Carrauntoohil and the high peaks
Carrauntoohil, at 1,038.6m, is the highest point in Ireland, and it is one of three summits over 1,000m packed into this 19km range across the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry. Its two neighbours, Beenkeragh (1,008m) and Caher (1,000m), stand right alongside it. Nowhere else in the country puts the top three peaks within a single day’s walk of each other, which is a good part of why over 140,000 people come here a year. The range runs east to west from the Gap of Dunloe to Glencar, and its deep glens and lakes drain down into the Lakes of Killarney.
One thing to be clear about before you go: this is privately owned, actively farmed land, not a national park with rangers and a network of waymarked trails. The MacGillycuddy’s Reeks Mountain Access Forum, set up in 2014, keeps access open by agreement with the landowners, and that goodwill comes with rules. Dogs are not permitted anywhere in the Reeks. The forum’s own guidelines are blunt that a dog found loose among sheep may be shot, and note that even a dog that never touches a ewe can stress her into aborting her lambs. Groups of ten or more must register with the forum and carry insurance. Otherwise it is the standard Leave No Trace list: stay on the existing tracks, leave gates as you found them, take all your litter home, and don’t build cairns.
The rock and the name
The Reeks are Old Red Sandstone, laid down in the Upper Devonian period a few hundred million years ago, when Ireland sat in a hot equatorial belt; the stone still carries a purple-reddish stain on freshly broken faces. The Irish name is Na Cruacha Dubha, ‘the black stacks’ – not the alternative you’ll sometimes see quoted online. The MacGillycuddy part honours the clan that held the land, and ‘Reeks’ is simply an old word for stacks or ricks, the shape the peaks cut against the sky.
The routes
If you have one day and one summit in you, make it Carrauntoohil by the Devil’s Ladder. It is the most direct line to the top of Ireland and the route the paths are built for. Everything else here rewards experience and steady footing.
The Devil’s Ladder (Carrauntoohil)
From Cronin’s Yard car park the path climbs through forest into the wide, heather-floored bowl of Hags Glen, crossing the Gaddagh River by steel bridges and stepping stones before the loose stone gully that gives the Ladder its name. Reckon on roughly 12km and 859m of ascent, four to six hours. The Ladder is badly eroded after decades of boots: it is a scramble of shifting scree, worse coming down than going up, and it is where most tired walkers come to grief. Take the Heavenly Gates track back toward the forest rather than reversing the gully in the wet.
Stumpa an tSaimh ridge
For experienced hillwalkers, the Hag’s Tooth ridge is a more exposed and engaging way onto the tops. This 11km, five-hour route scrambles a narrow sandstone arête, passing close under Beenkeragh before continuing over the Bones and onto Carrauntoohil. It gives intimate views of the surrounding sandstone peaks and demands sure feet, especially in wind or wet. Navigation is genuinely tricky in cloud, so a map and compass are not optional.
The Reeks Ridge traverse
Often called Ireland’s ultimate day-hike, the traverse links eight of the country’s ten highest peaks in one continuous ridge walk of about 26km, taking in Carrauntoohil, Beenkeragh, Caher, Cnoc na Toinne and more. It is for seasoned mountaineers only: sustained exposure, few escape routes, and weather that turns fast. Start at first light to be off the ridge before the afternoon cloud settles in.
Quieter valleys and loops
Not every visit needs a summit. The Coomloughra Horseshoe skirts the northern side of the range beneath the big cliffs, giving close-up views of the high peaks without committing to the full ridge. Hags Glen on its own makes a satisfying shorter walk, with fern-lined paths and reliable river crossings, and no scree.
Getting there and where to stay
The trailheads sit on quiet lanes off the N71. Cronin’s Yard (south) is the nearest to Killarney; Lislebane (north) is above Beaufort; Breanlee lies to the west. Each car park is small, holding perhaps 20 to 30 cars, and they fill early on a fine weekend, so come at dawn or expect to park on the verge. Beaufort is the handier, quieter base for the Coomloughra Horseshoe and the northern approaches; Killarney has the wider spread of accommodation, food and bus links to Cork and Limerick. Muckross House, within Killarney National Park, has a large car park and is a reasonable last stop for supplies before you head for the hills.
Before you go
- Access points: Cronin’s Yard (south, near Killarney), Lislebane (north, near Beaufort), Breanlee (west). 20–30 spaces each; arrive early.
- Opening and admission: Open daily, weather permitting. Free.
- Dogs: Not permitted anywhere in the range (see above).
- Weather and navigation: Check Met.ie and Mountain Weather Ireland, which forecasts specifically for the Reeks. Carry a waterproof, warm layers and a charged phone – and a physical map and compass. Don’t rely on walking apps up here.
- Emergency: Kerry Mountain Rescue on 0504 34422, or 999/112. Genuine emergencies only.
- Guided walks: Local operators such as Kerry Climbing run guided ascents, worth it for a first visit or anyone eyeing the exposed ridges.
Start early: the summits are clearest in the morning and the cloud usually rolls in by afternoon. Leave your intended route and return time with someone before you set off, and don’t be too proud to turn back at the foot of the Ladder if the weather has other ideas.