Overview
Two rivers start on Mullaghmesha. The River Ilen rises here at 494 m and runs 37 km down to the sea at Baltimore, and the Abhainn na Seangán – the ‘river of the ants’ – has its source on the same slopes. The hill itself is a flat-topped summit between Bantry and Drimoleague, the high point of the eastern Sheep’s Head Way, and from its cairn a clear day opens up the Kerry mountains to the north, Roaring Water Bay to the south, Bantry Bay to the west and Dunmanway to the east.
Make no mistake about the grade: this is a strenuous hill walk, not a stroll. The reward is the openness and the sense of standing where a river begins; the price is steep climbs, wet bog and exposed ground.
The walk
The waymarked Mullaghmesha Loop is 12 km with 479 m of ascent and takes about four hours. The usual start is the Mealagh Community Hall, which front-loads the hard work: follow the road south for around 1.2 km, then leave it for a track that zig-zags up past old peat cuttings and across boggy ground to the summit cairn. From the top a gentler ridge runs east to the Bearna-na-fola road, which winds back down through the valley to the hall. An alternative start near Castle Donovan spreads the climb out more evenly.
Castle Donovan
At the foot of the hill stands Castle Donovan (Caisleán Uí Dhonnabháin), a 16th-century tower house built by Donal O’Donovan. It is free to visit and worth the few minutes, but part of it collapsed in 1936 and the interior is closed on safety grounds – you are looking at it from the outside.
Practical information
Grade and conditions. Strenuous, over steep inclines, slippery bog and exposed ridge. You need hill-walking experience and the ability to navigate.
Weather. Do not attempt Mullaghmesha in mist or low cloud – visibility drops fast on the ridge and it is easy to lose the line. Check the forecast, and turn back if it closes in. The walk is at its best from spring through autumn; midwinter leaves the bog heavy and the light short.
Dogs. Not permitted on this loop.
Facilities and getting there. There are none on the hill; the nearest are in Bantry and Drimoleague. The Castle Donovan car park is signposted off the road near Drimoleague, and parking at both starts is free. Bring plenty of water, food and waterproof boots.
Maps and guides. GPX files and a printable route are on the Sheep’s Head Way website, and the Drimoleague Heritage Walkways booklet, which covers the hill, is sold in Centra in Drimoleague.
Download the route before you leave the car – there is no relying on a signpost up top – wear layers for the wind, and aim to be crossing the ridge in the afternoon, when the low sun turns the heather and bog-grass a deep russet.