skyehigh on Coomcallee

Commcallee can be very easily ascended from the Glenmore valley to the south west. A tortuous but scenic drive from Waterville ends in a spacious valley. Beyond the last farm (please respect), a broad track can be seen climbing the hillside at an easy gradient. This eventually stops at F (V610 681), just 50 metres short of the ridge fence. The fence passes over point 642, descends 30 metres (the map lacks some contours here) and rises again to the summit, where there are peat hags. Thus the summit can be attained safely in mist. When descending, however, remember that you will not encounter the broad track if you simply walk beside the ridge fence. Furthermore, the track does not start from the lowest point between Coomcallee and L Iskanamacteery Mtn, but from a point 300 metres to the east.
The view is taken from the starting point of the walk, in the direction of point 650. The track is off picture on the green slope on the left. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/192/comment/1748/

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Peter Walker on Coomcallee

With my reputation as a guarantee of good weather hanging by a thread, it was a relief that Sunday 14th December granted me a borderline magical trip around Lynam's 'Maughernane Circuit'. The previous few days of precipitation had left a good covering of snow on the ground, but (save for the odd brief bracing shower of hail) I was blessed with bright winter sunshine. I started from just east of the bridge over the Oveveen River (G (V597 698)) where a green strip on the south side of the road is sufficiently substantial to allow a car to park on it without preventing its use as a passing place, before heading off clockwise, preferring to do the smidge of road walking at the start. 'No Trespassing' signs adorn both the fence on the near side of the river and the first dwelling encountered on the right: with that in mind, I went over the next gate after the dwelling, keeping down on the Cloonaghlin Lough side of the shoulder for a few hundred yards, before striking more directly uphill. A track can be picked up (not marked on the map, but obvious on the ground) which eases passage up to about 400m. A steep but straightforward climb leads to an easing at about 500m, before a couple of more gradual steps bring you out on the plateau near point 642m. In the clear weather I had it was easy to skip said point to the east for the final short climb to the top, a great vantage point for this convoluted corner of Iveragh and its glorious coastline. A fence leads WNW from here to continue the circuit. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/192/comment/3478/

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eric on Coomcallee

Coomcallee from the East with Eagle Hill in the background on the left Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/192/comment/2086/

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Let there be autumnal light

Descending in beautiful autumnal light as evening came on, I was lucky to snap this image of the setting sun from the col between Coomcalle and Beann ná Stiocairí, with Lough Isknagahiny in the distance. Ironically, the previous time I'd been in this neighbourhood at the height of summer, I could barely see the hand in front of my face for the mist, I was soaked through and to top it all I fell into a lake! Such are the vagaries of Ireland's climate. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/192/comment/14888/

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skyehigh on Coomcallee

There are several interesting ascent options. A purist might ascend via Lough Coomcallee (a gem of a coum) on the east, while the normal ascent from Maughernane (between Lough Iskanamacteery and Cloonaghlin Lough) in the north follows a distinctive curving ridge, also providing spectacular views, to point 642. Rock enthusiasts might like to investigate a rocky spur that abuts the curving ridge - I have no idea how difficult this would be. It starts at H (V619 706).
On top of that, the mountain can be approached along the tortured Iveragh ridge running SSW to NE at this point, or by a simple stroll from Tooreens in the south west. It is wonderfully situated for views, though the flattish summit detracts somewhat. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/192/comment/1747/

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