Finally conquered!

Following months of meticulous planning by our expedition leader (Wicklore), numerous setbacks, mountainous seas (well almost calm) and wild animals (mostly magnificent seabirds) a team of intrepid Mountainviewers have finally conquered the summit of Puffin Island. Others have given ample reports on the trip so I've just attached a picture to prove that we did it! I should also record that Wicklore was quite rightly the first to summit. Many thanks to him for organising and leading the visit and to the boatmen in their expertise in getting us to land and to return safely. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/1049/comment/6431/

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Peering behind the veil of mystery

This island lies only a few hundred metres off the Kerry coast, yet is virtually inaccessible to the casual visitor. There are a few reasons why this island remains so elusive, and as a result, so mysterious.

It is owned by Birdwatch Ireland (B.I), and they have a vested interest in protecting the colonies of precious seabirds that reside there, including the comical puffins and rare choughs. B.I understandably don’t want to encourage hoards of day trippers who might damage this pristine and untouched place. Be warned – even if you decided to organise a clandestine visit there are only a couple of boatmen who could take you out, and they will want proof that you have BI’s permission before undertaking the trip. Having said that, B.I may be happy to accommodate reasonable requests. We went with B.I’s cooperation and support, and this is the only real way to do it

Secondly, even if you do somehow make it to the island you will be hard pressed to find a place to land safely. ‘Land’ is the wrong word, as your boat will have to bob about in the water while you literally jump onto the rocks. There are only a couple of places where this is possible which B.I-approved boatmen will know. Again, only Birdwatch Ireland approved visitors will find these spots by travelling out with knowledgeable sailors.

The motive behind blocking open access is simple – to protect one of Ireland’s most remarkable and precious habitats for seabirds. The lack of human contact is obvious – the only man-made thing on the island is a half-built bee-hive hut from centuries ago. Other than a few carefully hidden pieces of B.I apparatus which you wouldn’t find, the island is as close to untouched as possible. The island consists of short grass and moss with absolutely no shrubs or trees. It is immaculate.

A group of MountainViewers finally reached and climbed this beautiful island on Saturday 23rd July. We then spent a delightful 3 hours combing and exploring the island, knowing that we were the first modern dedicated hillwalkers to take in each new emerging view and vista. Thousands of seabirds - puffins, gulls, coughs, petrels - wheeled and dived about as we roamed and explored this wild place. The north-west facing side of the island is sheer cliffs, and the island slopes steeply to the south, and more gently to the east. There are two peaks; the higher at 159 metres is actually easily reached. The second, lower peak, involves very steep ground leading to a rugged ridge. There are dramatic cliffs and rock falls, sheer drops and wonderful views of the Kerry coast. The sheer abundance of seabirds, particularly the unusual puffins, overawed us all for those few precious hours.

Our thanks go to Birdwatch Ireland for their permission and support in achieving our dream, particularly to Stephen O‘Leary who accompanied us and provided such valuable information and interpretation of all that we saw. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/1049/comment/6430/

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Greetings from Puffiin Island!

Greetings from Puffin Island! This is a live post celebrating our achievement in finally reaching and climbing this beautiful island. There are thousands of seabirds - puffins, gulls, coughs, petrels wheeling and diving about as we roam and explore this wild place. It is
amazing how close we are to the mainland, yet so far. One or two members of Birdwatch Ireland come out here every year and, frankly, no one else. It's a difficult place to access and to land on. We jumped from our rib boat onto the rocks and scrambled up a steep slope before emerging onto the grassy/spongy body of the island. No doubt there will be many posts by this group writing about our experience so I'll say no more for now except to say that we are proud to be the first MountainViewers to climb this remarkable hill!  Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/1049/comment/6424/

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Cast away for a couple of hours...

A cursory look from the mainland (or from a circling boat) would suggest that Puffin Island might well be a lost world where bizarre natives both worship and hide from a giant ape. In reality it has a fulmars, storm petrels, a veritable orchestra of puffins (and a whole bunch of other seabirds that to my shame I cannot recall the names of), a lot of deceased rabbits and not nearly enough dead mink. The summit was a straightforward climb (once the bagatelle of actually getting off the boat was accomplished) but it was the ensuing onward exploration that was most memorable...the spine of the island became sharp and gothic, incredible cliffs plunged into secret inlets, and we got far closer to the birds than I'd ever imagined we would.

With that in mind, allow me to be the first person from the trip to post a photo of some puffins. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/1049/comment/6427/

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Huffin' on Puffin

I sat for a while reflecting on Puffin, and though I try not to dwell on the past, after a day like yesterday its hard not to be maudlin.
Not the same but Puffin brought in mind W.B. Yeats' " Lake Isle of Inisfree"

"And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,
Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;
There midnight's all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,
And evening full of the linnet's wings.

I will arise and go now, for always night and day
I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;
While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements grey,
I hear it in the deep heart's core."

while I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements grey,
I hear it in the deep heart's core.

A special place. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/1049/comment/6428/

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