2022 A New Year. Carrauntoohil

 I have been neglecting the blog over the past 18 months. With Covid causing mayhem, I basically got out of the habit of updating the blog. Not that I have been idle. I have been doing more in the way of cycling, I am still running and while visiting Castletownbere in the autumn of 2020 I rediscovered my liking for sea fishing from the shore. This has without doubt eaten into my hillwalking time but I still get out and about regularly. 

Just before Christmas I went for a couple of days fishing to west Kerry and while there I went for a quick hike up Cnoc na dTobar. Something of an outlier at the western end of the Iveragh, this mountain reaches 690 metres and offers some of the best views in Ireland. A good path leads to the summit and the magic juxtaposition of islands, sea and mountains is truly wonderful. A nice little horseshoe can be done and it makes for a very satisfying few hours. (The less said about the fishing the better)

The view towards Caherciveen and Valentia from 3/4 the way up Cnoc na dTobar

On December 26th I went as far as the Galtees for a bit of a burnout, in the hope of offsetting some of the excesses of the previous days. It was a decent weather forecast and promised to be mainly dry and with the possibility of some clear skies. I decided that a circuit from Kings Yard would fit the bill nicely. I set off at 10.40 and headed for Monabrack first. This gives a nice gentle intro to the hike and I was immediately enjoying my walk up the farm road I followed it around into the valley between Monabrack and the spur that rises to Galtymore. This valley has a nice remote mountain feel to it and it offers you that lovely feel of being enveloped by the mountains. The easy going is now over and I faced into the 350 metre steep pull to the 630 metre summit of Monabrack. The weather was playing ball and what cloud there was only clung to the top of the main ridge. A drop down to the col and another 250 metre more gradual pull to the broad crest of the main ridge follows. Views were now scarce so I wasted no time trying to photograph anything and followed the wall all the way to the final slopes that rise up to "Dawsons Table". I didn't see anyone until I was under the summit slopes and even the summit itself was sparsely populated. From the top I turned south and decided to follow the spur that leads directly back to Kings Yard. I must confess to feeling the effects of festive excess on the route but I really enjoyed my outing. It is always a bonus to arrive back to the car warm and dry.

14 kilometres...950mtrs ascent...3.5 hours...cobwebs gone

 

January 5th 2022

With a couple of frosty nights promised and the possibility of snow on the Magillycuddy Reeks I was looking forward to my first hill outing of the new year. Wednesday January 5th was promised to be sunny and cold so that would be my outing. The evening before I could see from home that the Galtees were white on the top few hundred metres so I made sure to carry my axe and crampons with me. I even hoped to get in a winter climb of Curve Gully or "The Grey Area".

I rose early and was on the road west at 7.40. I arrived at a calm, frosty, blue sky Lisliebane before nine am and quickly got ready for the off. Alas, even though it was reading -4 in the car on the way back, the hoped for blanket of snow was no where to be seen so it looked like a climb was off the table. Ever hopeful I left the hardware in the bag and set off into the Hags Glen. The encompassing array of 3000ft peaks is always an inspirations sight and this morning was no exception. I was feeling good and immediately enjoying my surrounding and looking forward to the challenge ahead. I decided to head up to Commeenoughter in the rugged heart of the Carrauntoohil-Beenkeragh side of the glen and hope against hope that Curve Gully held snow. When I eventually reached "level 3" it was very clear that there was none so I continued up O'Sheas Gully. This is a long hard slog that gets steeper near the top but the rewards of the views west and the nearby Caher is ample reward for the effort and gives one a good excuse to rest a while. It was a properly fantastic day. The ground was well frozen, the sky was clear and blue and there wasn't a puff of wind. Just about as good as it gets (except maybe a covering of snow). 

Not a bad way to start the day

Looking out from "Level Two" in Commeenoughter

Looking up "O'Sheas"

Caher

The mountains near Glenbeigh

 

I was on the summit soon after and thankfully it wasn't too  crowded and I relaxed and enjoyed a bite to eat. The East Reeks looked wonderful and I decided to continue my day and traverse the ridge as far as Maoláin Buí (The Bone). A wee bit of care on the descent the top of the ladder was required but it was hard not to keep looking up at the stunning panorama all around. Once at the top of the "Ladder the pull up to Cnoc na Toinne was easy on the frozen turf. Here is one of my favourite places to wander and soak in those views. You are in the heart of the range here and the 3000 foot mountains on either side look magnificent. It is hard to believe that you are still at a higher elevation than anywhere in Connaught and only Slieve Donard is higher in Ulster. A short descent leads you to the final climb of Cnoc an Chuillinn 958 metres. This is another of my favourite view points and it is made all the sweeter when the bulk of the climbing was now over. A wonderful airy walk follows on the ridge before a final 70mtr pull to the 970 metre summit of Maoláin Buí, my final top of the day. The descent is straightforward and went very well. I arrived back at the car before 14.00. Just 4 hours 45 mins to cover 14 kilometres and 1290 metres of ascent. I was well pleased.

Carrauntoohil

One of my favourite strolls...Cnoc na Toinne

Looking back from "The Bone"

Descent.