Barranisky [Ballymoyle Hill] [Barr an Uisce]

About Barranisky [Ballymoyle Hill] [Barr an Uisce]

Rising above the East Wicklow coast near Arklow, this modest 280-metre hill is a significant Marilyn despite its height. Primarily covered in commercial forestry, the summit of Barr an Uisce offers a quiet vantage point over the Irish Sea and the distant silhouette of the higher Wicklow Mountains to the west.

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Did You Know?

• •The Irish name Barr an Uisce translates as 'the top of the water,' likely referring to the way drainage flows from this coastal height toward the Potter's River and the Irish Sea.
• •From the summit area, you can look south towards the isolated peak of Tara Hill and north-east over the coastal dunes of Brittas Bay.
• •Much of the hill is managed by Coillte as a working forest, meaning views from the top are highly dependent on the current felling cycle and the age of the spruce trees.
• •Despite its lowly 280-metre stature, the hill’s relative isolation earns it a place on the Marilyn list, a classification requiring at least 150 metres of prominence.
• •Reaching the true summit during certain stages of the forestry cycle can feel less like a mountain ascent and more like a tactical negotiation with a wall of Sitka spruce.