The Irish Furths

What are the Irish Furths?

It is perhaps first worth explaining what the “Irish Furths” actually are.  The Scottish Mountaineering Club (SMC) is the keeper of certain mountain/hill lists.  All bar one of these lists cover Scotland only – Munros, Munro Tops, Corbetts and Donalds.  Sir Hugh Munro and Messrs Corbett and Donald were all members of the esteemed Club. 

The Munros (and their Tops) are all points at least 3000ft (914.4m) in elevation.  The British Isles are not well endowed with high peaks.  So, 3000ft is the benchmark to be achieve to merit inclusion as a “high” peak.  There are 282 Munros and 228Munro Tops.

In the rest of the British Isles there are other tops that reach the magic number of 3000(ft).  The SMC gives a nod to these other tops and recognises 34 of them.  There are six in England, 15 in Wales and 13 in Ireland.  The 34 are called “Furths” because they are furth of Scotland – “furth” being Scots or Scottish English for “outside of”.  So the Furths are the 34 3000ft tops outside of Scotland.

The SMC also keeps a list of those who report to it that they have completed one or more of the lists that they maintain (plus the Grahams).

I had climbed all of the English and Welsh Furths by the mid-1980s.  But any visits I had made to Ireland were not for hill-walking.  This year (between my visits to the north of Scotland) I thought that it was time to see if I could complete this list by climbing the Irish Furths.

So the Reluctant Mountaineer and I took the ferry in mid-August from Holyhead to Dublin and endured a week of rain and mainly strong winds!  Typical Irish weather.

Lugnaquillia

Lugnaquillia (also Lugnaquilla or, as known colloquially by locals, “Lug” ) is the highest point of the Wicklow Mountains, about an hour’s drive south of Dublin.  It is 925m (3035ft) high and has a prominence of 849m (2785ft). 

It is a bulky mountain with a large plateau for a summit made up of granite overlaid with slate and schist.  During the last ice age the summit was not covered with ice, so Lug was a nunatak.

There are three common starting points for the climb.  One is from the west and passes through a military firing range – so check the website for when access is available; one is from the south at Aghavannagh Bridge – this is the longest route; and the third is the one that I took which starts at the end of the metalled road in Glen Glenmalure where there is plenty of parking near the memorial.

If you are interested, there is a downloadable GPS track of my route here.

The rain was of biblical proportions.  But I was on a mission, and the Reluctant Mountaineer decided not to accompany me.  It was as foul a day as I had been out in for a while.  Strangely, she did not want to get soaked.

The area around the start point had been a mining area and relics abounded.  Shortly after crossing the river there is a path to the left that provides a shortcut.  So I left the unsealed vehicle track, but then rejoined it around 500 metres further on.  I passed through a gate where there was a “welcome” sign.  There is a ford to the left at this point.  A popular walk is to return via the ridge to Cloghernagh and descend to this ford where a crossing of the river can be made – though perhaps not on this day of wild weather.

The track lead me into Fraughan Rock Glen.  Two kilometres ahead I could see the cascade of Falls Brook.

The path ascends to the right (north) of the falls.  The vehicle track continued almost to the foot of the falls.  The waterfalls were certainly in full flow.

The path runs quite close to the falls at first and presents a brief, sharp ascent.  Once up this climb, the path rises steadily over the moorland until it reaches a broad ridge where it then trends south west to the trig that sits on a large cairn with a nearby viewfinder.  But from the top of the falls I had been in cloud.

There was no view for me.  

Nearby is a sign that reminds you that you are on the edge of a military firing range.

The weather was so foul that I did not linger and decided not to visit Cloghernagh.  So I just returned the same way.  Shortly before reaching the top of the falls I came across someone who was as mad as me.  We stopped briefly for a chat before going on our respective ways.

Once at the foot of the falls I passed another group and later a father and his two kids who had turned around because of the weather.   

The round trip took me 3¾ hours.

Mount Brandon

We then moved on to Killarney.  This was a suitable centre for the next three days of ascents.

Mount Brandon (952m or 3123ft) is the most westerly of the Irish Furths and is the second most prominent mountain on the island of Ireland (927m of prominence).  It also has a religious significance with both of its main routes of ascent used by pilgrims and lined with Stations of the Cross.  It has been the centre of religious activity even before Christianity’s arrival as the location is, supposedly, the last place the sun can be seen at sunset in Ireland.

Coming from Killarney, it was convenient to take the route from the west – the Saints’ route.  This starts at Ballybrack where there is a large car park at the end of a single track road.

There were only a couple of cars there when we arrived though there were clearly some early starters as we soon met people descending.  The forecast was mixed with likelihood of rain together with possible breaks in the cloud and a strong wind.

The route is straightforward.  Not only are there the crosses, but there are reflectors on short white plastic posts (perhaps more suited to the side of roads). 

Remarkably, when we reached the top, it was clear.  So I shot a quick video.

But the cloud soon swept in, so we sheltered with others behind a large rock to have something to eat in the hope that the cloud would clear again.  No such luck.  And the summit became a lot busier.

As it was chilly we decided to leave without further views, just stopping to take some summit photos.

So the descent was uneventful.  The car park was now full.  We returned to Killarney but not without first taking a photo of the mountain – noting that the cloud had by then lifted again!

Cruach Mhor, The Big Gun, Cnoc na Peiste, Maolan Bui, Cnoc an Chuillin (and its east top), Cnoc na Toinne, Carrauntoohil, The Bones and Beenkeragh

The highest peak in Ireland is Carrauntoohil at 1039m (3409ft) with a prominence to match.  Carrauntoohil is the principal peak of MacGillicuddy’s Reeks.  The Reeks contain all but three of the Irish Furths.  I had planned to do these over two days.

Generally speaking, the drops between the various tops is not great with only two of them – Carrauntoohil and Cnoc na Peista – having prominences over 150m (approx. 500ft).

The weather forecast for each of the days was not great.  But I was happy to take was given.  Nothing could have been worse than the Lugnaquillia experience.

A popular start point is at Cronin’s Yard, a 20 minute drive from Killarney, where there is a large pay car park (€2 for the day payable in cash at a barrier).  As a climb of Carrauntoohil is, unsurprisingly, a very popular outing, the car park was pretty full even as I arrived just before 9am.

My plan was to climb the eastern arm of the Reeks.  The comprise Cruach Mhor (932m; P32m), The Big Gun (939m; P70m), Cnoc na Peiste (985m; P254m), Maolan Bui (973m; P40m), Cnoc an Chuillin (958m; P54m), Cnoc an Chuillin east top (926m; P16m) and Cnoc na Toinne (845m; P78m) with all but the last two being within the Irish Furth category.

So, I left the car park and followed a good path through the farm yard (which has been adapted to serve the thousands of walkers who come each year – i.e. café, toilets, gift shop etc) and on to the main path that follows the River Gaddagh. 

Eventually, the path crosses the river at the first of two bridges.  I struck away from the path before the bridges.  Now it was onto pathless bog/moorland – quite hard work.  And it started to rain so I had to don additional clothing.

Cruach Mhor

I headed for the coombe that holds Loch Cummeennapeesta to the south of Cruach Mhor’s west ridge.  Once there a bit of a path materialised heading for the west ridge.  I followed this although it occasionally disappeared amongst rocks.  But after a final rocky pull I was on my first summit.

Cruach Mhor has a shrine constructed on the top devoted to the Virgin Mary.  There is quite an interesting story surrounding its construction – built by a local farmer in the 1970s.  he carried bags of concrete up in order to create the shrine from the rocks lying around at the summit.

The shrine provided some useful shelter from the wind and rain as I stuffed some food in my mouth and had some water.  I caught some glimpses of the Loch now well below me.

Then, suddenly, the rain stopped and the cloud began to lift.  That was a pleasant surprise!  The wind was still there though.

The Big Gun

There is only about 400 – 500 metres between Cruach Mhor and The Big Gun.  However, here you meet the trickiest part of the ridge where there is some exposed scrambling.  So this section might take longer than anticipated.  The section down to col is straightforward enough.

The problem today was that the rock was quite greasy following the rain.  So I tried to outflank the initial section of the scrambling to the right.  That took me too low.  I came back up to the ridge and scrambled up an exposed section on the true ridgeline but chickened out because I was not certain of the way on, reversed and found a way just below the ridge that led to a notch.

I peered through the notch to the other side of the ridge and noted that, after a drop of two or three metres, there was a series of ledges within a gully that looked feasible.  And so it proved, and I hauled myself up onto the narrow summit of The Big Gun.  With the faffing it took me almost 40 minutes to cover that 400-500 metres.

The way off, whilst giving occasional pause for thought as it is a bit slabby, was no problem.  I paused for a brief rest at the next col to look at the views.  I also saw a pair ascending the same ridge to Cruach Mhor as I had ascended.

Cnoc na Peista

The next summit was the highest in this part of the Reeks.  Disappointingly, the path does not follow the ridgeline here, but instead makes a rising traverse on the south-east side of the ridge until the last moment when it rises steeply and slightly rockily to the summit.

The summit was still clear.

Maolan Bui, Cnoc an Chuillin east top, Cnoc an Chuillin and Cnoc na Toinne

Soon after I left the top of Cnoc na Peista the cloud descended.  And that was it for the rest of the day in terms of views.

The next section of the ridge went very quickly as the drops between the tops are shallow and the ridge broadens out.

I reached Cnoc na Toinne and now had a choice.  A path drops back down from near its summit towards Cronin’s Yard, eventually in a series of zig-zags.  Alternatively, I could continue on to Carrauntoohil.  I had plenty of time and was still feeling good.

Whilst the cloud was down there was only drizzle rather than the previous rain.  So I made the decision to carry on.

Carrauntoohil

Until this point I had only seen the distant pair on Cruach Mhor.  Now that I was approaching the honeypot of the range I met a stream of people.  Most were looking to avoid descending via the standard upward route which uses the Devil’s Ladder and to use the zig-zags.

When I reached the col below Carrauntoohil I could understand why.  It looked awful – a good place to slip in the heavily eroded and steep gully.  Still I was not going to go that way.

It was a 300m climb up a broad scree path to the crowning point of Ireland,  I passed a few people coming down but numbers were definitely decreasing as it was later in the day.  So when I reached the summit cross there just four of us.

I did not stay long.  I thought that I would continue with my Furth bagging well beyond my original plans for the day.  There were two more along Carrauntoohil’s northern arm.

The Bones and Beenkeragh

The descent down Carrautoohil’s north-west ridge is fairly loose and not particularly pleasant.   Down at the col there is an escape back towards Cronin’s Yard, if you want it, down Brother O’Shea’s gully.

Ahead is another narrowing of the ridge requiring scrambling.  The first pinnacle beyond the col can be bypassed.  After then I found it easiest just to follow the crest.  There is a degree of exposure.  But despite the wet rock I found it fine (and indeed fun) as I went over each of the pinnacles of The Bones ((957m; P34m) in turn.  The rock was sound with plentiful, generous holds.

Once over the pinnacles, the ground became easier again with just a few slabs to negotiate.

Beenkeragh (1010m; P92) is the Reeks’ second highest point.  The way on is rough rather than narrow.  I was soon on the summit.

The way on from this point is down a wide open corrie, a big drop to the valley floor.  As I got lower, the clouds got higher and Carrauntoohil cleared. 

Finally, hitting the valley there was a path running on the other side of the river from and parallel with the main path.

This made for a speedy return during which I met a few of the local residents.

My path joined the main one, I turned right at a fork and came to the two bridges.  At one of them a family was swimming in the river.  Then I was back at Cronin’s Yard.

The circuit had taken me 9½ hours with around 1425m of ascent over 16.6 kilometres.

If you are interested, there is a downloadable GPS track of my route here.

If you are so inclined, it is possible to add to this round by traversing the south western slopes of Carrauntoohil at around the 900m level to take the ridge out to Caher’s two tops before returning to Carrauntoohil itself.  But I chose to leave Caher to the following day.

Caher West and Caher

I approached from the west.  There is a free public car park at the end of a hydro track near Ballyculane.  The precise location of the car park is shown on a downloadable GPS track here.

A path out of the back of the car park leads to the concrete track which rises steeply before turning right and then rising much more gently.  I passed through/over a couple of gates.  Shortly following the second one I arrived at the outflow of Loch Eighter.

The cloud was still down over the tops at this point, but I could sense the ring of the heights surrounding the Loch and the higher Loch Coomlochra.  Caher’s south ridge was to my right.  A particularly boggy section of ground led to its foot.  There was a path up onto it and, indeed, the path continued along the spine of the broad ridge.

The bogginess lessened with height gain.  And the clouds were lifting.  This was to be the best day of the trip weather-wise but there was still a keen wind.

The final rise up on to Caher West (975m; P30m) was steep.  Just below the summit is a primitive shelter.  There was no-one there on my arrival.

Caher (1000m; P99m) is not far away and only took round 10 minutes to reach.  It is difficult to see why the west top is an Irish Furth.   I stayed a while on the main summit because views had opened up.

Carauntoohil was clear.  There is a classic walk that continues from Caher over to Carrauntoohil, then along the section to Beenkeragh that I had done the previous day and onto the ridge that circles to the north of Loch Coomlochra and thence down to Loch Eighter.

This was not for me on this day despite the much better weather.  I had some lunch and had a chat to two guys who had done the circuit I just described in reverse.  They had arrived on Carrauntoohil just as the clouds lifted.

I was just doing a shorter day today.  So I merely reversed my outward route.  A large party had arrived at and occupied the summit area of Caher West so that I had to step carefully around them.  Otherwise, it was a pleasant and swift descent.

The total distance was 9.6 kilometres (6 miles) with around 850m of ascent in four hours 20 minutes (including the stop on Caher).  Again there is a downloadable GPS track of my route here.

Galtymore

And so there was just the one more of the Irish Furths to climb.

The weather on the day following the Caher ascent was back to its appalling state.  So I gave up any notion of tackling Galtymore (918m; P821m).  instead, we went to the historical site, Rock of Cashel and had a look around that.

We were staying in Tipperary.  As the well-worn joke goes, it’s a long way to there.

Galtymore is the highest point of the Galty Mountains which runs for around 30 kilometres to the south of Tipperary. 

There are approaches from both the north and the south.  I decided to use the southern approach because the forecast was not good and it is slightly shorter. 

Car parking, free but limited, is available and is signed off the R639.  Using Google Maps, the location is Galtyway Climb Car Park which is at the end of a narrow dead end road.

The route is fairly straightforward with a stony track to follow most of the way.  The path then becomes fairly wet and boggy before the final climb to Galtymore.  The top is marked by a cairn and a broken trig.

A little further on is a white cross on a rock outcrop and further still a cairned west top (without much prominence).  Both were visited.

The top was clear (just) on arrival but the wind was strong enough to cause one to stagger.  But the cloud soon swept in and then came the soaking rain.  That drove me off.  As I reached the col with Galtybeg, I decided to climb that bump as well.  The rain had stopped but, if anything, the wind was stronger.

I staggered up like a drunk.  Galtybeg has a narrow summit ridge and I was almost blown off on a couple of occasions.

But once I started descending its southern flank, I was out of the worst of the wind.  I made my way across the moorland to the stony track for the return to the car.  I made a short diversion to a lonely memorial to some airmen who had died in a crash in these hills.

There is a downloadable track of my route here. 11.9 kilometres (7.4 miles), around 690m of ascent and just over 3½ hours return, including going out to the western top of Galtymore.

Post Script

So that was the Irish Furths and, indeed, all of the Furths climbed some 42 years after my ascent of the first – Yr Wyddfa/Snowdon.  It was a shame that the weather was generally poor for the Irish leg.

The island of Ireland has 25 peaks with a prominence of 600m (approx. 2000ft) or more.  That is a tempting prospect for a return.  Who knows?

On this trip we also went on to climb the highest point in Northern Ireland, Slieve Donard (850m).  Unfortunately, the Reluctant Mountaineer had badly twisted her ankle before this trip.  Therefore, she had only managed Mount Brandon to date.

But she did make it up Slieve Donard and thereby completed an ascent of each of the four country highpoints of the UK.  And I completed my 2^nd round of those highpoints.  Again that ascent of Yr Wyddfa/Snowdon had been the first with each of having made multiple ascents of each of those in Scotland, Wales and England.