Hill Walk Dublin Mtns. Three Rock Two Rock

*[These Walk Notes have been amended on Saturday 5th December to reflect a shorter walk duration.]

Walk: Hill walk in the Dublin Mountains / ‘Best festive hat award’

Meeting Point: Kilmashogue Forest Car Park – google map link HERE 

Meeting Time: 8:45am 

Walk Start Time: 9:00am

Route: Kilmashogue Forest, Three Rock 444m, Two Rock, Fairy Castle 537m, Kilmashogue Forest.  

Distance: 12km 

Height: Total ascent 530m approx.

Duration:  4.5 hours (includes breaks)

Leaders: Shona Geraghty & Tony McMahon 

Please text Shona by Friday 11 December 2020 if you intend going on the walk, giving an emergency contact name and number also.

Leader’s Note: We start the walk at Kilmashogue Forest walking through the forest on a well-made track, making our way to Three Rock, passing the telecommunication masts at Three Rock.  These masts can be seen from Dublin on a clear day.  Once we leave the forest we make our way to Fairy Castle on a stony gulley path which is a little tricky in places.  Two Rock is the highest point of the group of hills in the Dublin Mountains.  Fairy Castle is a Bronze Age cairn on the summit of Two Rock Mountain and is known to be a collapsed passage tomb. We make our way back to Kilmasogue Forest.  This walk has lots of variety and cover parts of both the Wicklow Way and Dublin Mountain Way, while staying within our county.  Throughout the walk there are stunning views of Wicklow and Dublin.  Please wear hiking boots and walking poles would be handy.  A prize for the ‘best festive hat’ worn will be awarded at the end of the hillwalk. 

Directions from Skerries:   Allow 50 – 55 minutes from Skerries.  Take M50 Southbound, exit at J12 (forest car park is about 14mins from here) and continue on Scholarstown Road, then Taylors Lane until the cross roads at Whitechurch Road (at the Grange Golf Club).  Turn right onto Whitechurch Road and continue up to the roundabout, taking the first exit (left), now on Tibradden Road.  Continue on this road, passing under the M50, at the roundabout take the first exit (left) up Kilmashogue Lane (sign post says cul-de-sac).  The forest car park is 950m up the lane on the left hand side, or follow google map link HERE Note:  Google maps may guide you on a different route from the notes above. 

Covid-19 related: Before the walk you will be asked to confirm that a) you have not been outside the country in the last 14 days, b) you have no symptoms of Covid-19 (cough, fever, shortness of breath, loss of smell/taste) and c) you have not been in contact with any confirmed Covid-19 case or been told to isolate in the last 14 days. If you cannot answer NO to all 3 questions, please do not come on the walk. 

WhatsApp: For ease of communication a WhatsApp group will be set up for the group coming on this walk for updates and sharing of photographs.   If you do not wish to be included please let the leader know when registering your interest in the walk. 

General:

Leave No Trace: the club is a supporter of the Leave No Trace campaign so please ensure that you leave no litter (of any sort) on the hike route

Clothing/Equipment: please wear hiking boots and depending on weather forecast, multiple layers including a warm jacket/ fleece, hat and gloves, a waterproof jacket, waterproof trousers, a flask with a hot drink, food, snacks and water. 

If unsure about the required gear or your ability to undertake the walk please check with the walk leader in advance. 

Three Rock Mountain.