Carrauntoohil is the highest mountain in Ireland. Standing at 1,041 metres (3,414 feet), getting to the top involves an extremely strenuous hike. It goes without saying, the Carrauntoohil hike should only be undertaken with plenty of fitness and training under your belt. A further complication is the fact that the Carrauntoohil hike involves plenty of scrambling and steep ascents. Definitely not one for the faint hearted.
However the Carrauntoohil hike is achievable for a lot of people – provided due consideration and care is taken. Care needs to be taken both in preparation for summiting Ireland’s highest mountain and along the journey to the top.
This post will describe what is considered the easiest way to climb Carrauntoohil. However the Carrountoohil hike is far from easy and I can’t emphasize enough that the ascent is dangerous in places and should only be completed by those who are competent in scrambling and steep mountain climbs.
Options for Completing the Carrauntoohil Hike
There are three main ways to complete the Carrauntoohil hike:
- Devil’s Ladder Route
- The most popular way to do the Carrauntoohil hike and the subject of this article. Starting at Cronin’s Yard, you’ll find a detailed description of the Carrauntoohil hike via the Devil’s ladder below.
- Brother O’Shea’s Gully (Cummeenoughter) Route
- Starting at the same place as the Devil’s Ladder route (i.e., Cronin’s Yard), you can branch off to the right and ascend via Brother O’Shea’s Gully. Brother O’Shea actually taught my Father-in-law in Brunswick Street CBS in the 1960’s. He unfortunately died of a heart attack on Carrauntoohil and the gully is named after him.
- The gully route involves some scrambling over exposed rocky steps in places and is a very steep climb. So again, not to be taken lightly.
- You can find map information here.
- Caher (Coomloughra) Route
- A longer but more straightforward method for completing the Carrauntoohil hike. This option also takes in Caher Mountain (Ireland’s third highest peak). The added length of this route makes it a tough trail.
- You can find map information here.
Carrauntoohil via the The Devil’s Ladder
As mentioned above, this article details the Carrauntoohil hike via The Devil’s Ladder. With a name like Devil’s Ladder, you can guess that this route is a tough, arduous and difficult climb. Your guess would be correct!
The above map (see link here) sets out the way for the Carrauntoohil hike via Devil’s ladder. The 12.5km trail is fairly straightforward. You can see the peak of Carrauntoohil almost immediately as you leave the starting point of Cronin’s Yard. You can also see the Devil’s Ladder. It looks unmercifully steep from a distance. After the Devil’s Ladder, you just turn right and keep heading upwards until you get to the top of Carrauntoohil.
How to Get to Carrauntoohil
The closest town to Carrauntoohil is Killarney. Killarney is one of the most popular tourist towns in the whole of Ireland. As such, Killarney offers a host of great accommodation, food and drink options. If you are lucky enough to be in this part of Ireland for a few days, Killarney is the perfect base for exploring the south west of the country.
The starting point for most people’s Carrauntoohil hikes is Cronin’s yard which is a 25 minute drive from Killarney. Cronin’s Yard offers parking, toilet and camping facilities and even has a small cafe.
Driving is the main option to get to Cronin’s Yard. If you do not have a car, then you could try arrange a taxi from a nearby town. Or tackle the Carrauntoohil hike with an organised tour or local guide. Guided hikes of Carrauntoohil can be booked via this link on viator.com.
What Brought me to Carrauntoohil
Completing the Carrauntoohil hike has always been a goal of mine. I have spent a lot of time in Cork and Kerry over the years, but for one reason or another, I have never really had an opportunity to climb the mountain. Until recently that is.
My uncle Denis decided to climb Carrauntoohil in aid of a wonderful charity called Breakthrough Cancer Research. Denis, being a man who doesn’t like to do things by halves, planned to hike to the summit of Carrauntoohil 3 times in the same day to raise vital funds for the Charity.
Despite being 30 years younger than my uncle, I didn’t know if I would be able to climb Ireland’s highest mountain three times in a row. As such, I volunteered to join for just one leg of this momentous expedition.
Starting my Journey to Carrauntoohil
Huge planning is involved in organising an event of this type. Denis comes from Millstreet – a small town on the right side of the Cork-Kerry border which is about a 50 minutes drive to Cronin’s Yard. As a result, Millstreet was chosen as the base of operations.
Participants were divided into two categories – climbers and helpers. Denis would be kept company by other climbers who would undertake one, two or even the full 3 summit attempts alongside him. The ground crew were his three Sisters – my Mother and Aunties Noreen and Moll. The Sisters would hike to the base of Carrauntoohil, look after supplies and even do some collecting for Breakthrough Cancer Research from any generous passers by.
Arriving in Millstreet
With Millstreet being my Mother’s homeplace, I have regularly made the trip there for pretty much as long as I can remember. The drive to Cork always filled me with such excitement – especially when we were going there for my childhood summer holidays. Two of my cousins in Millstreet were the same age as me and I loved to spend those weeks of summer adventures with Brendan and Eimear.
The road to Millstreet always brings back those lovely memories. Time changes everything though and a lot of times unfortunately, not for the better. Eimear died very suddenly in August 2015. Now, with every trip we make to Millstreet, the first thing we do is stop at the cemetery on the way into the town. This is what my Mother and I did when we arrived on this occasion too. This occasion, being particularly poignant as it was Eimear’s birthday. She should have been 38. We said a quiet prayer at her graveside which looks out across to Claragh Mountain on the other side of the town.
Then we headed to Denis’ house and were just in time for a lovely dinner. Denis cooked for myself, the Sisters and my cousin David (also doing climb number 2 with me the next day).
The evening was interspersed with visitors calling to wish Denis luck. Everyone who dropped in seemed hugely impressed with the scale of the challenge to be undertaken the following day.
More of Millstreet
As mentioned above, David and I planned to complete the second summit. The plan being to meet Denis at the base of the Devil’s Ladder at 9:30am. Denis needed to be up before 5am the following morning so understandably went to bed early.
David and I had an extra few hours. First we went next door to my other uncle Jerry’s house. While getting to the top of Carrauntoohil was one of the best things I’ve ever done, the highlight of this weekend was definitely getting to see Jerry’s Mother-in-Law, Gubby, for the first time in a few years.
Gubby is 102 years old and such a joy to spend time with. Her kind-heartedness jumps straight out at you. Even though I had only popped in to say hello, the short minutes I spent in her company were something I won’t forget in a hurry.
David and I finished up the evening with a couple of pints in the Clara Inn and the Malpaso Bar – both highly recommended if you are in Millstreet.
The Day of the Carrauntoohil Hike
My morning started off with a 6:30a.m. alarm and a big bowl of porridge to set me up for the day.
I collected my cousin John in Millstreet and we headed off for Cronin’s Yard. John was also joining the group for the second summit of Carrauntoohil. I hadn’t seen John for a couple of years so it was great to catch up with him. John was looking lean and trim as a result of going to the gym four or five times a week. I found it telling that even someone in such good shape as him felt a little nervous about the upcoming Carrauntoohil hike.
We arrived in Cronin’s Yard more or less on schedule. There’s a charge of €2 for using the car park. You pay via a coin operated machine when leaving. The small charge is offset by the good facilities available. We grabbed a coffee from the nice cafe on site. Both the car park and cafe were busy but not packed.
Starting the Carrauntoohil Hike
David, John and I left Cronin’s Yard and set off for the base of the Devil’s Ladder and to meet up with the larger group. We walked through the outdoor seating area and followed the signs for Carrauntoohil.
As noted above, the Carauntoohil hike is pretty straightforward to navigate. You can see the peak of the mountain from more or less the outset. In addition to that, the steep well worn Devil’s Ladder ascent becomes clearly visible only 5 minutes into the hike.
Getting to The Devil’s Ladder
While seeing the route to the top was easy, getting there was anything but. We had a few things going in our favour though. One of the main ones being the weather. The sun shone and lovely blue skies surrounded us for the whole journey.
I felt the excitement building with each step closer to the mountain. The blue skies framed the ridiculously sheer slope of Carrauntoohil majestically. I had a strong feeling that this was going to be tough hike.
The journey to the base of the Devil’s Ladder is 4.5km from Cronin’s Yard. This section of the Carrauntoohil hike involves about 320m of elevation gain. So while not steep, not easy either. Unsurprisingly, the gradient increases as you move closer to the base of The Devil’s Ladder. I could definitely feel it in my legs as we approached the meeting point.
Meeting The Sisters
Along the way, we had traversed over the River Gaddagh a couple of times. First over the Patie O’Shea Bridge and then over the Angela Kenny Bridge.
My Mother, Noreen and Moll had gone ahead of us earlier in the morning to help with the ground operations. They had set up their camp just before the third crossing of the Gaddagh. We touched base with them and picked up updates of the event so far – summit one had been completed and Denis was well down the mountain already.
The final river crossing involved stepping stones rather than a bridge. While you need to be careful here, I found it a fun way to get to the other side of the river.
Joining The Party
We followed the trail between the two lakes at the foot of The Devil’s Ladder and reached the meeting point just after 9.30a.m. with the main group waiting for us and getting a well deserved rest. All looked in great shape after the first climb and spirits were very high.
The last action was for the group to re-fill their water supplies and soon they were off on their second journey to the top of Carrauntoohil. For me, my first ever Carrauntoohil hike was just beginning.
The Devil’s Ladder
I spent the next 50 minutes scrambling up the ladder. The scramble entailed using hands and feet for the majority of the climb. Concentration was key. I needed to make sure of every footing and every grip for the whole of the ascent. Luckily for me, I was following in the footsteps of my uncle Denis. It made things a whole lot easier to have a veteran of countless Carrauntoohil climbs and an experienced mountain guide leading the way. The experience helped not only in picking out a secure path but also judging when a well needed rest was due.
The Devil’s Ladder is hugely energy sapping and regular stops to catch your breath and take on water are needed. Thus far in the hike, my gaze had always been focused upwards at the peak of Carrauntoohil. However, the steep ascent up the Ladder means that now my view was natural drawn downwards and to the stunning views on show.
At the top of the ladder, you can really notice the extent of the erosion to the path as a result of the volume of climbers taking this route. The final ascent is much more gravelly with less larger rocks to find leverage on.
Finally though, we reached the top. It felt great to have reached this far. The top of the Devil’s Ladder comes at c. 5km into the hike and stands at around 730m in elevation. While I still needed to gain over 300m to complete the Carrauntoohil hike, the remainder of the trail looked relatively straight forward. Although the final stretch was tough, it reminded me of the usual mountain climbs I complete (such as Lugnaquilla or The Great Sugar Loaf) without any need for further scrambling.
The Highest Point in Ireland
I still found the last leg of the climb difficult. David and I spent most of the journey to the top with Joanna – one of the members of the Mountain Climbing Group with Denis.
While I would consider myself fit enough and regularly do long distance hikes, I really noticed the difference in fitness versus the Mountain Climbers. These guys were so used to mountain climbing that they made the Carrauntoohil hike seem almost effortless. It really surprised me so when Joanna mentioned this was just her third time climbing Carrauntoohil. Further questioning made me realise she meant third time this month!! Which made a lot more sense. These guys were hardcore.
It took me about an hour to get from the top of Devil’s Ladder to the summit of Carrauntoohil. What a wonderful feeling to be standing at the highest point in Ireland.
At the top, I took some time to savour the moment and enjoy the wonderful sense of achievement that comes with climbing a mountain. Especially one this big! I also took on board some more food and water. The top of Carrauntoohil is a great spot for lunch. But most of all I just sat back and drank in the spectacular views.
We took the obligatory group photo under the cross at the top of the mountain. I sensed a real positive mood in the camp. They had now completed two summits of Carrauntoohil and everyone felt strong. We set off again at noon. Everything was on schedule so far.
Down the Mountain on Our Carrauntoohil Hike
I needed to be careful coming down the mountain. With so much scree and loose rocks along the path, I needed to be sure of my footing as I descended. My muscles definitely appreciated the fact we were moving downhill though. It took just over half an hour to get back to the top of the Devil’s Ladder.
Needless to say, I needed to be extremely careful also for the scramble down the Devil’s Ladder. Again, I felt grateful to have Denis leading the way. With the growing confidence within the group that the third summit would be achievable, there was plenty of chat and laughter along the way down. I found this section of the Carrauntoohil hike to be really positive and enjoyable.
At the base of the Devil’s ladder, a few of us said our goodbyes to the main group. We wished them well. I think we all knew they would be successful completing the third climb.
Back to the Sisters
With all the difficult sections of the Carrauntoohil hike now completed, we started back along to path to Cronin’s Yard. First, we needed to give a mission debrief to the ground operations crew.
Noreen, Moll and my Mother gave us a great welcome. They had been doing stellar work since we last spoke and raised even more much needed funds for Breakthrough Cancer Research from kind-hearted fellow mountaineers that passed them.
We enjoyed lovely tea, biscuits and chocolates while we caught up on the day’s activities. The Sisters were staying on to wait for the return of the main group. I needed to get back up the road to Dublin so said my goodbyes.
Return to Cronin’s Yard
I clipped along at a fast pace as I returned to Cronin’s Yard. The only piece of advice I would offer here is to be careful at the Y junction about 1.5km before Cronin’s Yard. You need to go right and downhill. Left and uphill would bring you to the Lisleibane Carrauntoohil Trailhead/Carpark. I took the right turn and soon found myself crossing the Gaddagh River again.
Finishing the Carrauntoohil Hike
Arriving back at Cronin’s Yard marked the finish of my 12.5km hike. I felt great but completely wrecked at the same time.
My advice to anyone thinking of taking on the Carrauntoohil hike challenge for the first time would be to definitely make sure you have plenty of fitness training done in advance. Experience in climbing other mountains is a huge benefit. Above all, exercise caution with every step you take. Carrauntoohil can be a dangerous place if you don’t treat it with the respect it deserves. I was lucky to have an experienced guide like on my first Carrauntoohil hike which made things easier.
All in all though, the Carrauntoohil hike is a spectacular and amazing walk. I would highly recommend it.
On my drive home, I received the confirmation that the third climb had been a success and the celebrations to mark the wonderful accomplishment were about to begin. It felt good to have played a small part in an amazing day for a great cause. I’ll look back in huge admiration to those that did the climb three times in a row. What a spectacular achievement!