EastWest Mapping

01/06/2026

Wicklow Drumgoff Update
https://eastwestmapping.ie/wicklow-drumgoff-update/
If you have a copy of our popular Lugnaquilla & Glendalough 1:25,000 scale map, you might like to note & mark this small but useful update. There is a well used parking area called the Drumgoff Recreation Area, south of the Glenmalure Inn. Which is used to access the route to Lugnaquilla by means of forest road and boardwalk, passing the old Parish Turf Bog.

A little SW of this lies Slieve Maan and the Brown K**b both covered in forest. A new section of forest road has been built for harvesting purposes and tracks widened. Both arrowed in purple on the attached extract. This now provides an alternative link and route to Slieve Maan.

Thanks to Emmanuel Chappard of Mountain Adventures 74 for spotting and reporting this to me. Remember if you spot any new features that don’t appear on our maps, do let me know so I can investigate.

If you have a copy of our popular Lugnaquilla & Glendalough 1:25,000 scale map, you might like to note & mark this small but useful update. There is a well used parking area called the Drumgoff Recreation Area, south of the Glenmalure Inn. Which is used to access the route to Lugnaquilla by means of...

25/05/2026

Vinegar Hill
https://eastwestmapping.ie/vinegar-hill/
Despite living in the hinterland of Enniscorthy, Co.Wexford for thirty years and often been there for shopping and whatever, I must admit that till recently I have never been on Vinegar Hill which overlooks the town. The hill of course is strongly associated with the United Irishmen rising of 1798. At 120 metres it’s a modest height but an obvious place for the rebels to gather, attack from and defend – till they were defeated in a bloody battle on the 21st June 1798.

Today the town laps up on two sides and there are multiple paths leading up and around the hill. So I was surveying these for the Enniscorthy Community Alliance & Wexford Trails who are going to signpost a couple of loop walks. There are great views from almost anywhere on the hill, over the town of Enniscorthy, across to Blackstairs & Mount Leinster and out towards the Irish Sea. The walks are short enough but perfect for some brisk exercise for the townspeople and local residents. Just mind where you step!

I’ve often wondered though if the general health of the population of a town like Enniscorthy is better than other towns. On the basis that it rises steeply from the banks of the Slaney on both sides. So if you are out shopping or whatever and on foot, you can’t help but get a bit of a cardio vascular workout as you climb the streets.

Despite living in the hinterland of Enniscorthy, Co.Wexford for thirty years and often been there for shopping and whatever, I must admit that till recently I have never been on Vinegar Hill which overlooks the town. The hill of course is strongly associated with the United Irishmen rising of 1798.....

22/05/2026

For the summer we’re promised, nice blue seas!

11/05/2026

Achill Island ~ New 2026 Map

Just published is a New 2026 Map for Achill Island, Corraun & Clare Island ~ all at 1:25000 scale with a good quality 10 metre contour interval. This map is double sided and printed on Polyart fully waterproof paper. Buildings, placenames, contouring and recreational information have all been overhauled. Cost €19.50 inc VAT.

You can purchase this map from our website now: https://eastwestmapping.ie/product/achill-corraun-clare-island/

This new map opens to the main Achill Island coverage. On the reverse side we have Corraun & Mulranny district with Clare Island & Achillbeg – printing cost of this side has been supported by Achill Tourism and many thanks to them.

This new 2026 Achill Island map replaces the original 2016 edition. However we have a small number of the older edition left for those who would like the large detailed map of Clare Island. On the new edition, Clare Island is at 1:25000 scale with reduced placenames for clarity. Cost €23.95 inc VAT.

Both 2026 & 2016 maps are available flat unfolded if required for wall display.

Thanks again to all our customers and supporters. Keeping maps in print at a reasonable price is a challenge with increasing costs all round combined with a trend towards digital maps. Your purchases are greatly appreciated.

Detaled 1:25000 scale maps of Achill island, Corraun & Clare Island

08/05/2026

Congrats Kathryn on completing a tough, tough challenge. And a great choice of maps🙂

04/05/2026

Cure Well
https://eastwestmapping.ie/cure-well/
This is the Cure Well in Knockatillane on the Dublin/ Wicklow border, located and photographed in 2014. From what I was told locally, the cure is/was for diarrhoea & shingles. An old woman had the cure, the water had to taken off by skimming the bottle in a pattern, against & across the flow.

It’s marked accurately on our Dublin Mountains 1:25,000 scale map. One of the many small details that bring life and value to a good map. I was told at the time that local children used to get a sup of water here when walking to school but that was neither today nor yesterday. So best assume it’s on private land and ask at nearest house if seeking to visit the Cure Well.

Cure Well This is the Cure Well in Knockatillane on the Dublin/ Wicklow border, located and photographed in 2014. From what I was told locally, the cure is/was for diarrhoea & shingles. An old woman had the cure, the water had to taken off by skimming the bottle in a pattern, against & across the [....

30/04/2026

22/04/2026

Moya & Coire
https://eastwestmapping.ie/moya-coire/
As I’m sure many people heard, the singer Moya Brennan sadly died last week leaving behind a sea of songs, both old & new. Moya was from Donegal and Máire would have been how her name was written as Gaeilge. However one of the great riches of language is regional dialect and in this case the pronunciation of Máire is as in Moya.

Likewise readers here will likely be familiar with the word ‘coire’ meaning a cauldron or a bowl. On a mountain, typically a bowl gouged out of the hill by glaciation in the past. The western end of Achill Island, from Keel out to Keem is influence by ‘Donegal Irish’. Just as Máire is said as Moya, so Coire is said like Ciya or Kiya, the ‘ire’ ending is said differently to say ‘Munster Irish’.

This dramatic lake north of Croaghaun on Achill is called Lough Bunafreva on Ordnance maps but that’s a mistake. Locally it’s known as Dobar Linn – the black or dark pool. The great bowl is known as Coire a’ Dobar Linn but this is said like ‘Kiya-Dibir-Linn’. It’s one of the situations where official written Irish fails to convey the diversity and richness of local dialect.

As I’m sure many people heard, the singer Moya Brennan sadly died last week leaving behind a sea of songs, both old & new. Moya was from Donegal and Máire would have been how her name was written as Gaeilge. However one of the great riches of language is regional dialect and in this case […]

14/04/2026

Contour Intervals Poll
https://eastwestmapping.ie/contour-intervals-poll/
I’d like to thank everyone who responded to our request for their opinion on contour intervals. Whether as regards our 1:25,000 scale maps, they prefer the finer detail of a 5m interval or the greater spacing of a 10m interval. We received well over a hundred responses via both online comments and email.

I was hoping for a clear choice to be expressed one way or the other but the tot is roughly 60:40, in favour of a 10m interval. There are very good reasons for either choice expressed in the various mails & comments. In favour of the 5m interval is the extra detail and that this is unique to EastWest Mapping maps, consistency across a series etc. In favour of the 10m interval, that this gives the map room to breathe, that they are easier to read on the hill and is quite adequate for general mountain navigation.

I too look at it both ways, clearly the 5m interval suits some areas fine whilst the 10m interval is clearly better elsewhere. I’ve learnt that other series change the interval to suit. Our customer base is divided. I vacillate too between one and the other but for the purposes of the new Achill, Corraun & Clare Island, I’ve come down on the side of retaining the 10m interval for this 1:25,000 scale print map. We will though use the 5m interval on any digital version, as a zoom facility addresses legibility issues.

I’ve additionally darkened the contour lines, grid lines and their labels a touch after feedback. Gone off to print now. For other areas, I’ll review if/ when maps are being revised/ reprinted. Thanks again for your help.

I’d like to thank everyone who responded to our request for their opinion on contour intervals. Whether as regards our 1:25,000 scale maps, they prefer the finer detail of a 5m interval or the greater spacing of a 10m interval. We received well over a hundred responses via both online comments and...

06/04/2026

Contour Intervals Achill
https://eastwestmapping.ie/contour-intervals-achill/
Firstly thank you to all who commented on my previous post regarding 5m and 10m contour intervals. There are opinions both ways and no clear preference overall. If anything, more customers who answered prefer the 5m detail but not by a large majority. Those preferring a 10m interval list clarity, ease of calculation and aging eyesight as factors.

Two alternative approaches came to mind 1) use a 10m contour interval on 1:25,000 print maps for clarity with a 5m interval on digital versions, where you can zoom in and 2) to thin the 5m contour line down to half that of the 10m line, so that the 10m contours stand out better.

Here’s a small area from my current reworking of our Achill 1:25K map. I’ve picked this as it includes some very steep slopes, some moderately steep slopes and areas of gentler slope. I’ve rendered this below with 10m contours on top sample and with 5m below.

My personal observations A) I like the clarity of the 10m solution which at print size is quite clear B) I also like the hill shading effect of the 5m solution, where the greater density of contours picks out the moderately steep slopes. Though the very steep slopes lose some definition.

I’m limited in how thin I make the 5m contours as it would be easy to fall between two stools, where they are harder to see but still detract from clarity.

Firstly thank you to all who commented on my previous post regarding 5m and 10m contour intervals. There are opinions both ways and no clear preference overall. If anything, more customers who answered prefer the 5m detail but not by a large majority. Those preferring a 10m interval list clarity, ea...