Carrauntoohil and MacGillycuddy’s Reeks

Jim Ryan is a civil engineer living in Cork. A regular mountain walker in Ireland and abroad, he has a particular interest in geology and claims his spiritual home is on the Reeks of Kerry. His first book, Aconcagua - The Highest Trek in the World was published by Cicerone in 2004.

• Using this Book Maps, Grid References and GPSs x Walk Times, Escape Routes, Access to Lands xi MacGillycuddy's Reeks - A Profile Ireland's Highest Mountains 4 Geology 6 History 10 Evicted from the Gap of Dunloe 15 Flora 22 Fauna 25 Who Owns the Reeks? 26 People of the Reeks 27 Climate 30 Placenames and Townlands 33 Kerry Mountain Rescue 38 Action Plan for the Reeks 39 Getting There Maps 40 Killarney to the Gap of Dunloe 40 The Gap of Dunloe and the Black Valley 42 Cronin's Yard 42 Lisleibane 43 Glencar 43 Practicalities Checking the Weather Forecast 44 Camping 44 Hostels 47 Killarney 47 Fossa 47 Beaufort 48 The Gap of Dunloe 48 The Black alley 49 Glencar 49 The Walks An Overview with Difficulty Ratings 52 The Gap Of Dunloe Area Walk 1 The Gap of Dunloe and the Eastern Reeks 56 Walk 2 Purple Mountain 60 Walk 3 Tomies via The Chimneys 64 Walk 4 The Lough Googh Circuit 66 Safe Ascents & Descents on Carrauntoohil Critical Appraisal of Routes 72 Popularity of Routes 78 Hag's Glen Eastern Side Walk 5 Cummeenapeasta Circuit 80 Walk 6 Carrauntoohil via The Devil's Ladder 83 Walk 7 Up the Zig-zags (Bothar na Gige) and Down The Bone 88 Hag's Glen Western Side Walk 8 Carrauntoohil via O'Shea's Gully returning by Heavenly Gates 93 Walk 9 Carrauntoohil via Curved Gully or Central Gully 98 Walk 10 Stumpa an tSaimh Ridge to Beenkeragh 101 Walk 11 Beenkeragh via Cummeenagearagh 104 Routes from Glencar Walk 12 The Coomloughra Horseshoe 108 Walk 13 The Black Mare Ascent to Carrauntoohil 112 The Reeks Walks Walk 14 The Gap of Dunloe to Glencar 117 Walk 15 The Hag's Glen Circuit 122 The Black Valley and the Bridia Valley Walk 16 Carrauntoohil from the Black alley 126 Walk 17 Caher from the Lack Road 128 Walk 18 The Lough Duff Circuit 131 Low Level Walks Walk 19 The Gap of Dunloe to Derrycunnihy Church 135 Walk 20 The Kerry Way through the Black alley to Lough Acoose 139 References and Further Reading 141 Maps Map 1 West Munster 41 Map 2 The Killarney Area 46 Map 3 The Reeks 51 Map 4 The Gap of Dunloe and Eastern Reeks 57 Map 5 Purple Mountain 63 Map 6 The Lough Googh Circuit and Cummeenapeasta 67 Map 7 Ascents and Descents on Carrauntoohil 74 Map 8 The Devil's Ladder, the Zigzags and the Bone 87 Map9 O'Shea's, Curved and Central Gullies, Heavenly Gates 97 Map 10 Stumpa an tSaimh and the Beenkeragh Ridge 100 Map 11 Cummeenagearagh Ascent, the Black Mare Ascent & the Coomloughra Horseshoe 113 Map 12 The Reeks Walk from Dunloe to Glencar 116 Map 13 The Kerry Way from the Black Valley to Lough Acoose 123 Map 14 The Gap of Dunloe to Derrycunnihy 137

'Essential reading for anyone planning to climb these Kerry mountains'