Luggala

Infobox Mountain
Name = Luggala
"Log an Lágh"
Photo = Lough Tay.jpg
Caption = Luggala behind Lough Tay.
Elevation = 595 m (1952 ft)
Location = County Wicklow, IRL
Range = Wicklow Mountains
Prominence =
Coordinates = coord|53|06|21|N|6|17|01|W|type:mountain_scale:30000
Topographic
OSi "Discovery" 56
Type =
Age =
Last eruption =
First ascent =
Easiest route = Wicklow Way, from R759 north
Grid_ref_UK =
Grid_ref_Ireland = O178103
Listing =
Translation =
Language =
Pronunciation = Lugg-a-LAW

Luggala (irish place name|Log an Lágh|Hollow of the Hill; also called "Fancy Mountain") [ [http://homepage.tinet.ie/~hluskin/luggala.htm Luggala ] ] [ [http://www.karanagai.com/?p=69 KaraNagai.com : Lough Dan ] ] is a 595 m mountain in the Wicklow Mountains, in Ireland. Its cliffs are situated above a lake, Lough Tay, and are a popular location for rock climbing.

Luggala Estate

The mountain forms a part of the 2500-hectare Luggala Estate (also known as the Guinness Estate), which is owned by wealthy arts patron Garech Browne, a member of the Guinness family. The buildings on the estate, including the luxurious Luggala Lodge, used to be rented commercially for much of the year. [ [http://luggala.net Luggala Lodge] ] The estate has been used as the location of some major films, including Zardoz and Excalibur.

In September 2007, it was reported that Michael Jackson had purchased the estate for €20 million, after an extended three month stay there earlier in the year. [ [http://www.rte.ie/arts/2007/0919/Jacksonm.html Michael Jackson buys €20m castle in County Wicklow] RTÉ.ie. Published on 09-19-07. Retrieved on 06-07-08.]

Rock climbing

The granite crag on Luggala has been popular with rock climbers ever since the first routes were established by members of the Irish Mountaineering Club in 1949. It is, however, not as popular as Glendalough, despite being of comparable quality and size, and closer to Dublin. The current guidebook, published in 1993, lists about 160 routes; grades go up to E5 and lengths up to 160m, but 60m (two pitches) at HVS/5a is fairly typical. The climbing is generally good quality, with excellent friction, but the routes can often follow meandering lines and be hard to find. Protection varies; in accordance with Irish climbing ethics, bolts are not used. [cite book |author= Lyons, Joe and Fenlon, Robbie |title= Rock Climbing Guide to Wicklow |publisher= Mountaineering Council of Ireland |year= 1993 |isbn= 978-0-902940-11-6 |url= http://www.climbing.ie/isbn.html#wicklow ]

The crag can be approached though the main entrance of the Luggala estate, skirting the lakeshore, but many climbers, not wishing to intrude on the residents' privacy, prefer to approach from the high-level road at the back of the mountain, doing a short uphill hike before descending a gully to the base of the crag.

ee also

* Mountain peaks of the Wicklow Mountains.

References

External links

* [http://www.climbing.ie/counties/wicklow.html#luggala Luggala at Irish Climbing Online]