Conavalla 734m, Wicklow, Eire (Hewitt).

Day 3. Conavalla 734m, Camenablougue 758m and Camenabologue Southeast Top 663m, Wicklow, Eire (3xHewitts).

On many of the peak bagging/outdoor websites I perused for this trip I noted there were very few route descriptions regarding ascents of the lesser known Irish Marilyns/Hewitts. This also applied to the availability of gpx files. I will therefore add relevant information and files that hopefully will provide assistance to future hikers/peakbaggers.

Conavalla holds a lonely place at the head of the Glenmalure valley and by making a circuit around the top end of the valley you can tick off Camenablougue and it’s SE top. All three summits are designated Hewitts.
Parking is at the top end of the valley at a large car park next to a scenic river crossing. At 8am on a Thursday April morning I was the only car there. From here cross the river and turn right and follow the rocky wide track past Glenmalure Lodge on your right right up to the top of the valley. Now I will say from here to just follow the gpx track as the trail is pretty much spot on. I will just add some pointers and no more.
The track takes you round in a big loop to the right below Conavalla and finishes in a bit of a ‘end of road’ clearing, here there is an ATV type track that goes straight ahead. Just follow this, it is good at the start but merges into a boggy single track footpath eventually. Continue until you hit a small stream coming down from the forest on your left. Then follow this stream on the right hand bank as it is a bit of a raised footpath. When the footpath runs out you are in Wicklow heather until you get to the cairned summit of Conavalla.
From here keep heading in a NW direction towards the Three Lakes. Pick your own route as you are now firmly in thick heather and bog hags but nowhere is it that bad. Skirting the Three Lakes your route veers uphill to the West to Table Mountain, again it is typical Wicklow terrain. You then drop down to Black Scar Gap at 694m where there is a nice stone shelter to have a break. From there it is but a short sprint up to the cairned summit of Camenabologue.
Heading over to it’s namesakes SE top is pretty hard work but again nothing that makes you curse. Again pick your own route. After knocking off the summit marked by a small pile of stones you need to pick your way down its Southern slopes. This was the hardest bit of the day and here I would follow my track exactly for the next bit.
WARNING - UN SIGNED/MARKED CLIFF
There is a substantial cliff here with no border fence or sign. Going over the edge of this will definitely spoil your day. Go into the woods to the left, skirt the cliff and go down the left hand side of the cliff. Even then it is very steep. How steep, I still managed to do it with a trekking pole but with three points of contact for most of it. Your goal is the forestry road below but the sting in the tail is that there is still a nasty 2-3m drop right before the road.
Once on the road though it is just a short hop hip and a skip back down the same track you came up this morning to return to your start point.

Parking: Ample at the start point and very scenic. No toilets. You could park a motor home there. I have parked my MWB Mercedes there on a previous trip.
Route: Good initial and return track for a good 8km of the total route. The remainder is typical Wicklow heather and peat hags. Good views of rolling Wicklow hills. Nothing that drastic though.
Statistics: 17km with 822km of height gain done in an all in time of 5hrs 15min.