Art O'Neill Challenge 2012

Date: 13/01/2012
Area: Dublin / Wicklow, Ireland
Maps Used: OSI Sheets 50, 56
Weather: Cold, clear skies, no winds.

Last year I found the Art O'Neill Challenge quite tiring, but then I hadn't done any specific training. This year I wanted to have a better performance, so I signed up for the hybrid start so I had something to aim for. The hybrid race involves running the first section (about 23km) where you are mostly on roads within Dublin, and then trek the remaining 30km.

I can't say I have done a proper training programme this time again, but at least the daily cycle to work and the odd 10km runs kept me fit over the last few months, even after spending the Holidays in Brazil. This year the weather was not nearly as bad as last year. It wasn't too cold, and visibility was actually pretty good throughout the night, with some great views of Dublin city. I felt good during the first section and completed the first 23km in around 2,5 hours, which is in line with my usual pace - and especially reasonable considering the last uphill section. After that it was an easy enough trek, much different than last year when I was already very tired at this point. I felt good the entire route and could have kept going for another while (made me remember my failed attempt at the Lug Walk...).

At the end, arrived #33 among hybrid runners, #119 overall. If I actually spend time doing some specific training for next year, I could even aim at top 10 for hybrid runners...

Duration: 11:13:38 (3,5 hours less than last year)
Distance: 53km
Total Ascent: 1,642m
Total Descent: 1,140m

Moon Walk Challenge

Date: 12/11/2011
Area: Wicklow, Ireland
Maps Used: OSI Sheet 56
Weather: Cold, clear skies (full moon), no winds.

The Moon Walk (or Moon Light) Challenge is a 26km full moon hike along the Wicklow Way (at least partially) in aid of Glen of Imaal Mountain Rescue team. The monies raised went towards the building of the team's new base near Laragh (see more details at http://www.wmr.ie/moonlightchallenge).

We started at 18:00 from Crone Wood car park at O192142 and followed the Wicklow way southward until the new Glen of Imaal base in Laragh. A great walk with a full moon to look after us all.

Duration: 5:40 hours
Distance: 26km
Total Ascent: 410m

Galtymore

Date: 27/08/2011
Area: Galty Mountains, Limerick / Tipperary, Ireland
Maps Used: OS Sheet 74
Weather: Dry (odd drizzle), warm, clear visibility, strong winds at the top

In preparation for the trip to Mont Blanc in September, I met Sinead, Walter and some other friends and we decided to go for a climb around the Galtees. When driving out of Caher, we took the R639 road towards southwest until about R873164 where we took a right turn. This is a local access road and we kept driving up, eventually taking a left at the Y-junction and parking at R866191. From the car we kept walking along the road northwest until you get to a sharp right bend - at this point there's a trail starting to the west and then shortly north into the valley. The trail can be followed until it starts to zig-zag upwards towards the col between Bengower and the unnamed summit at 629m. From the col we descended east into the Glounreagh valley until about R867222. Here there's a trail going southeast but we climbed directly northeast towards Knockduff - a steep climb but an excellent training for our trip in September. From Knockduff we climbed northwest until we reached the famine wall and then veered right (northeast) one last time to reach the summit of Galtymore at 919m (the tallest inland mountain in Ireland). It was very windy up at the top, so we didn't hang around much. We descended back from where we came, using the famine wall as a handrail, passing by Lough Curra on our right and following a counter-clockwise route towards Bengower ridge. We found the zig-zag trail that leads back into the Blackrock river valley and climbed back down to the car. Overall a very good climb at a steady pace - some great training for the Alps.

Duration: 5:20 hours
Distance: 15km
Total Ascent: 910m

The Lug Walk

Art O'Neill Challenge 2011

Date: 08/01/2011
Area: Dublin / Wicklow, Ireland
Maps Used: OSI Sheets 50, 56
Weather: Extremely cold, misty, low clouds.

I wanted to go for an adventure race in the Wicklow mountains and when I knew the Art O'Neill challenge would take place once again in 2011, I signed up for it. The Art O'Neill is a race that in theory re-creates the steps of Hugh O'Donnel and his fellow Art O'Neill as they escaped Dublin Castle towards the Wicklow Mountains back in 1592 (see Wikipedia article here). It is a 53 kilometers route leaving Dublin city southwest towards Wicklow, passing by traditional spots like Black Hill, Mullaghcleevaun, Table Mountain, and eventually finishing off in Glenmalure. I wasn't really doing any specific training as I thought this would be just a long and strenuous walk in Wicklow, a terrain that shouldn't offer anything new for me. Boy, was I wrong. The Art O'Neill is a serious challenge, and my poor finish time as well as my sore knees at the end made it clear. Impossible not to think about repeating the dose next year though, this time with proper training and a reasonable finish time. More info on the challenge here: http://www.artoneillchallenge.ie.

Duration: 14:45:50
Distance: 53km
Total Ascent: 1,642m

Cullentragh and Mullacor

Date: 28/11/2010

Area: Wicklow Mountains, Wicklow, Ireland

Maps used: OSI Sheet 56
Weather: Clear skies for most of the route, no wind, very cold. Fresh snow, about 1/2 foot in places.

Route Description: This was a beautiful day in the 2010 / 2011 winter, which was one of the coldest in Ireland on record, with loads of snow falling across the country - especially in the mountains. A lot of fun, in other words. My initial idea was to climb Lugnaquilla, but when I got to the Military road junction on R755, the car just couldn't make it through the icy uphill bit. I had to park there and then and try something different, so Cullentragh and Mullacor seemed like a good option. Started from T140954, walking south along the road until it reaches a bridge and a sharp left turn. From there there's a track heading southwest which can be followed for a while, until eventually one heads a bit more westwards towards the top of Cullentragh. After reaching the summit (510m), headed directly west towards Mullacor (657m). Descended via the same route.

Duration: 5 hours
Distance: 11km
Total Ascent: 567m

Coomloughra Horseshoe

Date: 01/08/2010
Area: MacGillycuddy's Reeks, Kerry, IrelandMaps used: OSI Sheet 78
Weather: Warm, cloudy, light drizzle at times. No winds. Complete whiteout (less than 50m visibility) above 600m. Clearer towards the end of the route.

Route Description: This is one of my favorite routes in Ireland. It passes over the 3 highest peaks in the island, and the Beenkeragh ridge is probably one of the most exposed in Ireland. I've followed the route description in the "Carrauntoohil & MacGillycuddy's Reeks" guide from Jim Ryan. I parked at V772871, right at the bend from where the Hydro Road track starts. From there it's a steep climb to Lough Eighter. People follow different routes at this point, I have simply climbed northeast along the spur that leads to Skregmore. From there it's a straightforward route to the top of Beenkeragh (1,010m). This is where the fun starts then. The knife-edge ridge between Beenkeragh and Carrauntoohil is about 1km long, with some great views into the gullies on the north side and the lakes to the southwest. Pray for a clear day - otherwise think twice whether you should proceed. From the top of Carrauntoohil (1,040m) I descended to the southwest and then climbed up the ridge towards Caher (1,001m). Then it's all downhill northwest aiming at arriving back at Lough Eighter, and back down via the same route.

Duration: 5.5 hours
Distance: 12km
Total Ascent: 1,200m

Errisbeg

Date: 06/06/2010

Area: Errisbeg, Connemara, Ireland

Maps used: OSI Sheet 44

Weather: Warm and bright all the time, windy near the top

Route Description: This is an easy walk if you are in Roundstone. Started from the town centre at L723402 and followed the road west until it becomes a track and eventually fades into the hills. Kept going all the way until reaching the top of Errisbeg (300m). Descended via the same route.

Duration: 2.5 hours
Distance: 5km
Total Elevation: 300m

Lugnaquilla

Date: 22/12/2009

Area: Lugnaquilla, Wicklow, Ireland

Maps used: OSI Sheet 56

Weather: Very cold, low clouds, with sunny spells at times, 0.5ft+ of snow

Route Description: Started at the last car park up in Glenmalure (T067941) and headed northwest on the track, past the hostel. Shortly after, took a sharp turn left (south) up the Fraughan Rock Glen. Headed straight up the glen (southwest) until reaching T044930, then turned left towards the southeast to the col between the Lug east spur and Clohernagh. Once on the col, turned right and climbed the spur that leads to the summit of Lug, the highest point in the Leinster province (925m). Descended via the same route.

Duration: 5.5 hours
Distance: 12km
Total Ascent: 770m

Tomies Rock

Date: 26/07/2009

Area: Tomies Rock, Gap of Dunloe, Kerry, Ireland

Maps used: OSI Sheet 78

Weather: Cool and windy, rainy at times

Route Description: Started from Kate Kearney's Cottage. Walked to the bridge before Black Lake. Then headed straight east towards Tomies Rock via the steep scree slope. After reaching the summit (568m), descended north initially and then started an anti-clockwise route back towards the bridge and then on the road back to the starting point.

Duration: 3 hours
Distance: 6km
Total Ascent: 528m

Scarr

Date: 19/04/2009

Area: Scarr, Wicklow, Ireland

Maps used: OSI Sheet 56

Weather: Mild and clear

Route Description: Started from car park at O158019 and walked south following the road until taking a track to the right (west) at T158996. Headed uphill (west) until the track turns sharply to the left (southeast). At that point, headed northwest towards the Scarr south ridge. After summitting Scarr (641m) descended via the northeast ridge, then south at the border of the forest and into the track that led back to the starting point.

Duration: 4 hours
Distance: 10km
Total Ascent: 431m

Croaghaun

Date: 13/04/2009

Area: Croaghaun, Achill Island, Mayo, Ireland

Maps used: None (would have been OSI Sheet 30)

Weather: Cool and clear, with some low cloud at times

Route Description: Once in Achill Island, headed towards Keel beach, on the west. About 2km before the beach there's a small road to the right that leads to the reservoir. Started the walk more or less from coordinates 53.976635,-10.165272. From here headed uphill more or less west with the lake to my right (north). Walked around the 'E'-shaped corrie clockwise and descended by the other side of the lake. Beautiful horseshoe walk.

Duration: 4 hours
Distance: 5.5km
Total Ascent: 360m

Beenreagh

Date: 01/03/2009

Area: Beenreagh, Kerry, Ireland

Maps used: OSI Sheet 78

Weather: Cold and clear, rainy at times

Route Description: Started at a fork in the road at V677864. Walked down the main road direction southwest until the road ends among a couple of houses. Headed uphill more or less in the same direction until reaching the stream and then veered slightly to the right heading for the 408m point in the col between Macklaun and Beenreagh. Once on the col turned right (north) and headed towards Beenreagh (495m). After going through all the tops reached the 467m point and then headed southeast until reaching a fence. Proceeded down until reaching the road and then back to the starting point.

Duration: 4 hours
Distance: 5.5km
Total Ascent: 335m

Djouce Mountain

Date: 14/02/2009

Area: Djouce Mountain, Wicklow, Ireland

Maps used: OSI Sheet 56

Weather: Cold and cloudy, 2ft of snow in places

Route Description: Started at the car park at O213149. Followed the track through the forest heading south until reaching a stream at around O206114. Headed more or less northwest using the stream as a handrail on the right. Walked almost 2km until the Wicklow Way and turned left (southwest) towards Djouce. Walked another 2.5km until reaching a fence that leads to the summit. Decided not to go to the summit as it was late and it would be dark soon. Returned to the car park via the same route.


Duration: 5 hours
Distance: 13km
Total Ascent: 400m

Great Sugar Loaf, Long Route (2nd Attempt)

Date: 05/10/2008

Area: Great Sugar Loaf, Wicklow, Ireland

Maps used: OSI Sheet 56

Weather: Cold, clear, windy at the top

Route Description: Started from the car park of the GAA club (O244158) and headed west towards a track along the club. Veered north / northwest for a while and then west again towards the north-south ridge that leads to the Great Sugar Loaf. Proceeded to the summit at 501m and then down a scree to the west of the top. After descending about 100m started an anti-clockwise route towards a track southeast of the top that leads back to the car park.

Duration: 3 hours
Distance: 5.5km
Total Ascent: 379m

Great Sugar Loaf, Long Route (1st Attempt)

Date: 20/07/2008

Area: Great Sugar Loaf, Wicklow, Ireland

Maps used: OSI Sheet 56

Weather: Mild and clear, but cloudy and windy at times

Route Description: Started from the car park of the GAA club (O244158) and headed west towards a track along the club. Veered north / northwest for a while and then west again towards the north-south ridge that leads to the Great Sugar Loaf. Moved off the track and couldn't find it again, so because of the high gorse and its thorns decided to turn back and try another day.

Duration: 2 hours
Distance: 2km
Total Ascent: 190m

Bray Head

Date: 01/06/2008

Area: Bray, Wicklow, Ireland

Maps used: OSI Sheet 56

Weather: Mild temperatures, clear sky

Route Description: Started at the south end of the promenade in Bray (O276182) and headed south along the road / track to Bray Head. Continued on the track until reaching the summit at 240m (O282162). Descended southwest around the hill and then anti-clockwise and towards the coast until reaching the track above the DART line, heading back north towards the promenade.

Duration: 3 hours
Distance: 7km
Total Ascent: 240m

Tonelagee

Date: 13/04/2008

Area: Tonelagee, Wicklow, Ireland

Maps used: OSI Sheet 56

Weather: Cold, clear at the beginning but then cloudy and with hail at times

Route Description: Started at Glenmacnass Waterfall car park (O113031) and headed southwest towards Tonelagee via a shoulder (668m top). After reaching the top of Tonelagee (817m) headed north for about 1km and then northeast, using Lough Ouler and the Lough Brook as a handrail. After about 1.5km headed east back to the car park.

Duration: 4 hours
Distance: 8km
Total Ascent: 457m