Days 1 & 2 (Wednesday and Thursday)
Depart London 6pm, pick up 2 passengers and drive to Fishguard
Overnight ferry to Rosslare
Drive to Killarney, shop and lakeside walk.
Day 3 (Good Friday)
Purple Mountain & Gap of Dunloe
Weather: Scattered cloud
Steep flog up through heather from Kate Kearney's Cottage to Tomies
Mountain (735m), unremarkable ridge to 757m top, then spur with
excellent views of Lough Leane to Shehy Mountain (571m), return by
same to 757m top then ascent to Purple Mountain (832m). Tricky
descent to Madman's Seat and the Gap of Dunloe. Not a single person
met on the hill until this point. An oddly enjoyable 6km walk along
the road to Kate Kearney's Cottage followed.
Day 4 (Easter Saturday)
Coomloughra Horseshoe
Weather: light showers, clag at 650m
The Hydro Road to 450m, then a steep ridge to 975m top (no messing
about with the ascent on this walk!) A narrow but simple ridge to
Caher (1001m) continuing over a 983m top then a final straightforward
climb to Carrauntoohil (1039m). We saw our first fellow walkers at
the 5m iron cross - by the coachload! Tricky descent and trickier
ascent along a narrow ridge to Beenkeragh (1010m), then over 851m top
and Skregmore (848m). Descent to Hydro Road and back.
Day 5 (Easter Sunday)
Reeks' Ridge
Weather: sunshine and drizzle, intermittent clag at 800m
From the Bunkhouse at Kissanes Cross, up a lane then a track to 420m.
Bog trotting for 600m then steep ascent to Cnoc an Bhraca (731m).
Stupendous ridge over Faill na Mionnain (721m), Cruach Bheag (781m),
Cruach Mhor (932m). Followed by a narrow, tricky but delightful ridge
over Big Gun (939m), Cnoc na Peiste (988m). The ridge then broadened
for a simple section with stunning views: Maolan Bui (973m), An Saru
(926m), Cnoc an Chuillin (958m) then 1.5km to the top of the Devil's
Ladder. Treacherous descent to Hags' Glen and a 7.5Km walk out back
to the bunkhouse.
Day 6 (Easter Monday)
Depart bunkhouse near Killarney at 4am. Ferry from Rosslare at 9am,
arrive Fishguard at 12.30. Drop off passengers and Home by 6pm.
Comment: A lot of driving for 3 days' walking, but a delightful place
to visit. Uncrouded, except Carrauntoohil, even on a bank holiday
weekend. Excellent ridge walks, the Reeks and Coomloughra Horseshoe
are better than anything I've experienced in England or Wales.