Geo on Mangerton

From Stoompa in the mist along the top of the glen, the cloud cleared off as we approached the turn where Mangerton begins to rise up and over the loughs below, cliffs towering fearfully but safely to our right. Lunch taken in the lee of a sheltered outcrop of rock, before we made the assault on the highest point of the walk. Rather than hug the cliff tops to the right we moved out a couple of hundred metres and trudged through the peat hags as they appeared in the several inches of snow. Although the snow was at times a drag and some of us went up to our knees at times it was still a relatively easy ascent towards Mangerton's summit. Eventually a long wand appeared upright and several metres tall ahead, slipping in and out of view as the mist came and went in the fresh northerly. At the summit we took our pic's and thought about what was next. 5 or 6 minutes brought us in a direct line over to the the cliff edge overlooking the arete snaking across the Mangerton's NE top. A short look around and a bit of head scratching and we agreed it would be too risky in the strong wind and the icy conditions to take this route, so we followed becketts path down to the outlet of the Devils Punchbowl. For chapter 3 see Mangerton North Top. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/25/comment/3574/

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beckett on Mangerton

I tried this walk on Sunday 16th of July. It was a beautiful summer morning with clear blue cloudless skies; it might explain some of my enthusiasm for the place. From Killarney take the Kenmare road. Pass Muckross House and then take the first sharp left after Moll Darcy's pub. After a little while you meet a fork in the road with a sign for Mangerton. Take the road to the right and drive along this road until you meet a narrow car park (F (V984 857)). If this car park is full, you may also be able to park further down the road on the right hand side.
Walk down the road until you meet a track running up into the open ground. This track ( Mangerton Walk Start (V984 848)) will take you all the way to the Devil's punchbowl. The start of the walk presents you with a gradual climb as the track meanders either side of a largely dry riverbed. The Lakes of Killarney emerge spectacularly on your right as you gradually gain height. The track winds on upwards until you eventually reach the punchbowl. As you round that final twist of the track, you are presented with a most wonderful sight. The lake meets you almost at eye level, and on the bright summer morning that I made this trip it looked at it's very best with the sun glimmering on its surface and its rocky walls sweeping impressively down on to its edges.
You then climb above the western ridge with a precipitous drop to your left and bear south west for Mangerton peak (G (V980 807)). Mangeton peak is rather non-descript with a radio mast and a cairn marking its highest point. On a clear day, the mast is visible from the walk along the edge of the punchbowl. From Mangerton you can go back to the spur (H (V982 813)) between Lough Erhogh and the punchbowl. This is a beautiful section of the walk with Lough Erhogh on your right walled by near vertical slopes of rock and the deep blue corrie lake of the punch bowl on your left contrasting magnificently against the green and silver grey of the surrounding landscape. Follow the perimeter of the bowl back to the point where it narrows to a river. If it is a windy day, there is the shell of a long decayed stone dwelling that offers some respite from the elements. You eventually meet the track that brought you to this wonderful place.

It is busy when I visited in July with lots of walkers and sightseers. Despite this, the place exudes a wonderful tranquillity and a captivating sense of calm. Its one of those areas of natural beauty that keeps those of us compelled to wonder the mountains coming back again and again in search of gems. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/25/comment/2453/

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Inspiration in unlikely places

In his book ‘Reach for the Sky’, Pat Falvey describes his first hillwalk in Ireland. He was in a deep depression following the failure of his business. The banks were circling like crows to take his home and everything he had. His secretary’s father, Val Deane, persuaded Pat to join the Cork Mountaineers on a climb of Mangerton to ‘take his mind off things’. Pat didn’t want to go but kept his absently-minded given word.

Pat describes how his indifference and depression lifted, and how rising exhilaration set in as he climbed higher and higher. “Behind me the spell weaving beauty of Muckross Lake and Lough Guitane and below, deep in the glen, the necklace formation of Lough Garagarry, Lough Managh and Lough Erlogh drained all negative thoughts from my mind..” Pat describes his feeling of elation as he stood on his first summit, Mangerton. He also describes the breathtaking view, including the Magillicuddy Reeks to the west. When Pat discovered they contained the highest summit in Ireland he climbed Carrauntoohil the following week.

Pat is clearly a man who strives to be the best and ‘reaches for the sky’ - climbing Ireland’s highest mountain on his second ever day hillwalking attests to this relentless drive to the top- and a admitted compulsive nature. (He also describes in the book starting a 13 hour Alps climb in an ‘ alcohol-induced fug’ after three hours sleep that resulted in a dramatic rescue for him and his team). His description of climbing Mangerton is worth noting, especially his dawning recognition of hillwalking as a source of positive mental and physical energy.

I was thinking about Pat as I climbed higher on my own first ascent of Mangerton last week. Despite cold and wet weather I enjoyed the long haul up from the north, following the rising trail up to the Devils Punch Bowl. The cloud boiled and swirled in the cliffs and crags to my left as I climbed the final section to Mangerton’s boggy plateau. Later I sat on some rocks in the col between Mangerton and the North Top. As I sat on the boulders I met four members of Bishopstown Hillwalking Club as they arrived up the hill. One of them was a lady called Kathleen who one of her friends described as ‘well into her seventies’ and who has had two hip replacements. Asking her if she was enjoying the walk she commented ‘it wasn’t this wet when I came up last week’. I was struck by what Kathleen was achieving – not only to be out walking in tough weather conditions on a big mountain, but to do so in her seventies and with two replacement hips!

Pat Falvey is inspirational in his ‘reach for the sky’ and ‘anything is possible’ mentality. This will appeal to, and inspire those who dream of conquering the world. But for those with lesser, but equally valid, ambitions of simply overcoming adversity and returning to normal, then people like Kathleen are also an inspiration and a role model to us all. Well done Pat and Kathleen. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/25/comment/14929/

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dexterg on Mangerton

This was early afternoon in February commencing a descent having climbed up via Stoompa and the ridge, great conditions in the Kerry hills. interesting contrast to Becketts pic earlier. Dex & Fern Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/25/comment/3634/

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pln@qad.com on Mangerton

Followed the Tooreencormick Bridle Path up to the Devil's Punch Bowl. Very good path for most of the way. Headed upto the Peak following anti-clockwise from the Lake. The climb up was fine, although some hail did hit near the top. The descent on Eastern side of the punch bowl was loose and in many cases had become a stream. We took it slow and got down fine, but this would be a potentially dangerous section of the walk - especially after heavy rains. Great walk and a great mountain. I recommend Joss Lynam's "Best Irish Walks" for the route desciption. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/25/comment/762/

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