dbloke on Beenoskee

If you're going to tackle the 840 mountain tops on Mountain Views, you may as well start with the ones on your doorstep. So, after staring out the window at Stradbally/Beenoskee for the best part of a year we decided that the bank holiday weekend was the time to take it on. Most walk descriptions seem to start from Anascaul Lake, but it seemed there must be an easier way starting from the northern side. A bit of Googling turned up a site with a log of the walk starting from the Glanteenassig Forest. Looking at the OS map it seems as if this area is surrounded by steep cliffs, which it is, but obviously there was a possible route. Further investigation turned up the Coillte Outdoors website that has a map and directions to the forest. Starting from the 2nd car park L Caum (Q599 078), follow the forest road until it disappears into the trees. Here you will have to fight your way through the branches following a vague path left by previous walkers. There is a small stream to cross and you will emerge from the forest faced with a wall of rock. The forest map indicates the hill walking access is to the left of here, but a more obvious route is to the right where there is a small gully that is easily ascended; either up the squishy grassy left hand side or crossing the rocky waterfall onto the north side where there is some easy scrambling. Where it levels out C (Q588 072) head NNW across a small area of bog and straight up the side of Beenoskee. You will know when you are nearing the top, the cairn is unmistakable. The summit definitely lives up to its windy Irish name. It was howling, despite the balmy conditions down at sea level. From here it's a short hop down around and up the edge overlooking Loch an Choimín to the top of Stradbally. Heading down in a SSE direction there is what looks to be a recently erected fence to follow. This ends at the point indicated on the forest map of the 2nd hill walking access, but you'd need a parachute or absail to get down safely from here. Continue down to the flatter area where the small river can be seen that cascades down to Loch Caum D (Q595 078). The descent here is straight-forward, rather like a mini Devil's Ladder but without all the nasty erosion and loose rocks. At the bottom the loch is surrounded by a railway sleeper pathway and you are only 5 mins from the car park. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/28/comment/3091/

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Clockwise Loop from North

The start point is about a 25 minute drive from Tralee along the coast road towards Castlegregory and passing through Blennerville along the way. About 2km after the turn-off for Castlegregory, there is a forest entrance on the left directly opposite a t-junction at Kil'Iny Jn (Q6055 1209). You can park here and follow the gentle rising gravel path as it winds through the forest (after approx. 1.2km, keep left at the junction) . After 3km, the road comes to an end at a pair of telecom masts. Cross the gate here and turn south, keeping the wire fence on your left as the gradient gets a bit steeper. When the fence comes to an end, continue in a southerly direction in order to gain the ridge towards the summit. There may be a little bit of scrambling required in the last stretch to the ridge. Follow the gently rising ridge to the summit of Stradbally mountain, where the views down to Lough Acummeen and across to Beenoskee open up nicely. Dropping into the col, it’s a short 1km hop across to the cairn at the summit of Beenoskee. We continued on to Beenatoor and Coombane summits as part of the walk (see track 3158) Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/28/comment/18398/

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Varied terrain from Annascaul lake

We took the route suggested in the short summary with a gradual climb via the track from Lough Annascaul. Emerging from the U shaped valley the terrain is grassy and involves a gradual ascent to Stradbally, followed by the rocky traverse to Beenoskee. The rock gives way to grass again on the col before ascending Coombane, to return again to the rocky track to the lake. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/28/comment/23992/

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GWPR on Beenoskee

Photo taken from Ballyquin shows Stradbally Mt., Benoskee,Coumbaun, Beenatoor up into Gleann na Huaimhe. August 2002. I could walk forever here! Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/28/comment/226/

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majorkikshaw on Beenoskee

The reflection of the stillness on Beenoskee is the grace of that mountain poured into your soul. A special place. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/28/comment/1297/

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