Caves of Keash

Today we drove across Ireland, from Strandhill to Dublin, returned the rental car, and checked into our apartment for a few nights in the city before we fly home.  We like to break up driving days with stops to stretch our legs, of course, and so we can take in some sights in additional locales aside from where we stay.  For example, on the drive between the Causeway Hotel and Lough Eske, we made two planned stops: the Dark Hedges and Londonderry, where we walked the city walls.  The stops generally don't involve much hiking, because our typical hikes are too long to fit into driving days.  However, sometimes we make exceptions for short hikes.  Today we stopped en route to hike the Caves of Keash.  This was different from anywhere else we'd been in Ireland, and was a ton of fun.

We learned about this hike at Sligo Walks, which is a great resource for hikes in the area.  We relied on maps and information from here for several other hikes, as well.  The Caves of Keash are located on the western side of Keshcorran Mountain, which is capped by a megalithic cairn built circa 3,500 BC, similar to Queen Maebh's Tomb that we visited while hiking Knocknarea.  We didn't attempt to summit Keshcorran, just followed the marked trail up to the caves.  The website calls the caves route "strenuous" because the steep slopes can apparently be very slippery when wet, but it was dry today and we found it quite easy; it's mostly along a road, after all.  We parked at the designated trailhead car park, beside the Keash Church.  The car park is as described, and clearly posted for hikers.  The route is well marked with red arrows on small posts.  

The route follows the road, which is a winding country lane, quite scenic. 

The road is quite narrow though, and of course the locals drive it much faster than we did.  Be prepared to jump in the bracken as needed... don't want to end up like this little bird.

The caves soon become visible up on the hill to the right. 

The trail is well marked where leaves the road.  Climb over the stile and follow the path to the other side of the field, where a staircase with a wee gate crosses another wall. 

Frankie thought the stairs looked "too easy"

It is a very short climb up a sheep path, and then the caves appear on the left.  There are a whole series of caves that can be entered, 16 or 17 by various accounts.  We didn't keep track, but went as far into each one as we could manage safely without headlamps.  Some of the caves are connected by passages; Frankie was able to fit through a tunnel connecting two caves that Erwin and I were too big for (or possibly just unwilling to attempt).  We went back fairly far into one.  It was so much fun exploring each cave: checking out the differences, climbing rock ledges, looking at ferns. 

When we reached the end of the caves with large enough entrances to accommodate our curiosity, we turned around and returned the way we came, stopping only to enter one cave that had been occupied by another party on our first pass.  The site was not crowded, but there were a few other small groups for a while.  One group had a guide and this would be a good place for one, not for navigation purposes, but for the history, legends, and myth.  Archaeological excavations show these caves have been occupied by people intermittently since Neolithic times.  Some early peoples believed the caves provided literal passage to the otherworld.  There are many legends associated with the caves, stories of the Tuatha Dé Danann, Finn McCool, and Cormac mac Art.  It is easy to see why this place has captured imaginations for millenia. 

Soon we were back at the road.  Note: there is another small carpark here, right by the first stile, which was not mentioned at the Sligo Walks website, much to Erwin's consternation.  This lot, just barely visible at the far right in the photo below, fits just a few cars.  However, everyone else visiting today seemed to have parked there.  There were no other vehicles in the car park by the church and no other walkers on the road, aside from a friendly resident walking her young puppy, who was initially terrified of Frankie but then wanted to play.  

The Caves of Keash was a perfect stop for our driving day -- so much fun!!