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Feature count in area: 6, all in Kerry,
OSI/LPS Maps: 78, EW-KNP, EW-R
Highest Place: Purple Mountain 832m
Starting Places (9) in area Purple Mountain:
Derrycunihy Church, Gap of Dunloe Head of, Gap of Dunloe Kate K, Killarney Hiking Parking Lot, Muckross Lake S, Shaking Rock W, Shamrock Farmhouse B&B, Tomies Lough Leane NW, Torc Waterfall CP
Summits & other features in area Purple Mountain:
Cen: Purple Mountain: Purple Mountain 832m, Purple Mountain NE Top 757m, Shehy Mountain 762m, Tomies Mountain 735m, Tomies Mountain North Top 568m
SW: Eagles Nest: Eagles Nest 334m
Note: this list of places may include island features such as summits, but not islands as such.
Highest Place: Purple Mountain 832m
Starting Places (9) in area Purple Mountain:
Derrycunihy Church, Gap of Dunloe Head of, Gap of Dunloe Kate K, Killarney Hiking Parking Lot, Muckross Lake S, Shaking Rock W, Shamrock Farmhouse B&B, Tomies Lough Leane NW, Torc Waterfall CPSummits & other features in area Purple Mountain:
Cen: Purple Mountain: Purple Mountain 832m, Purple Mountain NE Top 757m, Shehy Mountain 762m, Tomies Mountain 735m, Tomies Mountain North Top 568m
SW: Eagles Nest: Eagles Nest 334m
Note: this list of places may include island features such as summits, but not islands as such.
Place Rating ..
Grid Reference V88640 85172, OS 1:50k mapsheet 78
Place visited by: 600 members, recently by: Josephineobrien, Alatar78, rosduke, garybuz, Paddym99, Aidan_Ennis, discovering_dann, DarrenY, jeb, Zenny, RosieMc, farmerjoe1, lauracardiff, Nailer1967, Kirsty
I visited this place: NO
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Bedrock type: Well-bedded grey sandstone, (Lough Acoose Sandstone Formation)
Notes on name: In his Topographical Dictionary of Ireland of 1837, Samuel Lewis reports that Purple Mountain is ‘so called from the colour of the shivered slate on its surface.’ The Irish version looks like a back-translation from the English by OSI. References to Tomish or Toomish Mountain (i.e. Tomies) in The Ancient and Present State of the County of Kerry (1756) by Charles Smith make it clear that this name applied to the whole of what is now known as Purple Mountain. A number of 19th century sources confirm this, and this explains why Purple Mountain is not marked on the 6 map, though Tomies and Shehy Mountain are.
Short or GPS IDs, 6 char: PrplMn, 10 char: PrplMntn
Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/27/
Gallery for Purple Mountain (An Sliabh Corcra) and surrounds
Summary
for Purple Mountain (An Sliabh Corcra):
The highpoint of a small massif with stunning views and a jewel of a lake.
Summary created by markmjcampion, jackill
17 Aug, 2023
SW. This is by far the most direct and busiest route. Park on the roadside at
GapDun Hd (V87116 83707), room for 5 cars, and follow the track E and then N passing Glas Lough before heading E and following a steep, unstable track up onto the main S ridge. Cross over to the E side of the ridge, try to pick up zig-zig path that leads eventually to A (V88405 85040), the col between SH 793 and the summit. Now it’s a short walk up over loose rocks to the summit cairn, the 4th of 5 you will meet. [90 mins]N. Park in the ample CP beside Kate Kearney’s pub. Walk N along road to B (V88163 89217). Turn right here up the lane, passing a couple of gates on to the ridge at C (V88802 89200). Head S along a narrow track that will eventually lead to Tomies N Top and on to Tomies. From here it’s a fine walk due S to Purple NE Top and then SW to P itself. [3hrs+]
The E side of the massif is not too hospitable so, without local knowledge so best avoided. Dinis to Shehy by way of Eagle’s Nest is possible but a very rough, boggy route.
Notable tracks incl. track/2138 and the long but excellent track/4371.
Add a Place Comment for Purple Mountain, An Sliabh Corcra 
jackill on Purple Mountain
by jackill
4 Mar 2007
"Nil Satharn sa Bhliain na go spalpann an ghrian"
(Theres no Saturday in the year that the sun doesn't shine)
This was certainly the case when I climbed Purple Mountain.
Just before the photo was taken I had spent an hour walking in a thunderous downpour,
following a murky morning walk through the Gap of Dunloe.
The Gap itself calls to mind the Siq through which you pass to enter the ancient city of Petra
"the rose red city half as old as time"( if you can imagine it without the rain, ok that may be a tenuous link).
Think Indiana Jones in a flood and watch out for the large rolling rock falling from the Madmans seat! Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/27/comment/2627/
(Theres no Saturday in the year that the sun doesn't shine)
This was certainly the case when I climbed Purple Mountain.
Just before the photo was taken I had spent an hour walking in a thunderous downpour,
following a murky morning walk through the Gap of Dunloe.
The Gap itself calls to mind the Siq through which you pass to enter the ancient city of Petra
"the rose red city half as old as time"( if you can imagine it without the rain, ok that may be a tenuous link).
Think Indiana Jones in a flood and watch out for the large rolling rock falling from the Madmans seat! Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/27/comment/2627/
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ucampbell on Purple Mountain
by ucampbell
4 Jan 2006
Had to change our plans due to a bad turn in the fabulous christmas weather but it turned into an opportunity for a first for us all. Our guide!'s first time up Purple in the cloud meaning attention to navigation and our first on top. Started at the top of the gap and Yes it was a long drag up by the Glas Lough and the camera wishing it would clear. Windy on top but able to shelter and then back down to find the "trail" we had left to mark our 2 crucial turns, one a banana! apologies all. We scrambled down just as it began to clear and got views up the valley and of the Reeks. Will definitely be back to do it from the Toomies and include the west top. But for a challenging 3 hour hike it could not have been better. The next day we had to stick to the old kenmare road but that is also very satisfying, photo of Torc at sunset included in that section. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/27/comment/2114/
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rug on Purple Mountain
by rug
8 Sep 2006
This was a very enjoyable trek and we had great luck with the weather, the sun was shining for the duration. The climb itself was not that difficult, steep at the start abd at the very summit but otherwise quite gradual. The views from the top are breathtaking, to be honest didn't realise Ireland had such amazing scenery. Like others the way back down to the cottage was quite tricky and we got caught in a maze a Gorse bushes, quite prickly. I will definitely do it again, possibly in winter for a different experience! Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/27/comment/2479/
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DickyDonut on Purple Mountain
by DickyDonut
30 Jul 2003
We climbed from the top of the Gap of Dunloe. A bit of a struggle, especially after Glas Lough but it was the first serious outing since the Pyrenees last year! We missed the west top, going round to the east then up to the saddle between the two tops. The wind was howling through there. Great to make it. A number of other people following us up to Glas Lough didn't appear again. We went on over Tomies and down to Kate Kearney's Cottage, planning to get a jaunting car back to our starting place. If you go in this direction, south to north, and plan to do the same, be warned. We got there about 4 pm and the jarvey's were packing up for the day. So we ended the day with a 5 mile walk uphill through the Gap. Still a great day out and to be recommended. A good way of walking the legs in! Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/27/comment/593/
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mart on Purple Mountain
by mart
21 Aug 2005
I climbed from the north, from the West Top from here it appears as a
steep and narrow ridge and there is no difficulty in finding your way.
Coming down towards Glaslough is a different story, as the lake appears
very close but very far below and you have to descend very steeply over
scree and overgrown scree. I think there is probably a path, but I kept
losing it. There is a path from Glaslough down.
I've done this walk the other way around to many many people. I was wanting to leave the walk through the gap until the end, and when the gap would be quieter. I think this descent is why people go the other way. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/27/comment/1894/
steep and narrow ridge and there is no difficulty in finding your way.
Coming down towards Glaslough is a different story, as the lake appears
very close but very far below and you have to descend very steeply over
scree and overgrown scree. I think there is probably a path, but I kept
losing it. There is a path from Glaslough down.
I've done this walk the other way around to many many people. I was wanting to leave the walk through the gap until the end, and when the gap would be quieter. I think this descent is why people go the other way. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/27/comment/1894/
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British summit data courtesy:
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