I climbed Carrauntoohil, the highest mountain in Ireland. I’ve now climbed the highest mountains in England (Scarfel Pike), Scotland (Ben Nevis), Wales (Snowdon) and Ireland. 

Carrauntoohil has been the hardest. I know I’m that little bit older and not fully fit following my thyroid issues but most accounts I’ve read tend to agree with me. 

I was feeling a little anxious. A friend had had an unnerving experience on the same mountain which he didn’t describe as a panic attack but sounded pretty close. I’d read that the climb is  ‘extremely challenging’. The owner of the Airbnb where we were staying was fairly incredulous that, firstly, I was over 60 (excellent) and that at my age I was climbing Carrauntoohil (worrying). But, of course, why shouldn’t a fit, strong 63 year old be able to do it.

The day of our climb dawned. And what a day. The sun was shining with hardly a puff of cloud in the sky. Maybe, just maybe, we would get a view from the summit. Something not achieved when climbing other 3 mountains. We were fully prepared with our waterproofs, hat and gloves but no sunscreen. Fortunately our guide was more prepared. 

Having a guide is essential the first time you climb Carrauntoohil. It is so easy to get lost. Our guide, John, was very experienced and reassuring. I’m very aware that I’m slow and the chances were I’d be even slower on this climb. But he assured me that  we would just take our time.

The big disappointment was that we were now a group of two not our usual three. Lisa, who was the driving force behind this climb and had made all the arrangements had woken feeling unwell. A day in bed instead of the climb she had been so looking forward to.

So it was just Kirsty and I. Before setting off we agreed with John the path we would take. After an initial hike on fairly flat ground taking over an hour we would reach Devil’s Ladder (another hour) and then a hike up to the summit taking a further hour. We agreed that we would come down the zig zag path which would make our descent a little longer but a lot easier. I always find the coming down challenging for my knees and my balance. I’m more likely to fall over. In total it would take about 6-7 hours to complete. 

We were on our way. The weather was glorious, the views amazing. Along the way John pointed out different aspects of Carrauntoohil and the surrounding mountains and the folklore attached to them. We walked through Hag’s Glen. A beautiful valley, with a large lake either side and flanked by mountains. Our photos just don’t do it justice to what we were experiencing.

This first part of our climb was a fairly easy hike despite a lot of scree. The most difficult part was crossing the River Gaddagh. Huge stepping stones provide passage across but they were not that close together. I needed a helping hand to steady myself. I remain unclear whether my lack of balance is due to my thyroid issues, my age or just my imagination. But I knew that on my return I’d bypass the stones and just walk through the river.

We stopped at the bottom of the Devil’s Ladder to receive our instructions. A little disconcerting. Take it slow, make sure that every step is onto a secure surface and if you do dislodge loose rock to shout down to anyone below. 

The ascent up the Devil’s Ladder was hard. It required a lot of scrambling over and around rocks. I was grateful for my body strength. I was grateful for John’s instruction when I couldn’t work out the best way to get over a huge boulder. The top never seemed to get any closer but eventually I got there. Kirsty had loved it. Me not so keen.

And then onto the ascent to the summit. Unlike many climbs I’ve done Carrauntoohil lays out the challenge before you. No twists and turns. Just a tiny cross and a few tiny people above you. This final ascent was a relentless hike. I started to feel that this was a step too far for me. Maybe I hadn’t recovered sufficiently. I wasn’t back to full fitness. But I knew that I wasn’t going to give up. I’d done the hardest part. I put one foot in front of another until that tiny cross became a very large one. 

The view was spectacular. Views from the top can be elusive. I didn’t get one on Ben Nevis, Scarfel Pike or Snowdon. On each occasion they were shrouded by mist. But Carrauntoohil was good to us. 

And then for the descent. There is always a moment when I get to the top of a mountain when I congratulate myself but as I start walking down I remember that the worse is yet to come. I’m not alone in finding the descent more challenging. It’s hard on the knees and the feet. Slips and falls are more likely. But at least your heart isn’t at maximum output. But, unfortunately, getting to the Zig Zag route meant another climb. I stood at the bottom of this new ascent with trepidation. But I looked back at that tiny cross and realised it was nothing compared to what I’d just done.

We soon got to the start of the Zig Zag route. It is a path that is a bit unnerving for those with a fear of heights as it drops steeply on one side. Fortunately, I’m not worried by heights so I just started plodding down. There was a little bit of scrambling and a little bit of slipping. The ground was quite boggy in places. And of course true to form I fell over. As I laid spreadeagled I asked myself whether this was a mountain rescue scenario but no. My body and my mobile phone had both survived. I got up, then continued. Putting one foot in front of the other. Eventually I was at the bottom ready for the long, flat walk back to where we started.

This time I walked through the river and filled my  bottle up ice cold spring water. Glorious. 

It took us 7 hours to complete. I was slow. Kirsty could have done it a lot quicker if she hadn’t waited for me. But the magic of going slower is the enjoyment of the beautiful landscape. 

An amazing experience but I wouldn’t go so far to say I enjoyed it. It was the most challenging of all the mountains I’ve climbed. The important question is where next?