Bolus [Cnoc Bholais]

About Bolus [Cnoc Bholais]

Rising steeply above the Atlantic at the western tip of the Iveragh Peninsula, this rugged Marilyn offers a wild, coastal experience. The ascent leads through rough pasture to a summit marked by a historic lookout post, rewarding walkers with spectacular, unobstructed views across to the jagged peaks of the Skellig Islands.

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Did You Know?

• •The name derives from the Irish Cnoc Bholais; while 'Cnoc' means hill, 'Bholais' likely refers to a belly or bulging shape, describing the mountain's prominent profile as seen from the surrounding bays.
• •The summit ridge features a ruined World War II coastal watchtower, known as Lookout Post 30, which was used to monitor the Atlantic for maritime activity during the period known in Ireland as The Emergency.
• •The panoramic views from the top are exceptional, looking directly out to the monastic site of Skellig Michael and the gannet colonies of Little Skellig, with Puffin Island and the Beara Peninsula visible to the south.
• •Because of its position on the very edge of the Iveragh Peninsula, the hill often feels significantly higher and more exposed than its modest 410-metre elevation suggests.
• •Given the exposure to the North Atlantic, the local weather doesn't so much 'arrive' as it does 'impact'; if you can see the Skelligs, it is about to rain, and if you can’t see them, it already is.