Heritage week walks planned in Glenmalure
TWO interesting events for those who love walking and the great outdoors have been organised in Glenmalure by the Pure Mile group for Heritage Week.
The first is a mining heritage hill walk which is a challenging 20k hill walk through all the significant lead mining sites in the Wicklow Mountains. It will begin at the Glendasan mine site near Turlough Hill and will finish at Baravore car park, Glenmalure.
Led by local Mountain Guide, Charles O’Byrne, the route will take in the Miners Village and Van Die- men’s Mines in Glendalough before continuing over Lugduff Mountain to descend into Glenmalure via the old mining track in Ballinafunshoge mine site. It will finish at the Baravore and Ballinagoneen mine sites with an opportunity to view the newly restored mine Crusher House. Local mining and historical groups will give a brief outline of the history of each mine site during the walk.
The meeting point is at Baravore car park, Glenmalure at 9 a.m.. Bus transport will be provided to the starting point. This is a free event with the only cost being the bus transport from Baravore to the starting point of the walk.
Pre-booking is essential as the maximum people allowed is 25. Email:glenmalurepuremile@ gmail.com or telephone Carmel at (0404)46768.
The second event will be the official opening of the new Coillte Looped Mining Trail by Minister of State for Forestry, Andrew Doyle on Thursday, August 24, at 2.30 p.m. followed by the launch of the 2017 PURE Mile leaflet in Glenmalure Lodge by Cllr Pat Kennedy.
This short trail, recently restored by Coillte, follows part of the old zig zag miners track on the hillside of Baravore and now provides a pleasant walking loop, joining up with the forestry road which leads back to the An Óige hostel and the Table Track.
The route passes the fine granite structure known as the new crusher house which has been recently restored by Coillte and the Heritage Council and was one of five sites selected for the national Adopt a Monument Scheme 2016.