Maughanaclea Hills West Top

Rising above the Mealagh Valley in South Cork, this modest Tump forms part of an expansive, boggy ridge. Though less prominent than its eastern neighbour, it offers a remote, untracked character. The summit provides a clear perspective over Bantry Bay and the rugged profiles of the Sheep’s Head peninsula.

• •The name likely derives from the Irish 'Machaire na Cléithe', meaning the plain of the hurdle or wattle-work, suggesting the high ground was historically used for seasonal grazing or temporary structures.
• •This summit is most effectively bagged as part of a high-level traverse along the ridge, connecting the West Top with the slightly higher 474m eastern summit of the Maughanaclea Hills.
• •To the south, the view is dominated by the Coomhola River valley and the jagged silhouette of Sugarloaf Mountain, a landmark peak on the neighbouring Beara Peninsula.
• •In a region famous for its relentless Atlantic rainfall, the ground here is often less a solid surface and more a collection of peat hags held together by stubborn hope and very wet moss.