Ridges can be a short sharp shock, awing us with knife edge precision and facilitating us with boot worn paths well described in guidebooks.
But the SW ridge of Mangerton is nothing like this, being boggy, complex, uncelebrated by famous authors and with few visitors or paths. Nevertheless it is one of the great ridges of Ireland, with a sense of tragic wilderness. Tragic because of the abandoned cabins, roads and even bridges.
Its wilderness attractions include navigational challenge, remote photography galore, three Vandeleur-Lynams within just 2km of one another and an astonishing collection of perching rocks, one of which even has a summit named after it as "Shaking Rock". Another summit, Knockrower, appears to be one of the select handful of Irish tops crowned by a resting rock. The area even has fishing in the numerous lakes. Or was that a tall tale from our resident Kerry expert?

Nevertheless, even on a good day you're going to have to work to see all of these attractions and a bad day while bringing out the atmosphere, will forcibly bring your attention to the former inhabitants compelled to make a living in this desolate wasteland at over 300m.