Knockboy South Top

About Knockboy South Top

Situated on the rugged sandstone ridge of the Shehy Mountains, this subsidiary summit offers a wilder perspective than its parent peak, Knockboy. The terrain is a mix of blanket bog and rock, rewarding hikers with clear views across Bantry Bay and the deep, glacial hollow of Gougane Barra to the south.

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Did You Know?

• •The name derives from the Irish Cnoc Buí, meaning 'Yellow Hill', which refers to the distinct golden-yellow colour of the purple moor-grass that covers the Shehy slopes in autumn and winter.
• •It is located on the boundary between County Cork and County Kerry, part of a high ridge that includes the Priest's Leap, historically the highest and most treacherous mountain pass in Ireland.
• •From the summit, the view to the west takes in the jagged profile of the Caha Mountains on the Beara Peninsula, while the broad expanse of Bantry Bay dominates the southern horizon.
• •The ground is primarily Old Red Sandstone, featuring distinctive glaciated ribs of rock that can offer easier passage than the surrounding deep, saturated peat hags.
• •Navigating this ridge in a typical West Cork mist ensures you will spend more time studying your compass than the scenery, though the local sheep remain unimpressed by either.