wicklore on Camaderry Mountain

Myself and Chefron headed up Camaderry via the Spink last Sunday. Starting at the carpark (C (T112 963)) we walked up past the Pollanass Waterfall. Glendalough was teeming with tourists on this beautiful day and a dozen languages could be heard around us.
Up past the waterfall, where the Wicklow Way turns left across a bridge, we turned right up the hairpin bend. A few minutes brought us to the start of the famous Spink Boardwalk on the right. This is about 2.5 km of boardwalk that heads up and along the cliffs on the southern side of the valley. It protects the delicate bog (already heavily eroded in places) while providing a clear route for occasional walkers and experienced hikers alike.
The boardwalk is tough going as it heads directly uphill through the forest. Endless steps wind upward but eventually the path levels off as it leaves the forest and fantastic views open up of the lake below and across to Camaderry and Turlough Hill.
The boardwalk continues along the line of the cliffs. There is a final hard slog up to the highest point where we met a couple who told us they had counted 1300 steps the previous week!
I always see the wild goats that live along these cliffs. However I observed some walkers who passed within 20 feet of the goats without spotting them-surely hiking should be a mix of tough exercise and leisurely sightseeing?
Beware that the boardwalk divides as one arm branches off towards Lugduff SE and Mullacor. Keep right at this junction.(approx D (T092 955))
The boardwalk eventually runs out and a stone path leads down to a wooden bridge at approx E (T075 963). Most walkers then follow the track down to the Miners Village and the lake for the stroll back to the carpark. We headed N then NE towards the summit of Camaderry. It is a long haul across the bog. This is where the multitudes of the Spink Circuit are left behind and solitude is gained. I have rarely walked in Wicklow without spotting a few deer, and up here we were rewarded with a herd of more than a hundred scattered all across the slopes. They were surprisingly unfazed by us as we walked quite close to them.
Camaderry was reached and we had a much needed rest. We had clear views SW across Lugduff to Fraughan Rock Glen, Lugnaquillia, and the surrounding mountains. In fact the views were great in all directions and I fancied I saw land far across the Irish Sea.
After a trip to Turlough Hill we came back and reached the second cairn on Camaderry at F (T089 973). Oliver kindly let us all know he had been here with his name scrawled on granite stone.
Heading E brought us down along the shoulder where we picked up a track going directly downhill at approx G (T108 970) towards the carpark. This becomes severely steep in places yet is a lovely walk through high ferns and forest. It’s wasn’t long before we rejoined the masses below and those who hadn’t even left the carpark turned to stare at these sweaty, smelly Mountain Men. Total time 6 hours. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/114/comment/3252/

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dmg on Camaderry Mountain

Decided to bring the missus on a slightly more challenging trip than two rock mountain. We decided to climb lower summit of Camaderry. Set out from car park just after glendalough lodge(H (T124 969) Approx). From there we took a leisurely stroll down the road in a NW direction towards the upper lake you will see a right turn into picturesque Glendasan valley( I (T122 970) Approx), we took this. Following the signposted road and walkway(St. Kevins Rd.) up the valley NW towards the abandoned mines. Here we found a stone track with railway sleepers which is still on the signposted route. We kept on this track as far as the abandoned miners village(J (T098 983) Approx) where we took a sharp left in a SW direction through a track running over a spoil heap and up the side of the mountain. The ascent was steep and challenging in parts with some parts having to be climbed on hands and knees. Time to the cairn( F (T089 973) Approx) from carpark was approx 3 hours bearing in mind my partner is an inexperienced hiker. We had a much needed break at the top. We had great views of the surrounding valleys of Glendalough, Glendasan and Glenmalure and of course Lugnaquilla where there was still snow on the north prison. After a much needed sambo and water we began our descent. There is a track down the shoulder of camaderry from the lower cairn travellin in a SE direction. We followed this track, boggy in places but easygoing. Eventually coming into a pasture with some sparse trees where we saw a herd of deer. We followed the track to the right bringing us down to the car park at the upper lake in glendalough, this is very steep in places and takes a lot of time to descend safely this brings you into a forrest where the track is still steep and later gets easier dropping down on to the road at the upper lake car park( UpCP (T112 964) Approx), from here we took a left heading NE along the road back to glendalough lodge where we had parked the car. Trip was challenging and very enjoyable. The weather was mild for early March. Trip took 5 hours including 20 minutes break at the top, this was with an inexperienced hiker. An experienced hiker would have done it in 4 hours or less. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/114/comment/3641/

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GWPR on Camaderry Mountain

View along Camaderry as it drops down into Glendalough.
Start at the Car Park at Wicklow Gap and follow tarmac road up to Turlough Hill.
Keep rampart on left and follow it around to pick up track leading to Camaderry.
Note: Access not permitted inside rampart - ESB Property.
Boggy col before ascent to Camaderry but views from summit are excellent.
There is a distinct track leading to the second cairn before the descent to Glendalough.
From this second cairn the spur seems to fall into Glendalough!
Over to the right on a clear day one can see the dramatic Fraughan Rock Glen with Lug in the
distance. Nearer to the right are Mullacor and the Lugduffs. On the left are Tonelagee, Scarr and in the distance Djouce and War Hill. A lovely place on a clear Summer's day! Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/114/comment/589/

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Great views from Camaderry

Parked at the Glendalough upper lake and paid the 4 euro, glad i did as this hike took me over 4 hours and the carpark was past closing by the time I got back. headed along the left side of lake and at the education centre took a sharp right then followed the path until a sharp left brought me uphill fairly steep at this point but nice walk along the grassy path. After short break thinking I was near the top I found as I've learned with Irish mountains, at the top of every hill, another summit appeared and so it went for another hour or so :)

The walk up and across the SE Top and the main summit of Camaderry was good underfoot with little bog or marsh, if the weather was better I may have stayed at the top longer to get some photos but it was overcast and darker than hoped. After short break some food and drink and feeling refreshed, coming down from the top toward Turlough hill reservoir is where the real challenge began trying to safely navigate the boggy marsh and avoid the holes in an effort to locate the Glenealo river and follow it to the Spinc trail.

Once i'd joined the Spinc trail heading down into Glendalough and the miners village the rock slabbed descent along the zig zag path was a killer on tired knees and made it slow going. In hindsight I wonder if travelling opposite direction would have been better. All in all a great few hours out. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/114/comment/18899/

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View from Tonlegee

Camaderry from the summit of Tonlegee with Croghanmoira in the background Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/114/comment/19912/

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