Myself, Danny, Chris and Damien headed up to Glendalough to climb Tonelegee, but due to poor preperation and the adverse effects of a hangover, it didn’t go well and instead we did a 4 km walk to Tonelegee. This was our first time climbing this mountain and we started too far away from it. If we had of started from the right place we would have gotten it finished.
Anyway, here are a few pictures taken by Danny.
Have a break for water and chocolate about half way up and enjoying the view
The view… Absolutely spectacular and a good enough reason to climb Lugnaquilla
All seven of us at the top… picture was kindly taken by a stranger
I did my first climb of the year today with 6 great mates. We had planed to meet at 10am to start the climb, but both cars making the trip were equally late. We started off just after 11 and it took just over four hours to get back to Murphy’s Imall pub. The views were spectacular and we had a mixture of conditions. While it was a nice temperature with ideal temperatures, the clouds were coming in and out and the last 500m of the climb was in the clouds.
The climb was difficult enough for me, partly because it was Lug, partly because of my asthma and partly because it was my first climb of the year. On the way down my ankles and knees got really stiff and what would/should have been a nice walk down turned into a bit of a struggle.
On the way back to Dublin, we stoped off in Blessington for soup and sandwiches which was well needed. As soon as I get the picures from Mark I will put them up in the blog.
When I go mountain walking, there are some things you have to have, a compass, good boots, waterproofs, jelly babies and a map. Then there are the accessories…
My favourite mountain walking accessory is my buff. A simple piece of tublar polyester fabric that can be used to make all sorts of things, including 25 varieties of headgear. Yes, you read that right. I lost my last one on the Shannon last October and I only got around to replacing it today.
I personally would usually only use it for 4 varieties, bandana, scarf, open faced balaclava and sort of balaclava that only leaves your eyes uncovered. The buff is wind resistant, water proof, elastic and thermal. It is an easy and light way to stay warm on the mountainside or during any outdoor pursuit.