Cookies. This website uses cookies, which are small text files that the website puts on your device to facilitate operation. Cookies help us provide a better service to you. They are used to track general user traffic information and to help the website function properly.

Click to hide this notice for 30 days.
Welcome to MountainViews
If you want to use the website often please enrol (quick and free) at top right.
Overview
Detail
Zoom: ??
For more map options click on any overview map area or any detail map feature.
Find Suggested Walks
Find hill, mountain, island, coastal feature.
Videos

Recent Contributions
Get Notifications

Kilbrony Park Ramble

Carrigroe: Twin tops

Knocknakilton & Cummeen, Dingle Penninsula

Grieve Hill: Summit position recently revised.

Leean Mountain: Ireland's Best Small Hill?

Croaghnageer and Croghanirwore

Blackstairs Mountain: Good access and a great viewpoint above a patchwork quilt

Scarr North-West Top: Popular spot in the heart of the mountains

9 km walk around Mullaghmeen Woods April 2025

Silvermines Hydro Project

Brown Mountain: Granite - mica schist boundary

Callahaniska: Simple but very rewarding

Conditions and Info
Use of MountainViews is governed by conditions and a privacy policy.
Read general information about the site.
Opinions in material here are not necessarily endorsed by MountainViews.
Hillwalking is a risk sport. Information in comments, walks, shared GPS tracks or about starting places may not be accurate for example as regards safety or access permission. You are responsible for your safety and your permission to walk.
See the credits and list definitions.
Video display
West Cork Mountains Area   NW: Knockboy Subarea
Place count in area: 62, OSI/LPS Maps: 78, 79, 85, 86, 88, 89 
Highest place:
Knockboy, 704.8m
Maximum height for area: 704.8 metres,     Maximum prominence for area: 685 metres,

Places in area West Cork Mountains:
Cen: Maughanaclea:   Maughanaclea Hills East Top 470mMaughanaclea Hills West Top 452m
Cen: Shehy More:   Shehy More 545.6mShehy More SW Top 446m
E: Clearagh:   Clearagh Hill 287m
E: Currane:   Currane Hill 228m
N Cen: Douce:   Douce Mountain 476mDoughill Mountain 471m
N: Carran:   Barnastooka 497mBealick 537.1mCarran 605.2mCarran Far NE Top 561mCarran Far North Top 506mCarran NE Top 555mCarran South Top 568.4mKnockantooreen 450m
N: Conigar:   Conigar 566mConigar SW Top 566mFoilastookeen 540m
N: Coomataggart:   Carrigalougha 423mCoomataggart 539.3mCoomataggart SW Top 509mDerrineanig 304mLackabaun 472mMweelin 487m
NE Cen: Carrigarierk:   Carrigarierk 343m
NW: Barraboy:   Barraboy Mountain 460mBarraboy Mountain Far East Top 456mBarraboy Mountain SE Top 409mDerroograne 468mTurners Rock 420m
NW: Knockboy:   Caoinkeen 692.8mCaoinkeen South-East Top 553.5mCoomhola Mountain 472mKnockboy 704.8mKnockboy North Top 651.2mKnockboy South Top 533.3mThe Priest's Leap 519m
NW: Knocknamanagh:   Bird Hill 412mCoomclogherane Top 449mGullaba Hill 603mKnockbrack 440mKnockbrack South Top 458mKnocknamanagh 637mKnocknamanagh NE Top 625m
S Cen: Dunmanway Hills:   Cashloura 296.8mCoolsnaghtig 295.8mInchanadreen 310m
S Cen: Nowen:   Milane Hill 354.4mMullaghmesha 494.3mNowen Hill 535.2mNowen Hill Far West Top 405.2mNowen Hill SW Top 509mPookeen North Top 319m
S: Leap Hills:   Carrigfadda 311.7mKilleigh Hill 229mKnockarudane Hill 169mKnockscagh 195m
S: Skibbereen:   Barryroe Hill 156mLick Hill 158m
W Cen: Knockbreteen:   Knockbreteen 239m
W: Bantry:   Knocknaveagh 282m

Note: this list of places includes island features such as summits, but not islands as such.
Rating graphic.
Knockboy South Top Mountain An Cnoc Buí (Mullach Theas) A name in Irish For origin of name, see Knockboy. Cork County in Munster Province, in Arderin List, Purple & green sandstone & siltstone Bedrock

Height: 533.3m OS 1:50k Mapsheet: 85 Grid Reference: W00588 60580
Place visited by 86 members. Recently by: Jimmel357, Krzysztof_K, DeirdreM, dregish, wallr, trampisob, Mario77, johncusack, annem, a3642278, srr45, mountainmike, Ulsterpooka, Hillwalker65, eiremountains
I have visited this place: NO (You need to be a logged-in member to change this.)

Longitude: -9.441451, Latitude: 51.78925 , Easting: 100588, Northing: 60581 Prominence: 33.42m,  Isolation: 1.5km
ITM: 500560 560645,   GPS IDs, 6 char: Knc533, 10 char: KnckbySthT
Bedrock type: Purple & green sandstone & siltstone, (Caha Mountain Formation)

Previously Curramore in MV.   Knockboy South Top is the 467th highest place in Ireland.

Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/389/
COMMENTS for Knockboy South Top (An Cnoc Buí (Mullach Theas)) 1 of 1  
Follow this place's comments
MountainViews.ie Picture about mountain Knockboy South Top (<i>An Cnoc Buí (Mullach Theas)</i>) in area West Cork Mountains, Ireland
Picture: Knockboy from its South Top
 
The View from There
by CaptainVertigo  30 Sep 2015
So what if you were to contour round to the South Top (from Priest's Leap Gap) and then ascend to Knockboy at 702m ? You would descend to the little lake, which lies at just under 500m, and then ascend 200m or so to the main peak at 702m. The interesting thing is that Knockboy presents as being no more than a 200m summit when viewed from the South Top. Quite a tame view of a mountain that is just over 700m high. I took the attached photo of Knockboy from the South Top. Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/389/comment/18335/
Your Score: Very useful <<  >>Average
 
MountainViews.ie Picture about mountain Knockboy South Top (<i>An Cnoc Buí (Mullach Theas)</i>) in area West Cork Mountains, Ireland
Picture: The South Top from Knockboy
Come Sei Bella!
by CaptainVertigo  30 Jun 2021
There are summits that would hardly ever be pursued if they did not appear on a certain mountain list and, as John Desmond noted in 2006, Knockboy South Top probably falls into this category. My own experience of the mountain, at the end of a long and arduous day, was so unexpectedly enjoyable, that it reinforced my belief that it can often be the much derided mavericks on a list that can “wow” the walker, rather than their more celebrated neighbours

Yes, the target is a mere “rim” preventing Curramore Lough from spilling downhill: you wouldn’t call it a mountain had someone not gone to the trouble of checking its credentials in advance. My slow and careful descent off the main top took place in bright autumn sunshine, highlighting the magnificent Cork landscape and Bantry Bay, and the closer I got to the lake at the foot of South Top, the more I realised that this would be not just a treat but a really rewarding one.

I thought that I would have to stay way wide of the lake on the eastern side to avoid a swamp, but as I got nearer I found that (despite very heavy rain earlier this mid September) the conditions underfoot were fine. As I passed within metres of the lake its deep blue was splashed with autumn sunshine and I couldn’t help but think of the Dolce and Gabbana couple cavorting on a Mediterranean shore to the heavenly strains of Parlami d'amore, Mariù! (I now ask the serious reader to use YouTube to experience the music of Giuseppe di Stefano while reading this piece.)

Getting from the lake to the summit takes but a few minutes. In fact the biggest challenge is a very well-constructed barbed wire fence. That fence stops just short of the lake at a place that looks dangerously swampy so you are better off staying on your own side until you find a low spot with stones on either side. I would say that many a marriage prospect and remarriage prospect has been left hanging on that fence so proceed with caution. Here you are on the summit of South Top divided from the mother mountain by a dazzling lake, and to the east and south the special mountain landscape of West Cork and the awesome spectacle of Bantry Bay.

I managed to walk most of the way back to Priest’s leap Gap on a contour that avoided any real ascent or descent, and the first part of that trek was often on exposed flat rocks saving my creaking ankles from trauma. The sheep have pioneered the route and done their work well. The constant presence of Bantry Bay to the south offered a D&G perfume to my wandering soul that transcended the sheep droppings underfoot and left me at peace with myself and the world. Come sei bella!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzW_RQtVeM0 Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/389/comment/18315/
Your Score: Very useful <<  >>Average
 
MountainViews.ie Picture about mountain Knockboy South Top (<i>An Cnoc Buí (Mullach Theas)</i>) in area West Cork Mountains, Ireland
Picture: Bantry framed by the Valley
 
Getting Back to Priest's Leap Gap
by CaptainVertigo  18 Sep 2015
Contouring back to Priest's Leap Gap from Knockboy South Top requires some concentration as the terrain, as you approach the gap, is hazardous. I found it difficult to stop turning around to have another look at Bantry Bay framed by the lovely valley. This is heady stuff. Several hours earlier, as I arrived at the gap from the south I saw a zany red van parked precariously by the side of the road with an elevated roof and padded tinfoil insulating the windows. When my day's work was done, I stood in the eye of the gap ,and the little red van sailed by. The occupants were a most beautiful young couple. They beamed with happiness. I felt momentarily like an interloper between the chiming of the exquisite scenery and the radiance of the archetypal pair. I was very glad for them. Of course everything passes. Not just the young couple but the valley and the mountains themselves. How can things that have ever existed cease to exist? If things exist at all must they not continue to exist in some dimension that is beyond us? A good day in the mountains allows the walker to dwell on such dilemmas Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/389/comment/18319/
Your Score: Very useful <<  >>Average
 
MountainViews.ie Picture about mountain Knockboy South Top (<i>An Cnoc Buí (Mullach Theas)</i>) in area West Cork Mountains, Ireland
Picture: Looking down on Knockboy S (was Curramore) from Knockboy
john_desmond on Knockboy South Top, 2006
by john_desmond  30 Jun 2021
This summit is more like just a piece of high ground rather than a true summit. The top is is very flat with 2 possible tops about 300 metres apart although I think that the 532m point on the OS map is probably the correct one. As you can see from the OS map, the summit is only 2 metres above the 530m contour yet this contour covers a large area. From what I remember, the whole area was just a mixture of exposed rock, boggy ground and some small ponds, too small to be shown on a map. If anyone was interest in doing it, it might be best included as a short walk up to Knockboy. Park at 'Priests Leap' and head towards Knockboy. At the small plateau at about 540m, veer off right towards Curramore. After the 'summit', go around Lough Curramore and head up to Knockboy. Overall, the only reason for going here is to do one of the 500 metre plus peaks. There are other longer routes up around Knockboy that offer nicer views. Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/389/comment/2293/
Your Score: Very useful <<  >>Average
 
Round of Inchinagoum 2
by three5four0  15 Aug 2010
After lunch in our car and the morning efforts on The Priests Leap and Derroograne hills, the weather showing much improvement. We decided to take in Knockboy South Top and Coomhola Mountain, in the afternoon sun shine.

Walked down the road till V99070 60420 starA, where we followed an old track up hill. This petters out before you reach the top of this broad ridge. Cross the fence and descend down to a small river (you should be able to see a small dam / hydro works a short distance down stream from you), cross this stream and climb up the other side. From here it's only round 60 metres of ascent and just over a km distance to the summit of Knockboy South Top. It is a fine summit too & whilst there we spotted a figure making the top of Knockboy, and perhaps they were the owner of the car parked beside ours at the Priests Leap. Strangely, this was to be one of only the two times we spotted other walkers on the hills in Beara, on our week long trip there. Plenty on the Beara way, but only 2 on the hills we climbed, all week.

See Coomhola from the continuation. Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/389/comment/6017/
Your Score: Very useful <<  >>Average
 
(End of comment section for Knockboy South Top (An Cnoc Buí (Mullach Theas)).)

Main mapping:
Open Street Map
(Main supplier OpenTopoMap)
Height layer: © MapTiler
MapTiler Logo
British summit data courtesy:
Database of British & Irish Hills
(Creative Commons Licence)
MountainViews.ie, a Hill-walking Website for the island of Ireland. 2500 Summiteers, 1480 Contributors, maintainer of lists such as: Arderins, Vandeleur-Lynams, Highest Hundred, County Highpoints etc