6 THE IRISH TIMES

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Go Walk
PICTURESQUE The bridge over the Avonmore at the Vale of Clara. Photograph: Francis Bradley

Take your pick at Clara Vale

RathdrumWoodoffers walkers the choiceof three pleasant trails throughmixedwoodland,writes Francis Bradley
HE VALE OF CLARA, or Rathdrum Wood, is midway between Laragh and Rathdrum, just off the R755 in Co Wicklow. It sits on the northern bank of the Avonmore River, meaning you have to cross an attractive narrow sixarched bridge one vehicle at a time, please and pass an enviously positioned church before arriv ing at the forest entrance. There is space here for three or four cars. This was my third, and wettest, visit in two months, and only once did I s pot more than two cars. On this occasion we encountered the worst possible weather for walking, but given more clement conditions this is a very pleasant trail through mixed woodland. There is an indication at the entrance that there are three trails: Blue (the longest, at nine kilometres), Green and Red (the shortest, at two kilometres). Just inside the gate is a visual guide to the forest, but time and weather have faded the colours, and it isnt much use. In fact visual guides to the trails in the Vale of Clara seem to be nonexistent, either in printed or digital format. Setting off from the gate, you are actually on all three trails, and your direction is roughly southeast. F or reference, the Avonmore river is hidden in the trees on your right but will soon reveal itself. After about a kilometre you see the first of the trail markers, this one with a red arrow indicating another route back to the forest entrance. Continue along the main trail now with the Avonmore

as an almost constant companion on your right. Travel through mixed woodland past another trail marker and at the third marker take the trail that cuts back sharply on the left. The terrain rises gradually as the trail curves around to the right and another marker appears take the right-hand option and continue uphill past the remains of a lone tall lightning-blasted tree on the right and what seem to be the remains of a quarry on the left.

Soon you encounter another marker and have to make another choice. I h ad, by now, decided that blue was my chosen colour, and the blue arrow indicated the right option. At this stage we were heading in a north/northeasterly direction, and we noticed that the trail was parallel to a stream below us on the right (flowing in the opposite direction, towards the Avonmore, which was now behind us). The track gradually descends to the stream and turns

Vale of Clara, Co Wicklow

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Church
Laragh
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Maureen Drennan footbridge

6archbridge
A

1k ilometre 1m ile
R755

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Rathdrum

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Start and finish Vale of Clara (Rathdrum Wood) forest entrance. How to get there Just off the R755, midway between Laragh and Rathdrum. Distance Eight or nine kilometres. Time Two or three hours,

dependingon the weather. Map OSi Discovery Series sheet 56. Suitability An easy walk, suitable for all ages. Dress appropriately, bring drinks and snacks and dont litter. Refreshments Laragh and Rathdrum.

sharply right over the Maureen Drennan footbridge (a plate celebrates the construction of this useful memorial). Another sharp turn left on the other side and we continued along the trail as it rises away from the stream. Soon, another marker, another choice, a blue arrow, a no-brainer, turn right. You may gather that I wasnt exactly enjoying this walk I was wet and hot (waterproofs do that), we couldnt see a thing beyondthe immediate area, and our i nitial enthusiasm had been replaced by a desire to get out of this mucky weather. Even the dog looking like a dirty wet mop trudged disconsolately at our heels. And we were only halfway there. Now heading in a southerly direction, the Avonmore is in front of you, flowing right to left, and this section of the trail contains the highest point of the walk. Another marker, blue arrow, turn right. The trail twists and turns, rises and falls. At another marker, blue arrow, turn right and that ends the attention you have to give to the markers. The trail descends to the Avonmore river, where you turn right on to the home straight. At one point there is evidence of extensive remedial work along the bank of the river a good spot for a picnic and you may see people who are trying very hard to be wetter than you: canoeists on the river. Stay on this trail, cross another footbridge where you will see evidence of a larger bridge in times past, and continue to the forest entrance.

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