[RWD version 1 ] Ever since a flock of about 26 sheep went missing off the mountain area behind Mullaghcleevaun and west of Tonelagee we decided that we would go out at the weekend and see if we could locate this flock. A few days earlier we located a flock of 10 missing sheep that had wandered over 2km from their regular area and ended up way over near Glenmacnass Waterfall.
We decided to park at the Wicklow Gap car-park and head up the western flank of Tonelagee to join the track on the saddle below Stoney Top. Many groups of sheep appeared out of the mist along the way, but nothing of interest. We then proceeded down the northern edge of the cliff face leading down to Lough Oulter. We only met one other party of sodden individuals trudging up the slope on this leg of the walk.
The weather starting out was very poor with visibility down to 60 metres and constant rain. Trying to see any sheep, let alone their markings, would prove very difficult. We continued down the track to the exit flow from Lough Oulter and decided to break for a bite to eat and some fluids. It was no trouble finding a spot to sit down on as we were so wet we could not get any wetter! It is an absolutely beautiful spot here, nestled as it is under the towering face of Tonelagee. Pity the visability was so poor.
We then headed south to meet up with the track leading up from Brockagh Mountain to the summit of Tonelagee. We turned north west along this track until it started climing sharply to the summit. We contoured west down under the summit to meet up with our outward track and back to the car. Suffice to say that while we came across many flocks of sheep along the way, none of them turned out to be the sheep that we were looking for! Better luck and hopefully better weather next time.
I could have put up some photographs but who would want to look at a plain grey image!