Glenmacnass Waterfall

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Glenmacnass Waterfall
Gleann Log an Easa
Glenmacnass Waterfall - geograph.org.uk - 627307.jpg
Location Wicklow Mountains, Ireland
Coordinates 53°03′51″N6°20′13″W / 53.064223°N 6.33688°W / 53.064223; -6.33688 Coordinates: 53°03′51″N6°20′13″W / 53.064223°N 6.33688°W / 53.064223; -6.33688
Type Cascade
Elevation350 metres (1,150 ft)
Total height80 metres (260 ft)
Number of drops3
WatercourseGlenmacnass River

Glenmacnass Waterfall (Irish : Gleann Log an Easa, meaning 'The glen of the hollow of the waterfall') [1] is an 80-metre high waterfall situated at the head of the Glenmacnass Valley in the Wicklow Mountains in Ireland. The Glenmacnass Waterfall is a popular tourist destination and scenic viewpoint area in the Wicklow Mountains. The Waterfall is bounded to the west by Tonelagee, and to the east by Scarr mountain. The entire Glenmacnass Valley can be accessed by the R115 road (also called the Military Road), which connects the Sally Gap in the north, to the village of Laragh in the south.

Contents

Geography

The Glenmacnass River begins high up on the southeast slopes of Mullaghcleevaun 849 metres (2,785 ft), with smaller tributaries flowing in from the eastern slopes of Tonelagee 817 metres (2,680 ft); the river then reaches the top of the waterfall at an elevation of 350 metres (1,150 ft) above sea-level, where it falls 80 metres (260 ft) down the waterfall in 3 staggered drops to an elevation of 270 metres (890 ft) above sea-level, where it reaches the Glenmacnass Valley floor. [2] [3]

The river continues through the U-shaped valley until it joins the Avonmore River (Irish : Abhainn Mór, meaning 'big river') at the village of Laragh. It is later joined by the Avonbeg (Irish : Abhainn Beag, meaning 'small river') to become the Avoca and eventually flows into the Irish Sea at the coastal town called Arklow. [2] [3]

Geology

Geological Survey of Ireland (GSI) regard the valley as a "stunning example of a glaciated U-shaped valley, with oversteepened cliff sides and a flat floor". [2] The valley dates from the last glacial period called the quaternary glaciation or Ice Age, and contains moraines marking the positions of the ice-front as it retreated back towards the source area higher up in the centre of the Wicklow mountains. [2] [4] The GSI highlight an impressive moraine about halfway between the waterfall and Laragh and can be seen as a boulder-strewn mound running right across the valley. [2] [4]

Glenmacnass Waterfall flows over grey-colored, smooth porphyritic granite bedrock (part of the Lugnaquilla pluton, which is itself from the late-Caledonian (405 Ma) Leinster Granite Batholith Formation). [2] Further down the valley, on each side of the waterfall, dark grey-to-black, jagged schist rock (part of the Lower Palaeozoic Maulin Formation) can be seen jutting out; thus the waterfall has formed at the boundary between these two major rock types. [2]

Access

The Glenmacnass Waterfall is a popular tourist destination and scenic viewpoint area in the Wicklow Mountains, and the entire Glenmacnass Valley can be accessed by the R115 road (also called the Military Road), which connects the Sally Gap to Laragh. There are parking facilities at the top of the waterfall, and the waterfall and valley are in the Wicklow Mountains National Park. [2]

See also

Related Research Articles

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Mullaghcleevaun Mountain in Wicklow, Ireland

Mullaghcleevaun at 849 metres (2,785 ft), is the 15th–highest peak in Ireland on the Arderin scale, and the 20th–highest peak on the Vandeleur-Lynam scale. Mullaghcleevaun is in the central sector of the Wicklow Mountains range, in Wicklow, Ireland; it is the 2nd highest peak in Wicklow after Lugnaquilla. Mullaghcleevaun lies on the main "central spine" of the whole range that runs from Kippure in the north, to Lugnaquillia in the south; and in particular, it lies on the continuous "central boggy ridge" that runs from the Sally Gap to Tonelagee.

Tonelagee Mountain in Wicklow, Ireland

Tonelagee at 817 metres (2,680 ft), is the 25th–highest peak in Ireland on the Arderin scale, and the 33rd–highest peak on the Vandeleur-Lynam scale. Tonelagee is situated in the central sector of the Wicklow Mountains range, and sits on the main "central spine" of the range that runs from Kippure in the north, to Lugnaquillia in the south; and in particular, the continuous "central boggy ridge" that runs from the Sally Gap in the north, via Mullaghcleevaun, to Tonelagee. Tonelagee is the third highest peak in Wicklow after Lugnaquilla and Mullaghcleevaun.

Avonmore River River in Ireland

The Avonmore River, also known as Abhainn Dé, flows from Lough Dan in the Wicklow Mountains west of Roundwood. It flows in a generally southerly direction for approximately 30 km (19 mi) before joining the Avonbeg at the Meeting of the Waters to form the River Avoca, which in turn discharges into the Irish Sea at Arklow. From source to sea the river remains in East Wicklow.

Lough Tay Lake in Wicklow, Ireland

Lough Tay, is a small but scenic lake set on private property in the Wicklow Mountains in Ireland. The lake lies between the mountains of Djouce 725 metres (2,379 ft), and Luggala 595 metres (1,952 ft), and is dominated by Luggala's east-facing granite cliffs. The lough is fed by the Cloghoge River, which then drains into Lough Dan to the south. Lough Tay forms part of the Guinness Estate at Luggala, and has limited public access.

War Hill Mountain in Wicklow, Ireland

War Hill at 686 metres (2,251 ft), is the 106th–highest peak in Ireland on the Arderin scale, and the 129th–highest peak on the Vandeleur-Lynam scale. War Hill is in the far northeastern section of the Wicklow Mountains, in Wicklow, Ireland. Due to its remote setting, it is usually only accessed as part of a larger hill-walking route taking in other neighbouring peaks such as Djouce or Maulin. One of the few distinguishing landmarks in the area is the Coffin Stone that lies in the saddle between War Hill and Djouce, whose origon is uncertain.

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Scarr Mountain in Wicklow, Ireland

Scarr at 641 metres (2,103 ft), is the 174th–highest peak in Ireland on the Arderin scale, and the 207th–highest peak on the Vandeleur-Lynam scale. Scarr is situated in the central sector of the Wicklow Mountains range, but off main "central spine" of the range that runs from Kippure in the north, to Lugnaquillia in the south. Scarr lies on its own small massif that includes Scarr North-West Top 561 metres (1,841 ft) and Kanturk 523 metres (1,716 ft); it is bounded by Lough Dan to the east and the Glenmacnass Valley on the west. Scarr's sharp peak gives it a distinctive profile amongst the rounded summits of the Wicklow mountains, and it forms the backdrop to scenic views across the Guinness Estate and Lough Dan.

References

  1. "Gleann Log an Easa". Logainm (Placenames database of Ireland). Retrieved 17 July 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "WICKLOW - COUNTY GEOLOGICAL SITE REPORT: Glenmacnass Valley" (PDF). Geological Survey of Ireland. 2014. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
  3. 1 2 Dillion, Paddy (1993). The Mountains of Ireland: A Guide to Walking the Summits. Cicerone. ISBN   978-1852841102. Walk 6: Tonelagee, Scarr
  4. 1 2 Holland, Charles Hepworth (2003). The Irish Landscape: A Scenery to Celebrate. Edinburgh: Dunedin Academic Press. p. 30. ISBN   1-903765-20-X.