Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
Guide to Killarney and Glengariff (Author: George Newenham Wright)
chapter 29
28ASCENT OF CARRAN TUAL
The youthful traveller seldom quits the scene of inquiry without ascending the highest mountain and penetrating the deepest glen. In all mountainous districts there is always one peak famed for its extraordinary elevation and difficulty of access. In the vicinity of Lough Lein, Carràn Tuàl is the cloud-capped summit, marked out as the highest. Mangerton was formerly considered higher, but the late measurements of Mr. Nimmo have shownCarràn Tuàl to be three thousand, four hundred and ten feet above the level of the sea, while Mangerton is only two thousand, five hundred and fifty.
Having taken horse at Killarney, pursue the Aghadoe road, and so pass over the Laune bridge, by Dunloe gate; then, turning to the right, at the distance of a mile, is a little village, at the very foot of the Reeks. Here a guide, who understands the shortest routes up the hill, and is, consequently, better qualified than any person from Killarney, may be had for a trifling sum. Being properly equipped for an arduous and laborious pedestrian excursion, direct your course towards
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the mountain, either leaving your horses at the guide's cottage until you return, or, which is a much more advisable plan, sending them back to Killarney, having previously directed a boat to meet you, at Lord Brandon's boat-house, at the extremity of the Upper Lake.
The mountain bridle-road leads from the village, over a low range of hills, to Mr. Blennerhasset's shooting lodge, on the banks of the river Giddah, a considerable mountain torrent, flowing into the Laune. On Lishbaun mountain is the first view of Dingle bay; and, crossing the Gaddah river, and passing a gradually sloping vale of moss and rock, (very fatiguing to the pedestrian whose feet are not protected by very strong shoes,) the Hag's Glen is entered. To the right a lofty green mountain, called Konnock à Brianihn, i. e. the hill of the sheep-raddle, darkens the valley, and opposite is the beetling brow of the lower reeks, perfectly inaccessible to all but the wild birds which nestle in their fronts.
The Hag's Tooth is a small conical projection from the mountain, resembling the flying buttress of some mouldering edifice. Around and above are seen small black lakes, whose tints are borrowed from the impending crags, called the Devil's Lough and the Hag's Lough, &c. the latter having a small island in the centre. While
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gazing on the ruinous prospect which surrounds on every side, except the path by which this sequestered excavation is entered, the visiter forgets for a moment the task to be accomplished; but the suggestion of the guide that the sun delays not his daily course, quickly recals him to a sense of the voluntary labour he has undertaken. To the query of ‘which way?’ the guide only raises his cudgel, and points to a cleft in the face of the mountain, formed by a rill that occasionally forces its way down in rainy weather. A feeling of vanity, natural to pedestrians, prevents any observation upon the manifest difficulty and even danger of the ascent, and the attack is generally begun in silence and determination. For about a quarter of a mile the path continues up the steep, through rocks, stones, long grass, moss, and shingle; whenever a steady footing is obtained for a moment, you are induced to turn and enjoy the scenery; but from the deep retreat in which the pathway is embosomed, the view is greatly contracted, and altogether interrupted towards the west. This steep pass once overcome, the difficulties vanish, but are succeeded by ideas of danger. The way to the highest peak lies along the summit of a ridge, something like the red ridge on Snowdon, the top of which is narrow, convex, and covered with grass, so short and slippery that it can hardly be walked over in dry
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weather, unless in stocking feet. The tops of the reeks are composed of a species of shingle, which, after heavy falls of snow, loosens and unbinds, and glides down the mountain's breast in the thaw; for this reason naturalists say the height of the reeks may have been sensibly diminished in the lapse of time. The principal stone to be found upon the reeks is sand-stone, and the plants are the same as those on Mangerton, London-pride growing in great abundance.
The view from the top is most commanding towards the west. From hence are visible Dingle and Castlemain bays, the Tralee mountain, &c.; to the south, Bantry bay, and the indented coast of Kerry.
The remaining reeks appear like so many inclined planes, whose angles of inclination are all equal, so that they appear to lie in parallel strata. On the tops of several are small loughs, like those on Mangerton and the high mountains in the range.
The view to the south-west presents a mountainous scene of the boldest description, the Glencar and M'Gillicuddy's mountains, with an endless succession of immeasurably extended wilds.
The descent into the valley of Comme Duff is tedious, but not difficult; the inclination is rather too precipitate to permit comfortable walking, and
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this renders it extremely fatiguing. Having reached the valley, there is a rugged, stony path, winding along through little deserted hamlets and barren wastes, which, after pursuing it for about four miles, brings you to the destined place of rendezvous—Lord Brandon's boat-house. In a few minutes the anxious cockswain conveys the traveller to the cottage on Ronan's island, where, after a journey of at least fourteen hours, the first opportunity of taking rest and refreshment is afforded. The lateness of the hour will not now admit of much delay, and Killarney will hardly be reached before eleven at night; supposing that five in the morning was the hour of departure.