Gibbet Hill [Cnoc na Croiche]

About Gibbet Hill [Cnoc na Croiche]

Rising above the Slaney Valley near Bunclody, this prominent Marilyn marks the southern tail of the Wicklow Hills. Though modest in height, its isolated position offers clear views across the Wexford-Carlow border toward the northern ramparts of the Blackstairs Mountains and the mast-topped summit of Mount Leinster.

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Did You Know?

• •The Irish name Cnoc na Croiche translates as 'Hill of the Gallows'. This indicates the summit was historically used as a site for public executions, a common practice for prominent hills overlooking major provincial routes or market towns.
• •Despite an elevation of just 315 metres, the hill is classified as a Marilyn because it drops at least 150 metres on all sides, making it a more topographically significant landmark than many higher peaks in the main Wicklow range.
• •The summit provides a clear perspective of the Scullogue Gap to the southwest, the ancient mountain pass that separates Mount Leinster from the rest of the Blackstairs range.
• •In an area dominated by the 794-metre Mount Leinster, Gibbet Hill is frequently overlooked by hikers, proving that a history of public executions is still less of a tourist draw than a giant television transmitter.