Short and sweet with sensational 360° views from the top, overlooking the Poulaphouca Reservoir (aka Blessington Lake) – this is one of my local favourites.
There are two main routes leading to the summit of Sorel Hill. Both start from different spots along the Gap Road and can be easily reached with parking space available.
The shortest and most direct way up to Sorrel Hill can be found right opposite of the Black Hill car park. This is a 1km trail and pretty much straight up. Beware: it’s usually muddy and slippery, unless there was a significant dry period.
Nonetheless this is a completely runnable trail, averaging just below 14% gradient, with only a few steeper stretches toward the end when the summit is already within reach.
The second option, and perhaps most attractive one, starts from further down the Gap Road toward the village of Lacken and is 2.6km long in its entirety.
Going this way actually consists of two climbs: an initial “pipe opener” right from the get-go, followed by a flatter stretch that leads ultimately to the actual Sorrel Hill climb that kicks up significantly over the final 600m with very steep and uneven sections.
Going into the red on the final section of the climb is a lot of fun when you’re propelling yourself up the nature made “stairs” in an effort to keep the momentum going on gradients that can hit up to 30%. It’s also rather painful.
Thankfully pain is temporarily and only lasts between 6 and 10 minutes or somewhere around 20 for the entire climb, depending how fast you are. The effort is well rewarded with splendid views from the top of Sorrel Hill, though.
………….
Photo: © Florian Christoph, 2021
Uphill Runner 