Fallow and Goats in Wicklow Co?

CplDevilDog

Hello to all,

my wife and I are visiting the east coast from the USA next week. Will we see any goats or fallow deer while we are in Wicklow county? Any suggestions for seeing some?


Thanks,

John

cameramonkey

this is where I would go.
http://www.irelandscape.com/display_location.php?location_id=69

I often see deer but never goats at this location. Its very beautiful and a bit off the beaten track. I park at the entrance to Joseph's cottagehttp://www.irisharchitectureawards.ie/index.php/annual-awards/2003/restoration_of_josephs_cottage/, You can then walk down the long lane to the river go over the bridge and head up the small tributary of the Liffey that is to the right(south) of the main river Liffey. Be careful when parking , dont leave any valuables or bags of any kind exposed.(its not particularly dangerous and I have parked there numerous times without incedent , but it is wise to be wary anywhere close to Dublin). very quite often in the early evening I see deer in the valley about 1km from the road. They seem to come down off the hills at this time. Even if you dont see them it is a beautiful place to walk. wear good boots, it can be wet there and be careful as the river banks are uneven and there are lots of small bog holes in the undergrowth.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=coronation+plantation+wicklow,+ireland&aq=&sll=53.176617,-6.414557&sspn=0.026904,0.077162&ie=UTF8&ll=53.161027,-6.359968&spn=0.026914,0.077162&z=14&layer=c&cbll=53.161313,-6.360347&panoid=u7mI2C0in_m2L8TF_b74rw&cbp=12,209.15,,0,16.58

this is where i normally park. keep some space so that cars can access gate.follow the path that goes along by the fence and small stream, over the bridge and up the valley that is to the right of the main river.

Alun

The deer in the Wicklow Mountains, including the location you described, are all Sika / Red Deer hybrids of varying degree. To see Fallow Deer, the best place would be Phoenix Park where there's a large herd.

For goats, you may see them around Glendalough if you're lucky, but they move around a bit and you're never guaranteed a sighting. They're often found along the road to the abandoned Miners' Village or in the village itself, or on the steep slopes below the Spink.

If you do the white route walking trail in Glendalough then this will take you past some of their haunts, plus when you get to the wooden footbridge at the top of the Glenealo valley, if you walk on a little further along the river you'll be almost guaranteed to see deer, albeit the aforementioned Sika/red hybrids, up on the hillside to the left (Lugduffs) or right (towards Camaderry / Turlough Hill.)

By the way, the Coronation Plantation is both one of my most and one of my least favourite places in one. It looks magnificent from afar, almost like an African plain, and you almost expect to see herds of giraffes or wildebeest walking across it, but close up it's a nasty, wet, tussocky nightmare

cameramonkey

Alun wrote: »

The deer in the Wicklow Mountains, including the location you described, are all Sika / Red Deer hybrids of varying degree. To see Fallow Deer, the best place would be Phoenix Park where there's a large herd.

For goats, you may see them around Glendalough if you're lucky, but they move around a bit and you're never guaranteed a sighting. They're often found along the road to the abandoned Miners' Village or in the village itself, or on the steep slopes below the Spink.

If you do the white route walking trail in Glendalough then this will take you past some of their haunts, plus when you get to the wooden footbridge at the top of the Glenealo valley, if you walk on a little further along the river you'll be almost guaranteed to see deer, albeit the aforementioned Sika/red hybrids, up on the hillside to the left (Lugduffs) or right (towards Camaderry / Turlough Hill.)

By the way, the Coronation Plantation is both one of my most and one of my least favourite places in one. It looks magnificent from afar, almost like an African plain, and you almost expect to see herds of giraffes or wildebeest walking across it, but close up it's a nasty, wet, tussocky nightmare

sorry about the misinformation on deer. thanks for the correction. I find that if you follow the little river valley and stick close to the river that the ground is a bit more even. I know what you mean about the rest of the land, its really tough to walk in, look solid but under all the vegetation its full of holes and hollows.

CplDevilDog

Thanks for all the great help. My wife has been to Ireland once or twice on business but neither of us have ever been there long enough to get a look around.

We have some Elk here in Pennsylvania and a few Sitka on the East Coast of Maryland but never seen one. Lots and lots of whitetail deer here in Pittsburgh.

Sounds like waterproof boots and walking sticks are recommended for off the trail walking?

boneless

Waterproofs and boots are a must!! The Wicklow hills create their own weather. You can be standing in one part, basking in sunshine but watching a downpower on the other side of the glen!

This is not a given rule, but whenever I am near the Wicklow Gap (one of the natural passes through the hills), I always see deer to the north on what appears to be an ancient pathway on the side of Tonduff mountain. Also, keep an eye out for goats down near the old lead mines, to the east of the Gap.

I would advise you to get Map Sheet 56 from the Ordnance Survey of Ireland (OSI). There are really only two main routes that you need to know, the Wicklow and Sally Gap roads, but it can be fruitful to stray away.

Good watching and enjoy!!!

Dusty87

OP,
If your stuck to see fallow, give me a shout. Nice herd around me, not protected but the farmers dont mind them so its easy enough see them. Lovely site seeing 4 or 5 fallow witha fallow buck.

Rinker

I often do morning runs in Glendalough (Spink route) and regularly see feral goats near there. You can get quite close to them too. I reckon they'll have the Kids in the next few weeks and they look so cute prancing from rock to rock. You could do worse than take a morning walk around the Upper Lake and look for the goats. There's a trail all the way so your feet won't get mucky:)

Alun

I was up on the Spink a couple of weeks ago and there were already one or two kids jumping around on the rocky ledges below. Looked very dangerous, but they're pretty sure footed.

bibio

Hi Alun,

You are a little mistaken re Deer species in the Wicklow area, while you wont see fallow out on the high hills, you will see them in several areas of wicklow and in areas of the national park and some very high ground also, but woodland cover nearby is a must.
For our american friends, I would recommend walking in the national park anywhere around clara vale, (clara mor or clara beg). I often see fallow here, along with Sika. I know if several other herds but on private land mainly, in areas, such as Ashford, Devils glen, Rathdrum, just south of laragh.
Rgds
Bibio

Alun

OK, thanks for that .. I'm mainly out on the hills on open ground so that's what I usually see. I wasn't aware that there were that many fallow deer in the wild in this part of the country to be honest.

recedite

Still, the chances of encountering fallow deer are slim, unless you go to phoenix park in Dublin.