Purple Mountain (Kerry) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Purple Mountain (and Purple Mountain Group)
an Sliabh Corcra
Purple Mountain from the south with the Killarney Upper Lake in the foreground
Highest point
Elevation	832 m (2,730 ft)
Prominence	597 m (1,959 ft)
Listing	Marilyn, Hewitt, Arderin, Simm, Vandeleur-Lynam
Geography
Purple Mountain (and Purple Mountain Group) Location in Ireland
Parent range	Purple Mountain Group
OSI/OSNI grid	V886851
Topo map	OSI Discovery 78
Geology
Age of rock	Devonian
Mountain type	Well-bedded grey sandstone, (Lough Acoose Sandstone Formation)
Climbing
Easiest route	From the Head of the Gap

Purple Mountain (which means an Sliabh Corcra in Irish) is a tall mountain in County Kerry, Ireland. It stands at 832 metres (2,730 ft) high. It is one of the highest mountains in Ireland and the tallest peak in an area called the Purple Mountain Group.

What is Purple Mountain Made Of?

Purple Mountain is mostly made of a type of rock called Old Red Sandstone. This sandstone is made from tiny bits of sand that have been pressed together over millions of years.

Why is it Called "Purple"?

The Old Red Sandstone often has a purple-reddish color. This special color is how the mountain and the whole group of mountains got their name! You won't find many fossils in this type of rock.

Where is Purple Mountain?

The Purple Mountain Group is a beautiful area covered in heather. It has five main peaks:

• Purple Mountain (832 metres (2,730 ft))
• Purple Mountain NE Top (757 metres (2,484 ft))
• Shehy Mountain (762 metres (2,500 ft))
• Tomies Mountain (also called An Chathair, 735 metres (2,411 ft))
• Tomies North Top (also known as Tomies Rock or Tomies Chimneys, 568 metres (1,864 ft))

Nearby Natural Wonders

To the west of the Purple Mountain Group is the Gap of Dunloe. This is a famous narrow pass that separates Purple Mountain from the MacGillycuddy's Reeks mountain range. To the south and east, you'll find the beautiful Lakes of Killarney. To the north is a wide, flat valley with the River Laune.

Part of a National Park

The eastern side of Purple Mountain is part of Killarney National Park. Here, the lower parts of the mountain are covered in old oak forests. Some of these trees are very old, from a time before people lived in Ireland.

Mountain Classifications

Purple Mountain is known as a Marilyn. This means it stands out quite a bit from the land around it. It also meets other mountain classifications like Arderin, Simm, and Hewitt.

How Did Purple Mountain Get its Name?

The name "Purple Mountain" was likely first used in English. A writer named Samuel Lewis wrote in 1837 that it was "so called from the colour of the shivered slate on its surface." This means the broken rocks on the mountain looked purple.

An Older Name

Before the 1800s, the whole mountain area was often called Tomies, Tomish, or Toomish mountain. This name came from the Irish word Tuamaidhe, which means two burial cairns (piles of stones) on the top.

As "Purple Mountain" became more popular, the name "Tomies" started to refer to a smaller peak in the group, Tomies Mountain.

Hiking Purple Mountain

Purple Mountain is a great place for hiking! There are a few different paths you can take.

Summit of Purple Mountain from the summit of Purple Mountain NE Top. The eastern section of the MacGillycuddy's Reeks are back left.

The Classic Loop

One popular hike is the Gap of Dunloe Loop. This walk is about 14 kilometers long and takes 5-6 hours.

• You start at Kate Kearney's Cottage.
• You walk up the Gap of Dunloe road to the Head of the Gap.
• From there, you follow a path east into the Purple Mountain area.
• You then hike up to Glas Lough and finally to Purple Mountain itself.
• The path continues along the ridge to Purple Mountain NE Top, Tomies Mountain, and Tomies North Top.
• You then return to Kate Kearney's Cottage. Be careful when going down Tomies Chimneys to find the right paths!

Purple Mountain (right), Purple Mountain NE Top (middle), and Tomies Mountain (left). Shehy is visible between Purple Mountain and its NE Top.

A Shorter Hike

A quicker way to hike Purple Mountain is a 7-kilometer route from the Head of the Gap. This takes about 3-4 hours.

• You hike up to Purple Mountain (and maybe Purple Mountain NE Top).
• Then, you simply go back the same way to the Head of the Gap.
• Parking can be limited here, so some people take a horse-drawn cart (called a jaunting-car) from Kate Kearney's Cottage to the Head of the Gap.

Tomies Chimneys, leading to Tomies North Top (or Tomies Rock)

Climbing Tomies Chimneys

Another route is a 9-kilometer hike that starts from Kate Kearney's Cottage. This path takes about 4-5 hours.

• You climb directly to Tomies North Top (Tomies Rock) using the gullies (small valleys) known as Tomies Chimneys.
• You need to be careful to find the right paths through the heather.
• From there, you can climb Tomies Mountain and Purple Mountain.
• Then, you retrace your steps back to Kate Kearney's Cottage.

Peaks of the Purple Mountain Group

Here are the main peaks in the Purple Mountain Group, listed by their height: