Date of Adventure: 24 April 2021
The Basics:
This hike is located in County Dublin, about a 30 minute drive from city centre. My roommates and I opted to take a taxi from our house rather than try to figure out public transportation, which I think was ultimately a good decision. We arrived around 9:30 AM on a Saturday, and there was already a long line of cars waiting to get into the car park, so if you’re driving, I would recommend getting there early. There is both an ice cream truck and a coffee cart in the car park (check out the Green & Bean Company on Instagram—the barista was so nice and the iced coffee was delicious).
History and Legend:
On the top of Montpelier Hill are the ruins of a hunting lodge, built around 1725 by William Connolly, the speaker of the Irish Parliament at the time. It was built in front of a cairn marking an ancient burial site—you can see the dirt mound where the cairn was located today. Stones from the cairn were allegedly used to build the lodge, and the roof was blown off in a storm soon after the lodge’s completion, leading to local speculation that the lodge was destroyed by supernatural forces in retribution for disturbing the dead.
The Hellfire Club was a gentleman’s club for members of high society, founded first in London in 1718. The Irish chapter was established in 1735 by Richard Parsons. William Connolly was not a member of the Hellfire Club, but he allegedly leased his hunting lodge to the group to use; Connolly himself only used the lodge sparingly prior to his death. Meetings involved heavy drinking and debauchery. The club was shrouded in mystery and secrecy, leading to an incredible amount of local speculation that they were Satanists, holding animal and human sacrifices and black masses on the grounds of the lodge. Several legends arose from this period, including one where a stranger playing cards with club members was discovered to have cloven hooves.
The lodge was once set ablaze during a Hellfire Club meeting, and only the husk of the lodge remains on Montpelier. Several members were allegedly killed in the burning, effectively ending the club’s activity until it was revived in 1771. For 30 more years, the Hellfire Club had a reputation of even greater terror and debauchery than before; there are even legends connecting this era of the club to murder and cannibalism.
Many believe that the lodge is haunted, still tainted by the rituals that allegedly occurred within the walls. There are reports of an enormous black cat that wanders the grounds, as well as odd sights and sounds to visitors to the lodge at night.
The Hike:
We did the Hellfire Forest Loop, which was marked with green trail markers. It’s the longer of the two options, and there are some incredible views of Dublin all the way around the hill, particularly on the far side. The trail markers were a bit confusing, so remember to keep left when there are multiple trail options if you’d like to do the longest route.
We started with the trailhead closest to the entrance of the car park and made our way to the left. The first portion of the trail is moderately steep for a good distance, but then it levels out and becomes a pleasant, easy walk.
The far side and the very top of the hill boasted some of the best views I’ve seen of Dublin—you could really see every inch of the city, all the way out to the sea. It was an uncharacteristically clear day, so I’m not sure if this is typically the case, but it was absolutely stunning.
There are two more moderately difficult inclines towards the top of the hill, but there is a good stretch of flat ground in between them. During the second incline you’ll see the Hellfire Club appear over the top of the brush, and the trail will spill out into the clearing. You can actually go into the ruins lodge and explore, although it’s very small. The clearing is also a nice place to sit and picnic before making your way down the mountain.
When facing the front of the lodge, we took the trail directly to the left, which took us down a short, steep dirt path almost all the way down to the entrance. This is probably the best option when hiking with small children or if you’re exhausted by the end of the hike, but if you’re looking to extend your walk, take the path to the right of the lodge.
Reflection:
Two days before my roommates and I took this hike, I made them watch one of my favorite
movies—It (2017). I really enjoy well-made horror movies, and by “well-made” I mean ones that
rely on good, solid storytelling to cultivate an atmosphere of fear, rather than mindless jump scares or excessive amounts of gore. I sold my roommates on the movie by claiming that It is one of the greatest coming-of-age films of our generation. I’m not sure they agreed with that assessment, but I think they enjoyed it nonetheless.
I’ve also been fascinated with real-life ghost stories, folklore, and urban legends for most of my life. I grew up in Savannah, GA, one of the most haunted cities in the United States, surrounded by tales of things that go bump in the night. Even as we sat at the top of the hill, relaxing and enjoying our lunch after our hike, I scrolled through various websites and regaled my roommates with every creepy story I could find about the lodge.
I partly climbed up to the Hellfire Club to say I’d done it, and to walk around one of Ireland’s
most haunted locations. I was expecting the entire hike to have a heavy atmosphere, for the forest to feel dense and dark. But this was truly one of the most beautiful places I’ve been in Dublin.
The views of surrounding farmlands and the mountains were incredible, and everything was so green. My breath was nearly taken away once the trees opened to reveal the sprawling cityscape of Dublin below us. The lodge itself was surrounded by families picnicking, sunbathing on the grass and enjoying the views. Everything felt light and airy and joyful, even in the shadow of a haunted house.
It was a moderately challenging, incredibly rewarding hike. I can’t say for sure if the Hellfire Club is haunted, but I do highly recommend going for everything else the park has to offer.
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