A Kerry Round - summits, heights and recces
| Author | Date | Message |
|---|---|---|
| Conor Murphy | Aug 30 2020, 6:13pm | https://m.facebook.com/groups/1328420757249671?view=permalink&id=3286203401471387 This is the list of summits based on Brian Mullins' route, divided into 5 outings. Mountain names and heights taken from mountainviews.ie, names in brackets refer to summits crossed a second time in the "out and backs". I've tried to "equalise" time/distance, and factor in parking, starting/finishing at lower altitudes etc. Will organise recces over the coming months... Torc 535m Tomies Mountain North Top 568m Tomies Mountain 735m Purple Mountain NE Top 757m Shehy Mountain 762m (Purple Mountain NE Top 757m) Purple Mountain 832m ========== Cnoc na dTarbh 655m Cnoc an Bhráca 731m Cruach Mhór 930.8m The Big Gun 939.9m Cnoc na Péiste 985.1m Maolán Buí 968.9m Cnoc an Chuillinn East Top 922.9m Brassel Mountain 575m Cnoc an Chuillinn 954.6m Cnoc na Toinne 844.1m Hag's Tooth 650m Knockbrinnea West Top 854m Knockbrinnea East Top 847m (Knockbrinnea West Top 854m) Stumpa Bharr na hAbhann 852.1m Skregmore 847.7m Skregbeg 573m Cnoc Íochtair 746.3m (Skregmore 847.7m) (Stumpa Bharr na hAbhann 852.1m) Beenkeragh 1008.2m Na Cnámha 956.5m Carrauntoohil 1038.6m Caher 1000m Caher West Top 973.4m ========== Broaghnabinnia 745m Stumpa Dúloigh 784m Stumpa Dúloigh SW Top 663m Knockaunanattin 569m (Stumpa Dúloigh SW Top 663m) (Stumpa Dúloigh 784m) Stumpa Dúloigh SE Top 780m Knocknabreeda 569m Crossderry 542.3m Mothaillin 506m Knocklomena 641m ========== Bascadh West Top 569m Bascadh 595m Cnoc na gCapall 639m Boughil 631m Derrygarriff West Top 382m Derrygarriff 545.3m Peakeen Mountain Far NW Top 525.5m Peakeen Mountain North-West Top 522.7m Peakeen Mountain West Top 538.7m Peakeen Mountain 554.7m ========== Knockanaguish 509m Knockrower 554m Knockbrack 610m Dromderalough 650m Dromderalough NE Top 654m Mangerton 838.2m Mangerton North Top 782m |
| Richard Nunan | Aug 30 2020, 6:55pm | Super work Conor Murphy and of course to Brian Mullen for coming up with the route. Hope to get down for a few recces with the group - especially out on the back 9 :-) |
| Brian Mullins | Aug 30 2020, 8:04pm | Fairplay Conor you are now as addled as I am trying to figure out all the Arderins and Arderin Begs on OSI 78. Mountainviews has a few "errors" and it has caught you out, back to the paper map and compass with you. Crossderry is not above 500m (in fact it has two summits 489m and 485m as per OSI 78). Not that it matters a whole pile as you will go very close to both of them though there is a bottomless peat pit in-between the summits ;-) Derrygarrif is also not above 500m on OSI 78 and Derrygarrif West Top is not part of route, believe me you'll be begging for the short section of road between Barfinnhy Lake and Molls Gap that takes you around it at that stage. Oh and one more thing, I made no further attempt since the most recent one after Reeks Skyline as a canoe or being a good swimmer is the best method to get across O Sullivans Punch Bowl between Dinish and Glena at the moment due to the biblical rain of late. The bonus is that there are two full moons in Oct. |
| Paul Tierney | Aug 31 2020, 7:07am | Very exciting to see this. Well done lads. What a day out that would be! |
| Mike Jordan | Aug 31 2020, 1:38pm | Great initiative Conor & Brian! Some thoughts: I really like the idea of a start/finish at Kate Kearney's :) I think all the suggested route is covered by the OSI Adventure Series 1:25000 map for the Reeks & Park. It has some additional detail that may help with planning recces (better track depiction, etc). I found it useful when I was down in the kingdom recently. https://store.osi.ie/index.php/macgillycuddy-reeks-killarney-national-park.html With the corrections suggested by Brian, I think it would mean 50 hills which is a nice ROUND number ;) I've never liked an out-and-back if I can avoid it so I would suggest some alternatives routes: Some of the repeat hills in brackets can be avoided with contouring (e.g. I've gone from Tomies Mtn to Shehy Mtn by dropping to the col and then cutting across to Shehy, then heading across to Purple NE). From Cnoc na Toinne > Carrauntoohill > Bones > Beenkeragh > Hag's tooth > Knockbrinnea's > Stumpa Barr > Skreg more & beg > Cnoc Iochtair > Caher's > Broaghnabinnia (I reckon it might be shorter than Conor's route but with more climb - I'll count some contours later to confirm. Including the Coomloughra Horseshoe is possibly better in theory than practice!). From Broaghnabinnea > ROAD > Mothaillin > Knocknabreeda > Stumpa's > Knockaunanattin > Knocklomena (Seems counter-intuitive but you drop a lot of height off Broaghnabinnea anyway and the road down the Black Valley is slightly downhill. The alternative road connecting Mothaillin and Knocklomena is uphill! I went from Knockaunanattin to Knocklomena recently and the going was surprisingly good so presumably the reverse would be true.) These alternatives are based on my own experience in the hills down in Kerry but there's no guarantee they're better than Conor's route! Looking at the map, it's a pity to leave out Mangerton to Stoompa which is just lovely running but a line has to be drawn somewhere. This would be a very hard round, not sure how many people will manage sub 24h, but it would undoubtedly be a good long day out in the hills. |
| Conor Murphy | Sep 6 2020, 11:45am | Blushing a little at the thanks. This is very much Brian Mullins' project, his route, his ability, his effort. I just stuck it up on social media...the bit he hates! The only thing I would add to the mapping discussion is (i) Harvey's Superwalker produce a really detailed map of the area too, and if toponymy is your thing they are more accurate than OSI and (ii) mountainviews can be good on the height thing, they spend ages tramping around summits with laser levels and GPS gear, hence the decimal point. Derrygarriff was my error, they have it as 492m. And dropping it is very useful because there are ongoing access issues. Dropping Derrygarriff West is very useful too because it's just an unpleasant mound that oozes mud on the Boughil side. The contouring point is correct Mike...I was kinda just adding them to emphasise how heartbreaking some of the out and backs will be. A few of us ran the Eastern Reeks last weekend descending to Brassel and the Black Valley. Looking back up at Cnoc an Chuillinn was...eye watering. I liked Brian's take on the rest of the Reeks, though dropping to Coomloughra is the more usual way of taking them on aright. I find Mike's Broaghnabinnia suggestion really interesting, it is counter intuitive because..well I've never not gone on to Stumpa Duloigh. But on the other hand, it does make sense given that it'll all be followed by Knocklomena. I think that's a call for Brian to make! |
| Gavin Byrne | Sep 8 2020, 1:39pm | Great to see it coming together Conor and Brian. Has anyone thought about the rules for it yet? Stuff like GPS allowed or not? I'm sure people have strong opinions on that one. I personally would like to see GPS for several reasons, the main being I think it would make it more attractive to international runners. Sure look at the lack of people attempting Wicklow. Don't get wrong I like the Wicklow rules the way they are, but for this I think GPS should be allowed. It will definitely encourage more people to attempt it and feel slightly safer while doing so. Also I'd like to people to be allowed run with you, I know when I did the Denis Rankin round it was brilliant to have all my crew run from the last summit to the finish with me. It really embraces the community spirit we have in this small mountain running community. Just food thought. I know there will be some old school boys that definitely think GPS shouldn't be allowed but times are changing :-) |
| Brian Mullins | Sep 8 2020, 10:28pm | Jaysus lads settle, not sure how this got from a personal outing I dreamt up of in my head to rules! Rules. I don’t like them. GPS on mountains for navigation, I like even less. Solo with a nod to logistical support at road crossings/Kerry way trail crossing but the purist in me says solo unsupported. Social media exposure. None. |
| Richard Nunan | Sep 8 2020, 10:40pm | Unfortunatly Brian, you need a few. Otherwise lads make up their own and then start claiming all sorts of FKTs etc... We will try and keep it as close to how it was intended. But we are a while away from this. Plenty of work to do and discuss first. Hope we can get you on the subcommittee at some stage. Richard |
| Conor Murphy | Sep 10 2020, 3:52pm | I think analysis on social media is inevitable and can be good...subject to one serious proviso. Social media has seen the numbers of competitors and volunteers increase, there were 6 races in Munster before forums and Facebook, we now have 40+, runners in remote areas can connect with others so a club like Beara AC will send 5 or 6 of us to the Galty HM. But there is a red line for me. The whole commercial aspect of social media, the links with sponsorship, the giveaways, the "please like and share", the constant looking for a financial angle - the monetisation of mountains - just leaves me cold. I would hope we can keep that side away. Rules will be inevitable, but think they should come after the first attempts. Clearly the simple rule is start and finish in the same place, run over every summit in between, within 24 hours. Obviously it can be done unsupported and without GPS, not sure there would be rules prohibiting either, but let's see if it's doable first. As for doing it, I don't think there is a runner better placed to make that first attempt than Brian. It's not just about the distance or ascent, the terrain is brutal...in the easiest sections of the Mangertons it's ungrazed open mountain and boulder fields. I, his brother Micheal and few other runners around here would know all the summits too...but I wouldn't take it all on on a quad bike. It would be pointless anyway, a quad bike would never get across this landscape... |
| Mícheál O'Mullain | Sep 10 2020, 6:27pm | I might know most of the terrain Conor but given my pitiful time on the Skyline this year I think I would need a helicopter assist on the ascents to get around in a reasonable time! |
| Conor Murphy | Sep 10 2020, 9:38pm | As I know how little training you put in Micheal, I have to say you finishing in the top 30 was almost as impressive as your brother winning it! A triumph of bloody mindedness! |
