Cnoc na Péiste

Cnoc na Péiste

Cnoc na Péiste and part of Loch Coimín Piast are in the top left of the picture
Highest point
Elevation 988 m (3,241 ft) [1][2]
Prominence 902 m (2,959 ft) [1]
Listing Hewitt, Marilyn
Coordinates 51°59′53″N 9°41′44″W / 51.998151°N 9.695516°W / 51.998151; -9.695516Coordinates: 51°59′53″N 9°41′44″W / 51.998151°N 9.695516°W / 51.998151; -9.695516
Naming
Translation hill of the serpent (Irish)
Geography
Cnoc na Péiste

Ireland

Location County Kerry,
Ireland
Parent range Macgillycuddy's Reeks
OSI/OSNI grid V835841
Topo map OSI Discovery 78
Climbing
Easiest route Hike

Cnoc na Péiste—often anglicised as Knocknapeasta[1] and more rarely given as Slievenapeesta or Cummeennapeasta[3]—is a 988 m (3,241 ft) mountain peak in County Kerry, Ireland. It is part of the Macgillycuddy's Reeks range and is the fourth highest summit in Ireland—after Carrauntoohil, Beenkeragh and Caher; which are also part of the range.[1] It is classed as a Furth by the Scottish Mountaineering Club,[4] which is why it is also sometimes referred to as one of the Irish Munros.

Surroundings

Cnoc na Péiste is the highest point on a ridge heading east from Carrauntoohil towards Purple Mountain, from which it is separated by the Gap of Dunloe.[5][6] To the southwest of Cnoc na Péiste is the peak of Maolán Buí (973 m)[7] and to the northeast is An Gunna Mhór (939 m) or "The Big Gun".[8]

Between Cnoc na Péiste and An Gunna Mhór there are two small lakes—Loch Coimín Piast (anglicised Lough Cummeenapeasta) and Lough Googh — one on either side of the ridge.[5] A stream called Glasheencummeennapeasta flows northwards from Lough Cummeenapeasta into Hag's Glen, where it joins the Gaddagh River.[5] On the other side of the ridge, a stream flows southwards from Lough Googh into the Derrycarna River.[5]

Aircraft crash

At about 7 am on 17 December 1943, during World War II, a United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) plane crashed into the side of Cnoc na Péiste.[1][9] The plane was a Douglas C-47 or Dakota (serial number 43-30719) with five crewmen aboard.[9] It struck the mountain just above Lough Cummeenapeasta at an altitude of about 2,000 ft—killing all five passengers.[9] The Gardaí were not alerted to the crash until 3 February 1944, and the following day an Irish Army detachment was sent to recover the bodies.[9] Pieces of the aircraft can still be seen on the mountainside, and a plaque was placed at the shore of the lake to commemorate the victims.[1][9]

Climbing Cnoc na Péiste

Climbers and walkers tend to tackle all the Macgillycuddy's Reeks in a single attempt, often from the north-east along the Hag's Glen, since there are few other options for descent from the main ridge.[10] The continuation of the ridge east of Cnoc na Péiste is very sharp and cannot be walked; hikers must take a route to one side of the ridge to continue on to An Gunna Mhór.[10]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Knocknapeasta/Cnoc na Péiste". MountainViews. Retrieved 2007-05-28.
  2. ↑ Peakbagger
  3. ↑ E. D. "Clem" Clements (1997). The Hewitts and Marilyns of Ireland. TACit Press. ISBN 0-9522680-8-6.
  4. ↑ Mountains - Key Facts. The Munros, Corbetts, Grahams, Donalds & Furths at www.smc.org.uk. Accessed on 2 Feb 2013.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Ordnance Survey Ireland - Online map viewer
  6. ↑ Discovery Series (1:50000) Map 78. Ordnance Survey Ireland. ISBN 1-901496-83-X.
  7. ↑ MountainViews - Maolán Buí
  8. ↑ MountainViews - An Gunna Mhór
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 Warplane Research Group of Ireland
  10. 1 2 Dillon, Paddy (1998). Exploring the South of Ireland. Ward Lock. ISBN 0-7063-7566-1.
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