5th June 2011

The Puck goat guarding the entry to Killorglin

I am just back from county Kerry, SW Ireland, where I had a lovely few days in Kilorglin - host of the Puck Fair every August. It is all about a goat...

I stayed at the Grove Lodge Hotel and drank Bulmers in the newly painted Kingdom (of Kerry) Bar. I had Jumillla wine in the Tapas Bar (believe it or not) in Killorglin, which is a converted church with a very bright and Spanish atmosphere.

Loch Com Lothair

Then I tried to get up Carrauntouhil, which was the whole point of the trip really. The weather was perfect to start with - clear and sunny - and I had great hopes I would get to the top of Ireland's highest mountain. I set off wearing shorts and a T-shirt and it was 23 deg. C.

However, after I had achieved the climb to the summit of Ben Caragh (1010m), the weather deteriorated and there was cloud on the tops which completely obscured my view of the famous (and dangerous) Ben Caragh Ridge.

I had STUPIDLY left my compass at home, so was completely reliant on my vision and the rather inadequate map I paid 14 Euro for! Give me Admiralty charts and Ordnance Survey maps any day, please!

Under these circumstances, and since I was walking solo, discretion had to be the better part of valour; so I bravely 'bottled out' and descended very steeply to the lakes below. The weather immediately cleared up and I even contemplated going back up, but the thought of climbing 1000m TWICE in one day was too much for me.



The main streeet of Caherciveen

So I got back to my car and went for a drive to Ballinskellig and then back to Killorglin via Caherciveen. The clear weather mocked my attempt to climb Carrantouhil, and I heard on Radio Kerry that a party of school children had made it to the summit that day. Great! Still, it was my first attempt, I didn't know the way, and I was alone. I will have to come back I guess - no further excuse is needed!

Ireland's Highest mountains from Killorglin

Low cloud on Ben Caragh