padodes on War Hill

Every time I climb War Hill, I am reminded of the old Romans’ notorious lack of imagination. Just as they could sometimes find no better way of naming their sons than by using bare numerals (Primus, Secundus … Quintus, Sextus…), those who gave this hill its Irish name, Cnoc an Bhairr, the Hill of the Top, could hardly have chosen a less imaginative name either. Perhaps, though, that very bareness says it all. You cross this top because you’re on your way somewhere else, and you don’t linger on its windswept, waterlogged waste. The photo gives an impression of this. It’s a snap of the rather apologetic ‘summit cairn’ at C (O1689 1133) (taken facing northwards, so no prize for guessing the direction of the prevailing wind). The one redeeming feature of this hill is its NE spur, however. Running in the direction of Maulin, it offers excellent views and provides a very enjoyable ridge walk on winter days when it sparkles with frost and its frozen patches of bog moss are like pools of green glass, or in the late summer when you find clouds of little butterflies rising from the heather at every step. At times like that, it’s hard to believe the asphalt world of Dublin can be so close.

Although ‘War’ is only a meaningless transliteration of the Irish (Cnoc an) Bhairr, I have read that warring activity did, in fact, take place on the slopes of this hill between English troops and the O’Toole clan, back in the XVI century. The bodies of the fallen are said to have been buried at Lackandarragh, in nearby Glencree Valley. A stretch of the Wicklow Way, along Glencree River, runs through this very area, in the shadow of Knockree. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/129/comment/3457/

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The Poor Relation

Not the most visited summit by the looks of it, as most access is either from Tonduff, Djouce or the Luggala direction. But this is part of its attraction! It has not been pounded into submission. Coming from the Tonduff direction there is a nice pull up the north eastern slope.

War Hill is unfortunately overshadowed in more senses than one by its neighbours to the north and south, but even so it has a pretty cairn at the summit and lovely views. There is a much better chance of seeing wildlife around here than the more busy tracks. But be warned there is no shelter of any sort to sheild you from the elements at the summit.

There are nice views down the back of Djouce to the south and south west and east over Dublin Bay. If you keep your eyes peeled there are plenty of deer to the south and west. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/129/comment/6701/

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Battling with the vegetation

As the weather wasn't too promising we decided to take a short afternoon walk in the Wicklow Mountains close to home. The 1979 Irish Walking Guides (East) describes a circular route from carpark at Djouce woods which takes in Djouce Mountain, War Hill and then follows the Dargle River past the Powerscourt Waterfall. This seemed an ideal walk for an afternoon.

The first part of the walk up Djouce Mountain is straight forward with a well defined path. From the summit of Djouce there is a less distinct path which runs first west then NW following a line of old iron posts towards War Hill (passing the impressive 'Coffin Stone' on the way). From the top of War Hill the route then goes NE towards the Dargle valley and here the problems began. Firstly the path becomes very unclear (and we eventually lost sight of it) and secondly we encountered an extensive growth of bracken along the floor of the Dargle valley. In places the bracken was over head height and with no path to be seen we had to forge our own way through. This was quite hard at times as our feet become tangled in the undergrowth or we tripped on unseen boulders which were masked by the bracken. After over a 1.5km struggle through the bracken we reached the Wicklow Way where it crosses the Dargle River and decided to call it a day by following the Wicklow Way back SE towards our car parked at Djouce Woods.

In the end this turned out to probably the most unpleasant walk that we have undertaken in the Wicklow's and certainly would not recommend the walk in Summer when the bracken is growing. It would be especially difficult and perhaps dangerous for children during this time of year. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/129/comment/5974/

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josvanderlinden on War Hill

7th of June: War Hill, the first hill to climb on my two day hiking trip in the Wicklow Mountains. Headed West from the footbridge near the Powerscourt waterfall and followed the Dargle river. Climbed to a rock formation on the East side of War Hill with a view on the Great Suger Loaf and Djouce Mountain. Not that spectecular and a really slow and boggy climb. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/129/comment/3166/

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Warhill similar to Djouce for views but not as grande

Did this boggy topped Mountain as part of Paddy Dillons Walk No.1. Great views and similar to CSD, this mountain has views akin to Djouce but not as grand. It is worth doing and I stuck to the ancient iron fence post line as Dillon describes. A tiny 'lake' at its summit rivals Slieve Elva's in the burren for size! Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/129/comment/5979/

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