| Cnoc na Péiste | |
|---|---|
Cnoc na Péiste and part of Loch Coimín Piast are in the top left of the picture |
|
| Elevation | 988 m (3,241 ft) [1][2] |
| Prominence | 253 m (830 ft) [1] |
| Listing | Hewitt, Marilyn |
| Translation | hill of the serpent (Irish) |
| Location | |
| Location | County Kerry, Republic of Ireland |
| Range | Macgillycuddy's Reeks |
| Topo map | OSI Discovery 78 |
| OSI/OSNI grid | V835841 |
| 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, Republic of 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]
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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.[4][5] To the southwest of Cnoc na Péiste is the peak of Maolán Buí (973 m)[6] and to the northeast is An Gunna Mhór (939 m) or "The Big Gun".[7]
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.[4] A stream called Glasheencummeennapeasta flows northwards from Lough Cummeenapeasta into Hag's Glen, where it joins the Gaddagh River.[4] On the other side of the ridge, a stream flows southwards from Lough Googh into the Derrycarna River.[4]
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][8] The plane was a Douglas C-47 or Dakota (serial number 43-30719) with five crewmen aboard.[8] It struck the mountain just above Lough Cummeenapeasta at an altitude of about 2,000 ft—killing all five passengers.[8] 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.[8] 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][8]
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.[9] 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.[9]