The Mountains of East Kerry, also called the Mangerton Mountains, are a range of mountains situated immediately to the south and east of Killarney National Park

Killarney National Park

Killarney National Park is located beside the town of Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland. It was the first national park established in Ireland, created when Muckross Estate was donated to the Irish state in 1932...

 and the town of Killarney

Killarney

Killarney is a town in County Kerry, southwestern Ireland. The town is located north of the MacGillicuddy Reeks, on the northeastern shore of the Lough Lein/Leane which are part of Killarney National Park. The town and its surrounding region are home to St...

 in County Kerry

County Kerry

Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...

 in the Ireland

Republic of Ireland

Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...

. The mountain range is unnamed, but forms a natural unit, being separated from the other mountain ranges in the area by the Lakes of Killarney

Lakes of Killarney

The Lakes of Killarney are a renowned scenic attraction located near Killarney, County Kerry, in Ireland. They consist of three lakes - Lough Leane, Muckross Lake and Upper Lake.Lough Leane is the largest of the three lakes...

 to the north-west, the valley of the river Flesk to the north and east, the Kenmare

Kenmare

Kenmare is a small town in the south of County Kerry, Ireland. The name Kenmare is the anglicised form of Ceann Mara meaning "head of the sea", referring to the head of Kenmare Bay.-Location:...

 valley to the south and is linked the mountains of the Iveragh Peninsula

Mountains of the Iveragh Peninsula

The Mountains of the Iveragh Peninsula are not found in a single mountain range, but instead consist of a number of unnamed mountain ranges found on the Iveragh Peninsula of County Kerry, in Ireland...

 only by a relatively low ridge at Moll's Gap

Moll's Gap

Moll's Gap is a pass on the N71 road from Kenmare to Killarney in County Kerry Ireland. On the Ring of Kerry route, with views of the Macgillycuddy's Reeks mountains, the area and its shop is a panoramic spot visited by thousands of tourists each year...

 at its western end. A substantial part of the western end of the range has been incorporated into Killarney National Park and is a popular area for hikes and hillwalking

Hillwalking

In the British Isles, the terms hillwalking or fellwalking are commonly used to describe the recreational outdoor activity of walking on hills and mountains, often with the intention of visiting their summits...

.

Topography

For the most part, the east Kerry mountains form a relatively low, flat, boggy plateau that stretches for approximately 20 km from east to west, with a few taller peaks scattered across the range. Some of the more notable peaks include: Derrygarriff, 492 m; Peakeen Mountain, 555 m; Knockanaguish, 509 m; Knockrower, 554 m; Torc Mountain

Torc Mountain

Torc Mountain is a mountain near Killarney in County Kerry, Ireland which is 535 m high. Torc Mountain gets its name from an enchanted boar that was killed there by the legendary hero, Fionn mac Cumhaill. Torc Mountain is the 383rd highest summit in Ireland.-See also:*Mountains of East Kerry...

, 535 m; Mangerton Mountain

Mangerton Mountain

Mangerton or Mangerton Mountain is a mountain in County Kerry, Republic of Ireland. At a height of 839 m it is the tallest of the Mangerton range and 25th tallest in Ireland...

, 839 m; Stoompa, 705 m; and Crohane (Cruachán), 650 m. Despite most of the area consisting of a bog-covered plateau, some dramatic features created by the last ice age

Ice age

An ice age or, more precisely, glacial age, is a generic geological period of long-term reduction in the temperature of the Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental ice sheets, polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers...

 can be seen: Glenacappul, or the Horse's Glen, is a deep U-shaped valley

U-shaped valley

A U-shaped valley also known as a glacial trough is one formed by the process of glaciation. It has a characteristic U-shape, with steep, straight sides, and a flat bottom. Glaciated valleys are formed when a glacier travels across and down a slope, carving the valley by the action of scouring...

 just to the east of Mangerton; the Devil's Punchbowl is a corrie

Cirque

Cirque may refer to:* Cirque, a geological formation* Makhtesh, an erosional landform found in the Negev desert of Israel and Sinai of Egypt*Cirque , an album by Biosphere* Cirque Corporation, a company that makes touchpads...

 lake below Mangerton's summit to the west; and Lough Guitane is a large lake created when meltwater filled a depression in the ground created by a glacier

Glacier

A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...

.