Knockboy North Top

About Knockboy North Top

Situated on the rugged ridge between Cork and Kerry, this high shoulder offers a wilder perspective of the Shehy Mountains. It is a place of deep peat and sprawling heath, often bypassed for its higher neighbour, Knockboy. The terrain is demanding and typically boggy, rewarding those seeking solitude over defined trails.

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Did You Know?

• •The name derives from the Irish 'An Cnoc Buí', meaning 'The Yellow Hill', which likely refers to the distinctive hue of the grasses and mosses that cover these slopes in the autumn and winter months.
• •From this northern shoulder, the view into the deep Borlin Valley is particularly impressive, with the jagged skyline of the Caha Mountains visible further west across the Kerry border.
• •The peak is most often visited as part of a high-level traverse starting from the Priest’s Leap, a mountain pass that holds the title of the highest motorable road in Ireland.
• •Navigation across this section of the Shehys requires a keen eye and waterproof boots; the local peat hags are legendary for their ability to swallow a trekking pole and slow progress to a crawl.