My recent visit to Cnoc Na Toinne coincided with the arrival at the top of the devil's ladder of a very large, loud group of supposedly 70 twenty-something thrillseekers, each of which was welcomed by the ever growing crowd by a raucous reception and cries of "ole, ole, ole".

They were there for the craic. I was there for the views. We both got what we wanted. But it suited me that we were going in opposite directions. As I looked back down towards them from Cnoc na Toinne, I could see dark clouds descending, and wondered how mighty the craic would be in heavy rain. I could also see into the Bridia valley and Hag's Glen.

I wondered if the geologists that surveyed this area in the 1850s might have bagged this top. In their memoirs, published in 1859, they commented on the proliferation of corries across the reeks, and regarding the col between this top and Carrauntoohill, curiously noted: "
The Hags Glen and the Curraghmore Glen penetrate so deeply into the range that a comparatively slight addition to the erosive action that formed them would have excavated a gap or pass right through the range and formed a still more magnificent gorge, perhaps, than the Gap of Dunloe".

That would have made for a tougher climb between this top and Ireland's highest! Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/23/comment/23279/

Cnoc na Toinne just right of centre as viewed from the top of The Bone under Maolan Bui. The top of the Devils Ladder is just visible to the right of centre with Carrauntoohil covered in cloud behind it. The Bone makes is a much easier way to descend from the ridge than The Devils Ladder - it has a fairly distinct path all the way down (look for the iron posts and the line of stones) and you're unlikely to get hit on the noggin by loose rocks. Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/23/comment/1141/

Climbed this one on the descent of Carrauntoohill on Tuesday while on a short break in Killarney,spectacular views far and wide while going up.Walked across the plateau to a small cairn about half ways across marking the start of the ZigZags and made my way down the winding track to the Hags Glen below. Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/23/comment/18284/

Coming down from Carrauntoohil, the clouds which had obscured the views from that summit, started to clear a little, so instead of descending the Devil's Ladder, I made for the top of Cnoc na Toinne, and went down via the Zig Zag. I was well rewarded by magnificent views in brief windows through still fairly thick cloud. Probably a better route than the Devil's Ladder, especially on the way down, even without the added bonus of the views. Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/23/comment/17584/

Set where it is, slap bang in the middle of the reeks, Cnoc na Toinne mostly proves a disappointment in terms of its aesthetic, as in contrast to its neighbours the summit is a simple grassy mound unmarked even by a solitary stone. Still, it is a great viewing point for the Hag's Glen. Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/23/comment/18002/