A gentle hillwalk around Tomies Wood opens up stupendous views over the Killarney lakes, writes Lorraine Courtney
THE SUBLIME castles-and-lakes landscape of Killarney has enormous winter skies and it’s very Christmassy with riotous red holly bushes. There’s no better place to see this winter show than in furtive Tomies Wood. The throngs tend to bypass this part of Kerry’s lake district with its cascading falls, leafy woodlands and legendary whiskey fountain.
You first set out through a working farm and then pass by gorse-filled meadows. After crossing a small stream over a makeshift wooden bridge you enter Killarney National Park proper and Tomies Wood. You follow this early part of the forest trail for about 200m. After taking the second right, the trail begins to climb uphill, opening up glimpses of Killarney’s island-studded lakes through the thickets.
In October, the demented bellowing coming from the lower woodlands is red deer stags in rut as they lock antlers in contest. Bring your binoculars with you. It’s mind-boggling to realise that this Killarney herd has been roaming these valleys since the last Ice Age.
Oak trees begin to dominate the woodland as the footpath leads you ever upwards. The summit is more than worth the mild exertion as you gaze down on the polychrome autumn panorama and the stupendous views over Killarney’s lakes. It’s a somewhat Tennyson-Gothic scene too with the grand mountains plunging down into the lakeshores and the great hulk of 15th century Ross Castle rising into the sky.
You then reach a turning point in the track as it begins to descend, becomes a mossy carpet and returns you back through the lower woodland. You might glimpse one of the small, brown silka deer that were first released here in 1865. They are an endangered species, making this herd internationally significant.
O’Sullivan’s Cascade is not far away now but you will not catch sight of it until long after you’ve heard its roar. There are three successive falls. The first drops about 20ft into a basin, then the stream falls over the second precipice into another basin and eventually plunges over the final descent and rushes towards the cerulean waters of Lough Leane.
The story goes that an O’Sullivan lord of the valley was out hunting a particularly elusive stag. He set his hounds on its trail but this stag led him astray. At last, the stag disappeared, as though into thin air. Just as O’Sullivan was about to head off he spotted Fionn mac Cumhaill, the legendary hero and hell-raiser, standing on a rock above him.
Fionn was more than a bit annoyed, but O’Sullivan retorted, “I claim the right of the chase, the right of all true Irishmen.” His feistiness seemed to amuse Fionn, as he slapped O’Sullivan on his back and offered him a drink. O’Sullivan accepted and so Fionn dug his heel into the ground and a fountain of golden uisce beatha, the water of life, poured forth. O’Sullivan drank from the fountain every day and the spring continued to flow with the finest malt whiskey until the English set foot in Ireland and it changed into water.
On the walk’s final leg you find yourself in a woodland of an almost primordial gloom. On either side are swamps that sprout patches of alder, rhododendron, holly and ivy-clad oaks. The kinship of woods and cathedrals is impossible to ignore here with the gargoyles and grotesques of gnarled oaks. Finally you retrace your original steps refreshed in body and spirit.
Tomies Wood, Killarney
MAPOrdnance Survey Discovery Series, Sheet 78.
START/FINISHTomies Wood (grid reference 895 901, Sheet 78).
GET THERETake the Ring of Kerry road (N72) out of Killarney towards Killorglin. Just outside of Fossa, take the left turn for the Gap of Dunloe. Follow this road for 2.5km and take a left after a small bridge. The road dead ends but there is parking along the verges.
TIMETwo-and-a-half to three hours.
DISTANCE9km.
SUITABILITYThe route is a gentle hill walk.