dr_banuska on Clermont

Clermont was the second summit in my 5 peak hike beginning at Anglesey and ending at Carnavaddy (see Anglesey entry for start point info). From the summit of Anglesey, Clermont appears as a boggy mound off to your right (really south west), requiring a brief detour if your aim is Clermont Cairn with its prominent masts . Fortunately a fence can be followed down, around and up to the featureless summit of Clermont. If you look at the map, it does seem like this fence follows the line of the border here, where a small section of Co. Armagh containing Clontygora Wood juts conspicuously into Co. Louth. The terrain is quite tough going on the ascent and I walked alongside the old wall that eflanaga mentions, itself running parallel to the fence as I recall. The summit appears to be a little to the left (west) of the top of the wall, somewhere amidst the heavy undergrowth. The views here are very impressive: I found this to be one of the best vantage points to appreciate the Ring of Gullion. There is also a view down to The M1 Motorway with Dundalk beyond it; the imposing Crowne Plaza Hotel and Dundalk IT wind turbine could be made out. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/639/comment/3923/

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pdtempan on Clermont

(Continued from Anglesey Mountain) I made a bee-line from Anglesey Mountain to Clermont. The heather got quite high and energy-sapping as I neared this last top. From the summit, I made straight for the corner of forestry and along the edge of the forest to the hairpin bend, and so back up the road to my bike. By now I was exhausted. Fortunately it was mostly downhill to Newry, but the few small stretches of uphill around Clontygora and Fathom were killers. At the first available shop on the outskirts of Newry, I refuelled on Lucozade and Snickers, and the sugar-rush restored my energy for the last couple of miles to the station. A great day out, 5 new peaks bagged plus Slieve Foye again, but what a brilliant invention heather-proof socks would be! Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/639/comment/3808/

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eflanaga on Clermont

Leaving Anglesey Mtn summit (see for first leg of walk) the route to Clermont is straightforward on a bearing of 232 degrees. Leg starts with a short drop, crossing a distinct track IA (J10190 17402), and subsequent rise across open moor bringing you on to the first top (444 metres) and a similar drop followed by another fairly short rise over relatively heavy gorse to take you to the main summit area, which appears to be at the highest point of a ruined wall, or a few metres beyond it at IB (J09891 17113) coming in at 448m. (forgot to take photos on summit!). A clear narrow track leaves the summit, dropping down gently past edge of forested area. I was making for Clermont Cairn so decided to go towards the service road and then up obvious rough and stony track towards the masts. Note of caution here, from the edge of the forested area, just below Clermont, there are five or six camouflaged ‘shiucs’ - drains - (some quite deep) ready to catch the unwary. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/639/comment/2899/

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