Stumpa an tSaimh (Hag's Tooth) ridge up Beenkeragh

This route is not for the faint hearted. You need a head for heights and some scrambling experience if you plan to do every bit of it. It's a grade 2 scramble, but you can make it as easy or as difficult as you want. Anyway don't take the word easy too literally as it's still a steep route, quite exposed in places. Do not attempt it in windy conditions. Luckily the weather was kind to us this time. There wasn't even a puff... Calm, incredibly quiet, warm and dry.

Hag's Tooth

The gully up Hag's Tooth

We started at Lisleibane car park as usual. and followed the track to Hag's Glen and turned right at the lake starting to climb up the path going to O'Sheas Gully and then turned right again and started climbing the gully up to the bottom of Hag's Tooth pinnacle. From now on you have the choice of following the edge of the ridge or the path which goes around on a bit easier ground. There's a few options of climbing to the top of Hag's Tooth. As it was our first time there, we found an easier one (a little gully on the right side), leaving the front face for the next time.

At the top of Hag's Tooth 

We all climbed to the top except of Denis who was minding our bags down below on the other side. Well, somebody had to ;) There's enough space for 5 maybe 6 people which was actually a surprise as this little pointy pinnacle seems to look much smaller and almost inaccessible when you look at it from the bottom of the valley. You can stand on it safely on a calm day no problem. It might make you feel dizzy, so maybe better sit down and than enjoy the views ;) Going down on the other side requires a bit of courage but it's not as high as the side you climb up. It's just a few steps and you're down.

The view from the top

Scrambling up the ridge

At this point we all needed a snack break. We still had about 350 m of steep and rocky ground to the top of Beenkeragh so it was a good idea to refuel before that. As it was said before you can avoid all the rocks on your way up or scramble them if you want to get more out of it and that's exactly what I (Anna) did myself, while the rest of the group followed the path going around. You can do most of that scrambling without a rope, but I have to say that I found one place where I couldn't trust the loose rock pieces enough to make another move and I had to go down again and find another route.

Still not high enough ;)

Enjoying the rocks

Lots of the rocks are loose even if they don't look like that at a first glance so using a rope would be probably advised for safety if you really want to follow the very exact ridge line without missing anything. I did as much as I could without a rope.

The ridge becomes more scattered closer to the top. The final ascent of Beenkeragh  is more like a walk on big rocks, you can stop using your hands now. The top was very calm with no wind, quite busy though as we met Limerick Climbing Club, who were doing Coomloughra Horsehoe, and some other walkers too.

We could really enjoy sitting at the top this time without getting too cold and that is very rare in Irish mountains...

At the top of Beenkeregh

Going down towards Knockbrinnea

After lunch we started our descent which was very rocky at first but eased and leveled for a while at the col. We used the path between Eastern and Western top of Knockbrinnea before turning left and following the path down towards Lisleibane car park.The middle section of this route down is a knee-killer, steep and long with high heathers. It levels then for the last stretch.
We had a brilliant day out. We missed the sunshine but we're blessed with no wind which is extremely important on this route. Just remember that it requires a good fitness level, some scrambling experience and head for heights.

Galtymore & Galtybeg from King's Yard (South)

This was our first time in the Galtees as a club. The south side of this mountain range is much more gradual and easier to climb than the north one, but still it's a good hike especially if you do both Galtymore and Galtybeg. King's Yard has some facilities including bathrooms and refreshments similar to those known from Cronin's Yard in Kerry. To get there turn left from Mitchelstown bypass after Kilbeheny when going Cahir direction. You're now in County Limerick.

Galtymore summit | Looking North - West 

Galtymore | April 2017

From King's Yard we walked the road up to the sheep's pen and then turned right and started climbing straight up. It's a long but gradual climb, easy to follow on a clear day.

Galtymore | February 2016

The pictures above were taken in the same place and show how different mountains can look at different times of the year.

Us at the top

Luckily the top was clear and we were able to see the north side which is one of our next destinations. We discussed all the possible routes and can't wait to do the full loop taking Slievecushnabinnia, Galtymore, Galtybeg and Cush. After lunch we headed down and up again to the top of Galtybeg (Co Tipperary). This part of the trail is always busier and you meet a lot of people climbing up as you go down. This is the most known and popular route up Galtymore with the start point at the black road. The easiest but the longest as well. We used that route for going back after descending from Galtybeg but we didn't go as far as the black road.

The path to the river

We took the path turning right and down to the river to the point where we could safely cross it. Going back this way is longer as you have to walk back towards Galtymore a bit to avoid the forestry but it's a beautiful valley and a lovely walk. After having a closer look of this side of Galtymore we possibly found our new challenge for the future which is a steep gully going straight up to the top... There's more research to be done about the place but as far as we know it can be done and if it can be done it must be done and that's it.



After crossing the river, we climbed a little bit up where it was easier to walk and soon we met a path which will take you to the remains of an old abandoned cottage surrounded by some beautiful trees. What a location! We stayed there for a while and took some pictures. The way nature takes back places we once built and lived in is amazing. From that place the path becomes a little road which was long ago providing the only access to that remote house. That road soon meets the road to King's Yard near the sheep's pen. You can easily guess why nobody lives there anymore while walking all that distance back to the car park and from there there's still more to go to the nearest town or village.

The abandoned cottage

A nice walk we had again. See you soon on Hag's Tooth!