Mullaghcleevaun

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title: "Mullaghcleevaun" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["marilyns-of-ireland", "mountains-and-hills-of-county-wicklow", "hewitts-of-ireland", "mountains-under-1000-metres"] description: "Mountain in Wicklow, Ireland" topic_path: "geography/ireland" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mullaghcleevaun" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Mountain in Wicklow, Ireland ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox mountain"]

Field	Value
name	Mullaghcleevaun
native_name	ga
translation	'summit of the cradle/basket'
pronunciation
photo	Cleevaun Lough - geograph.org.uk - 1216702.jpg
photo_caption	Summit and northern corrie of Lough Cleevaun
elevation_m	849
elevation_ref
prominence_m	374
prominence_ref
location	Wicklow, Ireland
range	Wicklow Mountains
coordinates
map	island of Ireland
map_relief	yes
map_caption	Location in Ireland
grid_ref_Ireland	O0676307049
topo	OSi Discovery 56
listing	100 Highest Irish Mountains, Hewitt, Marilyn, Arderin, Simm, Vandeleur-Lynam
geology	Granite with microcline phenocrysts
::

| name = Mullaghcleevaun | native_name =ga | translation = 'summit of the cradle/basket' | pronunciation = | photo = Cleevaun Lough - geograph.org.uk - 1216702.jpg | photo_caption = Summit and northern corrie of Lough Cleevaun | photo_size = | elevation_m = 849 | elevation_ref = | prominence_m = 374 | prominence_ref = | location = Wicklow, Ireland | range = Wicklow Mountains | coordinates = | coordinates_ref = | map = island of Ireland | map_relief = yes | map_caption =Location in Ireland | grid_ref_Ireland = O0676307049 | topo = OSi Discovery 56 | listing = 100 Highest Irish Mountains, Hewitt, Marilyn, Arderin, Simm, Vandeleur-Lynam | easiest_route = | geology= Granite with microcline phenocrysts Mullaghcleevaun () at 849 m, 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.

To the east of the main summit of Mullaghcleevaun is Mullaghcleevaun East Top 790 m. Below the summit of Mullaghcleevaun lies the corrie lake of Cleevaun Lough, Wicklow's highest natural lake at 686 m.

Naming

According to Irish academic Paul Tempan, Patrick Weston Joyce notes that Mullaghcleevaun was named after a "cradle-like depression near the top, presumably the one occupied by Cleevaun Lough".

Geography

Mullaghcleevaun is the 2nd highest peak in the Wicklow Mountains, and is situated in the central sector of the whole range, on the western edge overlooking the Poulaphouca Reservoir (also called the "Blessington Lakes").

Mullaghcleevan's prominence of 374 m, makes it the 8th-highest mountain in Ireland on the MountainViews Online Database, 100 Highest Irish Mountains, where the minimum prominence threshold is 100 metres. Mullaghcleevaun's flat summit is visible from other peaks in the range, and its massif also includes the subsidiary summit of Mullaghcleevaun East Top 790 m, whose prominence of 40 m qualifies it as Hewitt. To the south-east of Mullaghcleevaun East Top is the summit of Carrigshouk 573 m, whose prominence of 31 m qualifies it as an Arderin. Further away on Mullaghcleevaun's larger massif is Duff Hill 720 m, which lies to the north.

Mullaghcleevaun's most distinctive feature is its deep northern corrie, which contains Wicklow's highest natural lake, Lough Cleevaun 686 m.

Mullaghcleevaun's southeastern slopes are the source of the Glenmacnass River which flows down the Glenmacnass Waterfall into the Glenmacnass Valley and on to Laragh.

Hill walking

A common route to the summit of Mullaghcleevaun is from the south via an 8.5-kilometre 3-4 hour walk which starts from a small car-park in the forest below Carraigshouk 572 m (the car-park is known locally as "The Oasis") just off the R115 road (also called the Old Military Road). This southerly route ascends to Mullaghcleevaun East Top and then to the summit of Mullaghcleevaun, before retracing to the car-park.

A similar distance route can be done from the north starting at the car-park at Ballynultagh Gap (), which lies between Black Hill and Sorrel Hill).

A longer undertaking is the complete north-east to south-west "boggy ridge" that runs from the Sally Gap to Carrigvore 682 m, and then on to Gravale 718 m, and then after a col, the ridge continues south-westwards to meet Duff Hill 720 m, and then on to Mullaghcleevaun East Top and Mullaghcleevaun itself. Getting from the Sally Gap to Mullaghcleevan is itself an 8.5-kilometre 3-4 hour walk, which some hill walkers avoid having to completely retrace back to the Sally Gap, and thus completing a 7-hour walk, by instead using two cars.

Gallery

File:Mullaghcleevaun II.jpg|Northern corrie File: Mullaghcleevaun Plaque II.jpg|An Oige memorial plaque File:Mullaghcleevaun5169w.jpg|From the R759 File:Mullaghcleevaun North Corrie.jpg|Northern corrie, winter File:Summit of Mullaghcleevaun.jpg|Summit cairn File:Mullaghcleevaun.jpg|View from the East File:Mullaghcleevaun Boggy Ridge.jpg|View from the south of Mullaghcleevaun File:Dec2025. Hills around Blessington, Ireland. Mullaghcleevaun in mist 05.jpg|Slopes of Mullaghcleevaun in mist as viewed from the northwest

Bibliography

References

References

1. "Mullaghcleevaun". [[MountainViews Online Database]].
2. Paul Tempan. (February 2012). "Irish Hill and Mountain Names". MountainViews.ie.
3. Simon Stewart. (October 2018). "Arderins: Irish mountains of 500+m with a prominence of 30m". [[MountainViews Online Database]].
4. Simon Stewart. (October 2018). "Vandeleur-Lynams: Irish mountains of 600+m with a prominence of 15m". [[MountainViews Online Database]].
5. Mountainviews, (September 2013), "A Guide to Ireland's Mountain Summits: The Vandeleur-Lynams & the Arderins", Collins Books, Cork, {{ISBN. 978-1-84889-164-7
6. (1993). "The Mountains of Ireland: A Guide to Walking the Summits". Cicerone.
7. (2014). "Ireland's Best Walks: A Walking Guide". Collins Press.
8. Simon Stewart. (2018). "Arderins + Arderin Begs: Irish mountains of 500+m with a prominence of 15+m". MountainViews.
9. (September 2018). "Irish Highest 100: The highest 100 Irish mountains with a prominence of +100m". [[MountainViews Online Database]].
10. (2014). "WICKLOW - COUNTY GEOLOGICAL SITE REPORT: Glenmacnass Valley". [[Geological Survey of Ireland]].
11. (16 October 2010). "Peak viewing in Wicklow".
12. (2014). "Dublin & Wicklow: A Walking Guide". Collins Press.

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