Cloon Wood closed ... but new site found!!!

Hi all,

Michael Murphy texted me today to say that when he went up to Cloon Wood last night he discovered it now has boulders blocking acccess

This was the preferred site for many SDAS members when out observing.

I met up with Michael this afternoon and we decided to drive out to Trooperstown Wood near Ashford/Annamoe to scout that area as a potential new site. I had been there before with Paul Tipper and it was an hour from Dublin (probably less now with the M11).

We drove out by Enniskerry to go the back way through Roundwood to Annamoe and I mentioned to Michael that there was a spot on the old Roundwood Road I used before which had pulling in space for a couple of cars and a gate you could lug stuff through. It was opposite the second of the three car parks on the road.

When we drove by we discovered that the "lay-by" was gone but in its place you can actually drive in to the field -- there is no gate -- and it is public land owned by Wicklow County Council. There is a huge amount of space and it's got lots of flat areas where scopes could be set up. A number of years ago we used to observe in the car park at the foot of the Great Sugarloaf and this had superb views to the East, South, and West (also the North, but the City light dome dominates the skyline that direction).

This new spot has a similar aspect, you can drive in well off the road, is close to Dublin, and is a great discovery

One thing that might interfere a little now is the growth of the coastal communities and the lights but I think it will not do so. I photographed the aurora displays in late-2003 from this spot and have viewed the sky from here with some of the other SDAS people previously but the lack of parking space limited the numbers. The fact it is now open is fantastic. I definitely must check it out at night.

We did come across a car upside-down in the field today with the hazard lights still flashing! No occupents so it looked like joy-riders but I think that shouldn't be a problem either if we pick our spot carefully.

I'll try and update the SDAS site tomorrow with photos so you know where the place is and I'll get the grid ref on the OS map.

Talk to you all soon and enjoy the weekend!

John

Hi John,

By my 1992 Series 56 discovery map the grid reference is:

O 21 12.

21 is line on left of grid.
12 is line at bottom of grid.

Michael.

And for those outside Dublin - this is what passes for 'Dark' around here:



~mag 4 - 4.5 at the zenith.

I've driven through the area on numerous occasions and I'm not sure of the exact location. Where is it in relation to the Trooperstown Wood guest house?

Hi Paul,

I'm going to update the SDAS site with a Google map showing the location. I've some pictures too on my camera phone. Basically, the site Michael and I looked at is the area around Calery not far from the car park at the foot of the Sugar Loaf.

When you come up the steep road out of Enniskerry you continue on past Powerscourt a bit. You then go over the narrow bridge (where cars have to stop) and eventually come to a fork in the road. The main road curves left towards the Sugar Loaf but if you keep right you are on the old Roundwood Road. Take this right turn and keep going a couple of miles until the uphill flattens out. After a few hundred yards you will see the area we are talking about on the left, opposite the second car park on this road that is marked on the OS Discovery Sheet (can't remember if it's 50 or 56 but will check). There is wooden fencing with a cattle grid at the entrance.

It's a wide open space with a gravelled road that we can drive up a short distance (if you go to the end there seems to be a private house in the middle of nowhere!)

All the best,

John

We sure its not private land?