HIKE PROGRAMME |
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MEET: Burgh Quay
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DEPART: Sundays 10.00 am
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COST: Private bus. €10
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Date |
Route
Description |
Distance |
Leader
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Nov 7th
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Route: Pier Gates - Lough Dan - Knocknaclochoge - Military Road - Gravale - |
15.25km/ 690m |
Warren Lawless |
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Nov 14th
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Route: Ballinastoe Lower (G.R.194098) - White Hill -
Djouce - Coffin Stone - War hill - Tonduff south - Maulin - Crone Wood -
Knockree Hostel. |
15km/ 700m |
Philip Roche |
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Nov 21st
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Route: Oldbridge
- Scarr - Glenmacnass – Carnacullian - Stoney Top - Tonlegee - Lough Ouler -
Glenmacnass |
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Mark Campion |
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Nov 28th |
Route: Wicklow
Gap - Lough Nahanagan - Camaderry - Gleneelo River - Lugduff - Mullacor –
Derrybawn - Laragh. |
16km/ 700m |
Jimmy
McCullagh
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Dec 4th
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Introductory Hard Hike Route: Ballynockan - Silsean - Moanbane - Billy Byrne’s
Gap - Mullaghcleevaun - East Top - Carrigshouk - Oasis |
13.5km/ 780m |
Joe Gilvarry |
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PARTICIPATION Mountaineering
is an activity with a danger of personal injury or death. Participants should
be aware of and accept these risks. People who take part in our club activities
do so at their own risk and are responsible for their own actions and
involvement.
SUNDAY HIKES
Participants on Sunday Hikes must be a member of An Óige Hillwalkers Club. If
you are not a member of the Club, but are considering joining, we invite you to
participate on our monthly Introductory Hikes.
INTRODUCTORY
HIKES An Introductory Hike is organised once per month for aspirant members.
Participants on these hikes must be a member of An Óige.
CO-ORDINATION
Tickets are given out on Sundays to ensure that participants reserve a bus
place as they arrive on production of
Hillwalkers’ Membership Card.
LEADER The leader has
the right to refuse anyone who is not adequately equipped (e.g., without appropriate boots, rainwear, food, torch, hat,
gloves, etc). The leader may alter the route from that described in the
program. The leader sets the pace of the hike and walkers are expected to obey
the leader’s instructions at all times.
TORCH During
winter months it is essential to bring a (head) torch on all Sunday hikes.
Check your batteries / bulb.
ENVIRONMENT Try to reduce the erosion and widening
of trails, e.g. do not walk on the edge of worn tracks; walk through the centre
of the original track or go several meters into the scruff where the ground is
untrodden, walking parallel to but not on the track.
LITTER Litter
is unsightly and dangerous to animals. Even bio-degradable items like orange
peels and banana skins take years to disappear. Bring all your litter home and
try to include at least one extra item from each day out. Do not bury litter –
animals will dig it up.
WALKING STICKS In the interest of safety and comfort
please keep the pointed end of your walking stick covered, especially when
travelling on the bus.
HIKE
LEADERS If any member is interested in leading a hike, please contact either:
Tom
Kenny Email: tomk2003@yahoo.ie
Philip Roche
Email: philip.roche@boimail.com
Chamonix
to Zermatt
The
Walkers Haute Route
The walkers high route is over 180 kilometres long, crosses
11 passes, gains about twelve thousand metres and loses about ten thousand
metres on it’s way from Chamonix in France to Zermatt in Switzerland. The walk
can take 12 or 14 days depending on the exact route followed. We opted for the
12-day version. A lot can happen over 12 walking days, so I shall do my best to
describe some of the highlights.
On day five we set out from Cabane Du Mont Fort at
7.30am to climb the first col of the day, it was a dull morning with a lot of
low cloud and mist. The climb began easily enough on a good track, after about
an hour the track petered out and way- marks led us over very rocky ground,
keeping to the left hand side of the valley, to avoid the shrinking Glacier de
la Chaux. However, as we crossed the glacial moraine large patches of exposed
ice appeared on the marked route! We climbed onto higher ground to avoid the
ice, but this area of boulders and scree was really unstable and we had to make
our way down onto a large patch of snow. After crossing this, it was a steep
but straightforward climb to Col De La Chaux (2940m). A very steep descent led
down into a stony basin and over rough ground, climbing and then descending
before climbing again on a good path to Col De Louvie (2921m). From here we
descended into an area known as the Grand Désert, a grey landscape of Screes,
rocks and boulders. The route crossed the outflow from a glacier, past a few
small ponds and began to gain height again. However, we had to make a short,
but very steep descent before the final climb to Col De Prafleuri (2965m) the
highest pass of the day and of the high route. There were no views to enjoy, so
we began the descent to Caban De Prafleuri. Next morning the route to the first
Col of the day started right outside the hut. It was a straightforward climb to
Col Des Roux (2804m). The descent into Val des Dix was followed by an easy walk
along Lac des Dix, before the real fun started The path turned off to the left
over a suspension bridge, then worked it’s way along the left hand side of the
valley. The track climbed then contoured and climbed again, crossing boulder
fields and streams. In places the track was narrow and exposed. At one point we
had to cross a stream with a very airy drop on one side. Crossing involved
stepping onto a boulder “sloping in the wrong direction” with water running
over it! I was amazed at the ease with which Tom stepped across, but later I
discovered that he hadn’t noticed the drop. So, ignorance is bliss. Eventually,
we arrived at the foot of the pass and made the last steep climb up the gully
to Col De Riedmatten (2919m). You should be able to glimpse the Matterhoorn
from here, but there was no such view for us as this was another day of cloud
and mist. However, on the way down to Arolla the weather improved and we had
fantastic views of Mont Collon and one of the glaciers flowing from it.
Five days later we had reached the second
last day of the route, and quite an exciting day it turned to be! We set out
from the little village of Gruben in heavy rain and made our way up through
forest. After climbing for two hours we were just coming out of the woods at
about 2000m when the rain suddenly turned to snow. We stopped to put on hats
and gloves as it had also become very cold. As we gained height the snow got
heaver and thicker on the ground. The visibility was bad and I became a little
worried that the snow might cover the trail markings. However, Tom assured me
that he could get us to the Col no matter what; I hoped this included getting
us down the other side! So on we went over rocky, climbing over boulders above
a small lake. From here we could make out the zig zag trail (now covered in
snow) ahead. Just then, the cloud shifted for a moment and we could see the
pass above us. Encouraged, we trudged on and before long we were on
Augstbordpass (2894m). This is the last pass on the high route and I had
imagined myself standing on it, savouring the moment, taking in the views and
so on. But, it was freezing up there so after taking a few quick photo’s we
began the long descent to St. Niklaus. Next morning we set off in bright
sunshine to walk up valley to Zermatt. We took our time enjoying the last day,
feeling that mixture of relief and slight sadness that often comes at the end
of an adventure. A few kilometres outside Zermatt we rounded a bend in the
valley and there it was majestic and awesome the Matterhorn. We had made it all
the way from Chamonix to Zermatt.
Patricia
Goodman
Guide book used: Chamonix-Zermatt The Walkers Haute
Route, by Cicerone
Maps
used: Landeskarte der Schweiz 1:50,000
5003 Mont
Blanc-Grand Combin
5006 Matterhorn-Mischabel
Hiking
Security
Advisory – Car break-ins near Djouce
A small group of
hikers went up the back of Djouce form Ballinstoe wood on Saturday, October
16th. When they returned, the driver windows of all five cars parked there,
their two and three others, had been smashed in and the culprits had climbed
into all cars through the window and even into the boots of the hatchback cars
and had gone through all bags there. They only wanted
cash and nothing else was taken. It didn't matter what type of car as there was
a mixture of new and older models. The police said there was a run around
Wicklow, and the same happened in Roundwood. The group counted seven cars on
the way back to Powerscourt with smashed windows at different entry points to
different walks.
Hillwalker’s
Pub Crawl
Date: Friday November 19th
Time: 8.00 p.m.
Starting Point: Kavanagh’s Pub, Manor Street,
Stoneybatter
A long term local
resident, Garry Byrne will lead us through approximately 5 pubs in the area. If
numbers are large we may separate into two smaller groups but moving together.
I believe the new red LUAS line stops in the area where we are meeting.
Steve Buckney
Social Co-ordinator
Dolomites
This year I decided to go to the Colomites
because I had heard so much about it. I booked with exodus and travelled the
last week in August. The trip ran from Sunday to Sunday. I travelled from
Dublin to Heathrow and then on to Munich. The weather was lovely when I landfed
so I hoped it would stay that way for the week. We were met in Munich by
Wolfgang, our leader and travelled by coach to our hotel. There we left behind
travelling clothes and organised our back-packs for the six days walking.
Each day we would walk for six to seven hours,
stopping for lunch at refugios along the way. The food was good and very
welcome especially after a long day’s walking. Evenings were spent playing
cards; it was usually a short card-playing session as lights would go out at
10p.m. Most refugios had showers, sometimes coin operated. You had to be fast
as the water stopped after three minutes.
Every day was different, we had thunder storms
at night, sun and even a fall of snow. Mostly the weather was beautiful and we
never needed our raingear. The scenery was spectacular. The highest mountain we
climbed was 2958 metres.
All good things come to an end and at the end of
the week we had to come down to earth. I can strongly recommend this area to
any enthusiastic walkers.
Nellie Cullen
Winter
Checklist
Does your rucksack include the following items for
winter hikes?
Cost of
Membership
Due to circumstances outside our control, mainly
the increasing cost of MCI insurance, we have to increase our membership cost
for this year. We have kept this increase as modest as possible. The cost will rise from E25 to E28. We hope
that our members will understand the need for this increase.
Please
return your completed membership form and money please to our new membership
secretary: Anne Russell at 31 Castlecurragh Heath, Dublin 15
Wanted!
Articles for The
Hillwalker are most welcome. If possible articles should be in Word and sent by
disc or email. However legible handwritten scripts will not be refused.