The Ring of Imaal
The Ring of Imaal is a long-distance walk from Donard in Co. Wicklow, Ireland, up onto the local hills towards Lugnaquilla mountain. From there a traverse of the Glen of Imaal is made towards Table mountain and onwards to Lobawn mountain, before descending to Donard once again. A fit walker can usually complete this route in about 9 hours.
Note: The route for this walk changes regularly due to access issues.
Start: Donard Village (S:931977)
Co. Wicklow. Ireland.
(1) Head south towards Brusselstown (S:9391) by road, turning left at the fork 1km distant. Continue for about 3km to a T-junction, turn left and then right.
(2) After passing through a crossroads 1.5km further on, proceed for about 2km to a right turn. Shortly, after about 200m, step over a gate and ascend to Brusselstown.
(3) Returning to the road by the gate you came up by, turn left, then right, until a T-junction is reached.
(4) Turn right, and just before a mature forest appears on the right enter a field through a gate on the left.
(5) Head generally for the wall on your left and this will bring you to a fence at the summit of Keadeen.
(6) Crossing over the fence a wide track is found immediately ahead leading rightwards and eventually to a forest edge on your left some distance below.
(7) Follow this forest edge until you see a gate ahead. Pass leftwards through the gate and follow a forest track downwards then through a forest opening to the road.
(8) Cross the road diagonally to the right and head directly downwards along the right bank of a stream, then straight upwards to another road at Ballinabarney Gap.
(9) Turn left along the road, turning right at the next fork. Cross over a gate on the right, making your way rightwards and upwards, following a long track over to Ballineddan.
(10)From Ballineddan head down a track on 74 degrees to a coll and continuing on a track at 104 degrees to Slievemaan.
(11) From Slievemaan follow 60 degrees to a coll, then find a prominent track leading up to the Lugnaquilla plateau. 90 degrees will lead you to the Lugnaquilla trig pillar.
(12) From the pillar take 220 double-paces (400m) on 24 degrees to the prison corner, then 270 double-paces (500m) on 334 degrees to the very small Cannow cairn.
(13) Then, about twenty feet before the cairn, follow 10 degrees to the track which leads to spot height 712 and across the glen to Camenabologue. 350 degrees from here will find you at Table Pass (T:020967), then Table Mountain with its cairn can be reached on 358 degrees after 600 metres.
(14) Follow the prominent ditch (324 degrees for 1.2km, then 274 degrees for 3.5k) to Lobawn with its small square stone marker .
(15) Continue from Lobawn on 304 degrees for 1k, reaching a wire fence on your right. At the corner where it ends drop left by the forest edge and rightwards to a gate and a track, then through another gate which leads down to a farmhouse yard. Leftwards and downwards follows a road leading back to Donard.
Distance: 35km
Ascent: 1800m
Map: Discovery 56
Start: Donard Village (S:931977)
Co. Wicklow. Ireland.
(1) Head south towards Brusselstown (S:9391) by road, turning left at the fork 1km distant. Continue for about 3km to a T-junction, turn left and then right.
(2) After passing through a crossroads 1.5km further on, proceed for about 2km to a right turn. Shortly, after about 200m, step over a gate and ascend to Brusselstown.
(3) Returning to the road by the gate you came up by, turn left, then right, until a T-junction is reached.
(4) Turn right, and just before a mature forest appears on the right enter a field through a gate on the left.
(5) Head generally for the wall on your left and this will bring you to a fence at the summit of Keadeen.
(6) Crossing over the fence a wide track is found immediately ahead leading rightwards and eventually to a forest edge on your left some distance below.
(7) Follow this forest edge until you see a gate ahead. Pass leftwards through the gate and follow a forest track downwards then through a forest opening to the road.
(8) Cross the road diagonally to the right and head directly downwards along the right bank of a stream, then straight upwards to another road at Ballinabarney Gap.
(9) Turn left along the road, turning right at the next fork. Cross over a gate on the right, making your way rightwards and upwards, following a long track over to Ballineddan.
(10)From Ballineddan head down a track on 74 degrees to a coll and continuing on a track at 104 degrees to Slievemaan.
(11) From Slievemaan follow 60 degrees to a coll, then find a prominent track leading up to the Lugnaquilla plateau. 90 degrees will lead you to the Lugnaquilla trig pillar.
(12) From the pillar take 220 double-paces (400m) on 24 degrees to the prison corner, then 270 double-paces (500m) on 334 degrees to the very small Cannow cairn.
(13) Then, about twenty feet before the cairn, follow 10 degrees to the track which leads to spot height 712 and across the glen to Camenabologue. 350 degrees from here will find you at Table Pass (T:020967), then Table Mountain with its cairn can be reached on 358 degrees after 600 metres.
(14) Follow the prominent ditch (324 degrees for 1.2km, then 274 degrees for 3.5k) to Lobawn with its small square stone marker .
(15) Continue from Lobawn on 304 degrees for 1k, reaching a wire fence on your right. At the corner where it ends drop left by the forest edge and rightwards to a gate and a track, then through another gate which leads down to a farmhouse yard. Leftwards and downwards follows a road leading back to Donard.
Distance: 35km
Ascent: 1800m
Map: Discovery 56
Note: The bearings above (2006) incorporate a magnetic variation of 8 degrees. Adjust these bearings in accordance with the current variation (eg. 5 degrees for 2012).
Tom Milligan tomilligan@eircom.net
Phone: 01-2883312 or 086 0826857
Tom Milligan tomilligan@eircom.net
Phone: 01-2883312 or 086 0826857
posted by An Duiche at 2:01 PM
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