Beenkeragh or Benkeeragh ()
is the second-highest peak in
Ireland
Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
, at . It is part of the
MacGillycuddy's Reeks range in
County Kerry
County Kerry () is a Counties of Ireland, county on the southwest coast of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. It is bordered by two other countie ...
. Beenkeragh also gives its name the infamous ''Beenkeragh Ridge'', the narrow rocky
arete
() is a concept in ancient Greek thought that refers to "excellence" of any kind—especially a person or thing's "full realization of potential or inherent function." The term may also refer to excellence in "Virtue, moral virtue."
The conce ...
between Beenkeragh and
Carrauntoohil, Ireland's highest mountain.
Geography
Beenkeragh lies to the north of Carrauntoohil ., and is part of the
MacGillycuddy's Reeks range in
County Kerry
County Kerry () is a Counties of Ireland, county on the southwest coast of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. It is bordered by two other countie ...
. Beenkeragh is joined to Carrauntoohil by a very narrow rocky ridge, or
arete
() is a concept in ancient Greek thought that refers to "excellence" of any kind—especially a person or thing's "full realization of potential or inherent function." The term may also refer to excellence in "Virtue, moral virtue."
The conce ...
, known as the ''Beenkeragh Ridge''. In the middle of the ''Beenkeragh Ridge'' is another other summit called,
The Bones () .
Beenkeragh is the second-highest peak in Ireland, on both the
Arderin
Arderin () is a mountain on the border between counties Laois and Offaly in Ireland
Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is ...
and
Vandeleur-Lynam lists. It is the
179th-highest mountain in Britain and Ireland on the
Simm classification.
Beenkeragh is regarded by the
Scottish Mountaineering Club ("SMC") as one of 34
Furths
This is a list of Furth mountains in Britain and Ireland by height. Lists of mountains and hills in the British Isles#Furths, Furths are defined as mountains that meet the Lists of mountains and hills in the British Isles#Munros, classification c ...
, which is a mountain above in elevation, and meets the other SMC criteria for a
Munro
A Munro (; ) is defined as a mountain in Scotland with a height over , and which is on the Scottish Mountaineering Club (SMC) official list of Munros; there is no explicit topographical prominence requirement. The best known Munro is Ben Nevi ...
(e.g. "sufficient separation"), but which is outside of (or ''furth'') Scotland; which is why Beenkeragh is sometimes referred to as one of the 13
Irish Munro
This is a list of Furth mountains in Britain and Ireland by height. Furths are defined as mountains that meet the classification criteria to be a Scottish Munro, including being over in elevation, but which are ''furth'' of (i.e. "outside" of) ...
s.
Beenkeragh's prominence qualifies it to meet the
Arderin
Arderin () is a mountain on the border between counties Laois and Offaly in Ireland
Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is ...
classification, and the British Isles
Simm and
Hewitt classifications.
Beenkeragh does not appear in the
MountainViews Online Database
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 ...
, ''
100 Highest Irish Mountains'', as the prominence threshold is over .
[Mountainviews, (September 2013), "A Guide to Ireland's Mountain Summits: The Vandeleur-Lynams & the Arderins", Collins Books, Cork, ]
Climbing
The ''Beenkeragh Ridge'' is considered as offering some of Ireland's "most intimidating" hill-walking, and is often climbed as part of the ''
Coomloughra Horseshoe'', described as "one of Ireland's finest ridge-walks". The horseshoe takes in Ireland's three highest mountains, Carrauntoohil, Beenkeragh, and
Caher.
Beenkeragh is also accessed from the south-east via the ''Hag's Glen'' by ascending the
Hag's Tooth , and continuing up the steep and rocky ''
Hag's Tooth Ridge'' to the summit of Beenkeragh. The route gives views into the deep
corrie at the base of Carrauntoohil's north-east face, known as the ''
Eagle's Nest'' area. The ''Eagle's Nest'' corrie consists of three levels, with the top level (or ''third level''), containing Lough Cummeenoughter, Ireland's highest lake.
On summiting Beenkeragh, the route crosses the ''Beenkeragh Ridge'' to Carrauntoohil and descends via the ''
Heavenly Gates'' path across the east-face of Carrauntoohil.
See also
*
Lists of mountains in Ireland
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 ...
*
List of mountains of the British Isles by height
This article provides access to lists of mountains in Britain and Ireland by height and by prominence. (See Lists of mountains below.) Height and prominence are the most important metrics for the classifications of mountains by the UIAA; with ...
*
List of Furth mountains in the British Isles
This is a list of Furth mountains in Britain and Ireland by height. Furths are defined as mountains that meet the classification criteria to be a Scottish Munro, including being over in elevation, but which are ''furth'' of (i.e. "outside" of) ...
References
External links
MountainViews: The Irish Mountain Website Beenkeragh
the largest database of British Isles mountains ("DoBIH
The mountains and hills of the British Isles are categorised into various lists based on different combinations of elevation, prominence, and other criteria such as isolation. These lists are used for peak bagging, whereby hillwalkers attempt ...
")
Hill Bagging UK & Ireland
the searchable interface for the DoBIH
The mountains and hills of the British Isles are categorised into various lists based on different combinations of elevation, prominence, and other criteria such as isolation. These lists are used for peak bagging, whereby hillwalkers attempt ...
Logainm: Placenames Database of Ireland
{{Mountains and hills of Munster
Mountains and hills of County Kerry
Furths
One-thousanders of Ireland