Mt Brandon, the best route?

Might try it next weekend. Have gone on a few sites and now I'm lost between paternoster lakes and the Faha ridge, the Pilgrim Path etc. etc. Any clarification or rough guideline? I have a fair idea of the area, the Conor Pass side and the car park at the top of it, the Brandon Creek side, the Cloghane side etc. so directions can be approximate.

And what's the best route? Where is the start of the Pilgrim Path and is this one and the same as the marked route? The group I'm with not mad about marked paths, not mountaineers or anything but would prefer a small bit of scrambling and like heights and the spectacular.

bill_ashmount

Start in Cloghane, go through the village past the church and there is a turn off to a starting point with a carpark. The climb starts by going up to a grotto (I always find this part a nightmare even though it doesn't look too steep). The route is very well marked. There are poles lodged in the ground every couple of hundred yards so you won't get lost. This route will bring you sweeping around above the lakes. The views are amazing and when you get towards the base of Mount Brandon itself the way up will be marked by yellow arrows painted into the stones every now and then.

It makes it a great walk and in total if you go up and back the same way it will take about 6 hours (with plenty of little stops included).

Only bad thing about this mountain is the fact that it is covered in cloud most of the time.

Great, thanks for that. 6 hours is perfect for us. Yeah, seems to be in cloud most times I've passed it alright.

Mac2010

hi is there any public transport between cloghane and tralee? whats the best option for a person who doesnt drive? thnks in advance:)

Chris O Donoghue

The walk from the grotto in by the lakes is brilliant, but bear in mind that once you leave the lakes it is a fairly tough walk to the top. There are some very eroded sections which will take a bit of care. A lot of the rocks have been cracked during the hard winter so test everything before stepping or pulling on it.

Even though the valley is often full of fog, you can sometimes be lucky when you reach the ridge, and get great views off to the west, its superb when the sun is shining, so don't be put off even if the walk-in is in fog.

Take note of the little sign where the path tops out: it's surprisingly easy to get disoriented on the ridge, so remember to watch out for the sign on the way back.

If you have time it's well worth the extra hour so to go out to Brandon Peak and back, but make sure you descend by the original path, there is no other viable descent into the valley.

Have fun!