From the summit of Cnoc Iochtarir looking north The air is cold, but full of vitality as I reach the summit of Cnoc Iochtarir, one of the southern peaks of MacGillycuddy’s Reeks. . My gaze is lost towards the north, where the shapes of the mountains and meadows merge in a hazy halo. The silence, broken only by the hiss of the wind, amplifies the sense of solitude and immensity of this remote place.

My gaze is lost towards the lands of Killarney, I can glimpse the sparkling waters of the lakes of Leane and Muckross, the deep shadows of the valleys below, such as the famous Black Valley, create a visceral contrast with the brighter heights. The path that brought me here required effort, but every step was rewarded by the discovery of a new detail: the roughness of the limestone rock, shaped by millennia of erosion; the breath of the wind that brings with it the scents of peat and salt water; the distant song of a crow, symbol of these harsh lands. Once you reach the top, there is nothing to do but breathe deeply and let the immensity of this land speak for itself.