Pookeen North Top

Rising above the West Cork interior, this sandstone summit provides a quiet, heathery escape from more frequented routes. It sits within a landscape of rugged ridges and small loughs, offering clear views across to the Shehy Mountains and southward toward the distant indentations of Bantry Bay and the Sheep's Head Peninsula.

• •The name is likely derived from the Irish Púicín, meaning a small hood or covering, which in a landscape context usually refers to a small shelter or a prominent, rounded feature.
• •The summit offers a clear view north to the higher Shehy Mountains, while to the south, the Atlantic-facing peninsulas of Mizen Head and Sheep’s Head are often visible on clear days.
• •Because the terrain consists of fragmented sandstone ridges and peat hags, the most straightforward approach is usually made in conjunction with the slightly higher southern summit of Pookeen.
• •In West Cork, a 'North Top' is often less of a distinct mountaineering objective and more of a polite suggestion to spend an extra ten minutes navigating through the heather.