Gravale [Droibheal]

About Gravale [Droibheal]

Situated on the main ridge of the Wicklow Mountains, this rounded Hewitt is defined by its exposed peat-hags and expansive moorland. Often climbed as part of the traverse between Duff Hill and Mullaghcleevaun, it offers a wild, remote experience despite its proximity to Dublin, requiring careful navigation in low cloud.

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Did You Know?

• •The name derives from the Irish Droibheal, which translates as a 'difficult passage' or 'wilderness'. Given the saturated peat hags and deep heather guarding its summit, it is an unusually honest piece of Irish toponymy.
• •It is most commonly reached as part of a high-level circuit from the Sally Gap, linked with its neighbours Duff Hill and Mullaghcleevaun via a long, undulating ridge that feels remarkably remote.
• •The summit offers a stark, impressive view across the central Wicklow massif, specifically looking south to the broad shoulders of Tonelagee and north toward the transmitter-topped peak of Kippure.
• •Hikers quickly learn that the Gaelic name is less a title and more a warning; in wet conditions, the ground toward Duff Hill has a consistency that suggests the hill is trying to keep your boots as a permanent souvenir.