Scarr is one of the few summits in Wicklow that doesn’t have a
cache on or near it. That’s basically why I decided to put this one
up there!
Ar dtus. This cache requires that you hike in the Wicklow
mountains. It is essential that you are well prepared. The day I
placed this cache it was sunny at Lough Dan (Lough Deán) but there
was fog and driving rain at the summit. You will need at least,
good hiking boots, a jacket, the Sheet
56 Ordinance Survey Map and a compass, and of course the
ability to use them! Have a look at this Safety Leaflet for
more information. If you plan on taking up hill walking in Ireland
I recommend that you go consider going on a Mountain Skills course,
details are available from the Bord Oiluint
Sleibhe site. Bí Ullamh mar a deirtear na Gasóga!
Scarr on a foggy day. See there is a path!
For those driving on the main roads the cache site is best
approached from Roundwood (An Tóchar). Head towards Oldbridge. You
will find some parking spaces at N53 03.372 W 6 16.407 (O 158 019),
there is another parking spot a little further up the road just
past the Scout campsite. The campsite is for scouts only
unfortunately. It is also possible to park at Glenmacnass Waterfall
car park (O 115 028) and approach the cache from the west, though
I’ve never attempted this route.
There are several ways to do this cache, I’ll describe the route
I took to place it. Park at O 158 019. Walk to the end of the
laneway the starts at the carpark. There are several houses and
farms on this laneway, you should not enter any of the farms or
open any gates. As you reach the end of the lane you may find that
you need to open a gate, at this point you will be heading west
with a coniferous forest on your right (as on the OS Map). Remember
to close the gate after you. At the end of the lane you will be in
open upland Wicklow. Head north onto the spur that takes you west
onto Scarr. There is a reasonably defined trak along the Spur. The
cache site is near the summit of Scarr.
The rainy weather makes the waterfall look impressive,
unfortunately it also makes it harder to see!
With the cache found, you may find that you still have some
energy left! In that case head northwest then north from Scarr to
Kanturk Mountain. The ridge walk allows you to see down into the
valley towards Lough Deán, to the west Glenmacnass waterfall
(Gleann Log an Easa) can look spectacular after heavy rain. The
summit of Kanturk can be trick to navigate, but you want to head
west down the spur towards Lough Dan. As you near the Lough you
will notice that there are houses and farms. Please stick to paths
and cross walls and fences at styles only at this point. Access has
been an issue in this popular spot, and you will see signs from
residents regarding routes and access permissions. There are
styles, trails and paths to take to back to the road, please use
them. Once back on the road just walk back the 1.5km or so to your
car and enjoy the views of the Lough.
Lough Deán as seen on the way down from Kanturk
This cache is not suited to public transport. There is a
bus service that
serves Laragh (An Láithreach) and Roundwood. However I would
only recommend this if you were planning on spending a few days
in the vicinity to visit some more caches on other nearby
mountains. Bed and Breakfast accommodation is available in
nearly all villages and there is an excellent hostel in
Glengalough (Gleann Dá Loch). There are shops in Roundwood and
Laragh.
I hope you enjoy the cache and the views. There is a camera in
the cache so please take a pic of yourself! If you find you like
hiking in Wicklow you should check out the other caches on nearby
mountains.
Is féidir leat eolas breise a fháil nó caidéisí a
dhéanamh ar -
