Three Ridges...The Hags Tooth..Howling Ridge..Benkeeragh Ridge

Last Wednesday, just a week after coming home from four very enjoyable days hiking and camping on the mountains of the Lake District, I decided to take advantage of a great weather spell and I headed for my normal stomping ground, the Magillycuddy Reeks.
Sometimes you have to go away to really appreciate just what you have at home. Wednesday was a case in point because as I walked into the Hags Glen from Cronin's Yard I was struck anew by the beauty of the area and I realised that, while undeniably beautiful, the Lake District didn't have anything as wonderfully rugged and spectacular as what lay before me. The Hags Glen and the encompassing amphitheatre of seven 3000 foot peaks is inspiring and impressive and on a stellar morning such as I had  there can be few finer sights on these islands. I was also really looking forward to my outing as I had decided to climb Howling Ridge so I could get my hands on some quality rock.

Excellent scrambling heading towards The Hags Tooth

Airy Top

Carrauntoohil and its ridges

I have been on a health kick for the past month and I had lost a stone in weight and I was feeling the benefits of that as I walked in. When the impressive Hags Tooth came into view I decided I would climb that as well as it is easy to link it with an ascent of Howling. After crossing the stream I veered right and climbed the many rock steps that lead to the Tooth. Some are straight forward and some are bloody difficult and it would be an easy thing to get into a bit of bother on them. Exiting at the top of some can be particularly awkward. Still any difficulty is easily avoided until you reach the more sustained stuff on the tooth itself. Now some exposed scrambling presents itself but when the rock is as dry and grippy as today it presents no difficulty. I soon arrived at the tiny little top and after a brief enjoyment of my situation I dropped to the western side and descended the steep but straight forward gully to reach the first level of Coumeenoughter.

Quality rock steps..Stick to the crest.

Next comes the climb to reach the Heavenly Gates, where I turned and started up Howling. What a joy it was to enjoy steep exposed but easy rock steps that lead ever upwards to ever more spectacular ground. I must say that the exposure never bothers me when I'm here as I tend to concentrate on the climbing and movement more than anything else. It is absorbing but never difficult and today when options presented themselves I took the harder and most direct lines I could and revelled in feeling strong. This route is graded at VDiff, but lets just say, I have climbed harder at this grade. Nevertheless it is very enjoyable and gives one the feel of a proper mountain route. It is however all too short and after just 27 minutes I was past the difficulties and I climbed the steep easy ground to reach the summit of Carrauntoohil. Sitting, enjoying my lunch in the warm windless afternoon, was a simple joy and it was nice to feel that I had done something worthy with my morning. Next came the always enjoyable grade 1 scramble across to Benkeeragh and a descent over Knockbrinnea completed the day. It felt quite warm when I got back to the valley floor and it was a relief to have a long drink back at the car. When the sun shines there is little to beat these mountains.

On the Benkeeragh Ridge