Hungry Hill - Caha Mountains

[Jim777]

At this time I was staying in the International Youth Hostel in Killarney. Distance wise it isn't exactly far from Killarney down onto the Beara Peninsula. South East down to Poulgorm Bridge, South West down through Kenmare to Lauragh and then South over the Healy Pass to Adrigole. But the roads aren't the best - and that's an understatement.
Also apologies for the standard of the photos.
Hungry Hill can be accessed from a few different start points but I had decided to do it from off the R572 between Adrigole and Castletown Bearhaven.

Hungry Hill from Adrigole I

Hungry Hill from Adrigole II

Hungry Hill from Adrigole III

The signposting was so confusing and I lost count of the number of country lanes I went up that went nowhere that I gave up.
As I was driving back over the Healy Pass I noticed a parking area and stopped to look at the map. The summit of Hungry Hill was perhaps only 5km away to the South West and I was already at 250m in height .
I set off South West up onto Ballaghscart at 348m From here I could see Derryclancy and Hungry Hill in the distance and look back down on the Healy Pass.

Climbing out of the Healy Pass towards Coombane

Below Coombane looking SW towards Derryclancy and Hungry Hill

Once up on Coombane, 510m, the ridge rises gently South West for over a kilometre to Derryclancy at 554m.
I then descended South West to a col at 450m.

Coomadayallig Lake just showing below col between Derryclancy and Hungry Hill

Approaching Hungry Hill

It's then a case of ascending South West and then South to the trig point and cairn on Hungry Hill at 682m.

Summit cairn Hungry Hill

Trig point and cairn Hungry Hill 682m

Castletown Bearhaven

Looking towards Castletown Bearhaven and Bear Island

Hungry Hill is all shelves of sloping rock which is a lot more awkward coming down than going up as they are too high to step off at most points. You find yourself having to go to the end of one ramp or shelf to get on to the next one down and then go back the way you've just come; slightly exasperating!!
But hey - alls well that ends well and it was back to Killarney for some amber nectar .