Overview
Camaderry (Irish: Camar Daighre) is the 699m (2,290ft) mountain that forms the western arm of the horseshoe around the glacial valley of Glendalough in County Wicklow. Many people who come to Glendalough stay at the lakes and the monastic site and never look up at the long ridge on the other side. That ridge is Camaderry, part of the Wicklow Mountains. Its slopes separate the Glendalough and Glendasan valleys, where lead was once mined, and its neighbours include Lugduff and the pumped-storage station at Turlough Hill.
The easy way to get a feel for the mountain is the national park’s signed Woodland Road trail on its lower slopes. The summit itself is a separate outing for experienced hillwalkers.
History
The mountain is also an industrial landscape. Camaderry holds the Luganure mineral vein, a body of galena, which is lead ore carrying traces of silver, that was worked here for well over a century. In 1859 the Glendasan and Glendalough mines were connected by a series of adits cut through the mountain; they are largely flooded now. Extraction carried on, on and off, until the last commercial mining stopped in 1957. The remains of the miners’ village still stand in the valley. Leave old mine entrances and spoil undisturbed: they are unstable and unsafe to explore.
Below the north face sits Lough Nahanagan, a corrie lake gouged out by the last ice age in the gap between Camaderry and Turlough Hill.
The walks
The national park’s Woodland Road trail follows silver arrows on a moderate 4 km loop. It includes a short stretch of public road, follows St Kevin’s Way along the Glendasan River and crosses Camaderry’s lower shoulder before returning. Check current park notices before you go, and keep dogs on a lead.
The summit is a separate undertaking, with open mountain, steep and boggy ground in places and weather that changes quickly. Treat it as a day for experienced hillwalkers with a map and compass and the right kit, and turn back if conditions turn. Do not try to follow unofficial routes you have found online.
Climbing and the lake
The north-facing cliffs above Lough Nahanagan are a small climbing spot, with single-pitch routes on a deep glacial corrie and the lake at the bottom. It is a niche destination rather than a busy crag, and the setting does a lot of the work. Climbers should use current guidebook and local information, and everyone else should keep back from the cliff edges.
Practical information
- Walk to choose: the signed Woodland Road loop for a marked outing; the summit only if you are an experienced hillwalker.
- Parking and facilities: check the national park’s pages for current parking and visitor centre information before you travel.
- Dogs: keep dogs on a lead and check current park notices.
- Children: the lower trail is a moderate walk, but the open mountain above has steep and muddy ground in places, so it is not one for small children.
- Underfoot: the ground can be wet and boggy, especially in winter. Bring boots with good grip; trainers will not do.
- Information: the Wicklow Mountains National Park site has route information and notices.
Combine with other attractions
If you have time after the walk, Avondale Forest Park and House (Avondale) is a short drive south, the former home of Charles Stewart Parnell, with woodland walks, a walled garden and the restored 19th-century house. Check its current opening arrangements before you go.