Mountains & Hiking
The Knockmealdowns and Comeraghs: two ranges worth knowing
The Galtees get most of the attention, but the Knockmealdowns and Comeraghs offer very different days out and are just as accessible from Cork.
The Knockmealdowns
Straddling the Cork, Waterford and Tipperary borders, the Knockmealdowns are smooth, heather-covered and largely rounded. The ridge walk gives long views north over the Golden Vale and south towards the coast, and the going underfoot is generally kinder than the Galtees.
The Comeraghs
The Comeraghs are the most dramatic of the three. Coumshingaun, with its enormous corrie lake and encircling cliffs, is one of the finest features in the country. The plateau above is flat, featureless and genuinely serious in poor visibility.
Which to choose
- Newer to hill walking: the Knockmealdowns, for easier ground and clearer lines.
- Looking for scale and drama: the Comeraghs.
- Wanting a long ridge day: the Galtees.
Seasons
Autumn and winter bring shorter daylight and much colder summit conditions. Spring and early summer usually give the most reliable long days, though wet ground is a constant in all seasons.