Carrickgollogan Group Walks | Join a Walk

Overview

Carrickgollogan

Carrickgollogan is a 275.2 m hill in south County Dublin, with its surveyed summit grid at O 23126 20063. A short mountain-access path reaches the exposed viewing rock. The lead-mine chimney lies separately at the northern side of the forest. DoBIH does not record a precise summit feature, so a trig pillar or cairn should not be assumed.

Walking options

The orange Lead Mines Way starts and finishes at Carrickgollogan Forest Entrance car park. Sport Ireland records a 2.3 km forest circuit, taking about 40 minutes with 30 m ascent. Dublin Mountains Partnership agrees on 2.3 km and approximate time; Coillte rounds the distance to 2 km. These base-loop figures exclude the optional summit and chimney detours.

For a summit visit, follow the signed forest approach from the car park, climb the Mountain Access Trail to the viewing rock, then retrace the spur and approach to the same car park. Coillte’s 0.5 km and 30-minute figures describe a linear mountain-access trail, not the complete return outing. Full-return distance, ascent and time are therefore left unspecified. The destination is described by the manager as the summit, but the schematic map does not identify the exact surveyed high-point feature.

Geology, name and history

The rocky hill is Cambrian quartzite sitting above younger Ordovician slate. Geological Survey Ireland describes it as an eroded remnant of a folded and thrust structure, called a klippe. Its setting is different from the previously claimed granite-and-schist volcanic geology.

The validated Irish name is Carraig Uallacháin; the official placenames entry also records Kathy Gallagher as a local name. Only carraig, meaning rock, is translated here. The nearby Ballycorus chimney recalls nineteenth-century lead mining and smelting that continued until the 1920s. Little Sugar Loaf is a separate 342.4 m hill, not a 501 m extension of this walk.

Getting there and staying safe

Reach the signed forest car park via Barnaslingan Lane from the R117. Parking is limited. Check current gate times and notices: the Dublin Mountains Partnership lists summer hours of 07:00–21:00 and winter hours of 07:00–17:00, with weather-related closures possible. Its suggested bus approach from Enniskerry Road adds approximately 2 km each way; check Transport for Ireland before travelling.

The forest loop is easier than the exposed rocky summit spur. Wear suitable footwear, keep dogs on a lead and follow forestry notices. Do not enter forests during a Red Wind warning, and keep clear of disused mine structures. Toilets and refreshments on site are not confirmed.

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Route planning notes

These notes describe possible approaches. Check a route's map and access information when planning your walk.

Lead Mines Way orange forest circuit (summit excluded)

Start and finish at Carrickgollogan Forest Entrance car park. Follow the orange-marked forest circuit anticlockwise and return to that same entrance. Sport Ireland gives 2.3 km, 40 minutes and 30 m ascent for this base loop; Dublin Mountains Partnership agrees on the distance and approximate time. Coillte rounds the distance to 2 km. The hilltop and lead-mine chimney are optional detours: the base figures must not be used for a summit-inclusive outing. https://www.sportireland.ie/outdoors/walking/trails/carrickgollogan-lead-mines-way-orange

2.3 km ~0.7 hours Easy forest circuit; excludes summit spur

Summit visit from the forest entrance, returning the same way

From Carrickgollogan Forest Entrance car park use the signed forest approach to the Mountain Access Trail, then follow the marked spur uphill to the summit viewing rock. Retrace the spur and the same forest approach to finish at the original car park. Coillte describes the Mountain Access Route as a linear 0.5 km trail taking 30 minutes; those figures are not a complete car-park-to-summit-and-back total. No supported full-return distance, ascent or duration is established, so none is supplied. The manager explicitly identifies the destination as the summit, but DoBIH records no precise summit feature; the exact high point at O2312620063 is not certified by the schematic map. https://www.coillte.ie/site/carrickgollogan/

Moderate summit path; exposed rocky ground

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Hill facts and local notes

Classifications

Hump

Elevation

275m

903 ft

Prominence

117m

Coordinates

53.2170, -6.1576

O231200

OS Map

50

At the Summit

The 275.2 m summit is at O 23126 20063. Coillte identifies an exposed viewing rock reached by the Mountain Access Trail. DoBIH’s precise summit-feature field is “not recorded”, so no summit trig pillar or cairn is asserted.

Terrain & Geology

Waymarked forest roads and paths surround a short steeper summit spur to an exposed rocky outcrop. The easy orange circuit and the rocky summit ascent are distinct walking options.

Carrickgollogan’s summit hill is Cambrian quartzite resting above younger Ordovician slate. Geological Survey Ireland explains this unusual arrangement as an eroded remnant of a major folded and thrust structure, termed a klippe. It is not a granite-and-schist volcanic summit.

Views & Scenery

The summit viewing rock gives broad views across south Dublin, north Wicklow and the Irish Sea. The lead-mine chimney has a separate outlook over Dublin city, Dublin Bay and the coast. Distant visibility depends on conditions.

History & Heritage

Name Origin

The Placenames Database of Ireland validates the Irish name Carraig Uallacháin and records the local English name Kathy Gallagher. Carraig means “rock”; the full name is not translated here because the checked entry does not establish the second element’s meaning.

Historical Significance

The Ballycorus lead-mining and smelting remains, including the chimney on the northern edge of the forest, date from activity beginning in the early nineteenth century and continuing until the 1920s. The chimney is a separate feature from the summit viewing rock.

Getting There & Facilities

Parking

Carrickgollogan Forest Entrance car park is reached via Barnaslingan Lane off the R117 between Kilternan and Enniskerry, then the signed road opposite Barnaslingan Wood’s entrance; the Carrickgollogan car park is about 300 m along it. It has limited space: official pages differ between 15 and 20 spaces. Check current gate times and closures.

Public Transport

Dublin Mountains Partnership lists bus stops on Enniskerry Road with an approximately 2 km walking approach, and directs visitors to Transport for Ireland for current planning. Check the live journey planner and trail map; this approach is additional to the forest route totals.

Nearby Facilities

The official recreation pages list a car park and waymarked walking trails. On-site toilets or refreshments are not confirmed by these sources; plan accordingly and check current local facilities separately.

Safety Information

Known Hazards

The summit access path is steeper and rockier than the forest circuit; take care on wet rock and exposed ground.
Do not enter forest areas during a Met Éireann Red Wind warning. Snow or ice warnings may trigger short-notice car-park closures.
Keep dogs on a lead on the registered trail and follow current forestry and access notices.
Check the car-park gate closing time before setting out. Never climb the disused chimney or enter mine structures.

General Safety Tips

Check weather conditions before setting out
Carry appropriate clothing and equipment
Let someone know your planned route
Take a map, compass, and GPS device
Carry emergency supplies: food, water, first aid kit, torch

Hills

Some common questions about the hills answered

Are there group walks up Carrickgollogan?

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Carrickgollogan

Overview