Go Hiking Ireland

5th December 2012

This route starts of at a small car park at the end of a minor road at Skeheenaraky R893 203 small being the word as it has spaces for max of 5 cars I was lucky enough that there was one place left when I got there.

The hike starts on a track to the left heading up though the farm gate this is the Black Road and will take you all the way up to the base of Gatlybeg  on the way you will past Knockeenatoung to your right which can be an added exclusion shortly after pasting Knockeenatoung you will see a Monument to four men who died in a aircrash in 1976 the road now starts to rise with Galtybeg in front for you and Galtymore towering up over to your left.

Now this is where to road ends and you are now free reign to make you own route, I decided to head  straight to the ridge at the base of  Galtybeg  this was a fairly clear crisp day with a  good dusting of snow so navigation was easy  but a compass and a map is a MUST, once at the ridge now heading west I make my assent up the ridge to Galtybeg this is where being a mountain goat would be advantage, maybe it was the frosty and snowy conditions  but it was heavy going but the views of Mount Cush  and of the Lough Borheen behind made it worthwhile.

Climbing to the top of Galtybeg ridge becomes narrow so care must be taken as there are sheer drops to your right from the top where you can look down on to Lough Diheen which sits perfectly at the base between Galtybeg and Galtymore a perfect spot for a well-earned break the views are just breath-taking with Gatlymore rising in front of you, also looking out to Tipperary and keeper hill, Mount Cush to your right. In the distance looking south east you can see the impressive peak of the Sugarloaf Hill in the Knockmealdown  Mountains.

Onward and upwards ( well first you must descend)  to the saddle between the two peaks of Galtybeg and Galtymore this now becomes much more challenging as you meet some very boggy ground and peat hags that have to be negotiated again I try to keep to the left on the climb up as the snow and ice was deep in places and not wanting to slip being to close to the edge,  the climb up to Galtymore is fierce and my thighs were burning stopping frequently to catch my breath it seemed never ending at times and as the light cloud started to decent on to the mountain top suddenly I could see Dawson’s table knowing the summit was near, from Dawson’s table there a large cairn that is the summit  and a few 100 yards away is the famous cross, time to find a sheltered spot for lunch hoping the cloud would break for some photos.

Returning I headed back to Galtybeg but as I reached the saddle between the two Mountains I beared right heading across the open moorland  you can see the Black road in front of you and using Sugarloaf in the Knockmealdowns directly in front of me as a marker, As i headed back to the Black road this moorland is very wet and boggy and you are hopping and jumping over bogs and Turf hags  before meeting up with the road, now it is just a gently stroll back to the car park.

 

Distance is about 11.28KM and time about 4hrs