I’d hiked Mt. Brandon the day before… And today, I was a bit tired. So I went on a hike.
I mean, okay. Let’s be honest here – it was a hike, but not like a HIKE, hike. It was a lovely long walk on the beach. A nearby beach that reminded me beautifully of Cannon Beach in Oregon, with the waves of grasses and the infinite sky reflected in the wet sand…
It was just so beautiful, I can’t even.
So I’ll show off photos, and be proud and happy in the memory.
Also, look at me go! Remembering to actually post the hiking tracks from that app that I pay for and barely use!
Now, in my previous post I mentioned going camping out in Kerry… but why was I in Kerry, you may reasonably ask?
Well, it’s pretty. So there’s one good reason. But the real reason is that Mt. Brandon is there!
It’s the second highest peak in Ireland, and… Well, between you and I, it seems like a pretty simple ascent. Sure, it’s ranked as hard, but let’s be real with the terrain, elevation, and distance… it’s not the alps, or the cascades, or… really, it’s a pretty simple hike.
I figured that it’d make for a good test hike – I’d go, see how things pass, and iterate on Irish hikes from there. A leader’s recon, so to say.
It went absolutely lovely.
A bit of fog, some marshy terrain, but it was clean, simple, and lovely. Not too tiring, not too steep, not too slippery… just a lovely training hike for a lovely weekend.
Wednesday and Thursday, 15-October-2025 and 16-October-2025
I do believe this is my first backpacking trip in Ireland!
I’d hiked up to Crotty’s lake a while back, and had taken the chance to meet (and chat with) the owner of the mountain. We’d had a good rapport, and so I’d asked him if it’d be okay for me to camp out at the lake for a quick escape from the city.
…
Yeah. Private ownership of everything. Crotty’s lake, the mountain it’s on, the trails… all privately held.
But you know what? In a place where I haven’t found anywhere that allows backpacking? Well. I’ll absolutely take it, and I’ll enjoy every minute of the outdoors that I can.
**Updated info: Crotty’s Lake is currently closed for improvements, so be aware. Hiking is permitted, but any overnight camping is not**
And enjoy it I absolutely did – Parking was easy, and the walk up to the campsite was beautifully simple and quick. Short and easy, and a nice stretch to the legs before I started the adventure of hunting for a good spot to set up camp.
Took a bit longer than I’d expect, truth be told, but I finally settled in for a spot right by the lake – One of the dangers of Ireland is the sheer amount of sheep, and so the real challenge I ran into was not running into said sheep… or, more accurately, setting up camp on their, ahh, “leavings”. But thankfully the spot I found was beautifully pristine, and camp went up quickly.
Night fell, I snacked on my dinner, and I enjoyed the quiet.
The next day dawned, and I was awoken by a couple walking around nearby. They were a bit astounded that someone had set up camp, but they headed onward pretty quickly after I assured them that the owner had given permission.
Breakfast, a quiet morning, and a bit of wandering around the lake kept me warm and stretched out.
Then a drive home, a stop for a snack, and a glorious collection of notes awaiting me back home!
