Go Walk: Francis Bradleyhooks up with some friends for a weekend trek along Old Kenmare Road, in Co Kerry
ON A WEEKEND away with the lads – at an average of fiftysomething, we’re lads in spirit only – we wanted to complete two walks that have appeared on this page: Great Blasket Ridge and Coomloughra Horseshoe, in Co Kerry. The forecast had been excellent – but while the rest of the country basked in late-autumn sunshine our corner of the Kingdom remained swathed in cloud and fine rain.
We did the Blasket walk on our first day – more about that later – and faced into the Coomloughra challenge on the second. Morning dawned with cloud sitting down at 300m, the ever-present possibility of rain and a guarantee that once we entered the cloud we would get a soaking.
Common sense prevailed, and we abandoned Coomloughra for another time.
We were based in Killarney, so were spoiled for choice for an alternative route. We settled on Old Kenmare Road, part of the Kerry Way. Judging by the map, the entire route would stay below the cloud, and even at the highest point of the walk our heads would only touch the cloud base.
Our walk kicked off at Torc Waterfall, a favourite beauty spot that thousands visit each year but rarely go beyond.
The initial part of the walk is a sustained ascent along the line of the Owengarriff River between Torc Mountain and Mangerton Mountain. The trail is very clear and rarely veers away from the southwesterly direction that leads you to the junction for Galway’s Bridge.
Old Kenmare Road passes through Killarney National Park, where much remedial work has been done, including specialist fencing to control the movement of deer, management of rhododendron growth and raised walkways where, in one instance, workers had to go down through two metres of bog before getting a footing on the original road, which was last in regular use 140 years earlier.
Leaving the Owengarriff behind, the trail climbs to Crinnagh, where we encountered a marshy area with a raised walkway and continued on through Esknamucky Glen.
There are two major bailout points along the route where, if you have two cars, you can shorten the walk. One is shortly after Esknamucky Glen, at the junction for Galway’s Bridge; the other is just south of Windy Gap, at Gowlane.
But we weren’t going to be distracted from our goal. This small group of intrepid – if occasional – mountaineers was heading for Kenmare.
From the Galway’s Bridge junction we headed south for the highest point of our walk, near spot height 331m, between Peakeen Mountain and Knockanaguish.
The trail ends at Gowlane, and we were on to metalled roads for the final stretch into Kenmare. One final rise and it is downhill all the way – about three kilometres on a hard, unforgiving surface, which can present its own problems.
A nice bowl of soup in Kenmare and a bumpy taxi journey back to Killarney – €50 for six – ended a great day and more than made up for the misery we encountered on the Blaskets the previous day.
Tony Doherty's description of the Great Blasket Ridge walk, in Goon September 19th, was drawn from ideal conditions: blue sky, sunshine, an idyllic island setting. Our experience was at the other end of the scale: dark, wet, cold, windy, oppressive. That said, you shouldn't miss it.
Old Kenmare Road, Co Kerry
StartTorc Waterfall car park.
FinishKenmare.
How to get thereJust off the N71 between Killarney and Kenmare.
Distance16km.
TimeFive hours.
MapsOrdnance Survey Ireland Discovery Series 78.
SuitabilityA moderate walk whose biggest test is the distance. Know how to read a map and use a compass. Dress appropriately, bring drinks and snacks – and don't litter.
Accommodation and refreshmentsWe stayed in Killarney, and the choice was staggering. Equally, if Kenmare is your base, you won't find it wanting.