Coomloughra Horseshoe #4 – Beenkeragh Traditional Geocache
Coomloughra Horseshoe #4 – Beenkeragh
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(small)
Related Web Page
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
Beenkeragh (990m cache, 1010m, 2nd highest summit in Ireland); this is the fourth hide on Coomloughra Horseshoe taken clockwise.
This cache is a part of the Coomloughra Horseshoe Series.
Coomloughra Horseshoe #1 – Cnoc Iochtair (742m cache, 747m summit) (visit link)
Coomloughra Horseshoe #2 – Skregmore (847m cache, 848m summit) (visit link)
Coomloughra Horseshoe #3 – Stumpa Bharr North Summit (846m cache, 851m summit) (visit link)
Coomloughra Horseshoe #4 – Beenkeragh (990m cache, 1010m summit) (visit link)
Coomloughra Horseshoe #5 – The Bones (949m cache, 959m summit) (visit link)
Coomloughra Horseshoe #6 – [Honorary member (visit link) by Marcus in Kerry and klaus23]
Coomloughra Horseshoe #7 – Caher (1001m summit) – hidden by Lullybelle: (visit link)
Coomloughra Horseshoe #8 – Caher West Top (975m summit) – hidden by Lullybelle: (visit link)
Coomloughra Horseshoe #9 – Big Rock down the hill – hidden by Lullybelle: (visit link)
Below are archived versions of CH#7-9, which some of you may have found:
Coomloughra Horseshoe #7 – Caher (1001m summit) – hidden by teslahunter: (visit link)
Coomloughra Horseshoe #8 – Caher West Top (975m summit) – hidden by teslahunter: (visit link)
Coomloughra Horseshoe #9 – Big Rock down the hill – hidden by teslahunter: (visit link)
The series is hidden along the classic MacGillycuddy’s looped route called (Caher-) Coomloughra (route) Horseshoe. It is an extremely challenging loop that must not be underestimated, but the reward is sweet, i.e. having climbed 8(-9, depending how you count the Stumpa Bharr double-summit) major MacGillycuddy’s summits, three of them being the highest tops of Ireland: Carrauntoohil (1039m), Beenkeragh (1010m), and Caher (1001m).
Kerry Mountain Rescue advised route (even though advised you should use the advise with proper maps and navigation devices and of course all the risk involved is your own): (visit link)
The sections dotted red on the Kerry Mountain Rescue schematics are more dangerous than tough hiking, they in fact require scrambling. Scrambling is not mountaineering proper, but it definitely requires sustained use of both hands to survive (see this Wikipedia definition of scrambling (visit link) some say the horseshoe scrambling (especially the Beenkeragh Ridge) is level 2 in the British assessment of scrambling difficulty. I know for sure that I personally would not tackle these areas without mountaineering gear except for summer.
Although I own the recommended Discovery Series sheet 78 in weatherproof and I had it with me on the trip, I only studied it back home and never used it during the actual hike/scramble. Instead I loaded my GPS device with this GPX (visit link) There are more relevant routes recorded on EveryTrail.com if you like to explore.
Most of the reference points I use are taken from the above mentioned GPX with some small modifications resulting mainly from a brand new car park for 27 cars available and from my taking the horseshoe clockwise rather than counter-clockwise as the party who posted the EveryTrail track description.
Each cache is rated as if taken on its own. The cumulative d and t rating of the whole loop is definitely 5/5.
==============================================
This is now also BHGL #4
++++++++++++++++
The Big Hag's Glen Loop
++++++++++++++++
BHGL #01 – Break Fast on Knockbrinnea North Plateau (visit link)
BHGL #02 – Knockbrinnea East Summit (visit link)
BHGL #03 – Knockbrinnea West Summit (visit link)
[BHGL #04] – Coomloughra Horseshoe #4 – Beenkeragh (visit link)
[BHGL #05] – Coomloughra Horseshoe #5 – The Bones (visit link)
[BHGL #06] – [Coomloughra Horseshoe #6 – Honorary Member] Corran Tuathail (Ireland's Highest Cache) (visit link)
BHGL #07 – Cnoc na Toinne (visit link)
BHGL #08 – Cnoc an Chuillinn (visit link)
BHGL #09 – Cnoc an Chuillinn East Top (visit link)
BHGL #10 – Maolán Buí (visit link)
[BHGL #11] – [Honorary Member] Serpent Hill (visit link)
[BHGL #12] – [Honorary Member] An Gunna Mór (visit link)
BHGL#13 – Cruach Mhór (visit link)
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
jryy znfxrq jvgu frireny ybbfr fgbarf haqre n ynetr fgbar, frr fcbvyre cvp..