I’ve been here for three months in Cork for business, and I have been fortunate that European cities are compact such that I am within walking distance of everything I need in life—except of course for mountains. They are far away, and public transport doesn’t go anywhere near them.
We had an announcement late in the week last week that our laboratory space would be closed on Saturday and Sunday due to utilities work. I immediately reserved a car, and my business partner and I headed out to Macgillycuddy’s Reeks on Saturday.
absolutely miserable conditions with almost no visibility, but I clearly chose the wrong camera setting...
We drove out first thing in the morning on Saturday. My business partner slept in the car on the way out there, then decided that she should probably continue sleeping while I ran up Carrantuohil.
I made quick progress through the mist and rain through the valley from the Cronans Yard trailhead, and then I hit the Devils Ladder.
Devil’s Ladder is a 45 degree waterfall that rises ~750 feet from the valley. It was sloppy and tiring, but it wasn’t worse than some of the approaches to LoJ peaks I’ve hit. Except that this was a waterfall.
Once up on the ridge, it was short work to hit the highpoint, and I managed to run into three Corkonian mountain men on top. I teamed up with them on a much nicer route down the mountains with rock scrambles and some 4th class descents. I can’t find any description of it or map reference—a locals-only route perhaps?
the weather started improving at the end. Hags Tooth on the right, Carrauntoohil lost in the clouds on the left
When we rejoined the main trail in the valley, I found my business partner picking her way along the gravel trail in her flip-flops, so I turned her around and we went back to the car to enjoy the rest of our weekend in Kerry County.
We finished off the day camping on a totally deserted Inch Beach
