Hill Walk (Easy) Ravensdale/Ballymakellet

[Updated 19/03/24]

Route:  Ravensdale – Ballymakellett Townland

Route Details:  Circular Walk – Lumpers Bar (on R174) Car Park (€5 pay at coffee kiosk – they take card), Forest Road, Foyles Way, The Castle, around base of The Round Mountain, Lumpers Bar Car Park

Meet Time: 10:00

Meeting Point: Lumpers Bar Car Park (€5 pay at coffee kiosk – they take card) or you can park in lane opposite Lumpers Bar (leading to the football grounds)

Walk Start Time: 10:15

Distance / Duration: approx. 11 km / ~3 hours including breaks

Height / Ascent: Summit 383m; Total ascent and descent 324m

Further Information:  This is an easy hill walk with the occasional short more challenging inclines and the ground on the trails is muddy in places given all the rain  – mainly forest roads and tracks and some well-defined grass/sheep trails – a few short slightly steeper pieces to ascend and descend, so you may feel more comfortable bringing your sticks for these – given the varied views we will undoubtedly pause several times through the walk to take them in as well as stopping on the top of The Castle to have a break/snack and enjoy the panorama

Leader’s Notes:

Starting from the Lumper Bar Car Park, we walk along a quiet country road (L30856) besides the bar for  about 10 mins where we enter the forest and take the forest road for about 30 mins, as the first part of Foyles Way is closed due to the floods at the start of the year. We turn off the forest road and follow a trail through the forest, which initially allows us to lookdown into the valley, where we can see the flood damage. We then descend the trail into the valley, joining Foyle’s Way about half-way up the valley where the paths and bridges have been repaired, we still get to walk uphill alongside the stream through picturesque and varied scenery to the plateau (~30 mins from when we left the forest road) and stop for a short break at a picnic table. We then walk through the woods and out on to the plateau of the West Cooley’s, with Clermont Cairn to our left, and follow a forest road around the forest (this is mainly flat) to where we take the gentle climb to the top of The Castle (383m) and stop for a break/snack with great views south, with Lambay visible on a clear day and also across to Slieve Foye; descending The Castle we follow the trail and well-defined grass/sheep tracks around the base of The Round Mountain, returning to where we entered the forest and the short walk back to Lumpers Bar (opens at 12 noon), where we can get coffee/tea and crepes or waffles

Allow 1 hour to get from Skerries to Lumpers Bar. M1 J18 (N52 exit for Dundalk North/Carlingford), R173 for Carlingford, shortly after the entrance to Ballymascanlon Hotel turn left signposted Ravensdale R174, at R174 turn right and Lumpers Bar is on LHS after 1.5km

Toilet facilities will not be open at Lumpers Bar when we start, there is a coffee/tea available in the parking area, so the last toilets will be at the M1 Castlebellingham Services just after J15

Please Text the leader by Fri 22nd Mar if you intend going on the walk.  Please provide mobile phone number for contact.

WhatsApp : For ease of communication a WhatsApp group will be set up for the group coming on this walk.

If you do not wish to be included please let the leader know when registering your interest in the walk