Brickany - Annascaul
Distinctive Hill above Inch Beach near to Annascaul.
Brickany is not the highest of peaks at 374m but it was a good days hike when taking in Knockafeehane also. Overall about 15km
I wouldn’t have normally been bothered with Knockafeehane, but its on the list of Peak in Progress. It was well worth the short trip up to it.
Started at Inch beach where there’s loads of parking, and even though it was quite early in the moniing it was still more people and cars than i’m used to heading out on these excursions. Left the cark park, took a left then a right where the spaces overlooking the beach are up a small lane Lios Dána. From here you’re on a nice narrow lane. Its a bid dead now being that its the start of Novmeber, but i can imagine the Fuschia in full bloom and the colours would be great in the middle of summer. Once off the lane proper, you head onto a track. This was very very wet, as expected after the week of rain we had. You eventually arrive at a gate before a house, then back track a few steps and open a small gate tied closed with a bit of rope. Then you’re onto the hillside.
Unusual Hillside carin
It’s decent enough going with an somewhat peculiar shaped cairn just randomly on the hillside. It’s worth a. look.
The hill to your right is Emlagh. When i started the walk i had for some daft reason thought it was Brickany. In the video while i said i wasnt familiar with the area, i meant from Brickany out westwards along the coast as far as Dingle. However Emlagh and that entire range towards Caherconree, i have completed earlier this year. Its another very off the track hike and is really nice once you get up onto the ridge. The first video on my YouTube channel is that walk.
From here on there is two or three false tops, they’re not high, but when you get to the next ridge you realise you’ve a bit to go yet. Where it levelled out between these tops was quiet wet, and the final plateau before the ascent to Brickany was extremly wet. Stay to the left going up, you might be tempted to do a straight line shortcut, dont bother, you’ll only have to retrace your steps.
The cairns on the top of Brickany were a really pleasant suprise. They provided great shelter from the wind. It’s another case of just wondering what this was all about as its a fairly sizeable structure when all taken into account. The work, whenever it was done, to put these together, must have taken some time and a good lot of effort. Even if there was three or four of us now, we’d be unable to move some of the rocks, there had to have been some animal like a horse involved in the moving of these previously. Like, i said,, it makes you wonder.
Brickany Cairns
The views from Brickany were nice, for a low enough hill, you’ve good views in nearly all directions. The view down into Inch beach isnt 100% clean due to the hillside,, but its still pretty good to be honest. And of course towards the direction of Annascaul lake is great, although i think its a bit “closer” on Knockafeehane. Still good all the same.
View towards Annascaul Lake from Brickany
Now… coming down from Brickany was really enjoyable, the usual ancient stone wall with an accompanying wire fence leads the way down the hillside. Then you get to the fence. F**k me!! The very obvious path all the way down just vanished. Walked up along the fence to check if there was somewhere a bit more managable to get over it, there was not. I very ungracefully clambered over it, grand , now wheres the path. There wasn’t any, and i couldnt for the life of me see any signs of previous wear and tear. I saw on two local walking club sites it said to stay left of the forest. That was completely unpassble due to briars and “whires” as i said in the video, whatever they are. I was a bit flustered at that stage. It was really a case of bog/briar bashing for a while.
Brickany from Knockafeehane
I was about to turn around, go back up to the fence and see if i could determine another way out of this complete mess when the owner of the house i was behind saw me and came out asking was i ok. Not that there was any danger or anything, it was just really hard going. He left me hop the fence to his place, we had a good chat for a bit. A really nice guy considering i was close to the back of his house, where i was not comfortable being to be honest. I reckon he took a bit of pity on me. I asked a question, and he said i was indeed the first hillwalker he’s ever seen in this particular “field”. That was suitably mortifying but i was grateful to him. Whoever you are, thanks.
If anyone from any of the local walking clubs ever happens across this blog, could they let me know the direction that should be taken after that tricky fence.
From here on then, it was plain sailing. A bit of walking on the Dingle way track and a small bit of raod walking until the stile up to Knockafeehane. A small section at just after the field was a bit wet with a tiny stream to cross. It was very windy up top. but still nice. i didn’t hang around too long as a result. Brackloon/Meelin hill can wait for another day, it’s a about 1 km over to it, and then coming back, i said i’d give it a miss for now. Relativley short and great views, on a summers day i’d imagine it’s beautiful. if you can find somewhere to park nearby to do Knochafeehane, i’d highly recommend it. Looking at maps Annascaul may be close than Inch beach, but i havent measured it or anything.
So to finish, a nice day overall even tho that ordeal was a complete mess and i won’t do this again until i’m sure of the route to avoid it. Having said that, the peak of Brickany is very impressive, with the cairns and what looked like small beehive style huts. Worth going up for that alone.
The walk back to Inch is pleasant, a mix of Dingle Way track and very quiet roads. a really nice way to finish the day. Back to Inch, I was tempted to stay for sunset, but with another hour to go i said i’d head home.
Thanks for getting this far, and i’ll see you on the next one.
Ed
