wicklore on Seskin

Exploring these low hills has certainly brought me into contact with more farmers than I have had in a long time. I suppose it is the nature of these relative bumps in the landscape that means they are nearly always farmed, leading to the necessity to ask farmers for access. All have been obliging, and more than a few have given good advice on access. I think this is important as many of these hills haven’t attracted much activity and giving a good first impression of hillwalkers will hopefully pave the way for others. And so I found myself talking to another farmer on the minor road that skirts the east side of Seskin. Yes of course I could park on this road. Indeed I could park at one of his gates on the east side of the road. But no, he had no authority to say I could cross over the fields to go up to the summit. “They’re not my fields” he explained. But I could go ahead and park in his gate anyway, and sure “you could find a way up”. Well I did indeed “find a way up”. Parking at his gate (with the aforementioned permission) at SesknSE (S965 724) I made my way up to the wet and boggy saddle between the two high points of Seskin. There were giant piles of boulders on the way up, pushed together by heavy equipment, and a lot of reedy grass which highlighted the soggy nature of the ground. At the saddle I headed left uphill and crossed a fence. I stayed to the left of the trees up to the summit. An electric fence marked the boundary between the field to the east of the summit and the trees to the west. A battery pack with a wire running from it and attached to the fence by a red peg told me to steer clear. This means that anyone approaching from the west through the trees would need to take a little care not to stumble into it when emerging from the trees. Not great views from the summit because of the trees and a gorse field that partly blocks the view. However there is a good view of Lakeen on the way up, with its many wind turbines. A good track was visible running from the trees of this summit across the saddle to the other high point to the north. The return trip was less than 50 mins, including time to negotiate the gorse and wet ground. As usual I would suggest permission is sought from locals if heading up from the east side, although the forestry to the west no doubt offers alternative routes. Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/908/comment/3418/

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The top is now clear and open

A decade after the last comment. The top of Seskin has been cleared and is now a blasted landscape of forestry detritus. The views are good though.
I followed the forestry paths and the part where you follow the forest edge is getting overgrown with gorse and various jaggies. I suppose lockdown hasn't helped keeping it clear. Just don't wear shorts.
Oh, the battery is still there though the fence is now a tangle of half hidden barbed wire underfoot.It sounds a horrible hill but it is actually a pleasant walk and it doesn't encroach on farmland in these covid times.
I wrote that at the top . Coming down I turned left at the edge of the forest and then followed that down and right onto an old forestry road this avoiding the gorse Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/908/comment/20823/

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csd on Seskin

As suggested by wicklore, I sought an alternative route from the forestry to the west of Seskin. Although the tracks marked on Sheet 62 starting in the vicinity of Gowl Hs (S94797 73146) looked promising, the grassy lane that seemed the closest match to this ended up terminating in an open field. I don't like crossing open fields with a dog, so turned back and tried further north.
As luck would have it, there's a track leading to the Coillte forest at K'longfrd (S95731 74085) , so I parked here and followed the forestry road up. Sheet 62 doesn't appear to bear much resemblance to the situation on the ground, but follow your nose (or use pazapas's excellent GPS maps) and you'll soon find your way up.
My approach to the summit was from the north along the track noticed by wicklore. The highest point of Seskin appears to be right under an enormous gorse bush: there are limits to what I'll do for MV, so you'll have to excuse my GPS reading for being a few metres out on this one! Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/908/comment/3738/

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On a misty day. Why?

I opted for the forest approach. Parked at K'longfrd (S957 741) and followed the forest path for 300m until it turned back on itself. I followed what might once have been an old quad track along the forest edge almost directly south until hitting the Carlow/Wicklow border marked on the ground by a wall, ruined fence and wide gap in the forest. Followed it all the way to the north summit of Seskin which is a dire top. Or so I thought until gaining the southern main top. At least the recent snow just melted had bent down the gorse bushes so I was able to access the highest point. The views may be good but on a misty damp day like today one has to wonder at the effort.
A curious place. No foot prints but plenty of cigarette butts. The battery is still there but seems to have discharged itself. Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/908/comment/6183/

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