simon3 on Cnoc Mordáin

The summit area is a great vantage point for views to the north Connemara mountains on a good day. The picture shows the Maamturks ridge. Usually this is walked from SE to NW, or right to left in this view. Afficionados of the Turks walk will be able to see three of the four main sections that the walk is usually divided into. Centre of the picture is the pass of Maumean with a dark shadow and trees below it. Above this to the right is Binn Mhór. Right skyline is Corgemore. To the left of Maumean the highest ground (and highest point on the Turks) is Binn Idir an da Log. Left skyline and dark is Letterbreckaun. What a view!

Photo: F10 at 1/80th at 18mm on a Canon 450D at ISO 200, polarising filter. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/897/comment/3866/

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simon3 on Cnoc Mordáin

Arguably Cnoc Mordáin is the best of the south Connemara summits, its petite grandeur surpassing even the rough topped Errisbeg. From the Galway to Carna road (R340) its steep SE facing slopes, some 4k long, look extremely impressive. The slopes are not so steep on the NW side, making the mountain a long scarp. The ridge is split into two parts by a col midway which drops to around 275m.

This part of south Connemara is granite country. The slightly pinkish granite of the ridge has been shaped by the passage of abrasive laden ice into roche moutonee. The rock is in long ridges similar to what you often see in the corduroy country of the Cahas or on Mount Gabriel, only the rock here is the much harder granite. Incidentally according to Wikipedia 'The term "roche moutonnée" comes from the French for "fleecy rock", a term for a French wig, despite its popular misinterpretation as "rock sheep."' Certainly if you were a student of geology you could do worse than this ridge for examples of glacial landforms. In fact the entire ridge looks like a giant roche moutonee.

For a quick baggers dash for the summit you could start from the unfenced road NE of the summit at around A (L8800 3920) which looks straightforward though I didn't try it.

To take in the whole ridge and get a decent walk you can park at the end of the public road at Mordáin (L85936 35062) at the SW end. Walk up the track approximately west until you are nearing the trees and can head for the summit ridge.

As you rise on the ridge the view expands dramatically, revealing Kilkieran Bay to the east with its flooded intricate landscape and south Connemara summits such as Errisbeg. Eventually the view of the Bens, the Turks, the Devil's Mother and even Mweelrea appear. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/897/comment/3865/

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simon3 on Cnoc Mordáin

The view south and east from the steep side of the summit showing the sea at Kilkieran Bay and Lettermore Island, offshore right of picture. The granite of the slope is in giant broken ridges such as the one nearby. Unusually the flattish land between the summit and the sea also has rock ridges. The blue water, right inland, is a sea inlet. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/897/comment/3867/

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Long Connemara Summer Evening

Though the road near A (L8800 3920) appears unfenced you will encounter a fence very soon after leaving the road. This fence extends along this back road, Bothar na Scrathóg and keeps cattle in typically. There is a gate at B (L86925 39634) though I don't know what the landowners' attitudes to walkers are. The ridge walk from the south is preferable to the route from the north in my own opinion.

This is a great hill to take in a sunset, To the east is a view of Errisbeg, Cashel Hill, the Twelve Bens. In the west the bays and islands of South Connemara are laid out like a diorama. I found it reasonably easy to return to my starting point in the summer dusk. The attached image was captured on Sunday July 16th 2017 at about 10pm. I'm not sure what happened the midge population this year but not a single bite while sitting around in the evening breeze. Unusual and welcome! Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/897/comment/19608/

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South Connemara packs a punch.

This walk is possibly overlooked in favour of the more tempting peaks of the Bens and Maumturks. However it actually provides fantastic views of the aforementioned ranges. Parking at C (L88068 39348) a short time letter a quick fence hop will have you out on the open hill side. head South East for about 1 kilometer to the spot height at 307 meters. From here head West for a kilometer to the trig point. A longer walk could be made by continuing along the ridge but as I was bagging a few more hills that day I made a bee line North East back to the car Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/897/comment/20104/

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