Torc Mountain West Top

About Torc Mountain West Top

Sitting within the bounds of Killarney National Park, this subsidiary peak offers a quieter alternative to its popular neighbour. While many hikers stick to the manicured sleepers of the main Torc Mountain path, this western shoulder provides a more rugged, heathery perspective overlooking Muckross Lake and the wider Killarney valley.

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Did You Know?

• •The name Torc is derived from the Irish 'Torc', meaning a wild boar. Local legend tells of a man cursed to transform into a boar every night who, when discovered, burst into flames and created the nearby waterfall that drains from Mangerton Mountain.
• •Though significantly lower than the main summit, the West Top offers a superior angle for viewing the jagged profile of the McGillycuddy’s Reeks, with Carrauntoohil clearly visible across the Killarney plains to the west.
• •The terrain here is typical of the Killarney hills, consisting of old red sandstone covered in Atlantic blanket bog, purple moor grass, and ling heather.
• •While the main ascent of Torc is one of the most heavily managed trails in Ireland to prevent erosion, the West Top retains a much more pathless, wild character that requires basic navigational competence.
• •It is a classic spot for a 'Killarney double', easily bagged alongside the main summit for those who want to escape the crowds of the Ring of Kerry without leaving the National Park.
• •Visiting the West Top ensures you experience the traditional Kerry hill-walking sensation of a damp boot, a feature the wooden sleepers on the main Torc summit have unfortunately colonised.