3rd Scouts Corran Tuathail Hike 2009 - De La Salle Scout Group Expedition Series

Macgillycuddy's Reeks 2009

Above: Eoin Kelly from the DLS Venturers; Dean Purcell, Bill Carton, Ruairi O'hOgartaigh and Colm Ennis from the 3rd Scouts
before their ascent of Ireland's three highest peaks.

On the 14th June, Dean, Ruairi and Bill had been set the task of removing an alien presence from the highest point in the Comeraghs by ASL Colm Ennis. This they achieved with an additional visit to the Coum Iarthar lakes and a rescue of Scoutleader Paschal Guilfoyle who was wandering about in the mist on the plateau. Given their navigational accuracy in the Comeraghs an undertaking was made to organise a trip to arguably Ireland's most dramatic mountain range - the Macgillycuddy's Reeks in Kerry. The date was set and Eoin Kelly a mountain goat type from the De La Salle Venturers was drafted in to assist. The plan was to bivvy at the Coumloughra lake and the next day complete the Coumloughra Horseshoe which includes Ireland's three highest summits - Binn Chaorach (1010m), Corran Tuathail (1039m) and Cathair (1001m).

Above: Sunset over the Dingle Peninsula.

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From the bridge at Braenlee we made the tough steep ascent along the tarmac road towards the dam at the entrance to Coumloughra. We had incredible views across to the Dingle peninsula where the sun was setting. It was getting dark as we reached the lake and the mountain peaks were covered in cloud. After walking three quarters of the way around the lake we found a reasonably flat spot to bivvy and which was also out of the wind. There were a few showers during the night which had us sealing ourselves inside our survival bags but it was nothing we couldn't handle.

Above: Beginning the traverse of the Binn Chaorach ridge.

We made a fast exit from the bivvy site the next morning and some easy scrambling brought us to the rugged summit of Screig Mhor. Bill and Eoin were both spotted floating uphill at this point but everyone kept up as we ascended to the summit of Binn Chaorach. From Binn Charaoch we got a great view of the ridge across to Corran Tuathail and also down into the Eagles nest below. As we started to cross the ridge there was no mistaking the feeling of having 500 metres of steep slopes falling away on either side of you.

Above: Ruari and Bill getting some real fresh air.

From the top of O'Shea's gully to the summit of Corran Tuathail always takes a good bit of effort but it was no bother to us. Unfortunately the cloud had come down onto the summit so you could see the once green cross and the shelter cairn and that was about it. It was the first ascent of the mountain for the three PLs but they would have to wait for another day for a view from the summit. After our summit photograph we headed down through the mist and a fierce wind in the direction of Cathair (1001m), our third peak of the day.

Above: On the summit of Corran Tuathail (1039m)

There are actually three summits on Cathair which can be a little confusing. We eventually made it to the final one and we made good time descending down the bouldery slope which overlooks Loch Com Lothair and Loch Iarthair and back to our bivvy site. It was a very successful completion of what it surely one of the finest horseshoe walks in Ireland.

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Above: Dawn over Cnoc Iochtair.

Above: The team at the bivvy site in Coumloughra.

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