OUTANDABOUT – HIKE
into firing ranges in bad visibility.The I knew I was going to overnight andNever leave home
summit of Lug is just on the edge of the chose to do this route in a clockwise
Glen of Imaal Military Range so be extra direction but I’d suggest you do itwithout…
careful at this point.Some of these areas the opposite way around if you’re
will be littered with shells so steer clear I’d be lying if I said I slept like a baby but taking it on as a day hike as finishing
and don’t be afraid to call for help if you I did get some sleep.If it’s a case that you on forest trail is easier, especially if
get yourself into bother. get caught out and are forced to bivvy you’re caught for time.While I would
It was now 12.30am so it was time to then you can be sure it’s not going to be encourage anyone heading into the
find a spot to bed down.The cold was too comfortable but you need to know hills to be self sufficient anyone can get
starting to bite a little deeper now but I you can manage.Things I never leave in difficulty or have a slip, so if you do
decided the summit was no place to spend home without, even in summer are map, have an accident or get lost and need
a night.I made my way as carefully as compass and bivvy bag. some help, it’s better to call 999/112
Icould back towards theCloghernagh and ask for mountain rescue than
ridge.In areas like this you have to be letting the situation get any worse.“One final thing that seems
extra vigilant about steering clear of steep Anyway, stay safe, pplan well and
ground.If the land isn’t doing what you watch the weather!to get left in the car park with
expect it to you should be able to go back
to your last known point and double check. the cars is common sense. It
The claustrophobic cloud made even
pacing on a compass bearing difficult JUST THE FACTS
and it was easy to get disorientated. doesn’t weigh a bloody thing
If you find yourself in such horrible Start/end point: Glenmalure Lodge Hotel at
conditions try stopping and turning off T107909. A great spot for an after-walk pintand will avoid most situations
your head torch once in a while.You’d be and the food’s not bad either if you really
surprised what your night vision can pick feel like treating yourself.before they happen.”
up and it’s often easier to get a feel for
Distance: Over 20km because the forestthe shape of the area around you.
trails zigzag quite a bit.I popped over the top of A spare thermal top is also an
Way points: Kelly’s Lough (580m),Cloghernagh at about 1.30am and found excellent idea so that when you do stop
a little hollow that would suffice for my you can take off the sweaty one you were Lugnaquilla (925m) and Cloghernagh
bivvy. Somewhere snug and out of the wearing. Nothing like sitting in the cold (800m).
wind with a bit of cover from surrounding in wet clothes to bring on hypothermia. Total height gained: A little over 900m
peat hags is ideal as long as it’s not going If you’re out with a gang, having a group Time taken: It took 3.5hrs to the summit
to get flooded during the night.I’ve shelter is a great idea for creating a and another hour to the bivvy spot at
chosen spots before that seemed perfect weather shield for lunch stops or dealing Cloghernagh. The walk down took almost
but turned out to be mini reservoirs when with an injury. One final thing that seems
two hours so doing the walk in one gothe rains came...nasty. to get left in the car park with the cars is
would take 6-8hrs depending on pace andRonan a friend of mine from the Glen common sense. It doesn’t weigh a bloody
conditions.of Imaal RescueTeam had given me a thing and will avoid most situations
bit of emergency kit to try out called a before they happen. Map: I used the Glendalough and
Blizzard Bag and while I can’t say I was A few other essentials are a bit of Glenmalure 1:25,000 map for the extra
chomping at the proverbial bit to try it spare food and drink, a basic first aid kit detail required for night navigation. I also
out I was curious to see just how good to manage minor cuts or blisters, a foil had a copy of OSI Sheet 56 as a backup.
it was.It comes vacuum packed and blanket, whistle and a head torch with
basically looks like a great big block spare batteries.Every person should
of hash but differs in that you get high have these and it goes without saying
before you take it out and roll up! It was that not to carry a map and compass is More information
with great trepidation and numbing an unforgivable oversight. A lot of errors
fingers that I ripped off the outer plastic occur because people don’t change their More information about Ireland’s voluntary
to see just what was in store for me. plan to suit either their group’s ability or mountain rescue teams and callout
At first I thought this was some kind changes in the weather. It’s much better procedures can be found at: www.
of joke because of the tiny size of it, but to set a turnaround time and stick to it mountainrescue.ie/TeamContacts
it expands to the size of your average than doggedly plod up hill until you’re To find out more about Mountain
sleeping bag.I used my rucksack as a knackered and don’t have any energy for
Meitheal and their voluntary pathground mat come cushion and jumped the return trip.
maintenance work or even to volunteerin.I felt like a Sunday roast with all the Speaking of return trips I woke
contact them at www.pathsavers.orgtinfoily noise going on but it was warmer around 5.30am and decided that while the
than I expected. prospect of getting going in the rain might Good weather forecast sites I
As this was marginally experimental be miserable, the alternative of staying use are www.windguru.com, www.
I’d brought my own sleeping bag as a until summer was a very distant second. roundwoodweather.com and www.met.ie/
back-up plan in case the boil in the bag So I packed my stuff and got underway forecasts/default.asp. Most of the mountain
hash pack thing didn’t work. It did the as quick as I could. It was easy enough to rescue teams also have good weather links
trick but I did back it up with another find the trail down as it was getting bright on their sites.
bivvy bag half way through the night due and this led me straight to the zigzags
Finally, if you’d like to find out moreto some leaking, but it’s definitely a good and down.Mountain Meitheal have done
about Blizzard Survival products andbit of kit to have in your bag if you get a lot of work on this trail already but it’s
stockists check out their site on www.caught out.I’d say it’ll be popular with an ongoing project as the area is badly
adventure racers for sure. eroded by the high volume of visitors. blizzardsurvival.com.
OUTSIDER|June-July|59
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