Carnivorous Plants Abound

I had decided to go up Mothaillin from the north as part of a longer route. Map study indicated that any approach across Eskwacruttia was likely to be on steep rocky ground, and therefore my plan was to leave the road circa D (V84787 81612) and head east for Derrygarriv somewhere around E (V85885 81547). I would then head straight to the summit across gentle slopes before continuing to Stumpa along the gradually rising ridge.
Unfortunately, all my preparations went out the window as I made my way east along the road south of Cummeenduff Lake in the pre dawn gloom. I could see the the faint silhouette of the mountain and the gobdaw in me couldn't resist taking a "short cut" by leaving the road at about F (V84260 81440) and ascending towards G (V84600 80590). The idea was to get up there, descend into the col and reach Mothaillin. It would be easy, I thought.
Take a look at the picture I have uploaded. Even in daylight you may feel that the furry green foliage is mere grass surrounding the easily avoided rock buttresses. Wrong! The green stuff is made up of the most dense rhododendron foliage known to man. I fought my way through this jungle with the greatest of difficulty. To make matters worse, I was soaked to the skin by the wet leaves even though the sky was clear. In places I had to crawl on my hands and knees. Getting up little rock buttress was a nightmare. The result:by the time I reached the small prominence by the col to Mothaillin, I was exhausted.
I try to organise routes that permit a gentle start to a day's walking. This allows the body to adjust to the exercise, and develop rythym. I cannot emphasise enough how debilitating my crazy ascent proved to be. It meant that I was forced to abandon part of my planned subsequent route for the day several hours later. It was a high price to pay for my impatience to begin the ascent of Mothaillin.
Mothaillin is surrounded by such giants that no one pays much heed to it. As I write in August 2015 only 19 MV members have logged the peak. It's hard to believe. Just look at simon3's photos. The views are of the highest order. It's a mountain that's well worth doing, but please let me know if my original plan would have worked. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/442/comment/18271/

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simon3 on Mothaillín

One way of reaching the summit is to start from the T junction at Knocknsallagh Bridge (V839 786). Walk NW of this beside Cummeralooderry Stream until you gain the flattish ground where the stream turns left (West) at around say H (V836 794). Then head for the summit. Don't go up or down beside the lower parts of the Glasheengarriff stream. It's covered in high rushes, with water and rock in the cracks.
This summit is the eastern end of the Dunkerrons, that great ridge of high ground that finally ends near Waterville. The summit and the ridge to it from Knocknabreeda are boggy and flattish underfoot, however the position of the summit gives great views from an unusual angle. Take a look at the Upper Killarney Lake. The shadowed summit just beyond it is Torc Mountain while the snow-covered summit top right is Mangerton. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/442/comment/2554/

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simon3 on Mothaillín

The ridge from Mothaillín to Knocknabreeda and beyond runs parallel with Boughil and Knocklomena to the south and the ridge of the Reeks to the North. Magnificent views! Sense of walking amongst the mountains.

The photo has Cnoc an Chuillinn (958m) right of centre on the skyline with Brassel Mountain beneath it. We could see the curious pouncing cloud above Cnoc an Chuillinn as it stretched out from Carrauntoohil, left of centre. A lenticular cloud. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/442/comment/2555/

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simon3 on Mothaillín

Low November sun shows the summit, taken from the south.

The road from Killarney to Kenmare goes past the three main ridges of the Iveragh peninsula, from north to south: the Reeks, the Dunkerrons and the Mangertons. This picture is taken from Moll's Gap, a pass over the Mangertons and shows Mothaillín the east end of the Dunkerrons, in front of the snow-covered Reeks. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/442/comment/2553/

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Fabulous views to the west from the summit.

Fine view towards Broghnabinnia and Caher from Mothillín summit. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/442/comment/18681/

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