Finally reached the top.

October 2008 and Ballycumber was the last hill for me to climb in Dublin/Wicklow. I had walked around it twice previously on the Wicklow Way but had not climbed to the top. I parked at BCumb Br (T049 771) to the NE at the point where the Wicklow Way leaves a minor road and fords a stream. I remember this stream in spate, but luckily it was quiet last Sunday as you have to literally walk through it. It is easy to find your route-both because you are following the Wicklow Way and because you are on a well defined drover track. (The same one MV member csd used when approaching from the SW)

Follow this track uphill and you emerge onto open ground with the slopes of Ballycumber to your right. Keep an eye out for a ring of trees just above you to the right-this marks the remains of a ring fort. Soon after the ringfort at about A (T050 760) turn right uphill and head SW. Follow various animal paths through the heather until you reach the saddle just west of the 397m spot height.

Up to now it has been open bog and hillside. Now aim for a point at B (T039 758) where a fence can be seen holding back the forestry. This forestry is not marked on map 62 and it actually extends to the summit. By staying on the open hillside and by following this fence as it heads uphill to the west you will reach the summit trig pillar of Ballycumber Hill. Views to the north are limited by forestry. However some of the more obscure hills that I had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of over the last several months were visible to the south-Muskeagh, Seskin, Lackeen and Stookeen. Also I was delighted to see my old pal Preban Hill to the north as I climbed Ballycumber. Never heard of these hills?-they are well worth checking out!

I returned by the same route and the walk was just under two and a half hours. I met two men skinning a freshly killed rabbit in the stream near my car and they were definitely acting a bit cagey-perhaps no licence to hunt? Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/683/comment/3661/

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osullivanm on Ballycumber Hill

Having read the very interesting comments from Wicklore and CSD, we decided to try completing a "circuit" of Ballycumber Hill. We started from the ford at BCumb Br (T049 771) with the intention of returning on the track which connects to the Wicklow Way at BCumbWW (T04501 77998). We rambled southwards along the Wicklow way, then veered south west to climb to point 397. True to recent form, the weather frustrated us - it started to rain and continued for the rest of the day!. Undaunted, we followed a reasonably good track to Ballycumber Hill. We stopped for a magical lunch in the forest, sheltered from the rain, we stretched out on the mossy forest floor listening to the slight swish of the wind in the trees and admiring a most beautiful clump of mushrooms growing from a fallen tree. Re-invigorated, we retraced our steps along the track to pick up the ridge running to point 425. As we approached the forest we saw what looked like a telecommunications mast but, further on found a notice re a planning application for a windfarm which suggests our mast was something to do with this. We continued on the track northwards and then picked up a "ride" eastwards through the forest. This proved quite difficult underfoot but did connect with our intended track back to the Wicklow Way. We followed this track only to find that the exit was blocked by a sturdy fence and much forest "debris" - branches etc. Having overcome the obstacles, we had a lovely stroll back along the wicklow way to our starting point. We left feeling that there was another little bit of research to be done to see if there is a more satisfactory finish to our circuit - perhaps by continuing further Northwards towards the Wicklow Way and, who knows, maybe when we return we will also see a windfarm there.!! Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/683/comment/4074/

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A walk with so many options.

This is a hill though low in height is of considerable bulk covering some 15km sq. It is also a hill that is serviced by three National looped walks and the Wicklow Way all of which open up opportunities for walks of varying length and intensity. The three loops are Mangan's (9km), Ballycumber (14km) and Kyle 20km) and all start near Tinahely but can be joined at various points around the hill (as in my case) and linked together to suit a walker's interest or time available. All three routes, while not crossing the high point of the hill, pass close to it thereby making its inclusion available for very little extra effort. Routes are downloadable from the National Looped Walks web-site.
As I was short for time having climbed Slieve Maan and Ballycurragh Hill earlier in the day I drove to BCumb Br (T050 772). From there I followed a minor road down (SW) across a narrow bridge to a junction marked by a low level stone monument, where I turned left onto a stone and gravel farm track parking off road at C (T03926 77649) where a green lane joined it on the right, 1.5km from leaving the main road. I then followed the track S a short way to D (T03910 76459) and took a narrow rough track on the right up into the forest signed for the Ballycumber Loop. Once clear of the forest the track turned right and followed the forest edge up to a shallow col, about 300 metres W of Pt. 397 (known locally as Garryhoe) and crossed a stile. I turned right and followed the fence up a broad gentle rise over good, soft, peaty ground. Where the waymarked walks turned down left I continued straight on up along the fence line to E (T03098 76082) I turned left and, continuing to follow the forest edge, walked out to the Trig Pillar marking the top of the hill. Unfortuately as the weather had closed in the views commented on by others were not seen apart from a glimpse of Croaghan Kinsella and Annagh Hill to the SE on my way down. Total distance walked 4.5km. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/683/comment/15190/

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csd on Ballycumber Hill

I parked at the bridge over the River Derry on the Wicklow Way, just off the R747 at Derry Rv (T021 744). I took the left turn after the bridge, and followed the Wicklow Way onto Coolafunshoge Lane, and old droving road. The lane meanders its way around the south of Ballycumber, and I took the left turn up to the summit near the area marked Mangans.
The summit affords some lovely views; Mount Leinster and the Comeraghs are visible to the south. I took a more direct route back to the Derry River, heading south down the spur before turning southwest to intercept Coolafunshoge lane again. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/683/comment/2999/

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Kyle loop

Ballycumber hill is now readily accessible because of the new waymarked trails that have been developed around Tinahely. The Kyle loop is the longest of these walks and it traverses Ballycumber and joins the Wicklow way for a section. I've done this loop a no. of times now. The main advertised route starts at a trailhead at the top of Mangans lane but this means a 2k walk along a tarmaced lane, each way. Instead I usually park at the ford on the Wicklow way near Ballinglen and follow the route anti-clockwise from there. The waymarked trail is marked anticlockwise and this direction probably gives best views. Its a lovely route. The section from Kyle uphill is tough, particularly after rain as the ground here is quite soft. Good views to reward the effort though. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/683/comment/6224/

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