FRANCIS BRADLEY is reminded that there's no shame in turning back when conditions take a turn for the worse on a walk to Slieve Snaght via the Poisoned Glen
OCCASIONALLY, regardless of all preparations, an intended walk does not go to plan. There can be a variety of reasons – access to the route, somebody pulling out, too late starting – but most disruptive of all is the weather.
So it was in Donegal recently. The Ordnance Survey Sheet 1 map was poured over, route descriptions were trawled through and a decision was reached. The choice was Slieve Snaght via the Poisoned Glen, variously described as moderate to difficult.
The walk begins near the old Dunlewy church under the imperious gaze of Errigal. And what a magnificent setting it is, with Dunlewy Lough to the west, Dooish and the seemingly impassable walls of the Poisoned Glen to the east and southeast, and Slieve Snaght – which was briefly in view and, at 678m, the highest point of the walk – directly south.
We started out approximately 200m beyond the old church where the road turns sharply right. At this point, a clear track leads into the Poisoned Glen. Navigation is straightforward and we proceeded along the gradually deteriorating track while keeping the Cronaniv Burn on our right. As we advanced, the walls of the glen loomed around us.
Our initial objective was a very obvious “notch” in the ridgeline and, if there is low cloud, a compass reading of 168°, from a sharp, left-hand bend in the stream, will guide you to the start of the climb. However, if visibility is compromised, high ground in this area should be avoided.
On our approach, we spotted red deer and an eagle although there wasn’t consensus on the eagle – it may have been a buzzard. We crossed the river close to the aforementioned bend and surveyed the very steep ascent that lay ahead. One of the group recalled a quote from a route description – “the sheer verticality diminishes on closer inspection” – but this did not ease the physical demands of the climb. We gained height quickly and it was very satisfying to watch the floor of the glen recede behind us. Soon we were at the top and exposed to wind and light rain.
Visibility was deteriorating, but we were quite content to continue in a southwest direction towards Slieve Snaght. All the guidebooks describe this area as being easy to navigate in good conditions, but acknowledge that it is much more challenging when the weather closes in. This is exactly what happened. The wind strengthened, the rain became more intense and at times, visibility dropped to just a few metres.
The next one and a half kilometres to what is known as Rocky Cap, or point 595m, took a lot longer than it normally should. When we reached this area we knew that we had to pinpoint our position in order to continue. No landmarks were visible through the murk that surrounded us, so it was down to the GPS.
However, the first read-out indicated a position that was nowhere near where we actually were. In an effort to pick up a better signal, two of the group moved 100m with the GPS and the map, which was now getting a liberal soaking. They returned, each clutching half of the OS map and a dead GPS – flat batteries.
We had no means of determining our exact position. We were aware that the ground ahead (southwest) and to our right (northwest) was too dangerous to contemplate. Also, we knew that we would have to go south for a few hundred metres if we wanted to continue, dropping steeply off Rocky Cap and then change direction again. There were too many unknowns, so we decided to retreat.
While very frustrating, this was the safest option. We were soaked and the weather looked like it would get worse before it got better. As we retraced our steps and dropped height, the cloud thinned out and we caught a glimpse of Lough Maum and the area indicated as Dunlewy Far. We descended carefully but quickly to the west of Maumbeg, crossing wet, slabby rock and heathery, boulder-strewn ground – perfect for leg and ankle breaks. Having contoured around the slopes to arrive close to points 224m/225m, we made our way to Cronaniv Burn near point 73m.
We must have been a very sorry spectacle after our comprehensive drenching. My feet were the only dry parts of my body – everything else was soaked. Dry, that is, until I crossed the Cronaniv Burn and promptly plunged my right foot into the stream. That was how the walk ended with one remaining dry patch – my left foot.
Route: Slieve Snaght
Start and finish: Near old Dunlewy church (under Errigal).
Distance and time:12km, four and a half hours depending on weather conditions.
Suitability:Although described as moderate to difficult, this walk becomes a much more serious challenge when conditions deteriorate. Even with a functioning GPS device, the final part of our planned route would have presented a difficult navigational test.
Map:Ordnance Survey Ireland Sheet 1, Discovery Series. However, the 1:50,000 scale map cannot include enough fine detail for more precise positioning.
Accommodation and refreshments:Errigal Hostel, Dunlewy. Gweedore and Bunbeg.
Note:Always bring spare batteries for the GPS.