North Atlantic Skyline Gallery of Carrauntoohil

This is a picture gallery of a climb to Carrauntoohil, Ireland's highest mountain. It is 1040 metres tall [3,412 feet]and located in the MacGillacuddy Reeks [Na Cruacha Dubha], Co Kerry - west of Killarney. The pictures were taken on December 30, 2006. The picture above is a detail from Ordnance Survey Map No. 78 and gives a (very) rough outline of the path taken [i.e. you wouldn't want to rely on it for navigation]. There is a more detailed Ordnance survey map of The Reeks which you can buy anywhere in Kerry.[Another view of the same route here]

As the map shows, the path taken was a loop around the summit, ascending via Hag's Glen and descending down the Devil's Ladder. I was part of a group of 15 walkers that were accompanied by professional (and very good) guides, as part of a end-of-year walking festival organized by Go Ireland and we were all very well looked after in the Kerry Ocean Lodge in Glenbeigh. The Reeks are not particularly dangerous mountains but they do claim lives on a regular basis. Poor visibility is a feature of the Reeks - it rains a lot in Kerry - and it is easy to loose one's bearings. I've climbed Carrauntoohil twice in late 2006 and I'm amazed at the number of people who set off too late to get down in good light, go up poorly equipped or go up on their own. They are all good ways of getting yourself killed or spending a very miserable night in the open. The Call Out Log of the Kerry Mountain Rescue team makes depressing reading - time and time again, the team (who are all volunteers) are mobilised because someone did something thoughtless. Of course, it possible to be just unlucky - if you break a leg, you're not likely to hop down on your own and mobile phone reception is not great across the Reeks. Carrauntoohil has another nasty surprise - sudden, fierce gusts of wind that will push you a yard or two before you get a chance to steady yourself. If you happen to be walking along the edge of one of the ridges at the time, then your next step is your last one. Be warned.