barnavave and then Slieve Foye.Ascending Barnavave from C| walk, Len: 9.8km, Climb: 684m, Area: Barnavave, Cooley/Gullion (Ireland) Barn ... Click here ...

Sorry if we didn't mention what you posted .. there's a list of all contributors for recent months later.

MOTLEY GATHERING

General View of Brandon Area.

MOUNTAINVIEWS MEMBERS Meetup Walk, Saturday 8, 2018

The next walk for Mountainviews members and friends is scheduled for Saturday 8^th September. This is an opportunity to meet up with fellow Mountainviewers and visit a part of the country you may not have been to before. Why not make a weekend of it?
A post walk drink and meal will also be arranged.
The walk will start at the Conor Pass which at a height of over 400 metres is a good place to begin.
Cycling up to the Conor Pass is optional!
A short ascent from the Pass will bring us to An Bhinn Dubh, the first of many summits closely followed by Beennabrack and Ballysitteragh before a descent of over 200m to a col and ascent up to Gearhane.

Conor Pass.

From here there is a spectacular ridge over Brandon Peak and Brandon South top to Mount Brandon itself at 952m the high point of the walk
There is an option at this point to descend by the ‘Saints road’ to An Baile Breac following a line of white posts and wooden crosses
Alternatively continue over Brandon North top and Far North top to Piras Mor and the col before Masatiompamn where an Ogham stone is located
A short diversion up Masatiompan is possible before descending west by the Dingle way to a car park near Brandon Creek.
The walk is 7-8 hours for the longer version, a distance of approx. 18km with ascent of around 1,000 metres
There will be more details nearer the walk but in the meantime if you are interested in joining us, SAVE THE DATE!, and, better still, register your interest with Liz, as below.

Decorated stone near Masatiompan.

The walk and the day are organised independently by members of mountainviews.ie and there is no charge for the walk. If you choose to donate to MountainViews you are always free to do so.
You arrange your own accommodation and any matters of personal insurance.
This is a wonderful opportunity to meet members of the Mountainviews community
The walk and further details are available from Liz at elizabethashton2014@outlook.com

Beara-Breifne Way near Foilastakeen.

Beara Breifne Way.
MountainViews has featured this route recently both by having an article in last month's quarterly and by members shared tracks which show the route. While summiteering on Conigar recently in the Shehy/ Knockboys I saw for myself the route as it nears Foilastakeen and Gougane Barra.
This article shows some members have recently completed the walk. Our congratulations.

tomlug48 on Completion of Beara Breifne Way
Having walked 536 km from Glengarriff to Leitrim village in 28 stages ( twice as long, (time -wise) ,as O Sullivan Beare !) four walkers ,Tom Barragry,Nicholas O Neill, Michael Donohue and Aidan Cruise recently completed the full Bear Breifne Way, which commemorates the historic retreat of O Sullivan Beare from the Beara peninsula in 1603 , when he reached O Rourkes castle in Leitrim villag ... ... Click here ...

New Collins Press book by Helen Fairbairn.

Ireland's Adventure Bucket List.

MountainViews is in the process of expanding the places it describes to a more comprehensive set including islands and coastal features. We therefore welcome the publication of this book by Collins and will attempt to get a review copy. If you are interested in reviewing it, let us know at admin@mountainviews.ie

Volunteering for 2018: Strengthening the MountainViews Committee

Currently we have a number of officers on the committee such as chairperson, secretary etc. We really could use some further committee members to achieve our strategic goals and spread the load.

Position	In Brief
Ordinary members	For those taking an interest in the MV committee or indeed committees in general we can also use some further "regular" committee members without a specific role. There are many smaller quite finite projects that might suit regular members.
Publicity	MountainViews is a great resource based on over 1300 people's contributions over 15 years. Great that is if you have heard of it. And that's where we could use some practical publicity help.
The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth	Quite apart from programmers, would you believe MV's progress can also use help from people who can really follow through on tasks like creating lists, checking stats, researching place names or geology. Whether on the committee or not we value such people's contributions.
Talks Group	Not strictly speaking part of the main committee but a position involved in finding and selecting interesting speakers and organising the three events we are running each year.

Ireland's Oldest Hillwalking Club: Brothers of the Lug

The Lug's Badge.

A Brief History.
Tom Barragry

THE STORY OF THE LUGS

The oldest walking club in Ireland is the Brotherhood of the Lug. It dates from 1903 and currently numbers about 25 members. On every second Sunday of the month walks are organised through the Wicklow and Dublin mountains, valleys, and forests. Additional walks are held on Wednesdays, usually along flatter terrain to suit some older members, or simply to suit some of our younger members who just wish to get out and about in a not too exerting fashion, midweek. Other walks go to the Comeraghs, The Dingle Way, Carrantoohil or the Maamturks in summertime when weather and other considerations allow.
The club has produced over the years a beautiful, full coloured programme of the schedule of walks for the upcoming six months complete with colour thumbnail maps and photographs. Thus a clear schedule is laid out, and walk reports and photographs are posted retrospectively on the Lugs website ( brothersofthelug.ie .ie)

An Annual Dinner.

WHAT LUGS DO

The Lugs lead a busy social life, and after each walk some libations are always held in an adjacent local hostelry. In addition, weekly coffee club meetings are held, and also the club has two annual dinners, one in the St Stephens Green Club and one in another hotel on a rotational basis. The Lugs are a funny and quirky club with a very colourful history. Its current group of members are directly in line with the founding members insofar as informality is the core value, a good sense of humour is an essential, and no one takes themselves too seriously. Walks are well planned in advance. In accordance with the Lugs colour brochure, a route is chosen and under the stewardship and the guidance of the Grand Master (Chief of the Lugs ... more about him later) and the Master in the Field (walk leader, navigator and cartographer ... more about him later also) who, complete with compass, map, GPS and Viewranger, leads the lugs out over the Wicklow hills, lakes, and forests every second Sunday ... as they have been doing since 1903.

The Lugs on Lug, 1904.

IN THE BEGINNING ...

This club, the Lugs as they are called. was founded on the summit of Lugnaquilla in 1903 by five hardy mountain walkers; Messrs Redmond, Ross, Scanlon, Bateman and Martin. These men were Dubliners, a few were civil servants (Dept of Revenue) - one was a court clerk in the Four Courts and another worked in a die-sinking works in College Green. An old photograph from that time shows the five founding fathers dressed in tweedy apparel of waistcoats, great coats, ties and leather shoes of 1903 - without Goretex, Brasher walking boots or North Face waterproofs between them! A number of old sepia photographs of the founders survive from 1903, because some ten years ago the two original diaries written by the founding members, (complete with the five 1903 photographs) were serendipitously discovered in an attic suitcase by a descendant of an older member. These diaries were happily handed over to the club. Indeed this was a real hoard for the Lugs insofar as these diaries accurately and authentically chronicle the founding of the club and the establishment of the old rules in 1903, the unusual honorary titles bestowed on senior members at that time, the social venues used for the Lug’s dinners and the general organization, walking life and social activities of the club in the early days - at the time of Joycean Dublin.

Diaries of 1903.

GET AN EARFUL OF THIS

At the inception of the Lugs in 1903 all members had buttonhole badges of green and gold displaying an ear - the ear being also referred to as ‘a Lug’ in old Dublin-speak (lug is also a Gaelic word for ‘ear’). Special gold medals were presented to Lugs for long service or distinguished service. Starting in 1930, an annual gold medal was presented at the dinner to a Lug member ‘for the bravest deed of the season’.
The club also had its own colours and ribbons of blue and purple, together with summertime strawboater hats. The elected Leader was referred to as the ‘Grandmaster’ or GM. He was elected each year on the summit of Lugnaquilla (where he took an oath and raised a glass!). Following descent from Lugnaquilla, this ceremony was followed by an AGM and a dinner, quite often held in the nearby Drumgoff hotel. Other venues used for AGMs and dinners were the Purty Kitchen, the Queen’s in Dalkey, the Enniskerry Hotel, the Vale View hotel in Avoca and many others.
Other club titles of a slightly mysterious and masonic sounding nature were awarded to senior members. These include the Grand Prior, the Grand Constable and Grand Harbinger. These titles are still used today by the modern Lugs with a sense of utter flippancy and tongue in cheek frivolity. Nothing is taken too seriously.
Walks in the old days were of a formidable distance, usually from one train or tram terminus to another. Trains or trams were frequently boarded at Harcourt St and went to Bray, Greystones or Blessington where many of the walks commenced. Occasionally a model T Ford car or char-a-banc was used to get Lugs to a starting point deeper in Wicklow, often necessitating an overnight stay in Drumgoff or Avoca prior to the walk.
With neither proper walking gear nor outdoor clothing as we know it, and without good maps or GPS and barely a compass, strenuous walks of 25 miles were not uncommon across the breadth of Wicklow. Old favourites like Kelly’s Lough, Kippure, Lough Bray and the Featherbed featured prominently in the old walking schedules of the 1920’s.

McGuirks Tea Rooms Lough Bray
Visitors Book 1927

THE MAD KAISER

The Lugs were frequent visitors after Sunday walks to McGuirk’s tea rooms at the foot of Lough Bray. Many old visitors’ books of the 1920s from that premises were signed by the Lugs, displaying the symbol of an ear beside each name, and a mention of the walk undertaken. We have a number of these pages from McGuirks visitors’ book signed by Messrs Rooney & Scanlon, the original founders from 1903/04. The Lugs diaries from 1903 were continually written up, right until 1937. Mention was made of one walking member who was killed in France in WW1, a minute’s silence was held for him at an annual dinner. The diaries refer also to curfews for meetings and ‘all this trouble’ being caused ‘by mad Kaiser Bill’. Membership in those years reached a maximum number of twenty. It was recorded that, at the dinner in 1910 there were 18 participants, which was noted to constitute ‘a record attendance’ for the club dinner at that time. The old diaries provide a wonderful historical record and bird’s eye narrative of hiking in Wicklow and Dublin in the early twentieth century as well as colourful details of their social activities and functions at that time.

Lugs on Seefin

1937 TO THE PRESENT DAY

Many of the old Lugs had passed on by 1937 and no diaries exist following that date. One surviving Lug of that era, Michael Finn, worked in the Civil Service and continued to walk with a few friends. A Kerryman, John White from Tralee, worked in the Dept of Revenue/Finance at the same time and he formed a sizeable walking group also. White and Finn were close friends and in 1938 they decided to throw in their lot and amalgamate their two groups to keep the Brotherhood of the Lug alive and in existence. Thus the last remaining Lug (Finn) merged with the walking group from the Dept of Finance (White). This coalescence led to the formation of the new Lugs and thus the club survives and thrives to this present day.
Notable members of the post war Lugs were JB Malone who was a leading member throughout the 1940s until the 1980s. Born in 1913 in Leeds in England to Irish parents, J.B. Malone was the most influential force in the development of walking, particularly hill walking, as a leisure activity in Ireland. He began to explore the Dublin and Wicklow Mountains on foot as a young man in 1932. By 1938 he was writing a weekly column on walking for the Evening Herald which continued until1975. These columns and his earlier books The Open Road (1950) and Walking in Wicklow(1964), inspired countless readers to exchange the city for the hills and to enjoy healthy exercise and the joys of the natural world. His informative writing was not confined to rural Ireland, however; he also produced over a thousand articles for the Evening Herald about places of note and the buildings of Dublin.

THE WICKLOW WAY

In the forties he had a vision of a long, way-marked walking trail in Wicklow, and in 1979 when he was appointed Field Officer to the Long Distance Walks Committee, he began putting the 132 kilometre-long Wicklow Way in place. Opened in 1982, it was Ireland’s first Long Distance Walk, and the forerunner of the many such trails that exist today. His book describing the route, The Complete Wicklow Way, was a best seller. A Civil Servant, he worked in Posts & Telegraphs.
Active up until the last, he died in October 1989 and is buried in Bohernabreena Cemetery. Many of his diaries and his notes of Lug walks (from 1940s to 1980s) still survive and he was of course broadcasting on RTE in the early 1960s (‘Mountain & Meadow’ as well as writing regular columns for the Evening Herald and the Independant.
Another notable and experienced Lug was Brendan O Connor who climbed the Matterhorn and who had a stellar career walking the Alps and many other famous peaks. Brendan O Connor was born in Tralee, and became a very strong walker and a serious and accomplished mountaineer. His father Henry O Connor was a journalist from Tralee, editor of the Leinster Leader, and a contributor to the Kerry Champion and Freeman’s Journal. Henry was a close friend of Austin Stack and Cathal Brugha. Henry moved from Tralee to Appian Way in Dublin in 1911. His house in Appian Way was used for early cabinet meetings post 1916; Mick Collins being a frequent visitor together with Arthur Griffith, Liam Cosgrave, Risteard Mulcahy and Countess Markiwicz. Henry’s son Brendan became a leading light in the Lugs and was also a founder member of Kerry Mountain rescue. Space does not permit description of many other notable members.

THE STATE OF PLAY NOW

The Lugs set out for Lugnaquilla

Currently the club numbers twenty eight members, and is highly active every second Sunday in Wicklow ... be it Tonlagee, Camaderry, Derrybawn, Luggala, Lough Dan, Sorrel Hill or any of the beautiful well known Wicklow trails. Midweek Wednesday walks take place over flatter terrain (Royal or Grand Canal, Roundwood Reservoir, Clara Vale, etc), and each year a summer trip is made to one of the islands of Ireland. This year the club go to Inisbofin (Clare Island, Beare Island, Achill etc all having figured previously). In addition, a trip is made overseas each year to an attractive European hiking venue for a period of a week or so (Zermatt with the Matterhorn behind it, Kitzbuhl in Austria, Competa and Chamonix, all having been visited in the recent past).
The Lugs enjoy life and are a wonderful walking club with a long and proud tradition. Members of the Lugs, in keeping with their very long history, are a most interesting group of highly individual hikers with a great sense of humour. The lugs were never a highly regimented nor overly organised group -but they always, always, reach the summit, attain their goal and arrive at their destination ... but not necessarily in record time ... and always albeit after a good break (or ‘suss’ as we call it – another Gaelic word ‘sos’) for tea and sandwiches. We hope to survive at least another hundred years!

The MountainViews ANNUAL, 2018.
	We published our third annual in Feb 2018 58 pages in 17 Articles about walking on hills, mountains and islands here and abroad. (or Hi-res version.) Printed copies available from www.blurb.co.uk/b/8538309-the-summit-2018

emVee-Tube

Videos this month:

	Under canvas in the Mournes, from member gerrym
	A walk in the Far Eastern Fells of England's Lake District, from member David-Guenot

Videography by Peter Walker.

SITE NEWS

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You will likely have been getting emails from many companies and organisations recently, due to the GDPR requirements. This is your update from MountainViews, the hillwalkers’ website in relation to the newsletter and email addresses.
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automatically notify when certain things occur, for example where you have requested notification that particular sorts of comments are posted
individually contact you in relation to any postings you may have made for example for the purpose of correction of the posting
individually contact you in relation to other business of the website or the MountainViews committee, for example in relation to the production of our larger magazines or providing awards
provide a messaging service to allow members contact other members without recipients receiving your email address

Newsletter.
If you are receiving this newsletter it's because you enrolled in the past. Each newsletter contains a link which gives you the opportunity to unsubscribe from future bulletins. The newsletter is separate to whether or not you are a MountainViews user. There is no obligation to receive the newsletter, and you can opt out at any time.

Access to information.
Most of the information we hold on enrolled users is available in the user profile. (Website menu option: “Lists and Logs=>My Contributions and Profile”)

Amending data held by MountainViews
It is possible for you to amend almost all of the personal data held in the same way you originally added it. For email addresses etc this is done on the website under “Settings” at the top right.
Where this is not possible, you can request access, amend, or delete any of your personal data processed by us, at any time, by simply emailing admin@MountainViews.ie

Privacy policy and notices
We always have had a number of written policies and notices in relation to privacy and data protection and we will be updating those in relation to GDPR where or if they need change.

Introduction Panel
(Repeat item)

New introduction panel.

You will now find an Introduction panel will appear when you start MountainViews. Hopefully it will shed light on how to get the best out of the system.

A. If you are an experienced user. Experience has taught us that even people who have been using MV for years do not always realise there are easier ways to do things. Have a look at the explanations and the detailed tutorials. You can close the introduction with a single keystroke If you are logged in you can close the introduction for 30 days at a time. Let us know if the tutorial can be improved.

B. GUESTUSER First time users have often told us the website is hard to get into. We hope this introduction will make it easier. There are short introductions to the main things you can do on this website and some longer tutorials.

You can close the introduction with a single keystroke. We would welcome feedback. You will need to create an account (very easy), login and post your suggestions in this forum.

Restarting Introduction Click on Home => Display INTRODUCTION

Thanks Thanks to magicstep for work on this introduction.

Opinions welcome at admin -at- mountainviews.ie

SOS

Progress on technical assistance

Another volunteer has come forward to assist us. An initial project is Handling GDPR.

We have had to bring back our SOS looking for technical support.

We now have much better facilities for volunteer software developers. To support group software development various tools are required such as Version Control, Issue Handling, Documentation Repository. We have moved our version control from an earlier tool, SVN to Git and Gitlab. Latter mentioned tool also supports issue handling and documentation.

If you wish to discuss taking a hand and have skills useful to a website such as MountainViews, get in touch (with no committment) at admin -at- mountainviews.ie

CHALLENGE
A place for those interested in Challenge Walking

Challenge Walk Calendar

Challenge Walk Notes for June 2018

Blackstairs Walk 2018.

Newsletter June 2018
May has seen weather that was, to put it simply, fabulous! A tonic for the troops indeed. And as we are all too familiar with the real possibility that, that could have been the summer . . . and it could very well be next March (at the earliest) before we all see the sun shine again – we (The Irish Challenge Walker) were sure to get out and make plenty of hay!
Bannside Rambling Club reported another fabulous Causeway Coast Challenge. Held early every May it is a wonderful Coastal Walk . . . . and Coastal Features as we know, are a newly introduced feature to the MountainViews website. So at this early stage with many a similar excellent track already in place, it’ll certainly be yet another great addition to the site.
This was Bannside Rambling Club’s 39^th year to host the outing which is testament both to the Club and its Stewards on the day – but secretly, I can’t help but feel that having the incredible North Antrim Coastline as a backdrop – they’re not really starting off with a blank canvas! Add the Walk to your future intentions . . . simple as!

Blackstairs Walk 2018.

Sold out in a little over 30 minutes – The Blackstairs Challenge once again secured weather to both dream and lament upon (however they do it!). A times a little windy, at times a little cool, but all day there was a lot of sun and even a lot of love! Yup you read that right! Proving to be a matrimonial service just as much as an innovative Hillwalking Club – yet another couple from Na Sléibhte Hillwalking Club came together and realised that there’s no point in being happy all your life . . . well especially not when if you add in the Hillwalking mix – sure hey! – you can be ecstatic! Congrats to those concerned. The Walk itself is very well supported with glorious Checkpoints adorned with delicious brac, refills of water . . . and then at Carrigalachan Gap Checkpoint being handed with a cup of tea is like being presented with a winning lottery ticket! A new ending to the route tested weary legs with a longer walk out of the forest before a last haul on tender soles. But at the end a well deserved certificate can be appreciated all the more.
I thoroughly enjoyed this year’s Blackstairs as it was the first (with hopefully more to follow) Challenge Walk for the last (in the rankings) of my little brats at home! A previous encounter with a day of bog and wind led to his now famous exclamation of “I feel pain everywhere!” Now when you hear a quote like that, especially in this world of Xbox, Fortnight and Social Media . . . you know as a parent – you’re not doing that bad after all! So The Blackstairs Challenge continues to draw on the whole spectrum of Hillwalkers each with their own reasons and loves for the Walk. And once again many thanks to the Wayfarers Hillwalking Club for all their nurturing of Hillwalking, friendship and not forgetting . . . Luurrve xx!
It was unfortunate to learn how the Ring of Imaal Challenge Walk will be restricted to club members only this year. An Óige Youth Hostelling Association tended to be the hosts of the this lovely circuit Walk but their own woes a few years back made for the necessary separation of the Hillwalking Club from the governing body of An Óige. So what can happen all too often is the situation arises whereby there simply aren’t enough members within a given Club to be able to host a given Challenge Walk.
Some solutions have been muted over the years . . . perhaps a mobile flotilla of experienced stewards made up from different clubs was one very good suggestion I thought!
Now I know how Spike Milligan is more than famous for his classic remark “behind every silver lining there’s a cloud. . .” – but that’s not our sentiment in the world of Challenge Walks . . . although his sense of humour most probably is!
So whilst this June we may not have the Ring of Imaal we’ll keep looking forward to two great Walks that take place later in June.
Now firmly and successfully anchored within the Challenge Walks Calendar is the mighty Tom Crean Endurance Walk.
Taking place on the 23^rd June – this Walk is hosted by the Annascaul Hill and Roadwalking Club, County Kerry – The Tom Crean Endurance Walk starts by besting the mighty Mount Brandon and then on and up, and over, to traverse a lovely route adjacent to the spectacular Coumanare Lakes before journey’s end in the village of Annascaul. Then taking place at the end of the month on the 30^th June is the Galtee Challenge hosted by the Galtee Walking Club. The direction of the Challenge Walk alternates each year, so this year’s event will see the Walk starting from Cahir and walking back to Anglesborough – of course there’s the full length of the Galtee Mountains in between! Good luck to all concerned.
So as always Boys and Girls,
Onwards and Upwards,
Keep Safe and Enjoy your Day.
Jim Holmes.

Also take a look at this resource managed by MountainViews:
www.facebook.com/ChallengeWalksIreland

SUMMITEERS and PLACE-VISITORS CORNER
A place for those interested in Summiteering, Bagging, Highpointing, visiting islands and coastal places.

A Guide to Ireland's Mountain Summits - The Vandeleur-Lynams & The Arderins
MountainViews first book available online and in some 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.

This month.
Kudos to our contributors.

We welcome the following new members who enrolled this month. 1958paulaDarby, adamwok, alan2003, alan22, alcatrazranch, alexis88, Askea, ballca, Barry-Marshall, Barteol, Bebok97, boraghallaigh, Breige, Brendamalley, B_Schiehallion, C-dog, cilday, clairel, Clive, colmmc, cowboygibbon, crowe.e, Dan8Donohoue, danielledubois, dapollard51, davemurphy53, deemango, delob10, dervla, Deyzy, donalconnell1, DSprott, Dufay045, Dugswell2, Duper1, EGarvey, Elise1958, FatPete, Fiola, Fionadobbyn45, gaelbrad, Galwaygal, Gergrylls, gerwalking, gfoxyfox, Ghettofarmulous, ginnie, gollumlikesfish, headspace, Heathd, HeidiPortadown, HikerGerro, i12, ianmb, Idontwantthat, ImeldaRose, JanetLyn, Jason187, Jazz, Jimmy600leavey, jimsmith, Jmcmanus, Johnboy68, jurd, KateShea, Kcmountain, kenkara, KenMason, Kevmccoy, Kfinn009, kingothehill, Kinlough_home, Knockloyd, Leigh, Libor, LostLuggage, LouiseForbes, lozjm, Marc, marcellawalking, marcinbosy, Margoanglim, MarkBrennan, marymcg, Mattezekiel, matthew82, Maz1234, meagher, memac, michaelgfewer, Moses, motywa, movingturtle, muzzled2b, nickp, noelcurt, Norstar, Obriema, Paddy-B, Padraig-Breen, PamelaClarke, Parts999, patdalton, PatHargan, Peter_1, Pfomeara, Power, Prendo, radar, raymondmcevoy, reddyd, ReneKrebber, Richtea, RoyServiss, RuaNua, setasamuli, Simschap, SmirkyQuill, Sniriain, tomlug48, Trishalmighty11, twilawalking, Vickim, Victoriabivol, wallr, WayneMccormack27, wdibb, Wrighty1193, wtrs, yakrhum (130)

Our contributors to all threads this month: Aidy (1), BleckCra (2), Bunsen7 (7), Colin Murphy (2), ColinCallanan (3), Damian120 (1), David-Guenot (19), Eirepur (1), GSheehy (3), Geo (2), IainT (3), Onzy (3), Parts999 (1), Pepe (1), Peter Walker (5), ShaunDunne (1), TommyMc (1), Ulsterpooka (2), Wilderness (6), billbaggins (2), caiomhin (1), ckilm (1), davsheen (8), derkelly274 (3), eamonoc (1), eflanaga (1), gerrym (1), gleesono (1), Communal summary entries (2), headspace (2), ianmb (1), jackill (9), jgfitz (4), liz50 (5), maclimber (1), madfrankie (1), mcrtchly (1), osullivanm (1), peter1 (4), scottwalker (1), simon3 (13), spiider28 (1), tomlug48 (1), wicklore (4), wtrs (1)
For a fuller list view Community | Recent Contributors

There were comments on the following places , An Cró Mór, Ballykildea Mountain, Bealick, Belmore Mountain, Bengorm, Binn Mhairg, Brandon Hill, Buckoogh, Camaderry Mountain, Camenabologue SE Top, Caunoge, Cloghernagh, Conigar, Corrigasleggaun, Croaghanmoira, Crusline, Divis, Dromderalough, Errigal, Fananierin, Foher, Galtybeg, Great Sugar Loaf, Keelogyboy Mtn Far E Top, Keeper Hill, Kilmacomma Hill, Kippure, Knockanaguish, Knockaunapeebra, Knocknamuck, Knockowen, Knockshanahullion, Lugduff, Lugnaquilla, Masatiompan, Nephin, Piaras Mór, Sceilg Mhichíl, Scrabo Hill, Slemish, Sliabh Tuaidh Far W Top, Slieve Anierin, Spelhoagh, The Playbank, Tooreenbaha, Truskmore
and these shared tracks Antrim Hills Ireland, Ballinacor Mountain, Dublin/Wicklow Ireland, Binn Doire Chláir, Twelve Bens Ireland, Binn Doire Chláir, Twelve Bens Ireland, Black Hill, Dublin/Wicklow Ireland, Black Rock Mountain, Blackstairs Mountains Ireland, Brassel Mountain, MacGillycuddy's Reeks Ireland, Bweengduff, Boggeragh Mountains Ireland, Camenabologue SE Top, Dublin/Wicklow Ireland, Carrauntoohil, MacGillycuddy's Reeks Ireland, Cefn yr Ystrad, Llandovery to Monmouth Britain, Claggan Mountain NE Top, North Mayo Ireland, Conigar, Shehy/Knockboy Ireland, Coolcross Hill, Inishowen Ireland, Cooley/Gullion Ireland, Corcóg, Maamturks Ireland, Cruach Mhór, MacGillycuddy's Reeks Ireland, Crusline, Stacks Mountains Ireland, Dromderalough NE Top, Mangerton Ireland, Dublin/Wicklow Ireland, East Coast Ireland, France, Occitanie , Galtybeg, Galty Mountains Ireland, Galtymore, Galty Mountains Ireland, Great Mell Fell, Lake District - Eastern Fells Britain, Helm Crag, Lake District - Central & Western Fells Britain, Killiney Hill, Dublin/Wicklow Ireland, Knockanaguish, Mangerton Ireland, Knocknagapple, Glenbeigh Horseshoe Ireland, Knockshanahullion, Knockmealdown Mountains Ireland, Lackabaun, Shehy/Knockboy Ireland, Lackabaun, Shehy/Knockboy Ireland, Lake District - Eastern Fells Britain, Lingmoor Fell [Lingmoor Fell - Brown How], Lake District - C Britain, Little Mell Fell, Lake District - Eastern Fells Britain, Mount Leinster East Top, Blackstairs Mountains Ireland, Mullaghanish, Paps/Derrynasaggart Ireland, Musheramore, Boggeragh Mountains Ireland, Nephin, North Mayo Ireland, Nephin, North Mayo Ireland, North Mayo Ireland, Rocky Mountain, Mourne Mountains Ireland, Seefin, Glenbeigh Horseshoe Ireland, Shehy/Knockboy Ireland, Shehy/Knockboy Ireland, Sliabh Tuaidh, Donegal SW Ireland, Stoney Top, Dublin/Wicklow Ireland, Swarth Fell (Ullswater), Lake District - Eastern Fells Britain, The Playbank, Breifne Ireland, Thur Mountain, Dartry Mountains Ireland, Tievereivagh, Achill/Corraun Ireland tracks were created.

Thanks to all 1327 who have ever contributed place or routes info and forums.

For a full list view Community | Contributors Hall of Fame

Summary. MountainViews now has 8701 comments about 1634 different hills, mountains, island and coastal features out of the total in our current full list (2153). We want to get a good gps track showing each of the major ways to visit each of these places and summits 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 and island and coastal feature in Ireland. There's a few (519) opportunities for you to be the first to comment on a summit, however lots of opportunities for islands and coastal features as we bring them out. We also have around 2000 shared GPS tracks, mostly in Ireland. Apart from a few popular areas, there is a need for more routes in many different areas. Plain shared tracks without descriptions are welcome however if you have time then do please add route descriptions with photos.

NOTICES

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.
Take care if parking and do not obstruct roads, lanes and field entrances to access by farm machinery, which can be large. Exercise your dog in parks or forests but avoid countryside or open hillside where they may worry sheep.
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 recreational quads in national park area (in which they are banned). They are also banned in the Mournes. For Wicklow please phone the Duty Ranger: 087-9803899 or the office during office hours Telephone: +353-404-45800. For the Mournes ring the PSNI (as above) or contact Mournes Heritage Trust. Put these numbers in your phone, take regs etc. Let MV know of contact numbers for other areas.
If you have visited some of the less well known places, we would appreciate a place rating and also "Improve Grid Ref" for summits and other places.
If you find errors in the basic information about places such as in their names, their heights, county name etc please use the "Propose Places Database Change" option.
If we can, let's make MV have more than one route up a summit or to a place 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 shared GPS tracks.
Visit the MountainViews Facebook page.
Visit the Challenge Walks Ireland page (jointly managed by MountainViews)

This newsletter

This newsletter	Editor: Simon Stewart, Homepage: www.simonstewart.ie Assistant editors: Colin Murphy, David Owens Summit comment reviews: David Murphy Challenge Info: Jim Holmes Track reviews: Peter Walker Book reviews: Aidan Dillon, Peter Walker, Mel O'Hara Videography: Peter Walker Graphics design advice: madfrankie Development & support volunteers: Vanush "Misha" Paturyan, Jack Higgins, Piotr Stepien
Newsletter archive.	View previous newsletters mountainviews.ie/newsletter
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