Cnoc na Péiste

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, Ireland
Range	Macgillycuddy's Reeks
OSI/OSNI grid	V835841
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
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

• List of Furths

References

v t e Mountains and hills of Munster List of mountains in Ireland Ballyhoura Mountains Carron Mountain Seefin Boggeragh Mountains Musheramore Caha Mountains Hungry Hill Sugarloaf Comeragh Mountains Fauscoum Derrynasaggart Mountains Mullaghanish Dingle Peninsula Benoskee Brandon Galtee Mountains Galteemore Lyracappul Temple Hill Iveragh Peninsula Bentee Cnoc na dtobar Knockmealdown Mountains Knockmealdown Sugarloaf Hill (Knockmealdowns) Macgillycuddy's Reeks Beenkeragh Brassel Mountain Caher Caher (West Top) Carrauntoohil Cnoc an Chuillinn Knocknapeasta Cruach Mhór Maolán Buí The Big Gun The Bones Mangerton Mountains Mangerton Torc Mountain Shehy Mountains Knockboy Silvermine Mountains Slievekimalta Slieve Mish Mountains Bartregaum Caherconree Slieve Miskish Mountains Knockoura Others An Triúr Deirfiúr Caher Mountain Devil's Bit Geokaun Mountain Knocknadobar Maghera mountain Mount Gabriel Mullaghareirk Mountains Mullaghmore Paps of Anu Purple Mountain Slieve Aughty Slievecallan Slievenamon Stack's Mountains