Writing in 1855, Patrick Kennedy, a Wexford folkorist with the pen-name Harry Whitney, provides us with a pen picture of the dark streaks of bog and grey rocks on the slopes of White Mountain. Today, the landscape has changed. Pine covers the slopes on the Wexford side and a blanket of heather sweeps down into Carlow from the summit. The view from the top allows you to see across the Wexford plains to the Irish Sea. On a clear day the mountains of Wales can be seen. To the west, rolling hills give way to the plains of the Irish midlands.
Along the ridge of White Mountain there is a selection of sites related to the geology of the area. The grey rocks Kennedy described are still here, with slate and schist visible on the surface of the slopes alongside a number of impressive granite tors, locally known as Brans, on the ridge. Also on the ridge is Poul Art ring-cairn. This ancient monument illustrates the deep history of human activity in this area. A triangulation pillar perched on one of the tors links White Mountain to the Ordnance Survey’s mapping of Ireland, when these pillars were used to help measure distances while mapping the entirety of the island.
White Mountain can be accessed by a number of routes through forestry. Please be a responsible visitor, ensure your own safety by planning your own routes and obeying the countryside code.