jackill on Caherbla

I started out on a fine Saturday morning from a small lay-by at A (Q716 052). I walked up the steep ground at the back of the lay-by heading for Ballyarkane Oughter. The conditions underfoot were quite firm which made for easy progress. At about the 500-meter mark there is a long ridge of conglomerate rocks, which you can skirt around to the south to avoid or pick your way carefully through one of the gaps. Be careful though the gaps are slippery and full of loose stones. The summit of Ballyarkane Oughter is on a long, jagged, narrow line of rock, which rises about 5 meters above the level of the rest of the terrain. There is no marker, so I took what looked to be the highest part of this line of rock.
From the summit I headed down and across the col to Caherconree, about halfway across I came upon the boggy path from the road below that is used to climb to Caherconree fort. A line of wooden stakes marks the way to the fort, not that they are needed as the ground is so dug up with the amount of visitors. After a brief
stop at the Fort ,(built by the King of West Munster Curor Mac Daire in the early Iron age) I climbed on to the summit of Caherconree and managed to find enough shelter from the rising wind at the summit cairn to have my lunch.
I moved down the narrow ridge to Gearhane passing over some curious sandstone conglomerate rock formations on the way. By the time I reached Gearhane the wind was gale force so I beat a hasty retreat and keeping to the west side of the mountain because of the shelter it afforded. The wind on the exposed sections was enough for me to have to crouch during the gusts.
I finally made it back to the path to the Fort, which I took back down to the main road.
Every time I climb in this area I seem to have to battle the wind at least this time I held on to my glasses!
The photo was taken at the summit of Caherbla looking out over the col to Caherconree fort on the prominent outcrop on the left, Caherconree in the centre and Baurtreguam on the right. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/302/comment/2154/

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madfrankie on Caherbla

I guess not many would target this curiously-named top on its own, but if you've got an hour or two the north-south road that crosses the range to the west provides a handy leg-up.
Steep but dryish ground rises towards harmless crags. Beyond these a short ascent brings you to an outcropped rise and the unmarked summit.
Caherconree looms to the north, but a good views in all directions, with Moanlaur not far westwards.
Even unfit and slightly hungover, I was up and down to the road in 1hr 20 mins. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/302/comment/1853/

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madfrankie on Caherbla

Like a lot of the more diminutive summits or tops, Ballyarkane Oughter has great views in all directions. Here's the higher Caherconree to the north. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/302/comment/1868/

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Views to the west.

There's a fine panorama west along the Dingle Peninsula from near the top of Caherbla. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/302/comment/23277/

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Short but tough

I took the easy option like most people wanting to do this top in isolation and started from the highest point on the road to Camp leading off the R561, which means you begin at a height of 286m. It is a short but tough climb up very steep ground, but firm underfoot, at least in good weather, with short grasses mostly. You pass through some interesting crags near the summit, which is marked by a 100m long rocky outcrop, topped at its highest point by a pointy stone, (see pic). Great views all round and a fine summit in its own right. Just 40 minutes to reach the top and 30 coming down. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/302/comment/17916/

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