Lugnaquilla [Log na Coille]

Lugnaquilla [Log na Coille]

Overview

Lugnaquilla rises to 924.7 m and is the highest mountain in County Wicklow and Leinster. Its open summit plateau, Percy’s Table, has a trig point on a very large stone platform at T 03212 91778. It is a demanding mountain for fit walkers with navigation skills, rather than a waymarked stroll from Glendalough.

Routes

Glen of Imaal Route

Start at Fenton’s Pub in Seskin when the designated military walking route is open. Follow Route 2 via Camarahill to the summit, then return by the same route to Fenton’s. Stay on the permitted line and check the military access guidance below.

Fraughan Rock Glen Route

From Baravore council car park, cross the footbridge, pass the hostel and follow the forest track into Fraughan Rock Glen. Ascend beside the cascades, gain the northern shoulder and continue to the summit. Return down the same shoulder and glen, then the forest track and footbridge to Baravore.

Cloghernagh and Arts Lough circuit

Ascend from Baravore through Fraughan Rock Glen as above. From Lugnaquilla continue east to Cloghernagh, descend via Arts Lough and the Clonkeen forestry route to the Glenmalure road, then walk the road back to Baravore. This return has boggy, eroded ground and road walking. It does not use the closed Carrawaystick Zig-zags.

Access and parking

The western and eastern starts are on opposite sides of the mountain. Use locally permitted parking at Fenton’s, or the council car park at Baravore. At Baravore, use the footbridge and avoid the flood-prone ford. Leave gates, entrances and working access clear.

The Glen of Imaal is an active military range. Check the Defence Forces closure notice before travelling, stay on the designated route and obey flags, lights, sentries and notices. Do not touch suspected ordnance.

The Carrawaystick Zig-zags remains closed. Mountaineering Ireland’s published update says access between Lugnaquilla and Cloghernagh is allowed provided walkers descend via Arts Lough. Coillte’s Drumgoff notice warns that storm damage may restrict through-access. Respect private land and do not bring dogs without the landowner’s permission.

Terrain and safety

Forest tracks give way to rough glens, grassy and peaty slopes and an exposed plateau. Poor visibility can make the correct descent difficult to find, with serious cliffs above the North and South Prisons. Carry a map and compass and know how to use them; check the forecast and allow enough daylight to return. Snow and ice require appropriate winter skills and equipment. For an emergency call 112 or 999 and ask for Gardaí and Mountain Rescue.

Geology

Older Ordovician schist caps the granite intrusion beneath Lugnaquilla. Glaciers cut the surrounding corries and the hanging valley of Fraughan Rock Glen, while some summit rocks remained above the ice during the last glacial maximum.

Views

Clear weather can reveal the Wicklow hills and valleys and the Irish Sea. Visibility and safe conditions matter more than a particular season.

Facilities and transport

Check opening and facilities at Fenton’s Pub or Glenmalure Lodge before relying on them, and carry food and water for the whole walk. Regional Local Link buses serve the wider area; confirm rural stops, advance-booking requirements and a trailhead connection and return. Glendalough and Laragh are not the starting points of these routes.

Name and history

Log na Coille means “hollow of the wood”. Percy’s Table recalls an eighteenth-century landowner. Baravore’s mining remains lie on the eastern approach; the separate mining loop should not be confused with the closed Carrawaystick Zig-zags.