Hill Walk Howth Head Loop

Walk: Howth Head, easy hillwalk

Meeting Point: Howth Public Car Park, East Pier LINK HERE

Meeting Time:  9am (Driving time from Skerries approx. 55 mins)

Walk Starting Time: 9:15am  

Route: Bog of Frogs circular loop walk (Purple Route)

Height Climb: 240m 

Distance: 12 km 

Duration: 3.5 hours (including stops)  

Leader’s Note:

We will start at the DART station in Howth village public car park on the west pier walking towards the east pier (where there a toilet facilities available).  We will have an initial climb to start the walk, following the purple arrows taking the path along the cliffs to beyond Red Rock.  We’ll pass the Baily Lighthouse and then follow the path to the Martello tower.  We’ll cross over the busy Carrickbrack Road and then we’re in the hillside section.  The track takes us around the shoulder of Sheilmartin Hill and we enter the golf course crossing through.  This takes us into the Bog of Frog area. We follow the track through and onto open hilltop, then descending through the grounds of the local GAA Club and reaching the Balkil Park estate.  We’ll follow the pathway downhill to exit directly at the DART Station and back to the car park.  You will be rewarded with stunning views all around the route namely the Great Sugar Loaf, Wicklow Mountains, Aviva Stadium, Dublin Airport and much more.  There has been tremendous work done on upgrading the gravel paths along the way in the past year. 

Please text Shona Geraghty by Friday 18^th September 2020 if you would like to go on the walk.  Due to the Covid-19 restrictions places are limited and on a first come basis.  Your leader will confirm whether you have a place when you text to book.

For ease of communication, updates and photo sharing a WhatsApp group will be set up. If you do not wish to be included in this WhatsApp group please let the leader know when you get in touch to book your place.  

Important

Before the walk you will be asked to confirm:

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, c) you have not been in contact any confirmed case of Covid-19 or have been told to self-isolate in the last 14 days. 

Covid-19 restrictions are causing problems with regard to parking at popular hillwalking locations, since we cannot car-pool outside our households. To be sure everyone gets a parking space, we need to start the walk earlier than would be usual.

• Please ensure you bring your own face mask, hand sanitiser and gloves on walk (in the event of an emergency when 2m social distancing is not possible). 
• Please do not car-pool with others outside your household. 
• Please observe 2 metre social distancing at all times on walk. 
• Walk is limited to Skerries Walking Club members only. 

1. Please ensure that, at the very least, you have either hiking boots or walking shoes (no trainers), and depending on the weather forecast – multiple layers including a warm jacket/fleece, hat and gloves, a waterproof jacket and trousers, a flask with a hot drink, sandwiches/snacks, a litre of water and a small rucksack. If you are unsure about your gear check with leader a few days beforehand as anyone turning up with inadequate gear will not be permitted to walk.  Some might find a walking pole some help on this hike.
2. It is highly recommended that you do not wear any clothing made from denim, corduroy and cotton on the hike. 
3. 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. 
4. Never go ahead of the Leader without being sure of the way and let the leader know if you are leaving the walk early.

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