Lugnaquilla
[Lugnaquilla](_blank)
. Placenames Database of Ireland
The Placenames Database of Ireland ( ga, Bunachar Logainmneacha na hÉireann), also known as , is a database and archive of place names in Ireland. It was created by Fiontar, Dublin City University in collaboration with the Placenames Branch of t ...
. (),
at , is the 11th–highest peak in
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
on the
Arderin
Arderin () is a mountain on the border between Laois and Offaly in Ireland. With a height of 527 metres (1,729 ft) it is the highest point in the Slieve Bloom Mountains, and is the highest point in both County Laois and County Offaly.
An ...
list,
and 13th–highest on the
Vandeleur-Lynam list,
and the highest Irish mountain outside of
Kerry
Kerry or Kerri may refer to:
* Kerry (name), a given name and surname of Gaelic origin (including a list of people with the name)
Places
* Kerry, Queensland, Australia
* County Kerry, Ireland
** Kerry Airport, an international airport in Count ...
.
[Mountainviews, (September 2013), "A Guide to Ireland's Mountain Summits: The Vandeleur-Lynams & the Arderins", Collins Books, Cork, ] Lugnaquilla is the
highest point
A list of highest points typically contains the name, elevation, and location of the highest point in each of a set of geographical regions. Such a list is important in the sport of highpointing. A partial list of highpoint lists is below:
World ...
in
Wicklow
Wicklow ( ; ga, Cill Mhantáin , meaning 'church of the toothless one'; non, Víkingaló) is the county town of County Wicklow in Ireland. It is located south of Dublin on the east coast of the island. According to the 2016 census, it has ...
, and in the province of
Leinster
Leinster ( ; ga, Laighin or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, situated in the southeast and east of Ireland. The province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige. Following the 12th-century Norman invasion of Ir ...
. Lugnaquilla is in the
Wicklow Mountains
The Wicklow Mountains (, archaic: ''Cualu'') form the largest continuous upland area in the Republic of Ireland. They occupy the whole centre of County Wicklow and stretch outside its borders into the counties of Dublin, Wexford and Carlow. Wh ...
, and overlooks the
Glen of Imaal
The Glen of Imaal ( or ; ga, Gleann Uí Mháil) is a remote glen in the western Wicklow Mountains in Ireland. It is ringed by the Lugnaquilla massif and its foothills, including Table Mountain and Keadeen. Much of the glen is used by the Irish ...
to the west and
Glenmalure
Glenmalure () is a 20-kilometre long U-shaped glacial valley in the Wicklow Mountains in Ireland. Glenmalure is an important base for climbing in the Wicklow mountains, and particularly accessing the massif of Lugnaquilla, and contains one of ...
to the east.
Naming
Irish academic Paul Tempan wrote in his 2010 ''Irish Hill and Mountain Names'', that the summit plateau is marked as ''Percy's Table'', named after an 18th–century local landowner, Colonel Percy.
This is similar to ''
Dawson's Table
Galtymore or Galteemore () is a mountain in the province of Munster, Ireland. At , it is one of Ireland's highest mountains, being the 12th-highest on the Arderin list, and 14th-highest on the Vandeleur-Lynam list. Galtymore has the 4th-hig ...
'' on the summit of
Galtymore
Galtymore or Galteemore () is a mountain in the province of Munster, Ireland. At , it is one of Ireland's highest mountains, being the 12th-highest on the Arderin list, and 14th-highest on the Vandeleur-Lynam list. Galtymore has the 4th-hig ...
. Tempan also notes that
P.W. Joyce
Patrick Weston Joyce, commonly known as P. W. Joyce (1827 – 7 January 1914) was an Irish historian, writer and music collector, known particularly for his research in Irish etymology and local place names of Ireland.
Biography
He was born i ...
gave the original form as ''Log na Coilleach'', which translates as "hollow of the (grouse) cocks", however, Tempan says that "this seems doubtful".
Tempan clarifies the name has no connection with the deity
Lug, despite the common use of the term Lug as shorthand for Lugnaquilla,
and that in some spellings of the name, several OS maps and guidebooks for example (e.g. Paddy Dillion's guidebooks
), an "i" is added to give "Lugnaquillia"; however Tempan settles on "Lugnaquilla" as the proper name for the mountain.
Geology
The
Geological Survey of Ireland
Geological Survey Ireland or Geological Survey of IrelandS.I. No. 300/2002 - Communications, Energy and Geological Survey of Ireland (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2002 ( ga, Suirbhéireacht Gheolaíochta ...
("GSI") describe Lugnaquilla as a "slate capped,
granite
Granite () is a coarse-grained (phaneritic) intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly cools and solidifies undergro ...
rooted, relatively flat-topped mountain".
Crags of dark-grey
schist
Schist ( ) is a medium-grained metamorphic rock showing pronounced schistosity. This means that the rock is composed of mineral grains easily seen with a low-power hand lens, oriented in such a way that the rock is easily split into thin flakes o ...
protrude from the upper cliff walls of Lugnaquilla's corries which are
Ordovician
The Ordovician ( ) is a geologic period and System (geology), system, the second of six periods of the Paleozoic Era (geology), Era. The Ordovician spans 41.6 million years from the end of the Cambrian Period million years ago (Mya) to the start ...
in age.
The protrusions of lighter grey rock are granite. The cap of schist overlying Lugnaquilla's granite core is the remnant roof of the
magma chamber
A magma chamber is a large pool of liquid rock beneath the surface of the Earth. The molten rock, or magma, in such a chamber is less dense than the surrounding country rock, which produces buoyant forces on the magma that tend to drive it upw ...
into which the Lugnaquilla granites were emplaced.
Cosmogenic dating on exposed bedrock showed that these schists were not covered by ice during the
Last Glacial Maximum
The Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), also referred to as the Late Glacial Maximum, was the most recent time during the Last Glacial Period that ice sheets were at their greatest extent.
Ice sheets covered much of Northern North America, Northern Eur ...
, and thus Lugnaquilla was a
nunatak
A nunatak (from Inuit ''nunataq'') is the summit or ridge of a mountain that protrudes from an ice field or glacier that otherwise covers most of the mountain or ridge. They are also called glacial islands. Examples are natural pyramidal peaks. ...
.
Geography
Lugnaquilla is described as a "bulky mountain", with a large plateau-type grassy summit (known as ''Percy's Table''), bounded on two sides by steep glacial
corries
The Corries were a Scottish folk group that emerged from the Scottish folk revival of the early 1960s. The group was a trio from their formation until 1966 when founder Bill Smith left the band but Roy Williamson and Ronnie Browne continued ...
called the "North Prison" (looking into the
Glen of Imaal
The Glen of Imaal ( or ; ga, Gleann Uí Mháil) is a remote glen in the western Wicklow Mountains in Ireland. It is ringed by the Lugnaquilla massif and its foothills, including Table Mountain and Keadeen. Much of the glen is used by the Irish ...
), and the "South Prison" (looking into the glen of the River Ow).
On Lugnaquilla's eastern side is the cliff-lined
hanging valley
A valley is an elongated low area often running between hills or mountains, which will typically contain a river or stream running from one end to the other. Most valleys are formed by erosion of the land surface by rivers or streams ove ...
of Fraughan Rock Glen, which falls into the glacial
U-shaped valley
U-shaped valleys, also called trough valleys or glacial troughs, are formed by the process of glaciation. They are characteristic of mountain glaciation in particular. They have a characteristic U shape in cross-section, with steep, straight s ...
of
Glenmalure
Glenmalure () is a 20-kilometre long U-shaped glacial valley in the Wicklow Mountains in Ireland. Glenmalure is an important base for climbing in the Wicklow mountains, and particularly accessing the massif of Lugnaquilla, and contains one of ...
.
Lugnaquilla is the source of the
River Slaney
The River Slaney () is a large river in the southeast of Ireland. It rises on Lugnaquilla Mountain in the western Wicklow Mountains and flows west and then south through counties Wicklow, Carlow and Wexford for 117.5 km (73 mi), bef ...
.
Lugnaquilla does not have a rocky summit or summit ridges, and its large
massif
In geology, a massif ( or ) is a section of a planet's crust that is demarcated by faults or flexures. In the movement of the crust, a massif tends to retain its internal structure while being displaced as a whole. The term also refers to a ...
is described as a "sprawling mountain moorland". Lug's massif includes several major summits and corrie lakes, often lying in a "horseshoe-shape" with Lug at the apex around deep valleys. Around the Fraughan Rock Glen and
Arts Lough
Cloghernagh () at , does not have the topographic prominence, prominence to qualify as an Lists of mountains in Ireland#Arderins, Arderin, but does have the prominence to be the 40th–highest peak on the Lists of mountains in Ireland#Vandeleur- ...
in the east are
Benleagh
Benleagh () at , does not have the topographic prominence, prominence to qualify as an Lists of mountains in Ireland#Arderins, Arderin, but its prominence does allow it to rank as the 125th–highest peak on the Lists of mountains in Ireland#Van ...
, and
Clohernagh; around the glen of the
Carrawaystick River
Corrigasleggaun () at , is the 35th–highest peak in Ireland on the Lists of mountains in Ireland#Arderins, Arderin scale, and the 45th–highest peak on the Lists of mountains in Ireland#Vandeleur-Lynams, Vandeleur-Lynam scale.Mountainviews, ( ...
and
Kelly's Lough in the south-east are
Corrigasleggaun
Corrigasleggaun () at , is the 35th–highest peak in Ireland on the Arderin scale, and the 45th–highest peak on the Vandeleur-Lynam scale.Mountainviews, (September 2013), "A Guide to Ireland's Mountain Summits: The Vandeleur-Lynams & the Ar ...
, and again Clohernagh; around the glen of the River Ow in the south are Corrigasleggaun and
Slievemaan; and finally, around the larger Glen of Imaal in the west are
Ballineddan Mountain
Slievemaan () at , is the 54th–highest peak in Ireland on the Lists of mountains in Ireland#Arderins, Arderin scale, and the 70th–highest peak on the Lists of mountains in Ireland#Vandeleur-Lynams, Vandeleur-Lynam scale.Mountainviews, (Septe ...
, Slievemaan,
Camenabologue
Camenabologue () at , is the 55th–highest peak in Ireland on the Arderin scale, and the 71st–highest peak on the Vandeleur-Lynam scale.Mountainviews, (September 2013), "A Guide to Ireland's Mountain Summits: The Vandeleur-Lynams & the Arderi ...
,
Table Mountain
Table Mountain ( naq, Huriǂoaxa, lit= sea-emerging; af, Tafelberg) is a flat-topped mountain forming a prominent landmark overlooking the city of Cape Town in South Africa. It is a significant tourist attraction, with many visitors using the ...
,
Lobawn, and
Sugarloaf
A sugarloaf was the usual form in which refined sugar was produced and sold until the late 19th century, when granulated and cube sugars were introduced. A tall cone with a rounded top was the end product of a process in which dark molasses, a ri ...
.
Lugnaquilla is the highest mountain of the
Wicklow Mountains
The Wicklow Mountains (, archaic: ''Cualu'') form the largest continuous upland area in the Republic of Ireland. They occupy the whole centre of County Wicklow and stretch outside its borders into the counties of Dublin, Wexford and Carlow. Wh ...
range, and the highest mountain in Ireland outside
County Kerry
County Kerry ( gle, Contae Chiarraí) is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and forms part of the province of Munster. It is named after the Ciarraige who lived in part of the present county. The population of the co ...
.
Lugnaquila's large prominence qualifies it to meet the
P600 classification (mountains known as the "Majors" in Britain and Ireland), and the Britain and Ireland
Marilyn classification.
Lugnaquilla is the 4th-highest mountain in the
MountainViews Online Database
In these lists of mountains in Ireland, those within Northern Ireland, or on the Republic of Ireland – United Kingdom border, are marked with an asterisk, while the rest are within the Republic of Ireland. Where mountains are ranked by height ...
, ''
100 Highest Irish Mountains''.
It is the
432nd–highest mountain, and 21st most prominent mountain, in Britain and Ireland, on the
Simms Simms may refer to:
First or middle name
* Anna Simms Banks (1862–1923), American educator and politician
* E. Simms Campbell (1906–1971), American cartoonist
* Mary Simms Oliphant (1891–1988), American historian
* Simms Taback (1932–2011 ...
classification.
Lugnaquilla is regarded by the
Scottish Mountaineering Club
Established in 1889, the Scottish Mountaineering Club is the leading club for climbing and mountaineering in Scotland.
History
The Scottish Mountaineering Club (SMC) was formed in 1889 as Scotland’s national club and the initial membership of ...
("SMC") as one of 34
Furths
This is a list of Furth mountains in Britain and Ireland by height. Lists of mountains and hills in the British Isles#Furths, Furths are defined as mountains that meet the Lists of mountains and hills in the British Isles#Munros, classification ...
, which is a mountain above in elevation, and meets the other SMC criteria for a
Munro
A Munro () is defined as a mountain in Scotland with a height over , and which is on the Scottish Mountaineering Club (SMC) official list of Munros; there is no explicit topographical prominence requirement. The best known Munro is Ben Nevis ...
(e.g. "sufficient separation"), but which is outside of (or ''furth'') Scotland; which is why Lugnaquilla is referred to as one of the 13
Irish Munro
This is a list of Furth mountains in Britain and Ireland by height. Lists of mountains and hills in the British Isles#Furths, Furths are defined as mountains that meet the Lists of mountains and hills in the British Isles#Munros, classification ...
s.
Hill walking
![Lugnaquilla north prison from Camara Hill (Wicklow, Ireland)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3c/Lugnaquilla_north_prison_from_Camara_Hill_%28Wicklow%2C_Ireland%29.jpg)
The shortest route to the summit of Lugnaquilla is the 13-kilometre 4–5 hour ''Glen of Imaal Route'' (the "Tourist Route"), that starts at ''Fenton's Pub'' in the
Glen of Imaal
The Glen of Imaal ( or ; ga, Gleann Uí Mháil) is a remote glen in the western Wicklow Mountains in Ireland. It is ringed by the Lugnaquilla massif and its foothills, including Table Mountain and Keadeen. Much of the glen is used by the Irish ...
, and goes along the military access road via a grassy hill to Camarahill () , and then up to the summit of Lugnaquilla.
The route crosses into the military artillery range, so walkers should check the range operating times in advance.
![Arts lake](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b5/Arts_lake.jpg)
The 15–kilometre 5–6 hour ''Glenmalure Loop'' is described as "the most scenic circuit to Lugnaquilla".
It starts in the Baravore car park () at the head of the
Glenmalure
Glenmalure () is a 20-kilometre long U-shaped glacial valley in the Wicklow Mountains in Ireland. Glenmalure is an important base for climbing in the Wicklow mountains, and particularly accessing the massif of Lugnaquilla, and contains one of ...
valley and summits Lugnaquilla via the cliff–fringed
hanging valley
A valley is an elongated low area often running between hills or mountains, which will typically contain a river or stream running from one end to the other. Most valleys are formed by erosion of the land surface by rivers or streams ove ...
, Fraughan Rock Glen (the Glen is entered via the path at the Glenmalure Hostel); but returning via
Cloghernagh
Cloghernagh () at , does not have the prominence to qualify as an Arderin, but does have the prominence to be the 40th–highest peak on the Vandeleur-Lynam scale.Mountainviews, (September 2013), "A Guide to Ireland's Mountain Summits: The Van ...
, and down to the scenic ''Arts Lough'' , described as "one of the region's most beautiful sights", before descending back to the start of the Fraughan Rock Glen (or descending via ''Kelly's Lough'' and the glen of the Carrawaystick River).
![Summit of Lugnaquilla from Fraughan Rock Glen](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e2/Summit_of_Lugnaquilla_from_Fraughan_Rock_Glen.jpg)
The third, and least frequented route is the 16–kilometre 6-hour ''Aghavannagh Route'', which starts at the Aghavannagh Bridge () and walks the long forest tracks along the River Ow to the dramatic "South Prison" of Lugnaquilla, which is exited via the grassy–ramp of ''Green Street''; return via same route. The 12–kilometres of forest trails (getting to the south prison, and then on the return to the bridge) can be cycled instead.
Bibliography
*
*
*
*
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See also
*
Wicklow Way
*
Wicklow Round
The Wicklow Round is a long-distance hill running challenge in the Wicklow Mountains in Ireland. The route follows a proscribed 100-kilometre circuit of 26 mountains, which must be completed in a fixed order, that total over of elevation; the ...
*
Lists of mountains in Ireland
In these lists of mountains in Ireland, those within Northern Ireland, or on the Republic of Ireland – United Kingdom border, are marked with an asterisk, while the rest are within the Republic of Ireland. Where mountains are ranked by height ...
*
List of Irish counties by highest point
This is a list of Irish counties by their highest point. These are most commonly known as county high points but are also sometimes referred to as county tops and county peaks. There are 32 counties in Ireland, but in the case of 10 counties, m ...
*
List of mountains of the British Isles by height
This is a list of mountains in Britain and Ireland by height and by prominence. Height and prominence are the most important metrics for the classifications of mountains by the UIAA; with isolation a distant third criterion. The list is sourced ...
*
List of P600 mountains in the British Isles
This is a list of P600 mountains in Britain and Ireland by height. A P600 is defined as a mountain with a topographic prominence above , regardless of elevation or any other merits (e.g. topographic isolation); this is a similar approach to that ...
*
List of Furth mountains in the British Isles
This is a list of Furth mountains in Britain and Ireland by height. Furths are defined as mountains that meet the classification criteria to be a Scottish Munro, including being over in elevation, but which are ''furth'' of (i.e. "outside" of) ...
References
External links
MountainViews: The Irish Mountain Website Lugnaquilla
the largest database of British Isles mountains ("
DoBIH
The mountains and hills of the British Isles are categorised into various lists based on different combinations of elevation, prominence, and other criteria such as isolation. These lists are used for peak bagging, whereby hillwalkers attempt ...
")
Hill Bagging UK & Ireland the searchable interface for the
DoBIH
The mountains and hills of the British Isles are categorised into various lists based on different combinations of elevation, prominence, and other criteria such as isolation. These lists are used for peak bagging, whereby hillwalkers attempt ...
{{authority control
Hewitts of Ireland
Marilyns of Ireland
Mountains and hills of County Wicklow
Highest points of Irish counties
Furths
Mountains under 1000 metres