Walking

Ag siúl

Walking trails around the Cloghane /Brandon

From Mount Brandon Hostel, there are fine selection of marked trails through the Cloghane-Brandon hills. This has made the area a favourite destination for hill walkers. Walks range from short shoreline strolls to the high level Brandon Ridge Walk. There is a Cloghane- Brandon Walking guide, Siúlóidí an Leithriúigh, contains an interesting and informative blend of route descriptions and local information.

Sauce Creek /An Sás

Superb View of Sea and Mountains.

Map: OS Sheet 70 & 1:25K for Dingle Peninsula  Distance: 14K Duration: 5.5 hours – Height gain: 450m  Max height: 401m Rating: 

Route: Car Park at Ballyquinn (Q523143) – North West along beach to Brandon pier – North along road to Brandon Point – over stile, then West uphill towards  An Buaicin – along Dingle Way to Sauce Creek – West to Spot Height 401 – South to intercept the Dingle Way – East along the Way to Teer – back along road to car park.  

Mullaghveal / Mullach Bhéal to Masatiompan / Más An Tiompáin

Walk the Brandon range from East to West taking in Brandon Mountain (7th highest peak in Ireland) as well as a number of other spectacular peaks and a breathtaking arete, ending up overlooking Sauce Creek and the Atlantic

Map: OS Sheet 70 & 1:25K for Dingle Peninsula Distance: 14.5K  Duration: 7 hours Height gain: 1,100m  Max height: 952m Rating:

Route:  Mullaghveal / Mullach Bhéal – Spot 397 (coll) – Gearhane / An Géarán – Brandon Peak – Brandon Mountain – Masatiompain – Teer

Walk from Cloghane (adds 6 K to distance) or get a lift to the end of the road at Q470069. Pass through gate and follow rough road to zig zag up to the coll (397), up fairly steep spur to Folach Na Marbh (623), across and steeply up to An Géarán (803), easy walk across to Barr an Ghéaráin (840),  spectacular arete (thin ridge) across to Droim na Muice, steep ascent to Brandon Mountain (952), circle across to top of Faha Ridge (891), straighforward decent to Piaras Mór, option to quit to the East via Dingle Way or steeply up to Más an Tiompáin, proceed steeply down to North East to pick up start of road at Q480151, then way East along road to Teer (this stretch is a private road with no through traffic). 

Brandon Mountain / Cnoc Bréanainn to Conor Pass / An Chonair

Walk the Brandon range from West to East taking in Brandon Mountain (7th highest peak in Ireland) as wall as a number of other spectacular peaks and one very impressive one.

Map: OS Sheet 70 & 1:25K for Dingle Peninsula – Distance: 19K  Duration: 8 hours – Height gain: 1,100m  Max height: 952m Rating: 

Route: Faha – Brandon Mountain – Brandon Peak – Gearhane – Mullaghveal – Ballysitteragh – Beennabrack – Connor Hill

Leave the road at Q493119, head up along the track past the grotto, follow the trail to the South West below the Faha ridge and up towards the Pater Noster Lakes on the Owenmore River, above the highest lake the track brings you up over steep ground to arrive at Spot Height 891, turn roughly Southwards to skirt the  cliffs over to Brandon Mountain. Follow the ridge over to Brandon Peak, the track keeps you below the highest   ground  and often out of the wind. The ridge between Brandon Peak and Gearhane is spectacular, you can then follow the SW spur down as far as the coll at spot 397

view-from-mount-brandon

Looking across towards Conor Pass

Mount Brandon Hostel - Top of Mount Brandon

On top of Mount Brandon

Stradbally Mountain and Beenoskee / Binn os Gaoith

Start/Finish
Stradbally Village on the coastal road from Tralee along the N side of the Dingle Peninsula. Stradbally is about 15 miles W of Tralee, after Camp and just after the first two Castlegregory turnings. Park somewhere sensible in the village where parking is limited.

Distance/Time: 16 km  Approx: About 7 hours

Peaks
Stradbally Mountain, 798 m, Q 587 092. (Irish National Grid System)
Beenoskee, 826 m, Q 581 089.
An Com Ban (Coumbaun), 610 m, Q 568 092.

Irish OS Discovery Series Maps 70 & 71 (1:50 000)

Introduction
This is a tough but enjoyable walk over fine mountains which give excellent views to the surrounding hills especially Brandon Mountain and the coastal seascape including the Castlegregory Peninsula and the Magharee Islands.

Route
(1) From Stradbally, walk E for about 1 km to a road on the left for Castlegregory and a forest track on the right. Walk up the track, climbing over the entrance gate if it is locked. Stay on the main track ignoring any turnings. There is one point where it may not be obvious where the main track goes so go left here. The track ends at two large aerials. Continue ahead on a lesser track to an animal enclosure. An even rougher track continues from here which can be followed some distance. When it finally peters out, ascend N to reach the fence along the E ridge. Note that a prominent cairn seen from some distance is not the summit which lies about 200 m further back. Follow the fence until it goes left then continue ahead, over stony ground to reach a medium cairn which marks the summit of Stradbally Mountain, 798 m. To the immediate W of the cairn, steep slopes drop to Loch an Choimin.

(2) From the summit, descend SW, losing only about 50 m of height, and follow the edge of the coom around and up to the two cairns about 10 m apart. The W cairn marks the summit of Beenoskee, 826 m. There is now no sign of the trig point mentioned in some guide books.

(3) Descend SW down gentle slopes to reach flat ground after which a short rise leads to a cairn at about Q 577 087. From here descend roughly WNW then NW to reach a broad col. Ascend NW to reach a fence about 1 m high with barbed wire on top which needs care to cross unscathed. Continue up to reach a flat grassy area where there is no cairn to mark the summit of An Com Ban, 610 m.

(4) From the summit, descend WNW initially then N down a reasonably well defined grassy ridge. Keep to the right hand edge where there is a shallow grassy “trough” for some distance. When a shallow col is reached, drift right and descend down to a rough track which is not shown on the map. Follow this, wet and boggy in places, until it becomes more defined and heads N on the W side of the river. When the track swings right at a wall, continue ahead through a metal gate and walk down to the next wall with a fence on the top. Enter the field beyond by either looking left for a gate (not checked out) or going right to a corner and climbing over. Walk down the right hand side of the field above the river taking care not to disturb any livestock especially at lambing time, going through gates to access the next field. In one field, it is necessary to follow a wall left to find the gate. Eventually, reach the road after a double gate. Turn right on to the road, E, and walk about 2 km back to Stradbally. A track shown on the map which meets the road at Q 573 119 is not visible from the road so, if aimed for, may be difficult to locate in descent.

These details were taken from GET LOST MOUNTAINEERING website 

Glennahoo / Gleann na hUamha and Maghanaboe / Macha na Bó

Visit remains of an ancient fortified settlement and take in spectacular views of Stradbally Mountain and up towards the Connor Pass. 

Map: OS Sheet 70 & 1:25K for Dingle Peninsula Distance: 13K  Duration: 5.5 hours  Height gain: 550m   Max height: 474m Rating:

Route: Scraganne (549107) – Glenahoo (Gleann na Huamha) – Spots 396, 313, 445, 364 – Beenbo (Gob an Iolar)- Ballyduff (An Baile Dubh) – Scraganne

Green road up to the ruins, then uphill to cross the river and turn SW for Beenbo. Then wet, featureless ground above Glennahoo valley, passing South of Beenbo to pick up bog road for Ballyduff.  Follow the bog road down to Ballyduff.  Pass through a gate on the laneway at Q539094 and proceed along lane to the graveyard. Pass on to join the road and walk along road back to start.

Fermoyle Beach / Tra Fhormaoileach and The Magherees / Na Machairí

Wonderful beach walks. 

Map: OS Sheet 70 (& Sheet 71 for the Magherees)  Distance: 3.5K  Duration: 1 hour  Height gain: 0m   Max height: 0m  Rating:

Route 1: Car Park at Fermoyle Beach (Q548122) – West along the beach – around the headland (Ceann Duimhche) –  back in an South Easterly direction along the back beach – through arched gateway – left along road back to car park  

Route 2: North East along Fermoyle  Beach towards the Magherees peninsula, follow the waymarked way around Scraggane Bay and then South along the coast to arrive at Castlegregory 

Mount Brandon Hostel - Drom Strand

Drom Strand

Mount Brandon Hostel - Stradbally Mountain

Looking up towards Stradbally Mountain

Masatiompan & Brandon Mountain via Dingle Way & the Saints’ Route

Start/Finish
Brandon Mountain (or Mount Brandon as some call it) is the only “Munro” on the Dingle Peninsula. Approaching Dingle from the E, turn left at the roundabout (Connor Pass is right, ahead is no entry). Follow the road around the sea front to a roundabout (where left goes over a river). Go straight across the roundabout and follow a long road over the top of a low pass from where the sea should be visible ahead. Cross a minor diamond crossroad. About 300 m further on, fork right – signposted “Mount Brandon” and follow a narrow minor road to its end where there is usually plenty of parking. Here there is a notice about the Saints Road and a plaque on the left with a large grotto on the right just over a bridge.

Distance/Time: 16 km Approx 6 -7 hours

Peaks
Masatiompan, 763 m, Q 465 146 (Irish National Grid System)
Piaras Mor, 748 m, Q 463 137
Brandon Mountain, 952 m, Q 461 116 Irish OS Discovery Series Map 70 (1:50000)

Introduction
This route uses the Dingle Way to access the N ridge of Brandon Mountain. There is about 5 km of road walking at the start. The ascent up the Dingle Way takes in some wonderful coastal views especially of the Three Sisters and Ballydavid Head. Masatiompan is an excellent viewpoint for looking up the N ridge of Brandon Mountain. Navigation is generally straight forward, even in mist, although this walk should be saved for a clear day. The descent of Brandon Mountain follows the well marked Saints’ Route. Navigation is as idiot proof as it gets parts of the route are becoming quite eroded. You should be able to easily reset your GPS to the Irish National Grid System. Brandon Mountain is notorious for mist and has more misty days than even Ben Nevis so feel privileged if you have good weather.

Route

(1) Walk back down the road until the right angle corner to the left is reached. Go right here. The road soon becomes a track and this is followed until it comes out on another road after about 1.2 km. Continue along the road for just over 2 km, generally heading N, until its end is reached after a pink/purple house (on the left). Go through the gate on to a good track but within 100 m, leave the track and follow the way marked Dingle Way NE as it heads towards an obvious col. Keep going to the highest point of the Dingle Way which is on a gravel col with a fence across it. Turn left, N, and follow the fence uphill on to a small plateau where there is a medium cairn (with a finger stone in it on 24/4/12) which marks the summit of Masatiompan, 763 m.

(2) Retrace back to the col then follow the fence up the other side. There is a small “bump” (702 m) just above the col which can be ascended or traversed – the fence runs to its left. Continue S, shadowing the fence which goes to the left of Piaras Mor but it is worth making the ascent up easy slopes to the rocky crest where there is a small flat cairn which marks the summit of Piaras Mor, 748 m.

(3) Descend to the S or, more easily, back N a few metres then to the E. Continue to follow the fence which now has a good path alongside it. The route climbs SW up the obvious ridge which then turns S. The edge on the left is becoming more precipitous. A top above An Dubh Loch is passed then two tops on promontories jutting slightly E. The last of these is given a spot height of 891 m on the map and is the summit of the rocky Faha ridge. By now, the fence has run out, curiously at a stile where there is only fence posts but the route ahead is obvious on the good path. However, in thick mist, do remember that the general direction of travel is S. From Pt 891, a slight descent leads to where the Faha corrie approach meets the crest (there is sign saying “Down”) and the route becomes even better defined and, within about 500 km, reach the large cross, trig point and cairn which mark the summit of Brandon Mountain, 952 m. Several parallel paths lead to the summit, one of which is close to the precipitous edge.

(4) With the precipitous edge behind you, walk SW down a gentle slope. White marker posts soon appear and will be visible from the summit in good weather. Follow the posts, and occasional crosses, down to the top of a short track which leads back to the car park. Parts of this path have become quite eroded and care is needed in places but nowhere is it steep or exposed. If rain has recently fallen then much of the path will be a stream which is accelerating the erosion.

These details were taken from GET LOST MOUNTAINEERING website 

County Kerry