Mangerton Guided Walk

• Jan van Soest
• Kerry

Mangerton, with a loop around Devils Punch Bowl, up by Tooreencormick battlefield (1262) with first views over the Killarney Lakes, McGillicuddy’s reeks then up top to see as far as Kenmare Bay and later into the spectacular Horses Glen

We start at the monument for the battle of 1262 AD at Cormacs Haggart, then a level 3 walk going up from 140m to the Devils Punch bowl outlet at 650m for a nice lunch stop. On the way we look back over the Lough Leane and the National park first, expanding the views to the the Muckross Lake, Torc mountain and McGillicuddy’s reeks, with Tomies and Purple in the foreground. After a steeper  section the path flattens out before our lunch stop at the mouth of this impressive steep sided oval lake, with it’s stone cottage ruins at the entrance, showing us people lived up here in the famine times. After lunch we continue around the lake, up again to the flat top of Mangerton (834m) looking over this huge Mountain plateau stretching 13 km to Kenmare with views over Kenmare Bay as far as the Caha mountains on the Beara peninsula.

Then we continue around the steep ridge with views down into Horses Glen, with the next 2 lakes, in deeply cut glacial valleys, Lough Erhogh and Lough Managh. Turning Left again to start the way down by the other side of the Devils Punchbowl, where we pass by a cluster of ruins again. Then we continue our descent back to the car park.

We visit the cafe at Muckross House for a very welcome cup of tea and cake, after a great walk.

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