Carran South Top

About Carran South Top

Tucked away in the Shehy Mountains above Kilgarvan, this rugged sandstone peak offers a quieter alternative to the busy Killarney trails. The terrain is characterized by tough heather and peat hags, rewarding hikers with clear, earned views across the Roughty Valley toward the distant silhouettes of the MacGillycuddy’s Reeks.

Key Statistics

Find It

Did You Know?

• •The name Carran is derived from the Irish 'An Carn', meaning 'the cairn' or 'stony mound', a common reference to the rocky, debris-strewn summits typical of this Old Red Sandstone range.
• •Positioned on the eastern end of the Shehy range, the hill sits near the historic boundary between County Cork and County Kerry, overlooking the headwaters of the Roughty River.
• •This summit is often bagged alongside its taller northern neighbour, Carran (606m), though the intervening ground is notoriously boggy and requires patient navigation.
• •On a clear day, the view to the northwest is dominated by the Paps of Anu, two distinctive breast-shaped peaks that serve as prominent landmarks for walkers in this region.
• •In these parts, the designation 'South Top' is often a polite way of describing a secondary bump that looks much smaller from the car than it feels once you are halfway up it.