Picture from CaptainVertigo : The Notorious South Face of the Birreencorragh
Picture: The Notorious South Face of the Birreencorragh
by CaptainVertigo 3 Aug 2005
I relived the opening scene from The English Patient, flying low and steady over the desert south of Birreencorragh.Sadly the transport wasn't a Tiger Moth, nor was my headpiece particularly Fiennes. The drone was merely the computer's fan, and the windscreen was framing Google Earth software. Still I was drawn back to that morning in June when I stole out at first light and drove on empty roads to the southern base, ascended a wet grassy step, galloped along the spine of the beast that slept at her feet, and then , gloriously, was assumed body and soul onto the heavenly peak. I saw Nephin peeping sheepishly from behind Knockaffertagh, and Lough Conn shimmered and seemed suspended high in the air. To the south west lay Clew bay and the thousand frozen whales stopped momentarily on a seaward trajectory. Alone , without Map, compass, GPS, whistle,food or oxygen; alone on the awesome south face of Birreencorragh :"this most excellent canopy, the(Comment Rating 4.20)
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Picture from gerrym : long sweeping N ridge of Birreencorragh
Picture: long sweeping N ridge of Birreencorragh
by gerrym 24 Sep 2005
Approach to Birreencorragh was from the col with Glenlara to the S. This gives a great appreciation of the very steep E slopes, partially covered in scree, dropping down into Glendorragha. As climb the distinctive form of Clare Island becomes perfectly framed between the hills of Buckoogh and Bengorm. The NW ridge drops down off the main ridge and it is well worth the short detour for another view of this many faced mountain. As near the summit the ground becomes scree covered which gets larger for the last section. At the top there is the remains of a trig pillar and a shelter cairn where i had a bite to eat out of the wind. There is an even more expansive view from here as to that described from Glenlara - can now see Croughaun and Menawn on Achill to add to Slievemore, the Sligo mtns are also now visible beyond Nephin along with the Bluestacks in Donegal and more of the hills to the SW in Connemara. With the clarity of visibility I could see the beginnings of hills to the SE - Wicklow? Drop down N along the broad ridge, the ground levels and becomes very stoney as you pass three small cairns. When reach the fourth cairn, topped by a white rock, can either continue along the N ridge or turn to the NE and drop down, again a broad and stoney ridge as you head straight for the bulk of Nephin. Pass 2 more marker cairns, at the second head E and drop down gently at first but then more steeply to the col with Knockaffertagh. Birreencorragh is a fantastic mountain and the horse shoe walk lets you glimpse all of its facets - it is quite different from the various compass points.(Comment Rating 4.00)
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Picture from csd
by csd 18 Oct 2004
The approach to the summit from the western slopes is fairly steep and rocky; we tackled it as part of a Glenlara - Birreencorragh - Knockaffertagh horseshoe. The summit area itself is rocky and consists of a windbreak fashioned from these rocks and what looks like a demolished trig pillar in the middle of a large stone cairn. Unfortunately the summit was fog-bound when we reached it, so this picture is from the SW near Glenlara. If planning to do this horseshoe, be extra careful in the fog. There are two spurs north of the summit, and you need to take the right-hand one. We misjudged and ended up with an hour's detour to get back on course!(Comment Rating 3.67)
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Picture from csd
by csd 18 Oct 2004
Once we got below the cloud ceiling, there were some nice views to be had. This shot shows the valley at the centre of the Glenlara - Birreencorragh - Knockafertagh horseshoe, with Beltra Lough in the background.(Comment Rating 3.00)
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by Brendan_Quinn 15 May 2009
Did the Birrencorragh horseshoe on May 10th 2009 on a quite marvelous day of sushine - this is a walk that is a must for Mayo based walkers. Parked the car at ref 052013 (Point A) just north of the small settlement of Cloondaff - followed good forest road north to T junction just after the bridge over river at 047022 (Point B) turned left to end of this track. At this point had to clamber through some forest to get out onto the hill and followed the valley up to first peak (with the forest on your right for the first 200 metres or so) the peak is at 340 unnamed on the OS map but at 026018 (Point C) then straight north up the southern spur of Bireencorragh then round to the east and south again up to Knockafertagh - the views and tops have been described by others writing about this walk but the view down to the valley below is spectacular and view across to Clare Island quite superb. Made mistake of dropping down into the valley too early, it was VERY BOGGY and had to cross river in Glendorrah at 048035 (Point D) which proved difficult and then headed into forest to pick up what we thought would be a good quality forest track tto get back to the car - a quagmire which we kept sinking into at one stage nearly to our waist. Would recommend coming down off Knockaffertagh in south easterly direction and even though tired after a tough walk to take in the last small hill in this circle of great peaks with two cairns marked as 295 nd 215 on the map in order to drop down to the forest road that runs south west from Letterkeeghaun joining the trail again at 067030 (Point E) and then walk back to the car. Even better idea if two of ye could do it is to take two cars and leave one at the end of the small track whcih ends at ref 072044 (Point F) Going through the forested plantation at the end of the walk was a nightmare or rather quagmire. Great walk though sorry no pics to upload!
Point A: G052 013
Point B: G047 022
Point C: G026 018
Point D: G048 035
Point E: G067 030
Point F: G072 044
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Picture from eflanaga : Birreencorragh's summit shelter
Picture: Birreencorragh's summit shelter
by eflanaga 9 Oct 2007
From Birrencorragh West Top (See for second stage of Horseshoe walk) It was a case of retracing my steps down the short distance to the narrow saddle I had used on the ascent just 10 minutes before. From here IG01651 04811 (Point G) the main summit appeared to be much higher than the 178m suggested on the map but perhaps that was more psychological on my part given my recent prolonged spell of inactivity. In any event it proved much less taxing than I was expecting. I made my way south-east ascending to Spot Ht.587 IG02095 04663 (Point H) . The scree covered flank of the main summit rises steeply to the remains of the Trig Point and shelter on its top. As already described by others below the views from the summit are quite breathtaking - so planning your walk for a clear day (as much as that may be possible!) is advisable. The walk would continue further north from here, down the scree covered spur before turning east and then south towards the final summit in the horseshoe - Knockaffertagh
Point G: G01651 04811
Point H: G02095 04663
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