Blackstairs and Sodden Conditions
Well the weather forecast was definitely off kilter! Having checked the details late the evening before it was supposed to be relatively benign. Having started the trek at the northern access point (where there is parking nearby for a couple of cars) we had not travelled more than a kilometer when the cloud cover came down and the rain started.
As we climbed higher the wind speed picked up steadily. The path up is quite easy to follow on the ground. Two thirds of the way to the top we met two mountain runner heading down. They warned us that conditions were much worse on the southern flank of the mountain. While we had intended to stop for a snack at the summit, the conditions were extreme enough that we decided to continue on to the shelter of the plantation on the southren col.While sheltering behind one of the impressive rock walls on the souhern ridge, another female mountain runner passed by on the way to the top. When we eventually reached this wood however, we were extremely dissapointed to find it had recently been clear-felled. We sought out a little bit of cover from the wind and had a very quick snack.
Our intention was to carry on up to Carrigalachan but given the rotten conditions and the distince possibility that the track has been destroyed by the tree felling we did not delay on the mountain and headed back diagionally down the western flank.The ground conditions were extremely water logged during the entire trek.
The end of the track at the first house has been barred with a barbed wire topped gate! We managed to slip between the bars and joined the local road back to our starting point. This was the only way to complete a single car circuit but it does entail a fair bit of road walking.