The curious cow

As I ascended the hill, a few wary cows were keeping a cautious eye on me, including this one particularly curious girl. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/1141/comment/20537/

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Success under fire

I identified a promising route on the map - a road leading up to the communication mast, avoiding all the briars and gorse. On arrival I found a locked gate with "no trespassing" signs and a phone number. I called the number to request permission, apologising for calling on a Sunday morning. The person was very nice but was only involved in the works at the comms mast and not in a position to give permission to cross the land. He gave me the name of the landowner, who lives across the road, but I had no way to contact that person.

Giving up on that plan, I drove around to the recommended starting point T'Coyle (O25133 00804). We walked up the forest track for approximately 500 metres, then when the track started to slope downwards, we turned right at about A (O25204 00535) and made our way up a steep firebreak. Having gained about 40 metres of height, we crossed a mossy path and continued up through the mature forest towards the summit.

Arriving at the comms masts, we followed the line of the stone wall in a SW direction a short distance to the summit at B (O25038 00102).

On our way up through the forest, we were assailed by the sound of gunfire, and wrongly assumed that there were hunters in the forest and that we were at risk of getting shot. (It turned out that the sound of gunfire was from a clay-pigeon shooting facility across the valley and we were not in any danger, but at the time we were quite concerned.)

This concern prompted a decision to descend by a different route, following the line of the other stone wall WNW. Crossing the wall, we walked along the edge of fields to a gate at the top of a track down to Carrowbawn farm, where we met the owner. He was friendly and cheerful but did point out that we were trespassing.

So, success in reaching the summit, which was by no means a foregone conclusion. Success, too, in finding a route where we didn't have to contend with any gorse or briars. Our route was mainly through fairly open, mature forestry. However, access may be a consideration. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/1141/comment/24148/

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Meeting of the Walls

Fri 28/2/2014. Done in the company of Fergalh, intrepid Binnion Basher, started at T'Coyle (O25133 00804) forest entrance with large boulders on roadside R764. Enough room to park two cars here, headed up newly constructed forest path for about 100mts and took smaller path to the right, the entrance to this path is cluttered with cut trees. Followed this path which is fairly overgrown for about 100mts when it forks took the left fork going slightly uphill onto a more overgrown track until the edge of the mature forest is reached, there is a fence going steeply uphill to the left, headed up beside the fence over some very rough ground, was able to make uphill progress despite gorse, briars and trees. Had to go into forest on left on a couple of occasions as the way forward was blocked by said gorse and briars. Eventually made it to a well made stonewall and into open fields beyond, went up in a leftward direction through two fields and a gate to a small communications mast. Went around mast enclosure to the right and followed another stone wall uphill beside a small plantation, high point reached where three stonewalls met. views not great here, Dunran Hill could be seen to the north. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/1141/comment/15890/

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Furze and grass curry

I accidentally went up the wrong track with this one (at DnHill SE (O246 008)), and ended up at a collection of large farm buildings with the name 'Carrowbawn' emblazoned on the side. I looked about for someone to ask permission but could find no one so took a chance and continued up the track. This ended at a gate and a green pasture speckled with furze bushes in all their yellow glory and I could see Ballycurry a few hundred metres to the east. Crossed the pasture leading up taking me to the north of the summit (on far right in photo) and then managed to clamber over a fence leaving me a relatively short bit of battle with the forest to reach the summit. I returned the way I'd come, still not meeting anyone, and was back in my car 50 minutes after leaving. Only recommended if you're willing to ask permission from someone. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/1141/comment/20525/

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Hard work - for a twisty tree!

If it wasn't for eamonc's directions I doubt I'd make it to the top. A lot of forest bashing is required to reach the top which has no views! List tickers only - or masochists. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/1141/comment/18232/

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