Shores of the utmost west...

There are very few mediocre climbs in the utmost reaches of Iveragh, and Killelan Mountain certainly isn't one of them. It had been a sodden early afternoon in the hills overlooking Glenbeigh so when the weather cheered up considerably in the afternoon I jumped at the chance of spending some slightly sunnier time aloft.

I also made my way to White Strand, but took a punt on being able to leave the car a bit closer to the ascent. I drove up to the T junction and turned left, making my way to the end of the road where I found the gate open and a couple of cars already parked on the right B (V422 802). Setting off on a rising traverse line west across the fields, I was soon greeted by a couple of friendly collies so stopped to chat to their owner (who was parked higher up). Aware that I'd parked a bit further on than my MV predecessors I thought it prudent to check that there weren't any issues with parking and access. I pointed down to my car, looked up the hill and said:

'Am I alright to go up there sir'?

Whereupon the charming elderly gent looked me up and down, and with a twinkle in his eye replied:

'Aye, you look like a fit and healthy young man. I'm sure you can do it.'

Suitably endorsed I followed his suggested route through a small gate across and slightly up the field to the west, which led me out onto the hillside and clear of the network of walls that pattern the slope until this point. From here I elected to go pretty much straight up, using the last of the walls as a rough guide. This was reasonably straightforward (although shorts-wearers might like to know that there's a fair amount of shin-height prickliness to cross) and led without incident to the col between the hill's twin tops. Turning left the walk to the summit was easy, with assorted vague trods being scarcely necessary as the ridge becomes reasonably well defined. The top is wonderfully airy, with hints of outcropping rock and a gorgeous 360 degree panorama.

Like everything in this neck of the woods (even Geokaun), highly recommended. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/979/comment/6858/

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Walking World Ireland Route

On Sat 3rd Oct 2009 a group of us walked Killelan.Getting there is easy. In mid town Cahersiveen take the road for White Strand. Plenty of parking there.You walk back along this road , going N & then sharp left & W . Go out to the tip of Doulus Head on well marked sheep tracks & dont miss the sea stacks at Illaunanesk.. Turn here & follow tracks up Killelan.

We are deeply indebted to Tom Hutton who had just published a great article on this walk in the Oct/Nov issue of Walking World Ireland no 93. The views from the top of Killelan 267 m are brilliant including Skelligs & Dingle Bay. Continue on via the fences & stone walls that are very useful physical guide references here. This area is subject to mist& light rain & we were using compass & Map (OS 83 ).Next stop was Coonchrome Harbour. You are on tarmac all the way back to White Strand. There are two renovated forts here , really worth a diversion , especially the Cahergal one. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/979/comment/4222/

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A quickie before tea

Where the road from Cahersiven to white strand beach reaches the last junction, at D (V434 800), turn right instead of left for white strand. Within a short distance there will be an area on your left (seaward side) where you can park a couple of cars.

From here take the first left, then left again when this minor road reaches a t junction. Follow this road, which turns into a track, through a couple of gates and past the last wall onto the open hillside. From the last gate - & wall - strike up hill, through a small patch of furze at mid height, gaining the col between the two summits of Killelan Mountain and accessing both tops from here. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/979/comment/6545/

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