Barnastooka [Barnastooka NW Top] [Barr na Stuaice]

Tucked away in the Shehy Mountains on the Cork-Kerry border, this rugged sandstone height offers a wild, pathless experience. Reaching its 497m summit provides an excellent vantage point over the Gearagh and the winding Lee Valley to the east, contrasting with the harsher, rocky ridges of nearby Knockboy to the west.

• •The name derives from the Irish Barr na Stuaice, meaning "top of the pinnacle" or "peak of the jutting point," describing the sharp sandstone outcrops typical of this part of the range.
• •Its position on the eastern edge of the higher Shehy ground allows for a clear, earned view down the length of the Borlin Valley towards the distant waters of Bantry Bay.
• •In this particular corner of West Cork, the "path" is usually whatever line the local sheep have most recently agreed upon, which rarely aligns with your intended destination.