wicklore on Collon Hill

When I wrote recently about Carrick Mountain I described reaching the summit with difficulty by crouching/crawling through forest. I thought THAT was a challenge! Collon Hill doesn’t require crawling. It requires an ability to withstand pain and a willingness to plunge through large swathes of 6 foot high gorse!
I found a Coillte forestry entrance at CstTim (T302 878), which has room for a few cars. Using the forest tracks which were generally accurate on the OS map I made my way to the forest junction at C (T308 871). A steep track lead uphill from here and 5 minutes climbing brought me to a t-junction. I took a right and was on the highest track that rings the hill. I then took a left onto a grassy track not marked on the OS map. This path ran through forest and gorse and it took a route to the north of the summit. I could not find any path out onto the summit and after 20 minutes of searching I had to head directly into the dense gorse. The gorse was well over my head in places and extremely difficult to get through. It took 20 painful minutes to reach the trig point. Ryan and BO had previously made it to the summit and thoughtfully scratched their names on the trig pillar. There is steep rocky ground to the south and west that could be dangerous. The views west to the Wicklow hills were fantastic, marred only by cloud cover. Looking south I could see Arklow and Barranisky Hill, and Croghan Kinsella to the west. The ever present Croghan Moira was visible also. Other than Ryan and BO’s scratchings the summit area was pristine, although the forest tracks bore evidence of intense horse riding. Frankly the gorse is practically impenetrable so perhaps no one has been here since its growth. I dropped down to the nearby forest track to the south. Even this 100 metre journey was nigh on impossible. At the track I turned left and found my way back to my earlier route. Along the way I did not see a single track or opening leading up to the summit area. I would advise that this hill is not for those who aren’t willing to suffer along the way! Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/1011/comment/3327/

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csd on Collon Hill

I was determined to find a less painful way to the top than the one taken by the unfortunate wicklore, so I started south of the summit on the public road south of the area marked as Castletimon. Unfortunately, the promising-looking tracks on Sheet 62 all looked like private driveways to me, so I swung east and north to park at the same spot noted in wicklore's entry. I followed the same tracks as far as the T junction on the steep uphill track, but here I turned left instead of right. You can follow this track south; it then turns west and north in a loop around the summit, which appears tantalisingly close yet so far away due to the thick gorse. However, if you perservere on the track until point A (T30149 86836), which is just after the track starts heading downhill again on the western side of the summit, you'll see a path through the forest on your right. Take this path uphill through the forest as far as B (T30292 86830) (about 150 metres), and then turn right again to follow the very faint traces of what must have once been the access path to the summit. There's still some pushing through tall ferns and the odd bit of gorse, but it's nowhere near as bad as the ordeal described by wicklore. It brings you to the summit from the north, which appears to be the only approach not completely ringed by gorse. I've uploaded my track to http://homepage.eircom.net/~csdalton/collon.gpx if anyone wants to load it into their GPS to follow and save themselves most of the gorse injuries! Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/1011/comment/3965/

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simon3 on Collon Hill

Having read csd and wicklores hard-won experience, I hereby present yet a third way of reaching the top! Seeing a little further from the shoulders of giants etc.
Start at the forest entrance the others mention at CstTim (T30165 87799). Follow the tracks which are fairly accurately marked on the 1:50k to D (T30809 87060), up the rising path to E (T30705 86867), the "T junction". Turn right and proceed to F (T30561 86974) on tracks. Turn left and SW along tracks of variable but quite feasible quality until you reach the same attack point as csd mentions at G (T30298 86835). There's a faint not great path of around 100m in length to the summit which you definitely need long trousers for because of the furze. The benefit of this route overall is that it is shorter than csd's and mostly easy walking.

The picture shows the summit cairn and trig pillar. There's a view of that well-known-to-Dubliners-beach Brittas Bay.

Note. On one occasion when I visited this summit via the forest entrance mentioned there was a sign saying that there was Coillte (the forest land managers) approved shooting in progress. Be aware if you visit this area through some other access point that there may not be a sign where you enter. Be aware that if you start early in the day shooters may come along later while you are still on the hill. Know that the hunting season is from Sept to end Feb. Consider wearing an orange bib. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/1011/comment/4267/

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Get there while you can

Just back from climbing this hill. Was expecting fun crawling through the furze as mentioned above but to my surprise a track to the summit now exists! Follow the route as described by Wicklore, there now a defined track across the summit, (thanks to our scrambling friends. As you follow this track, watch out for one your left, the fallen pine tree with a lone pine tree close by. The track to the summit at this point. somebody has cut a track through the furze to the summit. To return to the parking spot return to the pine tree and continue along the track. This brings you to the southern side of the mountain and follow the forest roads from there. About 90 minutes all in. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/1011/comment/6321/

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East Coast Outpost

From the coillte sign parking area on the road to the north of Collon Hill, I headed up the track, it soon switchbacks to the right and keep straight on the track you're on when you come to a left turn junction. Ten or fifteen minutes further on, again ignore another proper track going left uphill as you skirt round the southwest side of the hill and ignore the first grassy track heading left uphill, stay on the main track. Shortly after passing the grassy track if you look up to your left you'll see crags high up but this is not the summit area. Make sure you're well past this, then you come to another grassy track left turn heading north east. Get on that one and after gaining a good deal of height there is a faint track heading right to the obvious higher ground and the summit. Bit of gorse on it but not too bad. Its about 30 to 35 minutes from the start to where you turn off the main track and another 10 should get you to the top. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/1011/comment/6738/

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