simon3 on Slievenashaska

Richard Mersey who has written about this general area, known as the Dunkerrons said between Coomcallee and Knocknagantee "is an area wild and rocky with many lake on the summit ridge, and deep coums cutting from both sides." That about sums it up! There's lakes, coums, rough ground everywhere.

Brian Ringland [Interview in MountainViews] further talked it up. In answer to the question "Best experience on a 500 m walk?" he said "Coumcallee and east of that towards Knocknagantee. Lots of little lakes and wild, interesting country. Very tricky navigation in bad weather."

For a small party (up to5 say), one way of getting onto it is to leave the road at A (V671 698). Ask permission at the last house and walk NW on the track shown on the map that goes round the north end of Dromtine Lough. Then onto the ridge leading west and up.
With a larger party I would recommend starting around 600m north (near the "Standing Stones") or south perhaps at the forestry accessed from the main road at B (V673 686). Ask permission if you go anywhere near houses or cultivated fields.

As you ascend the ridge on a good day, longer and longer views appear on both sides. To the left Coomnahorna and the southern cliffs of Coomcathcun, to the right a view along a series of jutting ridges of the Dunkerrons. This includes Knocknagantee, the less well known Coomnacronia and Finnararagh (aka An Corrán). All wild spots.

The summit is on a slight rise above a broad and rough plateau with several lakes. There's a cairn. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/313/comment/2484/

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Rough, remote and bizarre.

The land south and south-west of this summit above Lough Coumcurrane is quite astonishing for roughness.

Take a look at this section which looks more like goitre than rock.

Towards the bottom right are a few specks of white. These are sheep. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/313/comment/6835/

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Water and Stone

Coomcathcun's extensive plateau is an obstacle course of water and rock. Navigation will be difficult in poor conditions. There is a real sense of remoteness. Human traffic is almost non existent. This would be an interesting place to set up camp for a few days of contemplation. Getting there would not be easy, but it would be worth it. My particular favorites are the many tiny lakes, and their rocky cradles. The photo is taken at point C (V63744 69914) and shows the nearby lake, with Kenmare Bay and Beara in the background Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/313/comment/16034/

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ahendroff on Slievenashaska

On the summit of Coomcathcun, in snow and misty conditions that are ideal for ML style micro-navigation drills. View from the summit on this particular day were virtually non-existent except for a brief hopeful interlude when a patch of blue sky was seen. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/313/comment/3591/

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An alternative name?

When I was spending lots of time around Sneem in the 90's I knew this hill as Slievenashaska (perhaps Sliabh na Seasgaich, "hill of the barren cow"?). Can't now remember who or where the name came from. Coomcathun obviously originally refers to one of the hollows around the hill rather than the summit. Cracking hill whatever it's called.. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/313/comment/18754/

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