Tibradden mountain is part of an ongoing route development that will link the Dublin mountains with the sea, but the work has done nothing to spoil the views, writes SEÁN MAC CONNELL
WE ARE exceptionally lucky in our capital city in having the sea on one side of us and mountains close by. Few European capitals can boast such wonderful open-air playgrounds so close to them.
The top of Three Rock mountain, for example, is just 13km from central Dublin and is easy to access even by public transport.
It is perhaps a misnomer to describe it as a new walk, but a route has just opened on nearby Tibradden mountain that is part of a grander scheme that will see a mountain pathway running from Tallaght to Dún Laoghaire.
The project is part of Dublin Mountains Partnership, which involves Coillte, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, Dublin Mountains Initiative, the National Parks Wildlife Service and South Dublin County Council.
Even as the initiative was being launched, last October, the project had its critics, and there was a lot of muttering about the mountainside being torn up by diggers and the landscape being destroyed.
When I read on the website www.dublinmountains.ie that “a sleepered bog bridge had been built near the summit to minimise ground damage”, my heart sank, because sleepered bog bridges look awful and do not do the job they are supposed to do.
Not one extra blade of grass, for example, has grown on either Djouce mountain or on the Spink where these old railway sleepers, covered by chicken wire and studded with staples, have been put in place to prevent erosion.
So it was with some dread that I set out last week to see what had been happening on Tibradden.
I was, however, pleasantly surprised at what has been done to what was once the first bit of wilderness on that side of the mountain.
Most of the new path from Tibradden Woods car park to the summit is made of gravel, which has been sourced locally and laid over hardcore. There is no lack of rock up here, and the gravel path is pleasant to walk on.
In addition, the builders have used slabs of flat rock to make a treadway that is easy to walk on and fits totally into the landscape. Despite this, some walkers I meet complain that the slabs are too far apart and that a walker could fall through them.
The ugly boardwalk is kept to a minimum and does not detract from the wonderful view from the old megalithic tomb with a carved stone in the now- exposed burial chamber. (By the way: is that stone genuine or is it counterfeit?)
The walk starts in the car park at Tibradden Woods, which you get to by driving via Rathfarnham and Rockbrook, then following the signs for Sally Gap.
At a very bad bridge about four kilometres above Rockbrook you’ll see a sign on the left for Johnnie Fox’s pub. Turn left there and try to park; Tibradden Woods car park seems to be perpetually closed, for a reason so obscure and secret it’s impossible to discover.
It’s a matter of following your instincts after that, because there are no signs yet erected. Follow your nose uphill on the new gravel path to where you meet the first bit of track which leads you out of the forest and on to the open mountain.
Below on the left are the most beautiful views of Dublin and its bay. On a good day you can see the Mourne mountains to the north, and on some days you can see almost as far as the Slieve Bloom mountains, in the midlands.
Take time to examine the ancient tomb, then drop down almost to the road on which you have parked your car.
At this lowest point in the walk you can head left, link up with the well-marked Wicklow Wayand head up towards Two Rock and Three Rock mountains.
Alternatively, a right turn will bring you to the Glencullen road, and you can walk back along the tarmac to your car.
Tibradden, Co Dublin
Start and finishTibradden car park.
How to get thereFollow the signs for Tibradden Forest from Rathfarnham, go through Rockbrook, then turn left at the sign for Glencullen.
Height467m.
TimeTwo or three hours.
DistanceFive to 10km, depending on how far you want to go.
SuitabilityModerate, but wear a decent pair of boots and bring wet gear.
MapOrdnance Survey Ireland Discovery Series 50.
RefreshmentsGlencullen or Rathfarnham should meet all your needs.