Climbing Carrauntuohill

Description and practicalities

Carrauntuohill is the highest mountain in Ireland at 1038 metres above sea level. Located in County Kerry, it is part of the Macgillicuddy’s Reeks chain (try to repeat this 5 times very quickly). 

In order to get there and as often in Ireland you will need to book a private tour, or rent a car. Being a DIY enthusiast, I opted for the rental car and climbed without a guide, and do not regret it. 

Keep in mind that Carrauntuohill’s summit is not so easy to reach and requires a good level of fitness.

Getting to Carrauntuohill

Simply enter “Cronins Yard” in your GPS or on Google Maps as above and you should find the place easily and reach the parking lot. Recharge your batteries and let’s get started!

Carrauntuohill ascent

I will share with you the paths I chose to climb on top of Carrauntuohill. There are other options, so check out the excellent Active.me, which highlights various Hiking Trails in Carrauntuohill.

My boyfriend and I decided to climb the mountain via the well-known Devil’s Ladder and make the descent via the Zig Zag. Here’s the exact itinerary. 

Part One: The Hag’s Glen

Start the trail from Cronin’s Yard car park. This path will lead you in the countryside and make you cross small bridges over the Gladdagh River. If you’re lucky, you might come across my friend the donkey. 

After walking for a while, you’ll have to cross the river using large steppping stones – don’t drop your smartphone and camera! From here you’ll see the impressive Hag’s Glen , as well as the Devil’s Ladder, which is your next stop.

Part Two: The Devil’s Ladder

Again, the path is obvious and it’s not complicated to get there. The imposing Devil’s Ladder can be seen from afar and looks very impressive with its steep slopes. From the Hag’s Glen, simply trust your sight and go towards it. Gradually, the path will get steeper and you’ll feel your muscles working 🙂 

At the foot of the Devil’s Ladder, take a good breath and maybe take a snack before getting started. Although it is not “climbing” per se, this path involves a lot of scrambling and can discourage more than one. In addition, some rocks can cause mini landslides, so I’d suggest to always respect a good distance with other hikers. 

My opinion on the Devil’s Ladder

Many hiking websites demonize this road (very easy pun, sorry guys!) and consider it very dangerous, or even recommend to avoid it. I think that there’s a lot of exaggeration here. Actually, several hiking tours do take this road which is the most popular one.  

However, you really should avoid it if you are very very scared of heights. If there’s heavy rain or ice, I would also avoid as it can get quite dangerous. The Devil’s Ladder is a potentially risky trail, so think carefully before you start. 

Part Three: The Summit and the Zig – Zag

After climbing the Devil’s Ladder you can take a long break on the Carrauntuohill plateau. Once rested and with the Devil’s Ladder behind you, turn right to reach the top. Even though it looks like you made it, this road still takes some time. I was exhausted when I reached the summit! 

The view is also very beautiful from the high plateau, so if you really can’t make it, don’t blame yourself too much 😉 

Finally, we set off for the Zig-Zag for the descent. It’s a nice change of scenery and you’ll avoid going down via the Ladder, which looked tricky. To get there, nothing simpler, go left with the Devil’s Ladder on your back. You’ll notice a second summit ahead, but after that one, the path will finally go down. The trail makes a natural zig-zag towards the plain that leads to the parking lot. 

 

Conclusion?

As Ireland’s highest mountain, Carrauntuohill is unmissable, if only for the challenge. Even though there are better views in the Country, the excitement of the Devil’s Ladder and the landscapes are really worth it. I felt like traveling to Mordor with Sam and Frodo (and Gollum, let’s not forget him).

Want to stay a little longer in the area? Don’t hesitate to visit Killarney village and Killarney National Park. 

 Any questions or comments? Don’t hesitate, I’m always happy to help.