Benign beast has giant views

The climb up Keeper Hill is demanding but it's really 'hillwalking lite', says JOHN G O'DWYER

THE HIGHEST mountain in the Shannon region presides over an area where communities have, for centuries, displayed a doughty independence, spawning rebels and writers in equal measure.

Keeper Hill looked down impassively as 17th century rapparee Galloping Hogan passed beneath at the head of Patrick Sarsfield’s men, on an audacious mission to destroy a Limerick-bound siege train.

It watched Éamonn an Chnoic – a local born outlaw – sally forth on a one-man mission to improve social cohesion by forcefully transferring income from haves to have-nots, while also reputedly finding time to pen the epic poem Seán Ó'Duibhir an Ghleanna.

And it was in the last century that writer and revolutionary Ernie O’Malley chanced this way at the head of a flying column that caused much havoc for occupying crown forces.

These days Slievefelim is more famous for the enduring strength and vibrancy of its community initiatives and a renowned walking festival that takes place in Upperchurch each November. People also come year-round to avail of an excellent network of trails developed by admirable local enterprise.

Sooner or later, however, most visitors will be drawn to the great whaleback mountain that towers imperiously above the surrounding hills. Despite this impressive outline and a 694m altitude, Keeper is actually a rather benign beast.

The ascent can prove physically demanding, but otherwise it represents “hillwalking lite” as the summit is accessed by an easy-to-follow and well-marked track.

On a recent visit to Keeper, my outing started from the well-appointed Doonane car park (see below) and then tagged the red arrows uphill for about 1.5km to Ballyhourigan Wood.

Here, I followed the forest track east for about 3km until it swung south beneath a prominent outcrop known as the Eagle’s Nest to reach a three-way junction.

Joining the Slievefelim Way by taking the left option, I continued beneath a gully and then a serene waterfall before the trail began contouring the south face of the mountain.

When the forest cleared on the right, immense vistas opened over the tiny village of Toor, with a line of hills farther south and, beyond, the great expanse of the Galtee Mountains.

SOON AFTERWARDS, I parted company with the Slievefelim Way by following the red walking arrows upwards to the left. This much improved path now leads to the summit by a circuitous, but not overly steep, route. Along the way I had glimpses of Slievenamon, the Blackstairs Range and the distant Wicklow Mountains.

The summit contains the almost obligatory cairn and trig point along with a huge and decidedly non-obligatory booster mast.

The intoxicating vista over the north Tipperary hills to the desolate but captivating Slieve Bloom Mountains provided adequate compensation, however, for such intrusion.

At this stage I wasn’t disposed to tarry, for the landscape darkened and a black wind came biting from the north, so I withdrew along the track I had ascended.

Then, with the vegetation thickening once again, I noticed the western skies had cleared and golden rays now revealed an arc of distant hills. But what hills were these? Then the familiar shape of the Paps became clear and everything fell into place.

There was Mangerton, and then the unmistakably angular peaks of the Macgillycuddy Reeks. The Slievemish were clear further north and beyond – a bewitching blue on the edge of the western ocean – was the extravagant outline of the Brandon Ridge.

Revitalised, I descended to the three-way junction and then followed the blue arrows of the Ballyhourigan Loop instead of heading back to the Keeper Trailhead. Descent was now easy on a well-signed trail with the pastoral patchwork of the renowned Golden Vale laid out below.

Eventually reaching a T-junction, I swung left for the short stroll downhill to Doonane.

As I drove away, I couldn’t help reflecting on the relative insignificance of our island home where even innocuous Keeper Hill offers vistas that encompass virtually half of Ireland.

Keeper Hill

GETTING THEREFrom the Tipperary village of Newport take the road signposted Nenagh. After a short distance swing right at a graveyard and continue to a crossroads where a finger-sign for Keeper Trailhead points left. Follow a series of these signs on small roads to Doonane car park.

TIMEAllow about 3.5 hours to complete Keeper Hill and the Ballyhourigan Loop.

SUITABILITYRoute follows well-maintained tracks. Venture off track and the terrain often becomes challenging.

MAPOrdnance Survey of Ireland, Discovery Sheet 59.

FOODCrumb's Coffee Shop in Newport (061-373960) is also a restaurant, offering home-baking, breakfast, and full meals but closes around 5pm. Finnegan's restaurant (061-337338), Annacotty, Co Limerick open 9am-10pm.