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This year we have two great speakers, a video showcase, a quiz with spot prizes and an expanded Annual Awards ceremony
Claire Cotter
Claire Cotter. is an archaeologist who has worked extensively in the west of Ireland. Her talk - Mount Brandon: where two worlds collide - looks at what archaeology can tell us about different traditions on the west and east sides of Brandon Mountain. Claire will also highlight some links and resources for walkers interested in identifying or finding out more about the archaeological sites they might come across.
Claire has generously contributed to MountainViews before, for example in this article on archaeology of Árainn with gorgeous illustrations.
Sinéad Pollock Orr
Sinéad Pollock Orr, will talk about 'My life as an Outdoor Practitioner'
Crafting My Career as an Outdoor Practitioner, Turning My Passion for the Outdoors into my Profession.
Bio: An Outdoor Practitioner with 24 years experience working within the Outdoor industry in Ireland and Abroad. My career in the outdoors gives me the opportunity to engage with remarkable individuals of all ages and abilities while exploring some incredible wild places which I get to call my workplace! I specialise in Technical Mountaineering Training and Assessments, Arctic Wilderness Guiding, Mentoring & Leadership, Adventure Therapy and Kayaking.
Aidan Ennis.
In 2024 Aidan Ennis completed a non-stop round of the Vandeleur-Lynams in 48 days. He will introduce a short video presentation. More on Aidan below..
Awards Ceremony There will be our annual awards ceremony for the people who have
completed various lists or have contributed to MountainViews or walking in
general. If you have completed a list recently please take a look later at the Awards Information here.
We plan to include more detail about awards in the Annual in February.
Photo and video awards As in previous year we will have a popular competition for
best pictures and videos. See later in the newsletter.
There will be screen displays of new and established features of MountainViews and the data it is
making available to the hillwalking public of Ireland. There will be opportunities to
meet other members and summiteers. This meeting is being organised by the MountainViews
committee.
Details
Date: Fri, 28th Feb 2025
Venue: Talbot Hotel, Stillorgan, Co. Dublin, A94 V6K5
Travel: There are a number of bus routes along the N11/Stillorgan Road that the hotel is
on such as the 145, 155, E2 (was 46A).
Parking: there is extensive parking beside the hotel
Time: 7:30 for 8pm start.
Charge: €15 by EventBrite. (also cash, and if we can arrange it we will have
electronic payments.) Book Now: https://mviews2025.eventbrite.ie
Printed Annuals: will be available for sale.
Open to all.
Notes
We have arranged the event for a weekend without a rugby match as this tends to affect local accommodation and attendance. We prefer Feb or early March since many people are out on the hills later in the year. And we prefer Fridays because people come from all over Ireland to the Gathering and going into a weekend makes it easier.
Selecting Photos for Awards
Help choose the Pictures of the Year.
We
request your help in choosing 2024 Pictures of the Year for Irish and International
pictures.
Include words like this in the email body for your choices:
Choice from guestuser
Video of the Year 2024:
My choice. Video Number XX
Email your choice by 15th Jan 2025 please.
Awards Update 2025
Awards Update
Each year, MountainViews reviews the Summiteers Hall of Records to check on
members logging completion of the various lists. You need to log what you
have done to get an award.
Subject to completion of a claim form, we issue a certificate for completion of
each of the following lists:
Vandeleur-Lynams
Arderins
Arderins + Arderin Begs
Carns
Binnions
County High Points
Highest Hundred
Local Hundred (based on your location)
Islands (at least 200)
Munros (for Irish based hikers)
Range Highpoints (new list being finalised)
Certificates for completion of the lists are awarded annually at the Gathering,
which this year takes place on Friday 28 February 2025 at
The Talbot Hotel, Stillorgan Road, Co. Dublin, A94 V6K5 at
8pm (Doors open 7.30 pm). There is plenty of parking at The Talbot. The hotel is on Dublin bus routes 46A or E2, 145, 155.
Completers and their friends and family are particularly welcome at this event.
We are happy to post out your certificate if you can't make it to the Gathering.
The certificates coordinator, Mary Walsh, has written to all 2024 completers and
is assembling the data for issue of the certificates.
Please send back your claim form to Mary as soon as you can.
If you have completed a list and have not logged it yet, please do so as soon as
possible and let us know at
admin@mountainviews.ie.
If you have logged your list and have not heard from Mary, please let us know at
admin@mountainviews.ie.
Call for the Annual 2024 - to be published in Feb 2025
The Background. For the last nine years we have brought out a PDF style
magazine.
We plan to do the same this again, "The MountainViews ANNUAL
2024". We are looking for feature length
illustrated articles (up to 1200 words). And photos. And shorter
items for "Your Walking Highlights of 2024".
For the highlights we are mainly looking for
experiences in Ireland though as last time we
will include some adventures abroad - your short notes not necessarily your crafted paragraphs.
(Note, for highlights we are not looking for your long notes. Either give us short
notes or a
longer, crafted article.)
We will
consider any areas of interest to hillwalkers
in Ireland, for example articles on Summiteering,
Challenge Walking (both organised and
individual), Way Walking (ie walking Way Marked Ways), Backpacking, Video Creation,
Family Walking, Gear, Climate Change mitigation for hillwalkers, Flora & Fauna,
Holiday Walking, Scrambling, Coastal or Island walking, things you may see on the
hills etc are all
welcome as are new ideas. We welcome articles from people who are starting out
hillwalking, or
experienced or professionals etc.
Photos We want good quality photos. We need captions for them.
Copydate: Ideally by Sun 19th Jan 2025.
If you are thinking of contributing or would like to discuss topics etc. feel free
to contact or
have an article
If more material comes in than there is space for, then we will try to include it in
later
newsletters or quarterlies.
Aidan Ennis, a runner-summiteer. background
Aidan Ennis through-hiked all the 275 Vandeleur-Lynam Mountains in one continuous expedition on foot during May and June 2024. He travelled as light as possible, but was still carrying a full pack including tent, sleeping bag, stove and food to enable him to camp overnight in the hills. Aidan’s plan was simple, hike the mountains in each range, run to the next mountain, camp, hike, and repeat until all 275 Vandeleur-Lynam Mountains were climbed. The total distance for his 48 day hike was over 2500km.
Bio:
Aidan Ennis is a long-distance ultralight hiker. In May & June 2024 Aidan through-hiked all 275 Vandeleur-Lynam Mountains in Ireland in one continuous 2500km expedition on foot in 48 days.
In 2021 he completed 641 kilometres on the Irish section of the E8 Trail from Dursey Island to Dublin Port in under 12 days as part of his 2236km ‘Great Irish Trail’ walk around Ireland. 2022 saw Aidan complete a 514km continuous through hike of all the Irish 3000ft Mountains from Lugnaquillia to Mount Brandon. In 2023 Aidan completed a 1935km hike around the entire country of Wales including a climb of all Wales fifteen 3000ft mountains in 34 days.
Further afield Aidan has completed long distance hikes in the Pyrenees, Alps, Dolomites, and Nepal Himalaya. One of his most memorable expeditions was an epic 10-day completion of the Scottish Cape Wrath Trail (326 km), which he hiked with his brother, the late Colm Ennis.
* Note. The number of Vandeleur-Lynams summits changes from time to time as a result of surveying. Currently in early Jan 2025 it is 274.
Volunteering for 2025
Position
In Brief
Publicity
MountainViews is a great resource based on over 1500 people's
contributions over 23
years. Great that is if you have heard of it. And that's where we could
use some
practical publicity help.
The Nerds Shall Inherit the Earth
Quite apart from programmers, MV's progress can also use help from
people who can really follow through on tasks often using Excel such as
creating
lists, checking stats,
researching place names or geology. Whether on the committee or not
these
contributions are vital.
Taobh Dubh, Maamturks
- An ordinary hill transformed by conditions, and viewed from a track up the summit from the east.
For
original track, click here.
Mulroney's Island
This island in Kinvarra Bay, Galway Islands can be more or less reached with dry feet at low tide. For
original summit, click here.
Photo: FergalH
Pic
of the
Month - November, International
An Garbhanach, Scotland
This "Munro Top" is viewed from the ridge between Na Gruagaichean and Stob Coire a'Chairn For
the original summit, click here.
Photo: billbaggins
Pic
of the
Month - December, International
Ben Dorain
Beinn Dorain, Scotland, so beloved by the renowned Gaelic poet Donnchadh Ban Mac an t-Saoir,
(Duncan Ban MacIntyre),
that he composed one of his most admired poems,
Moladh Beinn Dobhrain (In praise of Beinn Dorain) about it. For
the original summit, click here.
Featured Track of the Month Turk-ish Delight
This month's selection sees Colin Murphy striking lucky with the November conditions on a seemingly unremarkable summit in the vicinity of the Turks. A valuable reminder that often you have no idea whatsoever which days are going to turn out to be good.
Note: one of the photos appears in the Picture of the Month.
Colin Murphy on Ordinary hill transformed by conditions
Main walk Start: 09:53, End: 13:36, Duration: 3h43m, Length: 8.9km,Ascent: 496m, Descent: 496m Places: Start at L9189654899, Taobh Dubh, end at Start (statistics such as Ascent or Length etc should be regarded as approximate. Duration depends on the speed of the person making the track)
I had the good fortune to encounter weather conditions that turned this relatively ordinary hill into something magical. It’s not a short approach, involving a 9km return journey, but it’s mostly fairly easy going. It was about minus five degrees when I was starting and the sun was just coming up over the icy landscape, making for some beautiful views.
Pic 1 caption: Deep freeze
My starting point was at the entrance to a forest, where there’s just enough space to squeeze one car without blocking gate (which doesn’t appear to have been opened in several years anyway.) I ignored the first turn on the left and continued to a T-junction, then took a sharp left and followed this decent forest track for about 1.5km.
Pic 2 caption: The frosty forest track.
Early morning frost made this part of the ascent a very pleasant walk through white-crusted vegetation. Eventually this track petered out and the next bit was the only really unpleasant part, although it was mercifully short. Where the track ends, I could just about see a fence and a grassy field beyond it, separated from me by about 30m of very rough ground - new plantation on clear fell, full of brambles and reeds and very uneven underfoot.
Pic 3 caption: Ascending north, the narrow rough area on left.
Anyway, having stumbled through that, I crossed a fence and turned north up a steepish grassy slope, which wasn’t too squishy underfoot despite it being November. After about 1km, the slope eased and I followed the fence NW. Looking back to the sprawling valley south and east, the conditions (blue skies, windless, just above zero) had resulted in the lower landscape being cloaked in a puffy white blanket, which looked marvellous.
Pic 4 caption: Irish mist...
I continued NW for about another 1.5km, the slope gentle most of the way, to eventually reach a fairly well-defined summit area – the highpoint seems to be the upraised chunk of peat at the western end, marked by a rickety pole. Returned via same route. Great views of the Maumturks to the south and Partry & Joyce country to the east.
Pic 5 caption: Summit highpoint
NORTH:
When a trail is not a trail.
The track to Carnavaddy in the Cooleys from the east that’s indicated on maps and apps is barely distinguishable most of the way, but it's a decent climb nonetheless, writes Colin Murphy.
Colin Murphy on Carnavaddy Carn an Mhadaidh:
Apparently the views from this hill are wonderful, but unfortunately we couldn't see the hand in front of our face the day we did it. A 'track' is marked on map from close to the car park at The Long Woman's Grave, but it is barely visible for much of the way - mostly a narrow, muddy and grassy trail that frequently disappears. Also, the first 30m or so involve a treacherous scramble up the grassy ... ... Click here ...
WEST:
Go with the tide again.
It is possible to reach the pretty Mulroney’s Island in Galway by foot, writes Fergalh,
but only at low tide.
Fergalh on Mulroney's Island :
This island is possible to be visited on foot . There is a rough stone and seaweed causeway. Parked at 362118 and followed track through the field to edge of water, crossed causeway onto island and headed up to highest point. I was previously advised by locals that there is a very limited time around 30 minutes each side of low tide before you get your feet wet. ... Click here ...
WEST: Adventure Burren
From the beach up to the limestone of the Burren, courtesy of simoburn. His walk visits the summit of Gleninagh Mountain via a surprising amount of up and down. It's based around the Black Head Loop (which could obviously be followed more closely if desired) but takes the chance to visit several sites of interest within reach of that defined route.
simoburn on Gleninagh Mountain
Gleninagh MountainNice ramble from Fanore beach - parking and toilets - and up on to Gleninagh Mountain. We followed the| walk, Len: 19.3km, Climb: 525m, Area: Gleninagh Mountain, West Clare (Ireland) ... Click here ...
WEST:
Fine, little-visited western Carn
As well a track, Colin Murphy also put in a new short summary for Taobh Dubh in Galway, involving forest trails, and a steepish grassy climb to a well-defined summit with fine views.
group on Taobh Dubh :
One approach is via the forest to the SE, starting at point L91893 54869, where there is room for one car to squeeze in without blocking entrance. Ignore the first turn on the left and continue to a T-junction, then take a sharp left and follow this decent forest track for about 1.5km. Eventually this track peters out and you will have to cross about 30m of very rough ground at L91083 55282 - new ... ... Click here ...
WEST:
Sparkling diamond
Part of Connemara National Park, Diamond Hill has a well-maintained trail with plenty of parking and a rare luxury for hillwalkers – toilets, writes Colin Murphy.
group on Diamond Hill Binn Ghuaire:
Part of Connemara National Park, Diamond Hill has a well-maintained trail with plenty of parking and facilities such as toilets. It attracts large numbers of visitors, many of whom only do the lower of the three trails, but you are never likely to be totally alone even on the upper section. It starts on a tarred track near the visitor centre, almost at sea level, rises gently and then branches off ... ... Click here ...
WEST: A worthy end to a fine circuit.
Winter sunshine made for some stunning views as eamonoc took on an
extra-long
Mweelrea
circuit.
eamonoc on Teevnabinnia Taobh na Binne:
Climbed as part of Mweelrea circuit on 29th Nov,
it is a bit of a slog for tired legs after Mweelrea SE spur. The day was stunning, full on winter sunshine with incredible views, after summiting it was an easy descent to the road towards Bundorragha river. ... Click here ...
Featured summit comment Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Tibradden..." hibby
Yes it's all in hibby's post of Nov 10. Everything you need to know about this Dublin mountain highlight - location, trail info, people you might meet, duration, what to look for, etc, etc.
The spiral stone is something special to seek out as seen in the accompanying image. "Great value for a short walk" is hibby's apt title for this informative summit comment.
Enjoyable walk rewarded with amazing views
Where to go to make the most of an unusually warm and sunny Sunday morning? Somewhere that won't be too muddy after a night of rain?
Tibradden turned out to be an excellent choice.
Parked in the Coillte Tibradden car park and followed the clearly signposted Dublin Mountains Way to the top.
It's a very popular walk, not a place to get away from it all, but plenty of good-natured encounters.
A lot of work has been done to prepare the trail for the high number of walkers, including a path made of large granite blocks and
, in places where there would be more risk of erosion, a boardwalk.
From the time you emerge from the trees and start to make your way along the ridge, the views open up, first across Glencullen valley to Glendoo and then north across Dublin Bay to Howth and Lambay.
The cairn adds interest to an otherwise fairly indistinct summit. Especially interesting is a rock with spiral art lying on the ground inside the cairn chamber.
The actual summit is a short distance east of the cairn, with some exposed granite rocks (tor) marking a possible high point.
Total distance car to summit return is about 4 km.
Photo: hibby, Spiral rock art on Tibradden (Modern, in fact)
ED: If you are interested in variants of this way of getting to Tibradden, bypassing boardwalks
and dumbed down easypaths, you can try this track
and similar.
SOUTH:
Suffer no more…
Thanks to a new windfarm on Carrigarierk, it is now possible to avoid the previously tortuous scramble through brambles and dense overgrowth, writes DeirdreM.
DeirdreM on Carrigarierk :
This is now a much easier hike thanks to the Carrigarierk wind farm. Park at the entrance which is just beyond the entrance to the Bilberry Boreen Campsite. It's possible to do a full loop walk around. The peak is off the path and the terrain is still challenging but 10 mins navigating the brambles and dense overgrowth will see you to the top. ... Click here ...
SOUTH: Nore Exercises
The first person known to have completed all the VLs, Arderins and Arderin Begs is still at large in the Irish countryside, and if you'd followed Onzy on his uploaded walk in search of the Nore Valley Way near Kilkenny, you too could have written a sentence including the words 'it took 2k until my way was blocked by a large stud farm'. The spirit of adventure is still there in the most unusual of places.
Onzy on Nore Valley: Kilkenny to Bennettsbridge
The Nore Valley Way, as such, doesn't seem to exist any more. This section of the walk is titled the Nore Valley | walk, Len: 23.0km, Climb: 105m, Area: South East Midlands (Ireland) ... Click here ...
SOUTH:
Forty minute-Arderin
You start at 400m elevation and it’s just a 40-minute return journey to car, and yet Laghtnafrankee in the Comeraghs provides a pleasing sense of remoteness, writes MartMc.
MartMc on Laghtnafrankee Leacht na Francaí:
First actively gained summit since considering possibly, maybe actively working through the Arderins six months ago. So progress has been slow!
Parked at Point A. Met a local who had parked further east at a large hard stand (S 25411 18871) at the T-junction, so I would infer that is the locally recommended location for parking for trails in the area, at the weekend at least. 40 minute up and ... ... Click here ...
EAST:
Simple stroll to prehistoric site
A simple stroll across a field takes you to the diminutive Hill of Ward in Meath, site of earthen works that date from prehistory, and reputedly the burial place of the druidess Tlachtaga, writes Fergalh.
Fergalh on Hill of Ward Tlachta:
Parking for one car at gate to the south west a short drive from Athboy at a crossroads 735 644. Short walk to summit from stile through a field. Aerial photographs show the ring fort better than can be seen on ground although the rings are noticeable. The Spire of Lloyd and Tara Hill can be seen from the summit which has good views despite the small height ... Click here ...
EAST: Art Me Up
One of the most historic (and gruelling) of Ireland's challenge walks is the Art O'Neill challenge, and anyone interested should seek out tracks such as trailtrekker's featured here, as a veteran of numerous crossings of the route; if doing the official challenge (you've missed it for 2025 by the time you read this!) then recces such as this will be invaluable to anyone unsure of their ability to navigate in the middle of winter/the night/nowhere seeing as this challenge features all three of them.
Trailtrekker on Art O'Neill Challenge Recce - Lesser Known Option!
For anyone attempting the Art O'Neill Challenge this route might offer some food for thought and makes two significant | walk, Len: 14.0km, Climb: 561m, Area: Wicklow (Ireland) ... Click here ...
EAST:
Minimum effort for maximum reward.
Five or six minutes will see you at the summit of Robber’s Pass Hill in Wicklow, writes Colin Murphy, but the views are tremendous.
Colin Murphy on Robber's Pass Hill :
As simple as they come, short of being able to actually drive to a summit high point. Parking for several cars at a forest entrance, then a stroll up a gentle forest track for 200m, a sharp turn right onto a well-trodden trail, and 400m along this you reach the unmarked high point on a heathery bump. 5/6 minutes will see you up. Although the hill is very unexciting, it has its compensations in tha ... ... Click here ...
MIDLANDS:
Short trek to historic little hill.
Fergalh climbs back into history with a visit to the Rock of Dunamase in the Timahoe Hills in Laois, with a castle ruins dating to the ninth century.
Fergalh on Rock of Dunamase Dún Másc:
Parked at 532981 beside church parking for ten cars or so. Headed north to Gate and information board about the history of the rock. Short walk along stone track led to impressive old gate enter through this and a short brisk climb leads to remains of castle with impressive views over the area. High point is unmarked to the north of castle ... Click here ...
SCOTLAND: Mamore Than This
Sitting between the relative fleshpots of Ben Nevis and Glencoe lie the Mamores,
an aesthetic and splendid range of mountains that
encapsulate much of the appeal of hillwalking in the Scottish Highlands.
billbaggins has visited Binnein Mor, the highest of the range, also climbing two other Munros on an outing whose quality your track reviewer can definitely attest to (indeed, almost thirty years later I still recall the disappointment of rummaging in my rucksack on top of Sgurr Eilde Mor only to discover I'd left my lunch in the car). There's optional scrambling too, and while this is a substantial walk in its own right there is plenty of scope for much tougher outings.
billbaggins on Sgùrr Èilde Mòr, Binnein Beag, Binnein Mòr & Sgùrr Èilde Beag from Kinloch
This track records a walk across 3 Munros and a Munro Top in the Mamores, loosely based on the route description given | walk, Len: 22.0km, Climb: 1860m, Area: Fort William to Loch Treig and Loch Lev ... Click here ...
SPAIN: Cave Dweller
simon3 takes us onto (and to a certain degree into) Spain's Costa del Sol, with a walk visiting the interior and exterior of the Nerja cave system. A rough path explores the surrounding area, and a section of the caves themselves can be visited by the public. Personally, I've never met anyone who was ambivalent about the interiors of caves; they stir strong reactions in all directions, so this looks like it'll intrigue many, and repel some!
simon3 on Track above the Nerja Cueva
This partial route follows a path above the famous Nerja caves - unfortunately I didn't capture the start of it, though| walk, Len: 2.4km, Climb: 35m, Area: Unid, Unid () ... Click here ...
Sorry if we didn't mention what you posted .. there's a list of all contributors for
recent
month(s) later.
Visiting Albania for hillwalking.
Introduction
Fergal Hingerty went to Albania with the aim of climbing the four Crown of Europe * peaks in the area. The Crown of Europe consists of the highest peak in each European country. The highest peaks of Kosovo, North Macedonia and Montenegro lie along or close to the Albanian border. This is his story of an adventurous four-day climbing trip, featuring peaks, forests, valleys, and challenging terrain.
It was noon on a side street near Skanderbeg Square in the centre of Tirana, the capital city of Albania. I put my bag on the ground and introduced myself to my fellow climbers. It was 36 degrees and steaming hot. We were hoping that there would be cool breezes in the mountains. There was a palpable sense of excitement and nervousness as four days of climbing were ahead of us. How hard could it be? How long will the days be? How warm will it be? Lots of questions but no answers.
Shortly afterwards our bus arrived, the guides got off and introduced themselves. We loaded up and left Tirana, heading for our hotel in the small village of Radomire in the north of Albania. On arrival we went for a warmup walk to a lake two kilometres above the hotel.
Day 1 - Mount Korab
We started our climb at seven the following morning. A short walk along a road led to a yellow sign, marking the entry to the Korab/Kortnik national park which straddles the border between Albania and North Macedonia. We followed a steep track uphill through forests to the Little Korab Pass (2,465 Metres) where we stopped to enjoy the panoramic views, including a line of jagged peaks stretching into North Macedonia. We continued up to a relatively flat area, topped by a large metal triangle. This was Mount Korab which at a height of 2,764 Metres is the highest point of both North Macedonia and Albania and the fourth highest peak on the Balkan peninsula.
Our descent led down to the valley floor. Colourful flowers were scattered along our route. We could hear the ringing of the cowbells and the bleating of sheep as we went. A final steep descent along a rocky track led back to the village and a well-earned beer. After the beer we boarded the minibus and took a three-hour drive over the Kosovo border to the resort town of Gjakova.
Day 2 -Gjeravica
The heat was rising in the early morning as we climbed into our four-wheel drive jeeps, heading for the base of Gjeravica, the highest peak in Kosovo. We started with a very steep climb out of the valley up onto a ridge, then continued uphill gradually gaining height. Along the way we passed the Sylbicia Pass (2,140 metres) and a brief descent followed. Eventually the path came to a cliff and a narrow scramble up the cliff face brought us to Lake Gjeravica.
At this point we were on the border between Kosovo and Albania. Serbia had laid landmines here during the Kosovo war to prevent incursions from Albania. Clearly, we had to be very careful and stick closely to the track.
The final ridge stretched upwards towards an exposed craggy summit where the wind was very strong. We needed a goat-like grip to scramble up the rocks to the red trig pillar on top of Gjeravica (2,656 metres). There was a large flagpole flying both the Albanian and Kosovan flags and a steel box protecting a visitors book. Being a member of MountainViews, of course, put me in the distinguished visitor category, so I signed the book.
We descended from the peak, walking up and down ridges to rest beside a heart-shaped lake. Soon we spotted the Black Cliff peak and were on top after a quick ascent. The descent to the main track was, however, slow and tricky. We continued our ridge walk stopping briefly at the Ali Peja pass (2,275 metres) to look down at the Doberdol valley which we would pass through the next day. We rested briefly before a steep downhill route back into the forest to our guesthouse where we enjoyed a sumptuous dinner.
Day 3 - 3 Countries 3 Peaks
We started early the next morning with a tough 400 metres ascent back to the lake where we had stopped the day before. We headed northwards from the lake up the ridge towards the first of three peaks. A short steep climb with limited exposure led to the summit cairn on Bogicaj at 2,406 metres. An equally short sharp descent dropped down to a col. After a short walk and climb we reached the next peak appropriately called Three Border Peak (2,366 Metres) as this was the spot where three countries met. "So what country are we in now?" Chris asked as we walked along the border. To be honest at that moment I did not have a clue! We were zigzagging along and over the borders between Albania, Kosovo and Macedonia all day; so, it was hard to tell at any one moment.
We climbed our third (nameless) peak at 2,301 Metres. After a short while we started a steep descent to the village of Doberdol at a height of 1,808 metres. There were many campsites and huts for trekkers in this small village. Scattered amongst the dwellings were semi-wild horses along with cattle and sheep. We did not stop here as our guides had heard news of a stomach bug circulating in the village.
Soon we reached the forest and started to climb again. We had to scramble over rocks and roots, through mud and branches, occasionally, glimpsing the Gashi river in the gorge below. Above we could see increasingly, threatening clouds. We reached the Ajuci Pass (1,916 Metres) to the sound of thunder and heavy rain falling. Fortunately, there was at a sheltered terrace covered in plastic beside a shepherd's hut. His one-euro cup of mountain tea was never so welcome.
We left the pass and continued over saturated ground and overflowing streams. The trail led through the cool of the damp forest until we reached the valley floor. A dodgy, rickety bridge over a badly swollen river brought us to the small hamlet of Cerem and our guesthouse. There was never a more welcome sight after a long day.
Day 4 - Zla Kolata
Our final day had arrived, and the rain had stopped for the moment. Our aim was to climb Zla Kolata, the highest peak in Montenegro at 2,534 metres. One at a time, we crossed the narrow rickety bridge and followed the river to the edge of the forest. We headed up a track until we reached the border marker at Bori pass and crossed into Montenegro. The day was hot and humid and without a breeze. Fortunately, we could cool down with ice cold air emanating from a large cave beside the track. After resting we headed for the Persllopit pass at 2,045 metres. There, we could look down on our previous hikes and on to the Valbona River valley which was the day's destination. But first we were going to climb Zla Kolata and its more difficult companion, Zla Male Kolata. We still had 489 metres of ascent to complete.
The climb was steep and zigzagged along narrow stretches of rock with some scrambling and exposure along the way. As the clouds got darker and darker and the thunder started to roll, we quickened our pace. We got to the col below the peak, there was only 97 metres or ten minutes of a climb left. We stopped briefly. The walkie talkie sparkled into life, the head guide called down from the main peak "Mobile phones on airplane mode immediately and everyone down quickly". So near yet so far.
A few of our group had reached the highest peak of Montenegro, a few were nearly there, and I was on the col. The worst of the storm passed on our descent, and we all arrived at Persllopit Pass in one piece. We proceeded down towards the Valbona valley. On the way we came upon a shepherd's hut and stopped for mountain tea. The shepherd's dog decided to greet me as I took a short cut, but fortunately the shepherd moved quicker than his dog. The dog had to have something else for his dinner!
We clambered down a steep scree through the forest. Another storm was starting so we had to move quickly over the rocks and roots on the track. Eventually we reached the floor of the valley and met the minibus. It brought us over a dry riverbed and along the rockiest track a car could imagine to a welcoming guesthouse.
3 out of 4
Our climbing days were over. We had climbed over 5,500 metres, walked and climbed for 39 hours over 83 km in 4 days. I had managed to climb three of the four Crown of Europe peaks in the region but unfortunately, I just missed out on Zla Kolata, Montenegro's highest. Still, we had managed to climb 9 peaks over those 4 days and regarding the crown of Europe peaks as Meatloaf famously sang "3 out of 4 ain't bad".
-- Fergal Hingerty
CROWN OF EUROPE: A list of European Highpoints.
The Crown of Europe Peaks: A Hillwalking Journey Across the Continent
MountainViews offers hillwalking lists for the island of Ireland which form a great objective and challenge.
So too there are international lists. Many of these are climbing challenges. As Fergal Hingerty’s article about Albania shows the Crown of Europe contains many of interest for the hillwalker.
The "Crown of Europe" is a unique challenge that involves reaching the highest point in
each of Europe’s 50 countries. This collection of peaks offers a journey through the continent’s diverse
landscapes, from rugged mountains and rolling hills to gentle slopes and hidden highpoints. For hillwalkers,
it presents not only a physical challenge but also an opportunity to explore Europe’s natural beauty and
cultural richness.
The peaks in the Crown of Europe range dramatically in height and difficulty. Some are iconic and demanding,
such as Mont Blanc (4,808 meters) on the France-Italy border or Mount Elbrus
(5,642 meters) in the Caucasus region of Russia. These summits require technical skills, mountaineering experience,
and careful planning, making them a test even for seasoned adventurers.
However, the list also includes less daunting highpoints that are perfect for hillwalkers of all abilities.
For example, Estonia’s Suur Munamägi (318 meters) and Moldova’s Balanesti Hill
(430 meters) are gentle ascents suitable for a leisurely day’s outing. Even Denmark’s Møllehøj,
standing at just 171 meters, offers an enjoyable walk in a picturesque setting.
The Crown of Europe isn’t just about elevation — it’s about variety and discovery. For hillwalkers, it’s an
invitation to step off the beaten path and experience the continent’s hidden gems, from Andorra’s rocky ridges
to Malta’s coastal cliffs. Along the way, walkers encounter different cultures, climates, and terrains, each
contributing to a richer appreciation of Europe’s natural and human diversity.
Completing the Crown of Europe is an inspiring goal for hillwalkers, blending personal achievement with exploration.
Whether tackling towering peaks or charming hills, each summit reached is a step toward understanding and
celebrating the breathtaking variety of Europe.
-- Simon Stewart
SITE NEWS
Revised Place Listing
New place listing, as it would appear on a mobile
device.
MountainViews is now testing an early version of a new Summit Listing section. This is a
"responsive" design
intended to configure itself to work on mobile and tablet screens and also go wide where
advantageous on laptops or PCs.
Try it out, for example here: Highest Hundred
The new version has a number of innovations apart from working smoothly on mobile devices.
For example there is more configurability as to which columns that you want and also a "Fit to
width" feature.
The existing "old" version continues to work. You can select whether to use the old or new in
the Main Menu You can switch between the new version of MV and the old using the menu at Main Menu | Home. Or you
can
add ?RWD to URLs
Some of the features of the old listing system are now less relevant and will be dropped as the
new version is
developed. However it is intended to include the Export feature so that you can Export a list to
spreadsheets etc. It is intended to drop the old system within a few months. Now's the time to give us a shout if
you have any thoughts
about the finalisation of the features.
The tickbox to allow you to indicate which summits (or other types of place) you have visited
is of course included.
New place listing, as it would appear on a tablet
or laptop.
* Note. The map section is not yet functioning. Some of the headings and column information is not yet optimised. The export feature isn't implemented yet. However for many users it will already be easier than the old system, particularly on mobile devices.
Choosing any of the lists, including new list
Mountain Area Highpoints
New Lists: Provincial 50s and Mountain Area Highpoints
Background
MountainViews has created a complete family of lists which is intended as a succession of steps
that a hillwalker can take to systematically visit Irelands wild places. You can start with an
easy list
to get a taste of visiting (which we call summiteering) such as the County Highpoints (CHP) and you can then
move to
longer lists such as the "Local 100" or "Highest Hundred". These lists overlap, so for example
if you have
completed the CHP list you have already made a start on the "Highest Hundred".
This basics of this set of lists was largely established in 2009. There have been a few minor
additions to the
lists since then such as the "Arderin Begs" (hills of 500m+ with a prominence of just 15m+). Three
major extensions
were the binnions (100m prominence The Challenge
MountainViews has at its disposal a database of hills and mountains, along with islands and
coastal features.
It is relatively easy with a database to create novel lists. We could create lists based on
prominence, we could
ape the British lists (like the Marilyns or the 2000 footers), we could create a list based on
remoteness or
the sum of height and prominence, or do it geometrically, or a listing by electoral district. We
could create lists based on
imperial measure. Indeed we could. But more isn't necessarily better. We could end up like Britain where there are so many lists that
one popular website
lists hillwalking lists. The last time I looked there were 95 different lists in Britain.
Fantastic diversity, yes,
but encouraging and straightforward?.
New lists
We are introducing two new lists however because we think there is a case for each of them. Both are being introduced on an experimental basis - which means that we may change the exact formulation of the list after feedback. The most
popular list that MountainViews
has is the County Highpoints which has 27 summits. It is a big step to go from there to the next
longer list such
as the Local 100 or the Highest Hundred. The first list therefore is "Mountain Area Highpoints" aka "Range Highpoints"
to plug the gap.
This is a list of the highest place in each of the Mountain Areas that MountainViews divides its
summits
into. Currently MountainViews defines around 74 mostly Mountain Areas, regions such as "the Sperrins" or "the
Galtees"
or "the Bluestacks" or "North Kerry".
Some of these span counties. For some counties there are several areas. The list and challenge is to visit all of the mountain areas. We may finalise this list, perhaps in a shorter format however, after consultation.
We are also introducing the Provincial 50s. For each of the traditional provinces this is a list
of the highest 50 mountains
in each Province (with a prominence of 100m). Hillwalkers can take the challenge a Province at a
time, providing a bridge
between the shorter lists and the longer, and starting with nearer summits. Or, hillwalkers who have completed the "Highest
Hundred" and are looking
for a further challenge can then visit all of the Provincial lists.
Uploading GPS tracks.
(Repeat)
The menu option Walks | Upload a track (NEW) brings you to a new page to upload a
.GPX file.
You can try this by clicking
here.
This, hopefully improved, page should make it easier to add tracks to MV. It offers
drag and
drop as well as file selection. On a mobile device a way of working is to store a
.gpx file
from whatever application you are using to record tracks and then browse to it.
There's more
than one sort of device such as Android or Apple, there's more than one version and
there's more
than one app. So finding the .GPX files that a given app exports the first time can
be a bit
puzzling.
One way of making life easy is to use "Google Drive". This is available for most
mobile devices.
You can set yourself up with an account on this on the mobile device and then export
from you
GPX creating app to it. Then in MountainViews you can browse to it on your phone
using the Walks
| Upload a track feature.
We have checked doing this with various apps (including ones with a free option) on
both Android
and Apple and it works.
Of course you can also transfer GPX files from your mobile device to a PC or laptop.
Once again
there's various ways to do this and once again you can use Google Drive which is a
handy way of
sharing files from mobile to PC.
We are indebted to member bogtrotter for testing aspects of the above.
. Note: in our email of 9th Jan we accidentally sent a wrong version of this article. Our apologies. This is now corrected in the newsletters section of the website. The calendar on the website is and was not affected by this error.
After a year of very well-supported Challenge Walks in 2024, we can now look forward to a similar level of activity and interest in 2025. It was noticeable in 2024 that several of the Challenge Walks sold out much earlier than in previous years. No doubt this left some of the regular walkers out in the cold, having left it a little too late to Register in 2024. However, the quicker sale of the available tickets has been very helpful to the hard-working committees in the various Host Clubs in enabling them to put the necessary plans and arrangements in place in good time ahead of the day of their own event. As ‘guests’ on the day, the participating walkers should be very appreciative of all of the extensive voluntary work that so many members of each Host Club do in order to facilitate everyone in having a memorable day walking among the 200 or so participants. Planning and preparations begin many months ahead of the event, in addition to the commitment of so many members of the Host Club who actively work on the day of the event itself. Without this level of selfless commitment, year after year, there would not be any Challenge Walks for everyone to look forward to and enjoy. We should all be very appreciative of this. Saying a word of “Thanks” to those many volunteers who you meet on the day itself can go some way to keeping the tradition alive in the Host Club for another year.
Most of the Host Clubs have already announced the date for their own Challenge Walk in 2025 and this is a welcome development as it allows individual walkers and walking clubs around the country to select one or more of the Challenge Walks and put it into their calendar of events for the coming year. Everyone appreciates the advance notice regarding the relevant dates for each of the Challenge Walks as this allows plenty of time to make suitable arrangements, such as selecting one of the Challenge Walks for an annual club outing, arranging with other interested walkers to participate as a group, arranging annual leave, planning for accommodation, etc.
A few of the Host Clubs have also announced the date when Registration (i.e. Ticket sales) will open. The following is a brief outline summary of the information presently posted on the websites of the various Host Clubs. Further updates will be added from time to time on the Challenge Walks section here on the Mountain Views website, when the relevant information is announced by the various Host Clubs. Several of the Host Clubs also offer additional shorter walk(s) as an option on the same day. The total number of available tickets are shared with those less demanding walks. You can look at the website for each of the Host Clubs for more detailed information about their own Challenge Walk. All but one of the Challenge Walks are held on a Saturday.
April … MaamTurks Challenge [MTC 2025] … 28 km & 2,600m Ascent
MTC 2025 will take place on Saturday 12th April. Registration opens on the 12th February. About 250 tickets, all of which sell out in about 15 minutes.
Host Club: University of Galway Mountaineering Club … UGMC.ie
April … KnockMealDown Challenge [KMDC 2025] … 31 km & 1,400m Ascent
KMDC 2025 will take place on Saturday 26th April. The date for Registration has yet to be announced but, for KMDC 2024, it opened at the beginning of March 2024 and closed (Sold Out) a few weeks later. About 220 tickets, but these include two additional ‘B’ & ‘C’ walks on the same day.
Host Club: Peaks Mountaineering Club Clonmel … PeaksMCClonmel.ie
May … Causeway Challenge Walk [CCW 2025] … 30 km & Minimal Ascent
CCW 2025 will take place on Sunday 4th May. Registration is now open and, usually, also still taken on the day of the walk itself at the venue.
Host Club: Bannside Rambling Club … BannsideRamblers.co.uk
May … BlackStairs Challenge [BSC 2025] … 33 km & 1,500m Ascent
BSC 2025 will take place on Saturday 17th May. Registration is likely to open in February. About 220 tickets, all of which sell out in about 15 minutes.
Host Club: Wayfarers Hiking Club … WayfarersAssociation.com
June … Tom Crean Endurance Walk [TCEW 2025] … 28 km & 1,750m Ascent
TCEW 2025 will take place on Saturday 21st June. Registration opens on 1st February. About 200–250 tickets, all of which sell out in about 15 minutes.
Host Club: Annascaul Walks … AnnascaulWalks.org
June … Galtee Challenge [GC 2025] … 31 km & 1,700m Ascent
The date has yet to be announced for GC 2025. Registration is likely to open in March.
Host Club: Galtee Walking Club … GalteeWalkingClub.ie
July … Comeragh Challenge & Crossing [CC&C 2025]
The Comeragh Challenge is 45 km & 2,000m Ascent; The Comeragh Crossing is 35 km & 1,300m Ascent.
These two Challenge Walks, hosted by the same club, take place on the same day. The date for CC&C 2025 has yet to be announced. Registration is likely to open in March.
Host Club: Dungarvan Hillwalking Club … DungarvanHillwalking.org
July … Joyce Country Challenge [JCC 2025] … 30 km & 1,750m Ascent
The date has yet to be announced for JCC 2025. Registration is likely to open in the spring and, usually, also still taken on the day of the walk itself at the venue.
Host Club: Lake District Hillwalking Club … LakeDistrictHWC.com
August … Mourne Seven Sevens [MSS 2025] … 29 km & 2,500m Ascent
MSS 2025 will take place on Saturday 9th August. Registration will open in February. About 350 tickets, all of which sell out in about 2-3 weeks.
Host Club: Lagan Valley Orienteers … LVO.org.uk
August … Connemara Walking Marathon [CWM 2025] … 42.2 km & 550m Ascent
This is the: Galway Walking Club Annual Walking Marathon.
CWM 2025 will take place on Saturday 9th August. Unfortunately, this year, this is the same date as chosen for the Mourne Seven Sevens. Registration is likely to open in January. About 130 tickets, but these include the half marathon option, and all of which will likely sell out around mid-July.
Host Club: Galway Walking Club … GalwayWalkingClub.ie
Using MountainViews Notifications - Daily, Weekly or Monthly.
MountainViews offers a way of being notified when new contributions appear on the
website.
You can request a notification with a selection of new items that have been added to
be sent to
you by email. The main way of doing this is to click
On main screen click for notifications.
Same for new design.
After you click on the button, then, in each week that there new contributions for,
you will
receive an email listing the more prominent ones. You can change this to each day or
each
month.
There are various other notifications available, such as for following a contributor
or
several contributors. If you select more than one sort of notification then you will
still
receive one email per period, with different sections.
Each notification has a link to the original place in the website where the
contribution can
be found for further reading.
Here is what a notification might look like in your inbox.
You can have daily, weekly or monthly notifications. You can turn them
off or
control when they are to appear at any time.
(Information above and below are since we last presented such figures, which is
generally a
month but can be longer when we don't have an html newsletter.)
Summary.
MountainViews now has 10542 comments about 1759
different
hills, mountains, island and coastal features out of the total in our current full
list
(2217 on island of Ireland). 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 quite a few
opportunities for you to be the first to comment on a place, not so many on summits,
however
lots of opportunities for islands and coastal features as we bring them out. We also
have around 3500 shared GPX 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
Summit comment reviews: David Murphy
Challenge Info: Proinsias, Jim Holmes
Track reviews: Peter Walker
Book reviews: Aidan Dillon, Peter Walker, Mel O'Hara
Videography: Peter Walker
Graphics design advice & cartoons: madfrankie
Development & support volunteers: Vanush "Misha" Paturyan
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Quarterly November 2024
Colin Murphy on Ordinary hill transformed by conditions
Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Tibradden..."
