Carrauntoohil

About Carrauntoohil

Dominating the Macgillycuddy’s Reeks, Ireland’s highest peak is a rugged sandstone fortress of glaciated corries and sharp arêtes. Whether ascending the eroded Devil’s Ladder or the spectacular Coomloughra Horseshoe, walkers are rewarded with a summit marked by a towering steel cross and vast views across the Atlantic-battered Iveragh Peninsula.

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Did You Know?

• •The name derives from the Irish Corrán Tuathail, traditionally translated as 'Tuathal’s sickle'. This likely refers to the mountain’s jagged, serrated profile or the hooked shape of its ridges when viewed from the Hag's Glen below.
• •A prominent five-metre-tall steel cross marks the summit. The original wooden cross was replaced by a steel version in the 1950s; in 2014, it was illegally cut down in an act of protest but was re-erected by local volunteers within days.
• •The most direct route is via the Devil's Ladder, a steep gully that has suffered significant erosion due to its popularity. For those seeking a more alpine experience, the Coomloughra Horseshoe provides a high-level traverse including the Beenkeragh Ridge, Ireland's highest arête.
• •On a rare clear day, the summit offers a sprawling panorama that includes the Dingle Peninsula to the north, the Skellig Islands out in the Atlantic to the west, and the sharp, nearby peaks of Caher and Beenkeragh.
• •Unlike many national high points, Carrauntoohil is entirely in private ownership. Access for the thousands of walkers who visit annually is maintained through the continued goodwill of local farming families.
• •The Devil’s Ladder is named not for any supernatural resident, but for the specific, colourful vocabulary most walkers find themselves using halfway up its loose and unrelenting scree slope.