The Hellfire Club

The Military Road (R115) runs through the heart of the Dublin/Wicklow Mountains from Rathfarnham to Aughavannagh in deepest Wicklow. The road is 55kms long, and it was constructed between 1800 and 1809 in the wake of the 1798 Rebellion. It was designed to open up the wild Wicklow Mountains to the British army to assist them in reaching the insurgents who were hiding there. A number of military barracks were built along its length which were used to house the soldiers who could rapidly respond when rebels were afoot in the area.

Today the road offers excellent access to the mountains around Glenasmole, Glencree, Sally Gap, Glendasan, Glendalough, Glenmalure and Aughavannagh. It is a great route to see and admire some of the best scenery in Dublin & Wicklow. But besides the mountains and valleys there are many other things of interest along the road that are worth mentioning. From the supernatural to the mythical, the Military Road passes through areas rich in history.

One such curious piece of history is the Hell Fire Club. Shortly after the Military Road begins to rise above Dublin in Rathfarnham, it passes by the Hell Fire Woods car park on the slope of Montpelier Hill. In 1725 a hunting lodge, named Mount Pelier, was built at the summit, using stone from a nearby passage tomb. The destruction of the tomb gave rise to a sense that the building was cursed. Soon after this a storm blew the roof off the building. The roof was rebuilt with more stone and a series of paranormal events were subsequently reported. The central belief was that the Devil was active on the hill and in the lodge. This reputation was further enhanced when members of the Irish Hell Fire Club, which was active in the years 1735 to 1741, began using the lodge as a meeting place. There were many stories of wild behaviour and debauchery as well as occult practices and demonic appearances which added to the local folklore. A recent archaeological dig uncovered some of the original megalithic history of the site.

The Hell Fire Club is still standing, and appears as a hulking stone structure. It is in surprisingly good repair considering it has been abandoned for two centuries. Whatever your beliefs, there are few people who don’t get an eerie feeling in its dark interior. I have personally seen a Rottweiler dog escape from its owner and leap from a first floor window. (Unharmed but raising the hair on the backs of the necks of all who witnessed it). Countless folk will have stories of the eerie feeling encountered in the building. It can be a thrilling place for children to visit with adult supervision.

The views of Dublin and the coast are almost unsurpassed, and Lambay Island, Howth the Mountains of Mourne and Wales can easily be seen on a clear day. This place is visited by 100,000 people a year so go very early or very late if you seek seclusion. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/1507/comment/19674/

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70 Miles as the crow flies

Was planning to climb this little hill last Friday 8th Jan during the snowfall but got called away on a errand but just prior I shot this image of Dublin with the Mourne mountains in the back round roughly 70 miles distant as the crow flies. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/1507/comment/22096/

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Popular and well-loved amenity

This hill is a very popular place to go for a walk on the weekends, thanks to its relative ease of ascent, its proximity to population centres, the interesting historical features at the summit, and the wonderful views. There is a large car park, which is busy and much in demand on fine weekend days.

It seems fairly common to ascend by the winding forest paths and then take the steep straight-line route back down to the car park. That path is quite deeply eroded in places.

South Dublin County Council has plans for extensive development to include an interpretative centre, a "sky bridge" treetop walk, and additional car parking, which will no doubt change the character of the place. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/1507/comment/24226/

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