Access in Black Valley to Broaghnabinnea and Stumpa Dulaigh

A shame. We climbed Stumpa Dulaigh from there last year and met the farmer on our way back, just at Lough Reagh. He seemed nice enough - maybe something happened this year? Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/80/comment/20891/

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Mersey

Since adding the comment, I have located my copy of Richard Mersey's 'Hills of Cork and Kerry' to see what he thought. For me, Mersey is a wonderfully evocative writer, that practical approach of a bygone age when mountains would be tackled in flannel shirts, tweed pants and sturdy shoes, with a couple of oranges and a pack of Sweet Afton for sustenance. And his book is a great mix of folklore, amateur geology and local history.

Anyway, he ascended Broaghnabinnia from the Bridia Valley side, and he described the climb as 'steep and invigorating', but he too found the top 'a real anti-climax after the alpine ascent'. So clearly Herman isn't alone in his view.

He notes the view of 'the great grey wall of the Reeks' before going on to tackle Stumpa Duloigh (or Knockduff as he calls it) and he notes that while the prominence means that there is a good descent before gaining height again, he adds that 'the ridge...is so spectacular that losing height does not seem to matter'. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/80/comment/6057/

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Geo on Broaghnabinnia

A classic case of biting off more than you can chew. After doing the "Pocket" on Friday, we had B'binnia and Stumpa Duloigh lined up for Saturday. After much looking at routes, we thought that we could do a car split involving a car on Ballaghbeama Gap at the view point, and then start the walk at the head of the Bridia Valley. Things started well, the day was good, cold, fresh and typical February. We drove up to the furthest point we could on the Bridia Valley boreen and at the gate we went on through and unsuccessfully tried to find someone at the house ahead for permission to park. There was no-one home and a car already parked and the signs for the kerry way access decided us that so long as out two cars were not blocking anyaccess and the gate was securely shut after we went through it that we would be ok, as it happened we seen no-one to refute this. After parking at Bridia End (V78881 81753) we walking S down the track towards farm buildings where a dog was barking and crossed a metal footbridge beside the ford (on OS 78). We then crossed a fence and continued roughly S a short distance going up onto a rough rocky spur which came down from B'binnia from E to W. We took this as being the "ramp" we had read about and turned E to follow this upwards. According to our source (David Herman if I'm not mistaken) we were to pick up a fence which we could follow to the top. This fence took a small bit of finding but it was there alright. The Harvey map has more detail than the OS 78 and if you have one you can pretty much see this ramp on paper and be sure of its location, but if using the OS 78 it runs E from where the word "Rock" as in "Rock Art" is printed. Anyway to cut a long story short use the fence as your handrail, in many cases, literally as you ascend. This is without doubt one for those who want a litttle lore oomph in their hill-walking. In many places hands are needed to scramble and you will have to go from one side of the fence to another to make your way up. The only fly in the ointment we encountered was a sheep trapped in the wire and for the squeamish I won't describe the scene fully, It took three of us to extricate her and she is (assuming she lives) only on three good legs now. Anyway, the top is rather a huge anticlimax after the fun of the scramble up and the views, like the one N to the Reeks where we saw the lake pictured. We were glad we hadn't come up the way we went down S to about 550m then W to the col where we had lunch. This would have been the approach from the Lough Reagh side and 'twould have been just a boring slog in that direction. Anyway our plans were to go up the spur to the Stumpa Duloigh ridge after this, but as we had already three hours gone and a late start, Common sense broke out and we decided to call it a day. Overall I'd give this one ten out of ten for the fun of the scramble. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/80/comment/4430/

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New route, new perspective?

Most surprised to read of David Herman's comment, I really like this mountain. For starters it is pleasing on the eye, it rears above both the Black Valley and Bridia Valley and stands out from its larger neighhbours, while those around it of a similar height like Brassel, Knocknabreda and Curraghmore seem content to hide amongst the Reeks and Iveragh Mountains.

Parked car at H (V8175 8218) where road twists around a shed. There is parking for 4 or 5 cars here, and many more spaces a few hundred yards further down the road. Crossed 2 sheep wire fences each with one strand of barb wire, very easy mind, and made way across the Cummeenduff River. Fording was tricky, the water was only ankle/knee height in the dry weather but the rocks all seemed very soapy and had to be careful not to slip. However, the maps show a road to derelict houses further south which road seems to cross the river, so perhaps in bad weather use could be made of that route. From there made my way to point I (V8187 8171) at the foot of a stream/waterfall which clearly scars the broad east/south east rump of the mountain behind the derelict houses.

From there, spent 50 minutes making my way up a very enjoyable scramble to a broad shoulder at J (V8134 8154) as shown on the right hand side of Simon3's photo. Loved this part of the trek. The stream was dry, but room on both sides for wetter times of the year. Lots of sweat and lots of midges, so don't forget the repellent. Excellent views from that shoulder over the Black Valley, across to Stumpa Duloigh and north to the huge wall of rock above Curraghmore Lake and under Caher and Carrauntoohil.

From the shoulder one has a clear view to the apparent summit in the middle of Simon's pic and that is gained by a 15 minute walk across springy turf and heather. However, as is evident from that photo, this is a false summit, there is another good ten minutes of effort required before one makes the top - perhaps it was this false summit that frustrated David Herman. More excellent views, including a vista right down the length of the Bridia Valley and on to Mullaghanattin and the mountains around Glencar and Glenbeigh.

As night was closing in I had to descend at pace. Retraced my steps to the shoulder, but stayed more to the north of it this time and took a ramp from it at K (V8126 8160) that leads almost due west across the east face of the mountain, descending all the time. From L (V8097 8176), made a beeline for the car. A few crags to negotiate, but made it down from summit to car in 50 minutes - though was on my own and moving fast. Again, care needed fording the river.

All in all, a real mountain that requires real effort and a fine scramble, but perhaps its prominence means its not the best for summit bagging, and watch out for that river and those midges. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/80/comment/6034/

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Climb the nose of a westerly face.

Broaghnabinnia can be climbed from the west in the Bridia valley. There is a limited amount of parking for example around M (V7840 8156). The attraction of this route is the long rocky nose shown in the photo. This is around 1000m long and climbs around 525m (gradient 50%+ !) which I can attest is hard work, but then reaching the top by any route from north or east is also very steep.
Few guidebooks describe this route. I did find this in Claude Wall's Mountaineering in Ireland: "The northern outpost [of what he calls the 'Breadagh district'], Broaghnabinnia, a cone of steep grey rock, is a stiff climb, but is more remarkable for the great rough image of a human face weathered on its western flank, which changes expression according to the viewpoint."
Can't say I see it in this picture, but looking imaginatively at an earlier photo (from Eric), perhaps. Members (sober) are invited to Spot the Face. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/80/comment/6479/

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