A long, sublime approach route

Appreciating mountains isn’t always about standing on their summits. Sometimes it is just as uplifting to traverse their hidden glens, to follow the course of babbling brooks that meander through woods, lush meadows and bogs into loughs hemmed in by jagged cliffs; to quietly wander in their shadows savouring the chance encounter with wildlife. A truly sublime landscape experience can be had by parking at Old Bridge ( OldBge Sc (O15556 02448)) and following the paved road NW towards Lough Dan. A green sign marks the start of a trail leading to Kanturk via a wooden gate. This rocky path weaves its way above the lough through dense bracken slopes passing rowan trees dripping with scarlet berries. Past another gate the track runs steeply downhill to the valley floor. At the bottom is a copse of trees where the wind sighs heavily in the boughs spread out over the shattered shells of stone cottages, a serene but lonely place.

Beyond, the Inchavore River snakes its way past grassy meadows to deposit a perfect crescent of sand on the lough’s north shore (E (O14349 04439)). A rough track leads towards this golden sandy beach shaded by oak trees; a small boat bobbing about on the shoreline made it feel like a tropical island. The warm sunlight dancing on the deep blue surface of the lake and the mesmeric lapping of tiny waves on the shore made it hard to leave this little piece of paradise in Wicklow.

We doubled back across the meadows to cross the Inchavore River via some stones at F (O13768 04620) and then traversed the north shore of the lough enjoying entrancing views of the river and tree shaded beach beyond. The path weaves through bracken and some gorse between giant granite boulders flung down the slopes of Knocknacloghoge above and is boggy in places. It then swings NE up the Cloghoge Valley past a deserted whitewashed cottage partially shaded by a Tolkienesque sycamore just above the Cloghoge River. Running between rustic dry stone walls, an old cart track then traverses the edge of a sweeping expanse of meadow fringed by broad leaf trees, above which tower the slopes of Sleamaine bedecked in vibrant purple heather. Against this idyllic backdrop were herds of grazing deer.

Past the bridge crossing the Cloghoge Brook, a footpath on the left leads up the steep lower slopes of Luggala. Fine views now ravish the eye: the Cloghoge Valley, Lough Dan beyond and below, the circular deep blue Lough Tay steadily creeping into view in its heathery amphitheatre with precipitous granite cliffs. There is no cairn on Luggala, but an impressive expanse of heath undulates towards the distinctive peaks of Djouce, Kippure, Mullaghcleevaun and Tonelagee. We then bore NW descending gently over periodically boggy ground towards the R115 where we had parked a second car in a layby ( TayNW (O13735 08752)). Although we only climbed one summit, this memorable 13.5 km 6 hour walk took us through mountain scenery that would utterly enrapture a poet. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/286/comment/6070/

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simon3 on Luggala

Luggala (aka Luggelaw or hollow of the hill in PW Joyce) is a granite and quartzite scarp, a cliffy side of which drops into Lough Tay, while the western side slopes north eastwards towards the Military Road. Luggala's summit has suffered in recent years from considerable walker erosion. The photo, taken in 1998, shows Luggala from the east, with Lough Tay to the left. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/286/comment/272/

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Cliffs plunge to a brooding lake

I was surprised to discover that this particular wide view of Luggala (Fancy Mountain) taken from the north has not been added here before. It includes the famous “Guinness Lake” (Lough Tay) which resembles a dark pint with a creamy head to some. The photo was taken from the R759 road that links the Sally Gap and the R755 road to Roundwood and Glendalough. Several small gravel car parks are carved out along this sometimes narrow and winding road. The feeling of a sheer drop down to the lake below just over the little stone wall adds a thrill for those motorists unfamiliar with the road.

The view is looking south over Lough Tay with Luggala and its cliffs to the right with Scarr Mountain rising to its apex in the background. At other points on this road the flat top of the artificial lake on Turlough Hill (Toomaneena), Lugnaquillia, and a host of other Wicklow hills can be seen. The carparks along this road give access to the Wicklow Way which passes through this area, as well as providing an opportunity for a loop walk taking in Luggala, Knocknacloghoge, Lough Tay and various other permutations. Beware that the residents of the valley around Lough Tay do not allow dogs off the leash and can be very strict about this. Also be aware that thieves also know it is a popular area and break-ins of cars are not unknown. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/286/comment/17565/

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murphysw on Luggala

Definitely a lot of walker erosion on Luggala, espeicially at the top of the cliff where a myriad of little paths have been created. This is in addition to the mucky path which leads up the mountain from the carpark at TayNW (O137 088). But what views! From every angle, the views over Lough Tay and Luggala Lodge with Djouce towering behind, just take the breath away. The summit itself is fairly ordinary - no cairns or anything, but there is the butt of a signpost. Wonder what that said in its heyday. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/286/comment/1573/

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CaptainVertigo on Luggala

Worried about GLOBAL WARMING? Scary isn’t it? Violent storms. Melting ice caps. Killer sharks swimming up your toilet to nibble your re-marriage prospects. Ouch!! Such were the thoughts that occupied the fragile mind of Captain Vertigo last Saturday night during the long hours of darkness prior to the attack on Luggala. ( At this point I wish to state clearly that the Captain does not recognise the expression “Fancy Mountain”. There is something effete, jejune, self-indulgent and decadent about this casual designation. There’s something …French about it. Too close to “Fancy Woman”. “Well fanceeee that!” How apt the rubric “Luggala”. Like an Irish cop in New York: Lugs O’Law. The deformed ears of a tight head prop come to mind. How manly and vigorous !) In any event, the NAVAN HILLWALKERS eschewed a frontal advance on Luggala. That’d ‘ve been too easy! Nope! General Hudson had issued orders from his sick bed that we advance from the rear . Thus it was, ably led by the General’s batman, Sergeant-Major Michael Spillane, that we crept up the long and winding staircase to the top of the Djouce, before moving on to the summit of War Hill from where we did a “recci”. There the Captain spotted a little heap of malodorous black balls and concluded sheepishly that they were the manifestation of an unseen enema. Clearly, caution was called for. But the traverse from War Hill to the northern slopes of Luggala took place in gorgeous sunshine. Oh blessed Global Warming! The Mother of all Fine Days! May your Ozone Layer be depleted by the methane gases of a thousand baked bean eating Boy Scouts! Shine on ! Shine your ultra violet light on the bracken hairy hills of Wicklow. Rid the land of that evil stubble! Continue to give us Summer days in early April!! We grazed contently on double rations by a babbling brook . Sergeant-Major Spillane, encouraged by the sunshine, marched us, single file, in double quick time, up Luggala, till we reached the rim. There we once again stood silently and pondered the work of the Unseen Hand . The Captain, not for the first time enraptured, had to be restrained from diving into the dark waters below. “Not on my watch lad!” muttered the Sergeant Major. The tranquil moment shattered, the platoon moved on. During the descent the Captain implored a passing nurse (sadly not attired in full white Nightengale regalia) to perform an emergency hip replacement for him. She demurred. The sight of the Captain dragging his lifeless limbs up the fierce hill to the car park cheered the hearts of the Company. Great praise was heaped on Gen.Hudson for having the foresight to leave the best wine till last –a true walking challenge in the sweltering heat! Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/286/comment/1601/

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