It is easy to be drawn to the higher and more exciting mountains of Achill Island, but there are plenty of lesser hills that are guaranteed to be quieter and fulfilling in their own way (excluding Minaun). Knockmore was both extremely quiet and indeed fulfilling as I approached it along the long broad spur to the south. I started at a small water treatment building at L688 971 A. It was easy to pick my way over the short heather northwards eventually reaching a pile of stones on a large rock at L692 980 B. This is near the 281m spot height marked on Map 30, and is a good place to stop and take in the expansive views developing in all directions. Some height is lost as you continue north into the col before the final climb up to the summit area. However this walk of about 1km is delighful and there are many curious shaped peat hags-some like mushrooms! There is no evidence of human activity, including absolutely no quad tracks! At the summit area of Knockmore someone has made a little cairn with a long stone sticking out of it skywards. However this is almost surrounded by higher peat hags about 30 feet away in nearly every direction, so clearly the highest point is on one of these hags. I chose L690 993 C as the highest point but really there are a number of equal candidate spots. For me the main attribute of Knockmore is its quite pristine landscape and remote feeling. I have a feeling that it is rarely visited, and I didnt even see any of the blow-away papers, wrappers or bottles that one sees on most other hills. I returned by a similar route but took the time to look for wildlife (one large mountain hare 'haring' it across the bog, and plenty of frogspawn!) In total this walk was about two hours return which makes it more of a committment than some of the other smaller hills. But well worth it if you have the time to spare, and more of a reward than climbing Minaun to the north east. Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/915/comment/3678/

As Knockmore was the last remaining hill that I had not, as yet, climbed on Achill I decided to do so on Mon. 20 June 2011. As I had read wicklore's post of his climb starting from the south I thought I would take a look at a climb from the north thus giving readers an opportunity for an end to end walk, if transport allowed. We started from F6965000800 D on the road which goes along the NW flank of the hill and where there was adequate space to pull in off road. The start of the climb was SE up acrosss fairly rough ground to gain the ridge at F6985000500 E before we turned SSW up a long slope of some 200 metres to reach the the flatish top of the hill but with the high point still some 600 metres along. As wicklore has pointed out there is a small pile of stones centered in a broad flat area with higher peat hags on either side to the E and W. Clearly this does not mark the top. In my estimation the "high point" rests along the E rim of the peat hags. Someone (wicklore?) has placed a few stones along this edge that could well be the high point but no doubt others will adjudge some other tuft of grass as higher! One thing is sure, a short walk around the rim of the hags will undoubtedly cover the high point. of the hill. The view down S and SE across the subsidiary tops of the hill gave us a fine perspective of nearby Tievereivagh, climbed earlier in the day, and out across Clew Bay to Clare Island, with it's highpoint (also called Knockmore). Beyond we could see sun light Croagh Patrick and majestic Mweelrea the highest mountain in Connaght. Nearer at hand W were Menawn, Achill Head, and the tops of Croaghaun and Slievemore. To the east were nearby Corran Hill and Knockletragh and beyond the distant Nephin Beg Range. Apart from the initial climb up to the ridge the ground underfoot was good. Returning by our upward route we were up and down within one and a half hours. With two cars available a comination of this route with that described by wicklore would, in my view make an excellent end to end walk and add variety to an up and down route. Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/915/comment/6403/