Tomies and Purple Mountain Loop

The first part is about 5 km on the road through the Gap of Dunloe. Black Lake, Cushnavally Lake, Auger Lake and Black Lough sit along this glacial pass. Walkers share the narrow road with jaunting cars, especially in summer, so it feels more like an approach than a wilderness path. At the Head of the Gap, leave the road and follow the stream’s left side uphill toward Glas Lough, a useful place to stop before the harder climb.

Glas Lough sits around 500 metres. From there the route turns east and then north across open, increasingly steep ground to the 793-metre top and the 832-metre summit of Purple Mountain. Tracks are faint across loose sandstone and heather, and this upper section isn’t waymarked. In low cloud, the different lines are easy to confuse, so use a map with a compass or a GPS track; don’t rely on a visible path staying obvious.

On a clear day, look east over Lough Leane and the Killarney lakes, then west down the Gap toward the MacGillycuddy’s Reeks and the Black Valley. Beara is visible farther south in good visibility. If you’re taking a photo, make time to turn around at the summit: the lake view and the Reeks are on opposite sides of the ridge.

From Purple, continue northeast over the lower 757-metre top to Tomies Mountain, marked by a large cairn and stone enclosure. The descent toward Tomies Rock is rougher: expect heather, loose scree and a few awkward steps. The described return crosses fenced ground by a small mound, a green-roofed barn, a path and gates before reaching the road back to the cottage. This is the route’s least straightforward section.

Purple Mountain is built from Old Red Sandstone, which can take on a purple-red cast in lower morning or evening light. The lower slopes also hold pockets of oak woodland. Place-name scholar Paul Tempan traces the Irish name Tuamaidhe to two burial cairns on the summit; older maps used Tomies for the whole massif before the English name Purple Mountain became attached to its higher peak.

This is a published hillwalk, not a maintained or waymarked park trail. Its Tomies-side return uses field fences and gates, and public access across those gates is uncertain. Confirm local arrangements before setting out; don’t assume a gate alone means the route is open to walkers. The upper ridge is exposed; afternoon cloud can make navigation harder, while winter conditions can bring ice and strong wind. There’s no confirmed safe drinking-water source on the mountain, and dog access is unclear, so check the local rule before bringing a dog.

Start at the car park opposite Kate Kearney’s Cottage. The small car park is commonly estimated at about ten spaces, though estimates vary; check posted local arrangements. The cottage has a café with hot food and toilets; there are no confirmed facilities on the mountain. If you want Purple Mountain without the full circuit, the direct climb from the Head of the Gap is about 7 km round trip and leaves out Tomies and the road loop. It’s still a steep summit hike.