Mount Brandon (and the Brandon Group) | |
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![]() Mount Brandon photographed from Brandon Peak, with its distinctive east–west contrast. | |
Highest point | |
Elevation | 951.7 m (3,122 ft) [1] [2] [3] |
Prominence | 934 m (3,064 ft) [1] |
Parent peak | Carrauntoohil |
Isolation | 26.7 miles (43.0 km) |
Listing | P600, Marilyn, Furth, Hewitt, Arderin, Simm, Vandeleur-Lynam |
Coordinates | 52°14′06″N10°15′16″W / 52.235113°N 10.254336°W [1] |
Naming | |
Native name | Cnoc Bréanainn |
English translation | Brendan's hill |
Geography | |
Parent range | Brandon Group [1] |
OSI/OSNI grid | Q4604211605 |
Topo map | OSI Discovery 70 [3] |
Geology | |
Age of rock | Devonian [1] |
Mountain type | Purple sandstone & siltstone [1] |
Climbing | |
Easiest route | Saint's Route (Cosán na Naomh) |
Mount Brandon or Brandon (Irish : Cnoc Bréanainn, meaning 'Brendan's hill'), [4] at 952 metres (3,123 ft), is one of the ten highest peaks in Ireland, being the 8th–highest peak in Ireland on the Arderin list, and the 9th–highest on the Vandeleur-Lynam list. [5] Brandon is the highest Irish mountain outside the MacGillycuddy's Reeks range and has the greatest prominence of any Irish peak except Carrauntoohil, Ireland's highest mountain. [5]
Mount Brandon is at the centre of a long high ridge called the Brandon Group range of mountains in the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry. The ridge contains seven other major peaks (i.e. above 2,000 ft in height); one is the similarly named Brandon Peak (840 metres). [5] [6] The positioning and dimensions of the Brandon Group ridge have made it the scene of several air accidents over the years. [7] The mountain, and range, is named after Saint Brendan, and is the end of a Christian pilgrimage trail known as Cosán na Naomh. It is also well regarded for hill walking with routes such as the 4–5-hour Faha Route (also called The Pilgrim's Path), and the 6–7-hour traverse of the entire range known as "one of the finest ridgewalks in Ireland". [6] [5] [8]
Brandon is composed of sandstone particles of various sizes collectively known as Old Red Sandstone . [7] Old Red Sandstone has a purple–reddish colour, and has virtually no fossils. [7] [9] The colour gave its name to nearby Purple Mountain. [7] The composition of Old Red Sandstone is variable and contains quartz stones, mudstones, siltstones, and sandstone particles (conglomerate rock boulders with quartz pebbles are visible). [7] They are described by the Geological Survey of Ireland as the oldest Devonian rocks in Ireland. [10]
Mount Brandon itself is in the middle of a long and high ridge known as the Brandon Group, [4] which runs north–south for 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) across the width of the Dingle peninsula. As well as Mount Brandon, the Brandon Group ridge has seven other major classified peaks (see list below), including the similarly named Brandon Peak840 metres (2,760 ft), Benagh822 metres (2,697 ft), Faha Ridge809 metres (2,654 ft), Gearhane803 metres (2,635 ft), Masatiompan762 metres (2,500 ft), Piaras Mór746 metres (2,448 ft), and An Scraig623 metres (2,044 ft).
The most distinctive aspect of the Brandon Group is the contrast between the gentle grassy slopes on its western side, and the sharp cliffs and deep corries of its eastern side; an effect that the Brandon Group's long north–south ridge exactly separates. [6] Mount Brandon owes its craggy shape to the work of glaciers during the ice age, which gouged out a series of corries on the eastern flank of the mountain. The summit of Mount Brandon is rounded and smooth as it was likely a nunatuk (like Lugnaquilla in Wicklow), and presents a stark contrast to Brandon Peak, or Barr an Ghéaráin, which is alpine in appearance. [6]
On Brandon's deep eastern corrie, flanked by Faha Ridge to its north, is a series of rocky plateaus, each of which has a small paternoster lake; over ten lakes grow in size descending the mountain. [11] From highest they are, the Locha Chom an Chnoic (Coumaknock Loughs), Loch na Lice (Lough Nalacken) and Loch Cruite (Lough Cruttia). [6] [11] This corrie's natural environment, and positioning on the Faha Route, means it is regularly photographed. [6]
Brandon is the 340th–highest mountain, and 10th most prominent mountain, in Britain and Ireland, on the Simms classification. [12] Brandon is regarded by the Scottish Mountaineering Club ("SMC") as one of 34 Furths, which is a mountain above 3,000 ft (914 m) in elevation, and meets the other SMC criteria for a Munro (e.g. "sufficient separation"), but which is outside of (or furth) Scotland; Brandon is referred to as one of the 13 Irish Munros. [13] [14]
Brandon's prominence qualifies for the P600 classification. Both Brandon and Brandon Peak, meet the Britain and Ireland Marilyn classification. [12] Brandon is the 3rd highest mountain, and Brandon Peak is the 9th highest mountain, in the MountainViews Online Database, 100 Highest Irish Mountains . [15] [5]
The mountain is called Brandon Mountain, Mount Brandon and Brandon on various maps. [4]
Brandon takes its name from Saint Brendan the Navigator, or Bréanainn, who is said to have been born in what is now County Kerry in 484 AD, and is chiefly known for his legendary voyage in a boat of wood and leather to discover the "Isle of the Blessed", also called Saint Brendan's Island. [16] In the story of Brendan's life (titled, the Beatha Bhréanainn, or the Latin version, the Vita Brendani), he spent three days fasting on the mountain before his voyage, was visited by an angel, and experienced a vision of "a great land to the west"; [17] [18] the mountain is described as being surrounded by the ocean, which fits with the topography of Mount Brandon. [4]
Irish academic Paul Tempan wrote in his 2010 Irish Hill and Mountain Names, that it is likely that the mountain was a source of pilgrimage even before both St. Brendan and the arrival of Christianity altogether. [4] Its importance may be due to the fact that, being so far west and so high, it is the place where the sun can be seen the latest as it sinks below the horizon. [4] Tempan notes that the medieval story about Brendan's life calls the mountain Sliabh nDaidche in the Irish version, or Mons Aitche in the Latin version; and that the Irish academic Dr Alan Mac an Bhaird, had translated this as "mountain of Faithche", as Brandon stands in the Faha townland. [4] However, some believe that the Mons Aitche name refers to Slieve Aughty, rather than to Mount Brandon. [19]
Some sources link the name with the voyages of Bran mac Febail, however, this is considered less likely. [20]
The quickest and easiest route to the summit of Mount Brandon is from the west via the final stages of the medieval pilgrim path, The Saint's Route (Irish : Cosán na Naomh), which begins 18 kilometres (11 mi) away in Ventry. [21] The route starts from the car park of Ballybrack (Irish : Baile Breac) ( W434094 ), and follows the straight grassy path, marked by large crosses, to the summit of Mount Brandon; then retracing back to Ballybrack. The 8-kilometre (5.0 mi) route takes 3–4 hours. [22] [23] A longer 5-hour variation is to continue north along the summit ridge from Mount Brandon to Piaras Mor, and then descend to Ballyknockane. [24]
A scenic variation is the 9-kilometre (5.6 mi) 4–5-hour Faha Route, the Pilgrim's Path, [lower-alpha 1] which starts from the east via the car park at the Faha Grotto ( Q493119 ) just outside Cloghane. The route to the summit is marked, and offers views of the deep corries and paternoster lakes on Brandon's glaciated east face. It follows a trail below the Faha Ridge to the summit; then retracing back to Faha Grotto. [25] [26]
The full ridge walk of the entire Mount Brandon range, regarded as "one of the finest ridge walks in Ireland", crosses the full 15-kilometre (9.3 mi) ridge of the Brandon Group from the Conor Pass to Masatiompan and takes 6–7 hours. [6] The route from the Conor Pass to Mount Brandon and back to the Conor Pass is even longer, at 21 kilometres (13 mi) and takes up to 8 hours to complete. [6]
The following is a download from the MountainViews Online Database , who list 15 Brandon Group peaks over 100 metres.
Height Rank | Prom. Rank | Name | Irish Name (if different) | Translation | Height (m) | Prom. (m) | Height (ft) | Prom. (ft) | Topo Map | OSI Grid Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | Brandon [1] | Cnoc Bréanainn | Brendan's Hill | 952 | 934 | 3,122 | 3,064 | 70 | Q460116 |
2 | 13 | Brandon North Top [27] | — | — | 895 | 23 | 2,938 | 76 | 70 | Q461125 |
3 | 14 | Brandon Far North Top [28] | — | — | 840 | 17 | 2,756 | 57 | 70 | Q459128 |
4 | 3 | Brandon Peak [29] | Barr an Ghéaráin | Top of the Fang [lower-alpha 2] | 840 | 190 | 2,756 | 623 | 70 | Q472095 |
5 | 6 | Benagh [30] | Binn Faiche | Peak of Faha [lower-alpha 3] | 822 | 57 | 2,697 | 187 | 70 | Q469119 |
6 | 8 | Faha Ridge [31] | Na Poirt | The Fortifications | 809 | 44 | 2,654 | 144 | 70 | Q464120 |
7 | 10 | Gearhane [32] | An Géarán | The Fang | 803 | 26 | 2,635 | 85 | 70 | Q468087 |
8 | 11 | Brandon South Top [33] | Faill na nDeamhan | Cliff of the Demons [lower-alpha 4] | 790 | 25 | 2,592 | 82 | 70 | Q468107 |
9 | 4 | Masatiompan [34] | Más an Tiompáin | Hollow [lower-alpha 5] | 762 | 109 | 2,500 | 358 | 70 | Q465145 |
10 | 9 | Piaras Mór [35] | — | Big Pierce [lower-alpha 6] | 746 | 33 | 2,447 | 108 | 70 | Q464136 |
11 | 15 | Piaras Mór thuaidh barr [36] | — | — | 700 | 12 | 2,297 | 38 | 70 | Q464138 |
12 | 2 | Ballysitteragh [37] | An Scraig | Rocky Outcrop [lower-alpha 7] | 623 | 218 | 2,044 | 715 | 70 | Q460057 |
13 | 12 | Beennabrack [38] | Binn na mBroc [lower-alpha 8] Macha na gCab | Peak of the Badgers [lower-alpha 8] Plain of the Beaks | 609 | 24 | 1,996 | 77 | 70 | Q469054 |
14 | 7 | An Bhinn Dubh [39] | — | The Black Peak | 479 | 51 | 1,572 | 166 | 70 | Q483056 |
15 | 5 | Faill an tSáis [40] | — | Cliff of the Noose [lower-alpha 9] | 431 | 106 | 1,413 | 348 | 70 | Q497150 |
Due to its link with Saint Brendan, the mountain is popular with Irish Catholic pilgrims. [4] The mountain's relative height and status of being at an extreme westerly point appears to have been of great importance to Saint Brendan. [17] [4] A pilgrimage route called Cosán na Naomh ("The Saints Road") begins at Cill Mhic an Domhnaigh (Kilvickadowning) on Ventry Strand at the southern end of the Dingle peninsula, and ends at Séipéilín Bréanainn ("Brendan's Oratory") on Brandon's summit. [21] [22] Sáipéilín Bréanainn is the remains of a stone building believed to have been used by Saint Brendan. The path to the peak is marked by small white crosses and the peak itself is topped by a large metal cross. It is speculated the pilgrimage originated in pre-Christian times as a Lughnasadh ritual. [41] [17]
In 1997, the Irish Heritage Council set up the Pilgrim Paths Project to restore walking routes along Irish medieval pilgrimage paths. [42] One of the routes chosen was Cosán na Naomh, and an 18–kilometre way-marked trail was constructed between Ventry Strand and the grotto at Ballybrack at the foot of Mount Brandon. [20] [43] The trail has been developed to the standard required by the Irish Sports Council for National Waymarked Trails in Ireland. [44] For safety reasons, it was decided not to mark the trail to the end of the medieval route at the summit of Brandon, but to finish at Ballybrack. [45] The starting point at Ventry is one of the places pilgrims would have come ashore. [46] The trail passes a number of important ecclesiastical heritage sites including Gallarus Oratory and Kilmalkedar monastic site. [47]
Between 1940 and 1943 a number of Allied and Axis aircraft crashed on Brandon and the Faha Ridge. [7]
MacGillycuddy's Reeks is a sandstone and siltstone mountain range in the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland. Stretching 19 kilometres, from the Gap of Dunloe in the east, to Glencar in the west, the Reeks is Ireland's highest mountain range, and includes most of the highest peaks and sharpest ridges in Ireland, and the only peaks on the island over 1,000 metres in height.
These are lists of long-distance trails in the Republic of Ireland, and include recognised and maintained walking trails, pilgrim trails, cycling greenways, boardwalk-mountain trails, and interconnected national and international trail systems.
Corrán Tuathail. Sometimes Carrauntoohil, Carrauntoohill or Carrantuohill is the highest mountain in Ireland at 1,038.6 metres. It is on the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry, close to the centre of Ireland's highest mountain range, MacGillycuddy's Reeks. Carrauntoohil is composed mainly of sandstone, whose glaciation produced distinctive features on the mountain such as the Eagle's Nest corrie and some deep gullies and sharp arêtes in its east and northeastern faces that are popular with rock and winter climbers.
In these lists of mountains in Ireland, those within Northern Ireland, or on the Republic of Ireland – United Kingdom border, are marked with an asterisk, while the rest are within the Republic of Ireland. Where mountains are ranked by height, the definition of the topographical prominence used to classify the mountain, is noted. In British definitions, a height of 600 metres (1,969 ft) is required for a mountain, whereas in Ireland, a lower threshold of 500 metres (1,640 ft) is sometimes advocated.
Lugnaquilla is the highest of the Wicklow Mountains in Ireland, rising to 925 metres (3,035 ft). It is also the highest Irish mountain outside of County Kerry, and the highest point in County Wicklow and the province of Leinster. Lugnaquilla overlooks the Glen of Imaal to the west and Glenmalure to the east.
Cnoc na Péiste, anglicised Knocknapeasta, at 988 metres (3,241 ft), is the fourth-highest peak in Ireland, on the Arderin and Vandeleur-Lynam lists. Cnoc na Péiste is part of the MacGillycuddy's Reeks range in County Kerry. It is one of only two 3,000 ft peaks in the Reeks with a prominence above the Marilyn threshold of 150 metres, and is the highest summit of the Eastern Reeks. In 1943, a USAAF plane crashed into the mountain, killing all five crew, and parts of the wreckage can still be seen in Lough Cummeenapeasta.
Baurtregaum at 851 metres (2,792 ft), is the 13th–highest peak in Ireland on the Arderin scale, and the 18th–highest peak on the Vandeleur-Lynam scale. Baurtregaum is situated at the centre of the massif of the Slieve Mish Mountains on the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland. It is the tallest mountain of the Slieve Mish range, with a number of major subsidiary summits.
Caherconree at 835 metres (2,740 ft), is the 20th–highest peak in Ireland on the Arderin scale, and the 27th–highest peak on the Vandeleur-Lynam scale. Caherconree is the 2nd-highest mountain in the Slieve Mish Mountains in the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland, and one of its southerly spurs is the site of an ancient stone promontory fort, which is a protected National Monument.
Binn Chaorach is the second-highest peak in Ireland, at 1,008.2 metres (3,308 ft), on both the Arderin and Vandeleur-Lynam lists. It is part of the MacGillycuddy's Reeks range in County Kerry. Beenkeragh also gives its name the infamous Beenkeragh Ridge, the narrow rocky arete between Beenkeragh and Carrauntoohil, Ireland's highest mountain.
Knocknadobar at 690 metres (2,260 ft), is the 102nd–highest peak in Ireland on the Arderin scale, and the 123rd–highest peak in Ireland according to the Vandeleur-Lynam scale. Knocknadobar is one of the main mountains of the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland, and has been one of the most important sites of pilgrimage in Ireland since medieval times.
Caher or Caher East Top at 1,000 metres (3,300 ft), is the third-highest peak in Ireland, on the Irish Arderin and Vandeleur-Lynam classifications. It is part of the MacGillycuddy's Reeks in County Kerry.
The Big Gun, at 939 metres (3,081 ft) high, is the ninth-highest peak in Ireland on the Arderin list, or the tenth-highest according to the Vandeleur-Lynam list. It is part of the MacGillycuddy's Reeks in County Kerry, and is also known as Lackagarrin or Foilnabreachaun.
Caher West Top at 973.4 metres, is the fifth-highest peak in Ireland on the Irish Vandeleur-Lynam classification, and part of the MacGillycuddy's Reeks range. Caher West Top is the only Furth to have a prominence below 30 metres (98 ft).
Maolán Buí, also known by the name Bearna Rua, at 973 metres (3,192 ft) high, is the fifth-highest peak in Ireland on the Arderin list, or the sixth-highest peak in Ireland according to the Vandeleur-Lynam list. Maolán Buí is also known for its narrow north-west spur, called The Bone. It is part of the MacGillycuddy's Reeks in County Kerry.
The Bones, at 957 metres (3,140 ft) high, is the seventh-highest peak in Ireland on the Arderin list, or the eighth-highest according to the Vandeleur-Lynam list. It is part of the MacGillycuddy's Reeks in County Kerry, and is a small sharp peak on the dramatic Beenkeragh Ridge, and is sometimes mistaken with The Bone, the north-east spur of Maolán Buí, which descends into the Hag's Glen.
Cnoc an Chuillinn, at 958 metres (3,143 ft), is the sixth-highest peak in Ireland on the Arderin list and the seventh-highest peak in Ireland on the Vandeleur-Lynam list. The name is sometimes incorrectly anglicised to Knockacullion, which is a name used for peaks and townlands in other parts of Ireland. Cnoc an Chuillinn is part of the MacGillycuddy's Reeks range in County Kerry.
Cruach Mhór, at 932 metres (3,058 ft) high, is the tenth-highest peak in Ireland on the Arderin list, and the eleventh-highest peak in Ireland according to the Vandeleur-Lynam list. A distinctive square grotto marks the summit. It is part of the MacGillycuddy's Reeks in County Kerry.
Reenconnell is a medieval Christian site and National Monument located on the Dingle Peninsula, County Kerry, Republic of Ireland.
The Hag's Tooth, at 650 metres (2,130 ft) high, is a sharp rock spike which is the 193rd highest peak in Ireland on the Vandeleur-Lynam scale. It is also known as Stumpeenadaff. The Hag's Tooth is situated in the Hag's Glen beside the Eagle's Nest corrie of Carrauntoohil and is part of the MacGillycuddy's Reeks in County Kerry.
Cnoc na Toinne, at 845 metres (2,772 ft), is the 17th-highest peak in Ireland on the Arderin list, and the 23rd-highest peak in Ireland on the Vandeleur-Lynam list. It is part of the MacGillycuddy's Reeks range in County Kerry. Cnoc na Toinne lies between the Coomloughra Reeks and the Eastern Reeks, and is just above the col of the Devil's Ladder, a popular route for climbing Carrauntoohil, Ireland's highest mountain.
The list of peaks of 3000ft or more within the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland outside (furth) of Scotland. There are currently 34 Furths.
Mount Brandon, a great solitary peak on Ireland's west coast, has been a holy site for centuries. Chet Raymo takes the pilgrim's path to the top
Route 22: Brandon Mountain (Faha Ridge)
Mount Brandon: Faha Route
Luftwaffe Focke Wulf 200 Condor of KG40 departed Bordeaux in Western France on the morning of 20 August 1940, to carry out weather reconnaissance and pressure readings off the north-west coast of Ireland. As the huge 4 engine aircraft with a crew of 6 straddled the coastline of Mayo, Galway and Clare it developed engine problems and the pilot decided to try and return home. The problems intensified and therefore a decision was made to force land the aircraft at sea rather than attempt to land in the dense fog not knowing exactly where they were. Through the mist one of the crew could just make out Tralee Bay and in particular Hogs Head. The pilot, Captain Kurt Mollenhauer, from Cuxhaven, set course due west as the aircraft began to descend in dense fog; they were heading for Mount Brandon.
Capt. Allitt would have had only seconds to react when he would have seen grass below his aircraft at an altitude of approximately 2,000ft. before it impacted into large boulders just below the summit of Mount Brandon. Of the 28 on board, 10 died instantly including Allitt, Noth and Díarmuid Hartigan who was only 70 miles from his home. The crash site was a scene of utter devastation where fire engulfed almost all of the aircraft except the tail section, which bore the registration G–AGES. Amongst the cargo recovered were post from British personnel in Japanese administered POW camps in Java. For several months mail continued to be found several miles from the crash site and locals would themselves post the letters to the addressees.
The village of Cloghane had only just about recovered from the B.O.A.C. loss of another Sunderland on 28 July 1943, when tragedy called again 25 days later. Another aircraft came to grief in exactly the same spot and once again with a major loss of life on 22 August 1943. A Royal Air Force Sunderland Flying Boat, DD848, of 201 Squadron, Coastal Command, out of Castle Archdale on Lower Loch Erne, County Fermanagh with a crew of eleven, was intent on hunting U–Boats in The Bay of Biscay but found the inner slopes of Mt. Brandon instead. Again, as on 25 days earlier this area was a scene of carnage with only three survivors.