It started with the midges...Arriving at forest entrance at V 574 778 C at about 8.30, was immediately attacked by a swarm, and bitten a hundred times by the time I'd gotten my boots on. Hastening up track as suggested by Simon3 to escape a horrible death, I arrived at the forest clearing to the north. Granted it is seven years since Simon's comment, but a lot had obviously changed. As the rain began to bucket down, I attempted to cross the clearing - bad mistake. It was a mixture of chest high reeds and thistles on very uneven ground. After 100m, and having fallen flat on my face several times, I could only have been wetter if I'd gone swimming with my clothes on. I sough shelter just inside the forest edge, which made for slightly better going, although I was poked in the face by branches several times. Eventually I cleared the woods, crossed an open field to to the north and began the ascent proper. After crossing several barbed wire fences, I hit the knee-high heather, which continues pretty much all the way to the top, and made for very hard going. The summit is a grassy, unremarkable affair, marked by a small pile of stones. I'm sure the views are great, but in the mist, I could barely see a thing. Then I had to retrace my steps through the early hell, falling at least five times along the way. A simple 4km walk, I had expected it to take a about 90 minutes. Two and a half miserable hours later I drove away and didn't look back. I have since learned of a much better approach via a farmyard to the east. If I get the details I'll post them - in the meantime, avoid this route at all costs! Trackback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/448/comment/17589/

One way up Caunoge is to start from the forest entrance at V 574 778 C.
Walk about 340m along the track and you come to a firebreak off to the north. Follow this and you will arrive at the edge of the forest. It's easy to see the way from here or you can go about 100m west and get to a ploughed forest edge which is easier walking.

Reaching the boggy ridge of this low top on a pretty murky day I expected little photographic interest. To the NE the "back" or smooth side of the Glenbeigh Horseshoe, to which Caunoge joins at Coomacarrea was in mist and probably isn't that interesting from this side anyway.

But Kerry so often surprises for views. Stretching south west from Caunoge is a series of photogenic features. The murk was just kind enough to let me get this shot, however I suspect that given the right conditions (perhaps low morning light cutting across the ridge) there is real classic to be had here.

Just for reference the black foreground is the ridge of Caunoge, immediately above this is a low (230-330m) ridge along which the Kerry Way goes. The sharp and pointy hill right of centre on the skyline is Beenduff and to its right Foilclogh 497m, a near miss to the MountainViews 500m list. In the distance on the left are those southern outposts of Ballinskelligs bay, Bolus at 410m with Canuig to its right. Trackback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/448/comment/1861/

If you drop off Caunoge by its southern spur, the smooth curves of the landscape are jarred by this jagged rock on the horizon. It's Scellig Michael framed by Aghatubride and Knocknaskereighta. A surprising keyhole view. Look out for it. If you can see Scellig Michael from Caunoge, you can see 38.6km. Trackback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/448/comment/1862/