Long views from the summit.

Keeper Hill dominates the surrounding land of North Tipperary. You would need to go over 42km to the Galtys to find anything higher. Keeper Hill’s elevation and strategic position made it a critical point in the first triangulation of Ireland (1829-1832). Would you believe that observations were made from here to Cuilcagh at the Cavan/ Fermanagh border (164.4km) and to Baurtregaum on the Dingle Penisula (122.2km)?

The picture below is at around 310-320 degrees and shows a group of summits. I had great trouble working out what they are. I *think* the pointy one just left of centre is Corcóg (120.1km away) in the Maamturks and to its right in the clouds is Leenane Hill or Mweelrea. To the right of that I *think* the summit with the sharp descent is probably the Devismother North Top with a bit of the Sheefry ridge sticking up above it.

The pic has been reduced to red channel only to mitigate Rayleigh scattering. If anyone wants a larger version to help identify the summits, give me a shout. The primary triangulation observed Nephin (158.8km) though very likely this was done at night with limelight. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/117/comment/15058/

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beckett on Keeper Hill, 2006

At noon on September 4th, I kissed the dog and bade good-bye to the wife and kids. From Limerick, I took the road to Newport, from Newport I travelled around 7km until I saw a sign for Ballyhourigan woods. It was while travelling along this road that I passed what appeared to be a couple in the throes of something, quite possibly passion, in the back seat of a car. I may be wronging the pair, they could quite simply have been in the midst of changing their clothes for a long trek through the hills. I was doing 40 mph and the condensation of their back window made any possibility of confirmation remote. As their car disappeared in my rear view mirror, it made me think that there may be better things to do on a Sunday afternoon than trek up the side of a bog. If my camera had not been in the boot I would have had a much more interesting picture to accompany this comment.

I reached (E (R782 667)) which had a road-closed sign preventing further access by car. I parked a little further up the road to the right in a forest opening. From the start of the track, I walked to a point shown on the map as the intersection of four paths (F (R805 664)). When I got to that point one of the paths, the eastern one, had been maliciously been removed. I headed up the western path, at first trying to reach the open ground through some rough open with fallen trees. Driven back I went instead into the woods, these were quite dense, but I persisted and found a stream, which I followed back to the open mountain. There is an earth wall running up alongside the older forest edge, this offered the best ground for walking. When I had climbed about 540 metres in height I turned in the direction of the Eagle's nest.

The Eagles nest was impressive with rock outcrops and some unsettling drops. I noticed some wooden posts from an old fence go right to the edge and then disappear over the edge. I was not tempted to go close enough and confirm where the fence ended, but it surely serves as fitting monument to the lengths that peoples will go to fence the country side in this land of ours.

I had lunch at the Eagle's nest and waited a full 30 minutes for the eagle to show up. When it was clear he was not going to come, I set my sights for the top of keeper hill, navigating towards the TV mast visible in the distance.

From the Cairn of the summit, I navigated back to the forest line I had followed up. Eventually I located it and followed it down. I entered the woods and relocated the stream. The woods were dense and the sun mottled the floor with patches of intense yellow light. It was all very atmospheric until I remembered Film4's recent screening of the Blair Witch project. This made me pick up the pace quite a bit.
Back to the car then following the same route. What could be nicer than a walk on the hills in early September on a Sunday afternoon? The car with the couple was gone when I made my way down the narrow road and headed for home. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/117/comment/2489/

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beckett on Keeper Hill

At Doonane Forest Carpark (R781 652) on the road from Toor to Newport you will meet a road running up into Ballyhourigan wood. On your right, you will find a car park hollowed out from the sloping forest. Proceed in a Northerly direction up to the first intersection of tracks at a barrier; here you will turn right following a westerly direction passing the sweat house (used in times of old for medicinal purposes), pass the sign for the mass rock, then pass a rather precarious and ugly looking gravel pit. After this, the track turns north and then briefly eastward as you climb gradually out of the woods. The eastern face of keeper hill will present itself to you with numerous small streams cascading down gulleys hewn into the side of the hill. The track eventually comes to a t-junction and you take the west going path, winding through some mature woods. Fast flowing streams run under the forest tracks before precipitating impressively down into the woods. At one or two of these points, you can stop to refresh yourself; the water is crystal clear and sufficiently cold to wash away any weariness at this point. The track continues west across the slope of keeper hill where you come across another junction that branches northerly in one direction and southwest down into the woods in the other direction. Taking the north-easterly route, you start the climb to keeper hill. The track is full of broken rock and is heavy going on the feet. As you approach the summit, you see the rather unsightly TV mast on your left. There is a cairn and some crags to the right. Take your refreshments there and enjoy the view of the Silvermines. Overall, this is a pleasant walk; a nice walk for a novice with tracks and paths through out. It takes around 180 minutes at a brisk pace to the summit and considerably less than that on the downward journey. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/117/comment/2412/

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Finders Keepers in the Silvermines

Sandwiches ‘til they were coming out of your ears; clever and witty commentary; hospitality akin to a bear hug; and attention to detail that belied the easy-going saunter that was the day. Author of same? The wonderful Aonach ar Siuil Walking Club and their first and fabulous festival this weekend. Alas the Cra could only make a flying visit (“flying" – geddit ?) for the A walk on Saturday – so no Blister Balls (oosps) or lingering farewells: just a demented clatter from the North and back same day. A seven hour walk which is tough to make a true Grade A with such gentle hills, but not impossible; at least as advised by the lolloping, kick-boxing, lightning-foot daughter of Medb that lit out with me for the summit of Keeper Hill. It seems you can launch from the valley floor and ascend into the corrie through foot-high heather until you beg for mercy. Anyhoo …… Aonach ar Siuil, very well done – clever tricks like staggered start times for the different grades, grub and water at strategic points on the walk, the Mountain Rescue and Civil Defence throughout the hill and my favourite, the Start’n’Stop point, Ryan’s Pub. Keeper Hill is not a huge challenge but does her own thing with location, views and greenery, which are all stunning. “Pretty”, I think is a good description – round, warm and welcoming; and what she has in particular is that characteristic unique to Irish inland hills: whereas in Scotland, Wales and England, the view from a summit tends to be a landscape of more devil peaks, from Keeper Hill at virtually every point is countryside as pretty if as flat at Katie Melua. As a must-do, probably a 6; as a worth-doing, a resounding 10 and so in equal place with the Nenagh festival. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/117/comment/4702/

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deirdre.obrien on Keeper Hill

We parked at the old ball alleys just outside Toor Village. We followed the Slieve Felim Way in the direction of Keeper Hill to the forest and then followed a track left up towards Keeper Hill. We followed the tracks up Keeper Hill to the summit. Lovely views from the top. The route was pretty straight forward but found the hard ground though going on the feet. A local farm dog followed us up and down. She was harmless and appeared to enjoy the company!! Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/117/comment/951/

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