Comfea via the Eastern Sgilloge Lough Gully

From the Gap Car Park ( Nire (S27684 12842)) we followed the path signposted for the Nire Lakes crossing the Nire in clear spate after the recent snow, traces of which adhered to the cliffs surrounding the northern Sgilloge Lough making it appear like a terraced amphitheatre. The ground rose steeply and was absolutely sodden and wobbly to walk on for several hundred metres as we continued upwards to the melody of a skylark and plaintive cries of newborn lambs before patches of ice appeared making the turf firmer to walk on. Bog then gave way to heather interspersed with large conglomerate boulders on the steep lip of the corrie (height 501m). Sunlight danced on the surface of its inky water as we traversed the western shoreline past the ruins of a possible booley, admiring the waterfall roaring away and throwing up clouds of mist in the SE corner of the corrie. We located a gully which we climbed to take us onto the Comeragh Plateau some 730m above (described separately).

From here, the views north of the snow-capped Knockmealdown and Galty Mountains, the twin Sgilloge Loughs below and the spiky ridge of Knockanaffrin to the east were magnificent. Traversing a path eastwards along the edge of the cliffs we located the top of the waterfall (B (S300 112)) marked by shimmering rainbows and the phenomenon, sean bhean ag caitheamh tobac. The spray blown back along the stream created strange ice encrustations resembling salt formations that shone like jewels from the surrounding cliffs, while nearby stood a frigid miniature ice-army seemingly guarding the old woman who was puffing her pipe somewhere below. I dared not look back as we left lest I was turned to a pillar of salt! Passing the gully we had climbed we headed above Curraghduff and ascended Coumfea North Top past frozen peat hags with icicles like wax candles dripping from them. From here we headed to the somewhat featureless summit of Coumfea (C (S295 097)) across peat surrounded by patches of pink and white gravel enjoying views of Dungarvan Bay to the south and one or two other walkers in the distance.

We descended Coumfea traversing the path round the top of Coumalocha. The views down rocky gullies that looked climbable to the hummocky ground below set with deep blue loughs contrasting with verdant moss and russets of bracken and heather were splendid. Coumfea West Top with its minute pile of stones serving as a cairn was our next objective before we headed NW down the gentle slopes of Lyre Mountain before striking NE past the ruins of a former cottage, wondering what human dramas had once been played out under its roof. We carefully crossed a rushing tributary of the Nire at D (S276 117) and followed a sheep path above it towards a gate leading onto a track that passed a deserted farm. Crossing the river via a makeshift bridge we followed this track up to the surfaced road some 500m from the car park, arriving there 6.5 hours and 14km later. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/81/comment/4588/

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john_desmond on Coumfea

Coumfea has a broad summit with no real peak. Unless I missed it, I could see no cairn near the summit itself. However, there is a cairn just a little to the WNW of the summit and it is near the cliff edge. I took a reading of E (S2946 0982) at this cairn which might be of use to anyone going up there on misty weather. As it is close to the cliff, it is easily seen as most people pass this way to have a constant view of the scenery to the West. The picture shows the view North from Coumfea itself. As you can see, the summit is featureless. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/81/comment/1652/

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wicklore on Coumfea

On Monday the rain teemed down as two of us set off at dawn from Dublin to explore the Comeraghs. We parked at the car park at F (S313 077). The cloud was down around us and the steady hiss of rain provided a backdrop as we squelched up the spur from the car park. When it levelled off we navigated through the cloud to the 668m spot height at G (S304 083). We then headed for the cliffs to the southwest of Coumfea before reaching the summit area of Coumfea at C (S295 097). The day proved to be one long exercise in navigation, as we managed to visit Coumfea and Coumfea North Top (H (S295 107)) before doubling back to Seefin (I (S274 068)). We then returned by the same spur down to the car. The going was very tough as the ground was waterlogged, and there was often an absence of tracks across the bog. The water literally streamed off the peat hags, creating temporary mini waterfalls. Our walk was 15 kms, but felt longer due to the effort required. We were rewarded for our perseverance as the clouds shifted occasionally to allow us to glimpse lakes far below beneath sheer corrie walls. At other times dark gullys revealed themselves with angry clouds boiling up out of them. Coumfea was a flat, featureless summit and reminded us of the Slieve Blooms and Wicklow hills. Our experience was that Coumfea and the Comeraghs in general seem to be much less ‘trampled’ than Wicklow. The result was that it felt quite isolated and remote, especially as we met no one else throughout the day. (This sense of unspoiled land was shattered when A-we found the obvious eroded paths that seem to follow large parts of the cliff tops, and B-we found the horrendous concrete hut at the summit of Seefin)
It was too wet to risk bringing the camera so my photos were taken with the phone. Even so the picture manages to capture some of the essence of the walking conditions. It was a tough but enjoyable day, but we definitely would have preferred some of the good weather that other contributors have obviously enjoyed judging by their photos. Peeking over the many cliff edges requires great care, especially in wet conditions. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/81/comment/3717/

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bobthebuilder on Coumfea

Had the pleasure of accompanying Wicklore last Monday. My second time in the Comeragh's, although the first time I got to see what they looked like! What seemed like an almost endless bog trot, the day was filled with some interesting features which made the day worthwhile. The photo shows the bog waterfalls that Wicklore mentions - water streaming off the peat hags and making an incredible sound on the small pools at their base. The clouds sifting out from the corries were fantastic also. The comeraghs are like a version of Wicklow on diet pills and steriods - smaller, yet remoter (or certainly seem less frequented), with vaster plateau's, more Corries (bigger and steeper ones at that). I think I'd swap my neighbouring mountains if I could! The comeragh's also seem like a range where the normal conventions of route-planning don't suffice. Perhaps a hybrid route with corrie scrambling at either end could make a trip in these hills like nowhere else in the country. I will look forward to returning to try a circuit of Coumshingaun. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/81/comment/3722/

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simon3 on Coumfea

Unshorn and unsure sheep turn their black faces to the camera before scurrying off.

Above them the slopes leading to Knockanaffrin from the sunlit "Gap".

Slievenamon sings through the mist on the right skyline. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/81/comment/1799/

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