Carrauntoohill
Encyclopedia
Carrauntoohil or Carrantuohill (icon,) is the highest peak in Ireland
. Located in County Kerry
, it is 1038 metres (3,406 ft) tall and is the central peak of the Macgillycuddy's Reeks
range. There are two other peaks in this range higher than 1,000 m—Beenkeragh (1,010 m) and Caher (1,001 m). The peak of Carrauntoohil is topped by a large metal cross 5 metres (16 ft) tall.
between Carrauntoohil and Cnoc na Péiste
, and then north-west to the summit. The route has become more dangerous in recent years due to loose stones and crowding. No special equipment is needed to climb the mountain, but caution is advised. Alternatively, one can walk the two other 1,000 m peaks in a "horseshoe" trip, starting from the west. The traverse from highest point to the second highest involves a light scramble
.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. Located in County Kerry
County Kerry
Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
, it is 1038 metres (3,406 ft) tall and is the central peak of the Macgillycuddy's Reeks
Macgillycuddy's Reeks
MacGillycuddy's Reeks is a mountain range in County Kerry, Republic of Ireland. Stretching slightly over , it includes the highest peaks in Ireland and the only peaks on the island that are over . The highest of these is Corrán Tuathail or Carrauntoohil , followed by Binn Chaorach and Cathair na...
range. There are two other peaks in this range higher than 1,000 m—Beenkeragh (1,010 m) and Caher (1,001 m). The peak of Carrauntoohil is topped by a large metal cross 5 metres (16 ft) tall.
Climbing Carrauntoohil
The mountain is most often climbed from the north-east, along the Hag's Glen and up the steep Devil's Ladder to the colMountain pass
A mountain pass is a route through a mountain range or over a ridge. If following the lowest possible route, a pass is locally the highest point on that route...
between Carrauntoohil and Cnoc na Péiste
Cnoc na Péiste
Cnoc na Péiste—often anglicised as Knocknapeasta and more rarely given as Slievenapeesta or Cummeennapeasta—is a 988 m mountain peak in County Kerry, Republic of Ireland...
, and then north-west to the summit. The route has become more dangerous in recent years due to loose stones and crowding. No special equipment is needed to climb the mountain, but caution is advised. Alternatively, one can walk the two other 1,000 m peaks in a "horseshoe" trip, starting from the west. The traverse from highest point to the second highest involves a light scramble
Scrambling
Scrambling is a method of ascending rocky faces and ridges. It is an ambiguous term that lies somewhere between hillwalking and rock climbing. It is often distinguished from hillwalking by defining a scramble as a route where hands must be used in the ascent...
.
