Time trial in Crone Wood / Contre la montre dans le bois de Crone
Nature doesn’t steal time.
It amplifies it.
Richard Louv
As it turned out, for our hike through Crone Woods, Co Wicklow, last Saturday, time was of the essence.
We set off at midday for an easy walk through the woods, and ended up doing a four-hour hike.
Spotting two dens among the trees soon after setting off, the acorns immediately started making them their own. This is where I picked up our first plastic items for the Big Outdoor Bloggers Cleanup.
Further on, they loved walking through dead leaves along an old dry stone wall, rather than following the well-beaten forest road.
Walking at a leisurely pace and stopping often for snacks, we eventually made it to Ride Rock – this turn in the trail offers an unrivalled view over the Powerscourt Waterfall, whose roar echoes faintly around the valley.
La nature ne vole pas le temps.
Elle l’amplifie.
Richard Louv
Le temps pressait pour notre randonnée au bois de Crone, Co Wicklow, samedi dernier.
Etant partis à la mi-journée pour une balade tranquille en forêt, nous avons marché pendant près de quatre heures.
Repérant deux cabanes entre les arbres peu après le départ, les graines de chêne ont immédiatement emménagé pour une longue pause de jeu. C’est là que j’ai ramassé nos premiers déchets plastiques pour le grand nettoyage de printemps des blogueurs.
Plus loin, ils préférèrent marcher dans les feuilles mortes, le long d’un vieux mur de pierre sèche, plutôt que de suivre la large piste forestière.
Progressant à pas lents et stoppant souvent pour grignoter, nous avons fini par arriver à Ride Rock. Ce virage à angle droit offre une vue imprenable sur la cascade de Powerscourt, dont le grondement résonne faiblement dans la vallée.
By then, stomachs were beginning to rumble, but our aim was to reach the Dargle River before it becomes the waterfall. So the acorns kept going, albeit reluctantly, spurred on by the prospect of a bowl of noodles on the trail. This is something Jedi had repeatedly asked for every time we went outside in recent weeks.
Unfortunately that wasn’t to be.
It was 3 o’clock and we hadn’t reached our goal yet, when a fellow hiker (on their way down) reminded us that the car park closes at 4pm.
We pondered for a couple of minutes whether to turn around right away, or keep going until we found a suitable noodle spot. We walked on up.
We eventually reached a lovely picnic spot above the treeline. The Wicklow Way stretched straight down towards the Dargle River, over a little wooden bridge, before continuing straight up towards Djouce Mountain.
Les estomacs commençaient à gronder, mais nous avions en tête d’atteindre la rivière Dargle avant qu’elle se déverse dans la cascade. Aussi les graines de chêne ont-elles continué de marcher, presque à reculons, aiguillonnées par la perspective d’un bol de nouilles au grand air. Une chose que Jedi avit réclamée à maintes reprises ces dernières semaines.
Malheureusement cela ne devait pas se concrétiser.
Il était 15 heures et nous montions encore, quand un autre randonneur, sur le chemin de la descente, nous rappela que le parking fermait à 16 heures !
Que faire ? Repartir immédiatement en sens inverse ou chercher encore un coin pique-nique ? Nous avons continué de marcher.
Emergeant au-dessus de la forêt, nous avons fini par trouver un joli carré d’herbe rase. Le sentier de grande randonnée Wicklow Way descendait tout droit vers la rivière Dargle, franchissant un petit pont de bois avant de remonter sur le versant opposé vers Djouce Mountain.
A dog walker came down Maulin Mountain behind us. She nearly sprinted down the trail to get back to the car park in time.
It finally dawned on us that there was no time for noodles – we had to return to our car before the gate was closed for the night. Breaking the news to the acorns, we nearly had a mutiny on our hands. While Mermaid, Squirrel and Pebbles, fuelled by a few biscuits and a warm drink, quickly got over their disappointment, Jedi kept fuming until we were nearly halfway down the hill.
It only took 45 minutes to reach our starting point. Brian parked our car outside the gate, and we settled down at a dilapidated picnic bench for our much anticipated, and well-deserved, bowl of chicken-flavoured instant noodles.
Une promeneuse et son chien arrivèrent de Maulin Mountain derrière nous. Elle prit le sentier de la descente presqu’au pas de course pour atteindre le parking avant la fermeture.
Il fallut se rendre à l’évidence : pas le temps pour les nouilles… Il nous fallait retourner à la voiture avant que le parking ferme pour la nuit. L’annonce de la nouvelle suscita presque une mutinerie chez les graines de chêne. Tandis que Sirène, Ecureuil et Caillou, réconfortés par quelques biscuits et une boisson chaude, surmontaient rapidement leur déception, Jedi continua de rager jusqu’à mi-chemin.
Moins de 45 minutes plus tard, nous étions de retour au point de départ. Brian gara la voiture à l’extérieur du parking, au bord de la route étroite, et il fut enfin temps de déguster notre bol de nouilles instantanées tant attendues, et amplement méritées.
Visitor Information
Crone Woods is a Coillte Outdoors forest situated on the south side of Glencree Valley, one of several glaciated valleys that run in an east-west direction along the eastern side of the Wicklow Mountains.
The forest has an extensive network of forest roads and trails which can take the walker either along the very popular Wicklow Way to the magnificent viewpoint at Ride Rock, looking over the Powerscourt Waterfall and the Great Sugar Loaf, or through the quieter reaches of the forest towards Maulin Mountain, or on the forest roads to Ballyreagh and Ravens Glen. Crone is an ideal access point for the Wicklow Way. Walkers can also gain access to the Wicklow Mountains National Park which joins the southern boundary.
Please note that Crone Car Park closes at 4pm.
Getting there
Travelling northbound (Dublin) on the N11, take Exit 8 (Kilmacanogue), then the first exit on the roundabout, signposted for Roundwood and Glendalough (R755). At the next roundabout, take the second exit and continue straight ahead on the R755.
Travelling southbound (Wexford) on the N11, take Exit 8 (Kilmacanogue), immediately after the Topaz petrol station, following signposts to Roundwood and Glendalough (R755). At the roundabout, take the last exit, to Kilmacanogue and Roundwood (R755). At the next roundabout, take the first exit for the R755.
Follow the R755 until a fork in the road. Turn right onto the R760, signposted for Powerscourt Waterfall and Glencree Drive. At the next junction, leave the R760 on the right and continue straight ahead onto a minor road, following signposts for the waterfall and Glencree Drive.
Leave the gates of the waterfall on your left and continue on the minor road to Glencree on south side of Glencree Valley. Crone Car Park is about 1km on further, on the left.
En savoir plus
Crone Woods est une forêt gérée par Coillte Outdoors et située sur le versant sud de la vallée de Glencree, une des anciennes vallées glaciaires de l’est des monts de Wicklow.
Cette forêt contient un vaste réseau de sentiers et pistes forestières qui emmène le randonneur le long du Wicklow Way jusqu’au superbe point de vue de Ride Rock, qui domine la cascade de Powerscourt et le Great Sugar Loaf, ou par les bois tranquilles de Maulin Mountain, ou encore jusqu’à Ballyreagh et Ravens Glen. Le bois de Crone fournit un point d’accès idéal pour le Wicklow Way, mais aussi pour le Parc national des Monts de Wicklow, qui borde la limite sud de la forêt.
A noter que le parking de Crone ferme à 16 heures.
S’y rendre
Circulant en direction du nord (Dublin) sur la N11, prenez la sortie 8 (Kilmacanogue) puis, au rond-point, la première sortie, en direction de Roundwood et Glendalough (R755). Au deuxième rond-point, prenez la deuxième sortie et continuez tout droit sur la R755.
Circulant en direction du sud (Wexford) sur la N11, prenez la sortie 8 (Kilmacanogue), tout de suite après la station service Topaz, et suivez les panneaux indiquant Roundwood et Glendalough (R755). Au rond-point, prenez la dernière sortie pour Roundwood et Glendalough (R755). Au rond-point suivant, prenez la première sortie pour la R755.
Continuez sur la R755. A la fourche, tournez à droite sur la R760 et suivez les panneaux pour Powerscourt Waterfall et Glencree Drive. A la prochaine intersection, là où la R760 vire à droite, continuez tout droit sur une route secondaire, signalée pour Powerscourt Waterfall et Glencree Drive.
Laissez le grand portail d’entrée de la cascade sur votre gauche et continuez sur cette route étroite en direction de Glencree. Le parking de Crone se trouve 1 km plus loin sur la gauche.
This place is so beautiful! Stunning big trees and hilltops panorama scenes. Just Amazing! Well done for getting back to the car park in time for some instance noodles too! What a great idea! I think I want to do that next time we hike. #CountryKids
We are very lucky to live where we do – Wicklow is a stunning playground, all year round. Our kids are huge fans of noodles on the trail. If you don’t own a stove, you can always take some instant noodles and a flask of hot water, and mix them whenever you want to eat!
Thanks for your comment!
Oh my you were on a tight schedule. Such a wonderful trek and I love how the children took it at their pace stopping to claim the little dens and walk along the old wall. What a shame time caught up with you and you had to make a hasty return to the car. I’m glad all was not lost and the long awaited noodles were still enjoyed.
Thank you for joining me on #CountryKids
Thank you for hosting Fiona! This is my first time linking up on #countrykids, but I’ll definitely be back very soon 🙂
Back again from #FabFridayPost I am so loving your noodles tricks! 🙂 xx
Lol thanks and welcome back Su! Thank you for hosting #FabFridayPost too. I shall try and join on #ExplorerKids on Instagram too 😉
Who doesn’t love a bowl of instant noodles?! Poor Jedi – I hope he got over his disappointment. This place is stunning (and I adore (and I’m jealous) how the post is bilingual!) Thanks for sharing on #FabFridayPost
Becky thank you for your comment, and for hosting #FabFridayPost! Once Jedi was told we would have noodles before heading home, all was forgotten/forgiven. It’s like the word ‘hangry’ was coined for him. Once he’s fed, all is well again with the world 🙂
That view from the top looks amazing what a great place to walk. I completely understand why the car parks are gated etc but 4pm seems a little early now it’s slowly starting to get lighter. Glad you managed to coax them all down. Never thought of taking noodles out what a great idea!! Stopping by from #countrykids xx
4pm is too early, and I’m not even sure it is open later in the summer months… I did notice that an automatic gate is being installed, so opening times might change soon, fingers crossed!
Noodles are great, especially at this time of year. If you don’t own a stove, you can always take some instant noodles and a flask of hot water, and mix them whenever you want to eat! x
Oh wow this is stunning! What a gorgeous walk, I can’t wait until mine are slightly older and can manage proper walks like this. You photos are beautiful – what camera do you take on a walk like this? ! I love the idea of having noodles at the end of a walk too. #countrykids
Thanks Sam! I only have one camera that I take everywhere (I’m useless at phone shots), and it’s a Sony A7II. It’s a full-frame DSLR, but because it is mirrorless, it is rather small and light – perfect for hiking, etc. I absolutely love it!
I totally agree with you lovely – spending time in nature definitely amplifies time! Crone park look so nice. What a fun place to explore! It’s lovely to have you join us for #candidcuddles xx
Thank for hosting #CandidCuddles Becky, and also for the warm welcome! xx
sometimes it is hard to fit everything in!