When you can't see clearly ...

I turned too soon off the path. So began an upward trek onto the forested slopes of Carrignagunneen. What followed was a half-hour derring-do battle against nature, an impersonation of Rambo at his swashbuckling best pitted against all the evil pine trees of Wicklow. Too stubborn to retrace my steps, and lacking a machete, I resorted to bending, squeezing, pushing, pulling and head-butting branches out of the way. Edward Rice Burroughs would have been proud of my Tarzan moves as I desperately sought a way up and out.
Eventually I emerged like Indiana Jones out of the gloom of an Amazonian jungle, bathed in sweat and covered in pine needles (those needles, just like sand in a bikini, get everywhere). Delighted to have made it into the light I sat on a rock, enjoyed a long slug of water and was about to demolish a badly needed energy bar when this thought occurred to me: ‘Why is everything so fuzzy?’
My glasses had been knocked off by a swishing branch. I considered retracing my steps to find them but stopped at the edge of the clearing when I realised I could not identify what clump of trees I had fought my way out of, never mind following my exact upward route back down through the forest. The glasses are possibly still hanging from a branch somewhere, though I suspect they were swept to the ground and therefore virtually impossible to spot because a lot of grass grows under the trees hereabouts. Perhaps an old deer will discover them some day, and make use of them. I shrugged. An expensive hillwalk. That'll learn me, as they say.
The moral of the story is: be a real specsaver by wearing yours with one of those stringy things around your neck. Or better still remove them altogether – the irony is mine were distance specs therefore totally unrequired given that my eyes were so up close and personal with a million damned branches on the way up. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/1434/comment/23270/

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Nature on the hills.

The joy of this lesser top does not come from the rather nondescript summit area which is rather flat and boggy. It comes with spotting up to a dozen Sika Deer who happened to linger long enough to get a snap with the camera. There were also Red Grouse, Raven, Snipe and a small flock of Crossbills feeding on pine cones. It makes hill bagging all worthwhile! By the way - I make Annalecka Bridge at AnLeck Bge (O05560 01852). All other directions fine. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/1434/comment/18354/

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A new summit in the heart of Wicklow

One of the new Arderin begs. It’s not really on the way to or from anywhere and is well protected from the road by extensive forestry. The best way up is probable via the forest track starting at A (O037 023), room for a few cars, follow this to the end where you can emerge from the forest at B (O049 038). Turn right and its pretty straight forward from there. Takes just over 2 hours. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/1434/comment/18174/

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Enjoyable Loop.

Starting the walk at the forest entrance adjacent to Annalecka Bridge ignore the junctions to the right and continue to C (O04743 03139) turn right this will allow for easy access thru the trees to the open summit.I now continued to Barnacullian, Stoney Top and Tonelagee returning via St Kevan's Way for a very enjoyable Loop. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/1434/comment/18224/

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Boggy rides

Parked at Analecka bridge and took the Forest road to the second turning to the right. I followed this to the next turning on the left and followed this to the end. There has been extensive felling an what used to be a ride is now a massive of unstable mud and debris. This will take you to the top but it involves a lot of zig zag and hopping about. Eventually you will get to the flat top where you can toddle around until you are sure you have hit the summit.
I returned by what seems to be the usual route up. Again, a lot of felling, mud and getting down to the road was, well, interesting. A lot of deer on the forestry tracks but none on top. No view due to low cloud and rain.
Oh yeah, I actually was halfway up to her I realised I had dropped my hat...at the beginning so I went back down to get it and then went back up. Does this mean I have done it almost 1.5 times? Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/1434/comment/20325/

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