Carrauntoohil

Carrauntoohil, also called Carrauntoohill or Carrantuohill, is the highest mountain in Ireland, standing at 1,038.6 metres (3,407 feet 6 inches). It is found on the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry, near the centre of Ireland's highest mountain range, MacGillycuddy's Reeks. The mountain is made mostly of sandstone, and ancient glaciation shaped special features like the Eagle's Nest corrie and deep gullies and sharp arêtes on its eastern and northeastern sides, which many climbers enjoy.

Because it is the highest point in Ireland, Carrauntoohil is a favorite spot for mountain walkers. Most people climb it using a path called the Devil's Ladder. The mountain can also be part of longer walks through the MacGillycuddy's Reeks range, such as the Coomloughra Horseshoe or the MacGillycuddy's Reeks Ridge Walk. Although Carrauntoohil and most of the range are privately owned and not part of a national park, people are allowed to visit for recreation.

Geology

Main article: MacGillycuddy's Reeks § Geology

Carrauntoohil is made from sandstone, a type of rock called Old Red Sandstone. This rock is usually purple-red but can sometimes look green. It formed millions of years ago when Ireland was very hot and close to the equator. Over time, ice during the last ice age shaped the mountain, creating deep valleys, sharp ridges, and bowl-like hollows called corries around it.

Geography

Carrauntoohil is the tallest mountain in Ireland, sitting in the MacGillycuddy's Reeks range. It has three main ridges. The Beenkeragh Ridge to the north leads to Ireland's second-highest peak, Beenkeragh. The Caher Ridge to the west leads to the third-highest peak, Caher. A wider ridge to the southeast leads down to a path called the Devil's Ladder.

Carrauntoohil looks over three valleys with lakes. To the east is the Hag's Glen, to the west is Coomloughra, and to the south is Curragh More. The mountain has a deep bowl-shaped area called the Eagle's Nest on its northeast face, which holds Ireland's highest lake, Lough Cummeenoughter. From here, you can see special gullies on the mountain. Carrauntoohil is the highest mountain in Ireland and is part of several important mountain lists in Britain and Ireland.

Summit

In the 1950s, the local community put up a wooden cross on the top of the mountain. In 1976, they replaced it with a taller steel cross. In 2014, someone cut down the cross and filmed it as a protest against the Catholic Church, but it was quickly put back up.

Because the steep sides of Carrauntoohil can be dangerous, the Kerry Mountain Rescue Team put up warning signs to help keep people safe, especially near a tricky ridge called Howling Ridge.

Naming

Carrauntoohil is the main and official name used by Ordnance Survey Ireland, the Placenames Database of Ireland, and Irish academic Paul Tempan. Other spellings like Carrauntoohill have also been used, such as by historian Patrick Weston Joyce in 1870. These are all versions of the same Irish-language name.

The Irish name for Carrauntoohil, Corrán Tuathail, means "Tuathal's sickle". However, the exact meaning of the name is not fully known. Some older writings called the mountain Gheraun-Tuel or Garran Tual, which might mean "Tuathal's fang".

Ownership

The mountain of Carrauntoohil, including most of the Hag's Glen area, is owned by four families: Donal Doona, John O'Shea, John B. Doona, and James Sullivan. Their ancestors bought the land from the Irish Land Commission many years ago. These families have allowed people to visit the area for many years, even though it can sometimes cause damage to their farms.

Unlike many other famous mountain ranges, MacGillycuddy's Reeks are not part of a national park. They are completely privately owned. As more people visit Carrauntoohil, there have been concerns about wear and tear on the paths. In 2019, a group called the MacGillycuddy Reeks Mountain Access Forum worked together to create new paths to help protect the area. Some people wonder if the MacGillycuddy Reeks should become a national park.

Recreation

Visitors

There are no separate records for how many people visit Carrauntoohil itself. However, over 125,000 people visited the surrounding mountain range in 2017, and 140,000 in 2018. Many of these visitors come to see Carrauntoohil, Ireland's highest mountain.

Mountain walking

The easiest way to climb Carrauntoohil is via the Devil's Ladder, starting from Cronin's Yard. This path is simple but can be unsafe because it has been used too much. Other routes include the Hag's Tooth Ridge and the Eagle's Nest route, which are more challenging.

There is also a longer walk called the Coomloughra Horseshoe, which takes between 6 to 8 hours and visits several peaks before returning to the start.

Rock and winter climbing

Carrauntoohil is not famous for advanced rock climbing, but its east and north-east faces have several climbing routes. The most famous is the Howling Ridge, a 450-metre climb that is considered very difficult.

These same faces are also used for winter climbing when conditions allow.