best way to climb Ben Bulben?

Tedious Bore

and is there any route up that doesn't require asking permission from landowners?

thebuzz

Easiest is from Glencar as there's a pathway for more or less most of the way up. No permission needed there. Or you could walk up the tarred road at Gleniff Horseshoe either which will bring you up to Truskmore transmitter. It all depends what part of the mountain you want to go to when you're up there really.

Tedious Bore

thanks, I'd be hoping to get over near the far right peak as viewed from grange village. Can you tell me whereabouts that path begins from Glencar? or know of any good directions for that route online maybe?

scarlet43

there's a route also just before the horse shoe - it's called Lukes Bridge - you go straight over the bog and up the gully - takes approx 30 mins to get up - then approx 45 hike out to edge - lovely route and not too difficult - just mucky - have good boots !!!!

red sean

OP, the main thing to remember is SAFETY.
Climbing BenBulben at this time of year is not to be recommended.
It's slippery and the weather can change quickly, very quickly. A thick mist can descend in seconds leaving you
with only a few feet of visibility.

Kettleson

Previous thread.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=55887721

Scarlet42

hope he didn't go up today!!! :eek:

Kettleson

Scarlet42 wrote: »

hope he didn't go up today!!! :eek:

LOL! I think its over Christmas...I hope:)....yeah, the weather is brutal and worsening.

Tedious Bore

Kettleson wrote: »

Previous thread.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=55887721

thanks, just wanted to ask now for any latest on access issues.

thebuzz

Tedious Bore wrote: »

Can you tell me whereabouts that path begins from Glencar?

http://goo.gl/maps/qSzHb Up that road. You can drive up to a certain part. I see there's even street view now right up to the gate near top of mountain so that gives you idea of the pathway.

Tedious Bore

thebuzz wrote: »

http://goo.gl/maps/qSzHb Up that road. You can drive up to a certain part. I see there's even street view now right up to the gate near top of mountain so that gives you idea of the pathway.

nice one, thanks for the googlemaps link. Do you know is it fine to head on past those gates or is there access issues there at all? I've gone up from another side before and there was a gate covered in spikes and wire.

and any idea how long it might take to hike over to ben bulben from this approach?

red sean

I don't think you'll have any problem with access from Glencar side. It's a long hike from there and will be significantly slower this time of the year. I couldn't give a realistic approximation timewise. It will also quite possibly be covered in snow if the weather forecast comes true.
Main thing is, do not be an idiot. The mountain will still be there when conditions improve. I can recall at least 10 fatalities on Ben Bulben, and all thought there was no problem when they set out.

Mint Sauce

Kettleson wrote: »

LOL! I think its over Christmas...I hope:)....yeah, the weather is brutal and worsening.

It certainaly is. Half my view of it was obscured by clould yesterday. The other half was covered in snow.

Tedious Bore

red sean wrote: »

I don't think you'll have any problem with access from Glencar side. It's a long hike from there and will be significantly slower this time of the year. I couldn't give a realistic approximation timewise. It will also quite possibly be covered in snow if the weather forecast comes true.
Main thing is, do not be an idiot. The mountain will still be there when conditions improve. I can recall at least 10 fatalities on Ben Bulben, and all thought there was no problem when they set out.

thanks. yeah I won't be on mission to do it. Been up a few times before already, but sometimes with a telling off after we got down that we'd no permission to cross certain gates and fields. If the weather is bad we'll just try knocknarea maybe. thanks for advice

red sean

Ya OP, the mountain is covered in snow as I type this, so Knocknarea is looking a better bet.
I meant to say in my last post that on the route from Glencar to the corner at Theebawn/Arkelow that you would be traversing, you're passing the old derelict mine shafts. There are many overgrown test holes and vent shafts covered in heather that are hard to see in summer let alone when covered in snow.
Health and Safety in the 19th and early 20th centuries was non-existent, and they were just left there. Now home to dead sheep and goats!

Good luck anyway and enjoy your Christmas.

Tedious Bore

thanks everyone for replies on this. very helpful.
and lastly don't suppose anyone knows what the latest is with that andy "the bull" mcsharry ? On a previous visit we parked on the Gleniff horseshoe road and made it up to Diarmuid&Gráinne's cave without any bother. Just wondering did he sort something with bord Fáilte or that KeepIrelandOpen group? ....or are we still risking his wrath these days if we decided to go walking around that area?

mysteriousdrk

Hi all - a couple of friends and I are planning to climb to the top of Ben Bulben sometime in late April.
Now, sorry if this is a bit naive (I'm not very familiar with the area) but we were considering camping up there for the night - is that possible or advisable, weather permitting?

Also if that were possible, would it be really bad form to light a tiny fire up there?
Naturally we'd leave the place spic and span afterwards.

Any and all comments or advice would be greatly appreciated.

red sean

Only problem lighting a small fire up there is the heather. If there's a dry spell before you climb, there's a danger the heather will take light. Then you've a disaster on your hands!
You'd have to bring your own fuel up with you as there's nothing up there to burn except heather.

mysteriousdrk

But camping up there wouldn't be a problem, would it?

red sean

Shouldn't think so.