simon3 on Knocknanacree

Knocknacree is a short walk with a big payload on a good day. Take the smaller road SW out of Anascaul towards Minard, a ruined castle. You will find Knocknacree on your left, between you and the sea. In fact there is no road nearer the coast at this point. We stopped at Doorah (Q57696 00630) where there was a widening in the road. Judging by the reactions of a sheep farmer who we met on our way back I don't think there's any great access problem around here. Essentially there is one layer of rough field between the road and the open hillside. The farmer we met owned one of these and was utterly uninterested in what we were doing there.

The climb up Knocknacree (known locally as Acres) is surprisingly difficult although short. It's at a steep gradient and has a sort of knee high dwarf furze growing on it. Don't wear shorts. Eventually you reach the ridge and can walk some 750m to the summit with great views on all sides on a good day.

It would also be possible to park nearer to the summit if you wanted to, and indeed there seemed a few places where there was both parking and easy access onto the wild hillside.

The summit has trig pillar. The picture shows the series of ridges gradually descending from the higher Slieve Mishs. Knocknacree is almost at the end of this series of ridges.

In the backround in the pic is Caherconree with Gearhane off to the left. On the right skyline is (starting from the furthest) the Knockbrack, Moanlaur, Knockmore ridge finishing at Emlagh the last bump on the right skyline. The darker rounded summit almost in the middle of the picture is Brickany. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/967/comment/3837/

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Guinness powered ascent

After another great night in Hanafins Bar in Annascaul, where we had more than several Guinness, it was decided to walk out from Annascaul again with Knocknanacree the objective for the day.

We followed the Dingle way along minor roads, towards, well Dingle Town. As the road starts to traverse the North side of Knocknanacree you come to a farm (on your right) with 2 tracks running up hill on your left. Take the second track at roughly A (Q58394 00964), go through the gate and walk up hill to another gate at the top of the field. Go through this and follow the track as it switch backs up the hill. Soon it will run along a fence, pick a suitable place to cross the fence (there is a couple of rocks placed so the long of leg can just step over) and gain the ridge, which a very faint path follows to the cairn. Continue on to the summit, just passed the summit is a small pen like structure (see the photo), where we stopped for lunch. Return was made by the way of ascent, as otherwise you end up in a lot of that furze which Simon mentions in his post. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/967/comment/6495/

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simon3 on Knocknanacree

Looking south there's long view towards Mount Eagle (right skyline) while to the left of that is Croaghmore on the Great Blasket Island. On the horizon in the left half of the picture is Inishvickillane some 30k through the summer haze. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/967/comment/3838/

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Storm Beach and Cliffs at lower western reaches

A view of "Acres" from Minard Beach. This is apparently a geologically interesting spot in itself as it is a storm beach comprised of large sandstone boulders. The castle is on private land and not closely accessible but Cromwell's forces gave it some strong blows many years ago, so getting too close might be inadvisable anyway.

Local signboards suggest an out and back from Minard Beach. The river and road directly to the east of this hill at Bunaneer would appear to prevent a route onwards to Knockafeehane. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/967/comment/20024/

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