Walks around Kenmare

paulocon

Hi,

Heading to Kenmare for a week and just wondering if anyone had any suggestions re. walks in the area?

Looking at Hungry Hill, has anyone done it? May spin over to Killarney and do Mangerton. Done Purple, Tomies, Cnoc na Bhraca and Cnoc na Tarbh last year but was a lot fitter then.

Thanks in advance,
Paul

fergusb

Have done Hungry Hill a few times, but none recently. Its a good climb with great views (if the weather is good!). Would definitely recommend it. You have a choice of routes from what I remember as well, a short but sharp route up the south. And a more gentle route up from the south west.

As I said its been a while so maybe the routes have changed!

paulocon

paulocon wrote: »

Heading to Kenmare for a week and just wondering if anyone had any suggestions re. walks in the area?

About 50!

Live in South Kerry.

Where to start is the problem. Hungry Hill is great. As is Knockowen and Cushnaficulla and around Glenrastel in the middle of the Cahas. And the wonderful Cummeengeera Circuit to the north of those. Or Barley Lake and the Sugarloaf to the east end of the Cahas.

Then you have the Mangertons, which apart from the mountain itself have some great trails going through it at the Kenmare side, like the Old Killarney Road, or the wonderful Beenaunmore with its volcanic valleys near the Glenflesk. To the north of the highest point in the range, the Devil's Punchbowl and the Horse's Glen are both spectacular.

You have the Dunkerrons, Mullaghanattin, the Cloon Horseshoe, Stumpa and the Knockduff Horseshoe, and the great ranges behind Sneem with their deep cooms. Knockagantee is particularly stunning.

And I haven't even started on the Reeks, Purple mountains, Tomies etc. though see you have had a taste of them. The Big Gun is the popular stretch in the Eastern Reeks.

PM me and let me know stuff like how long you like to hike for, whether you like raised bogs or scrambles up cliffsides or marked trails or forestry, and I'll give you pointers.

paulocon

Thanks for the responses..

Conor, I've done a fair bit of walking but have been out of practice recently. Set myself a goal some time ago of doing all the mountains in Paddy Dillon's book 'The Mountains of Ireland' but it's a but of a slow burner!

Like I said, done Purple and Tomies last year and a couple of the Eastern Reeks. Would love to do some walking on the reeks but not confident enough and my navigation skills aren't great.

Ideally looking something that I can get up and down without too much difficulty (will only walk if conditions are good) and that I can fit into a mornings walking (4-5 hours max). I have a decent level of fitness but no-where near what I had last year (got myself fit to walk the Mourne Wall).

Pouring over Mangerton or perhaps Boughil and Knocnacappul. Have no idea how difficult Knockowen or Hungry Hill are but would be interested in doing either as haven't been down that way as of yet.

Looking forward to the trip now - just hope the weather holds up!