The Coumloughra Horseshoe
Wednesday 14th September
What started out as pretty awful weather turned out to be an absolute scorcher of a day in absolutely stunning weather. The day started overcast with very low cloud giving a fine mist everywhere. Parking at Breanlee I headed up the concrete track steeply up the hillside; I was soon into the clouds. Turning right the track leveled off and moved across the hillside over varying surfaces round to cross a stream and follow it to a dam. With the weather warming as the sun tried to break through the clouds I crossed the dam and started climbing steeply up the hillside through heather and across rocks. Halfway up I got a shock when I looked to my right and saw a mountain top poking through the clouds. Within minutes more mountains had revealed themselves as the clouds continued to break; blue could soon be seen above me.
Eagerly I continued climbing the steep slope, wearing myself out as I rushed up onto the hilltop. The view before me was a Thermal Inversion with dense clouds filling the valleys and clear blue skies overhead. With great enthusiasm I made my way along the ridge gazing out over the clouds and marveled at the Brocken Spectres on the clouds. I had always heard about these things but never seem one for myself. I felt very privileged. After passing over Skregmore I bypassed Beenkeragh on its north edge and headed across to Knockbrinnea. When this peak had been bagged I headed back across to Beenkeragh climbing steeply over the rocks up to the summit. After lunch I headed across the ridge to Carrauntoohil. This was an exciting and thrilling ridge crossing, especially with the route I took, keeping to the top of the ridge as much as possible. The ridge starts quite easily but later gets quite technical with some rather tough scrambling. It was great fun, I really enjoyed every moment of it. With the views getting better and better with the lifting clouds, and exciting ridge walks this was quickly becoming a very good days walk.
Once the ridge was crossed I headed up on to the top of Carrauntoohil, the highest hill in Ireland. The views were simply amazing. Once I had had enough of the views I headed towards the final ridge across to Caher. While enjoying the narrow, if simplistic ridge I was frustrated by a mist that drifted in from the sea. It didn't last too long, but had done it's worst to obstruct my views while I was on Caher. 
With no more tops left I resignedly began the long descent down to the bottom of the valley. The mist cleared while I was descending and the sun came out back out. More impressive views could be seen of the whole horseshoe ridge. The last section of the walk involved a boggy crossing back to the dam before I could follow the track back to the road. A great walk, in great weather, I hope my muck stays with me as I head over to the Dingle peninsula tomorrow.
What started out as pretty awful weather turned out to be an absolute scorcher of a day in absolutely stunning weather. The day started overcast with very low cloud giving a fine mist everywhere. Parking at Breanlee I headed up the concrete track steeply up the hillside; I was soon into the clouds. Turning right the track leveled off and moved across the hillside over varying surfaces round to cross a stream and follow it to a dam. With the weather warming as the sun tried to break through the clouds I crossed the dam and started climbing steeply up the hillside through heather and across rocks. Halfway up I got a shock when I looked to my right and saw a mountain top poking through the clouds. Within minutes more mountains had revealed themselves as the clouds continued to break; blue could soon be seen above me.
Eagerly I continued climbing the steep slope, wearing myself out as I rushed up onto the hilltop. The view before me was a Thermal Inversion with dense clouds filling the valleys and clear blue skies overhead. With great enthusiasm I made my way along the ridge gazing out over the clouds and marveled at the Brocken Spectres on the clouds. I had always heard about these things but never seem one for myself. I felt very privileged. After passing over Skregmore I bypassed Beenkeragh on its north edge and headed across to Knockbrinnea. When this peak had been bagged I headed back across to Beenkeragh climbing steeply over the rocks up to the summit. After lunch I headed across the ridge to Carrauntoohil. This was an exciting and thrilling ridge crossing, especially with the route I took, keeping to the top of the ridge as much as possible. The ridge starts quite easily but later gets quite technical with some rather tough scrambling. It was great fun, I really enjoyed every moment of it. With the views getting better and better with the lifting clouds, and exciting ridge walks this was quickly becoming a very good days walk.
Once the ridge was crossed I headed up on to the top of Carrauntoohil, the highest hill in Ireland. The views were simply amazing. Once I had had enough of the views I headed towards the final ridge across to Caher. While enjoying the narrow, if simplistic ridge I was frustrated by a mist that drifted in from the sea. It didn't last too long, but had done it's worst to obstruct my views while I was on Caher. 
With no more tops left I resignedly began the long descent down to the bottom of the valley. The mist cleared while I was descending and the sun came out back out. More impressive views could be seen of the whole horseshoe ridge. The last section of the walk involved a boggy crossing back to the dam before I could follow the track back to the road. A great walk, in great weather, I hope my muck stays with me as I head over to the Dingle peninsula tomorrow.
posted by David Keates at 12:00 pm
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