Part of a series of a number of caches located at places in the South East of Ireland that have a geological theme. This cache is located beside a lake approx 400m up, in the Comeragh mountains in Co Waterford. This means it is not readily accessible but with a little bit of time and effort you will get up and be rewarded by the mysterious dark lake, mountainous terrain and great view.
The lake is called Coumshingaun (as gaeilge - Com Seangan which translates as 'Pissmire Hollow' or 'Slender Ravines in the Cliffs')!! It is said to be the finest example of a Corrie lake in Europe. The names of many lakes here begin with the prefix Coum. This prefix is taken from the Irish ‘Com’ meaning Hollow. These hollows were gouged out of the old red sandstone by glaciers during the ice age. They filled with water and have become deep lakes of a general round or oval shape. They are also known as Corries or Cirques (see below).
To get to the starting point, travel along the R676 which is a secondary but busy road that goes between Carrick on Suir and Leamybrien. About half ways along there is a small car park where the trek will start from. This car park is not well signposted but I have included a waypoint. There is a notice board there, obviously designed for very short people but with some useful information and a faded OS map. My advice is similar to what is written there – walk up the obvious trail, when you come across the forest road keep to the right, pass the not so well camouflaged mobile phone mast and cross over the stile. After that you need to head for the way point set below. This will get you in the right direction and you can also pick up a cache there.
It is a common walk for local people so it should be reasonably easy to find your way to the lake by following tracks through the wilderness. It is advisable to depend on your GPS and make sure you have the correct footgear and rain gear. The walk to the lake takes about 45 minutes at an average pace but it is well worth it once you get there.
The geological feature which is the final destination is known as a Corrie. This designation is mostly used in Ireland & Scotland. Internationally the formation is termed a Cirque. My trusty Geology Book states “A Cirque is a steep sided, half bowled shaped recess carved into a mountain at the head of a valley carved by a glacier” which is a pretty good description. The recess fills with water and becomes a lake with an overflow stream. You will note that the lake here is very dark and does not reflect the blue sky so well – it is apparently very deep and some locals say it is bottomless!! If your water bottle is empty don’t be afraid to fill up with the cool clear water, it is pure and refreshing. There is not much more I’m going to say about this one, I’ll let the scenery do the talking.
The cache is along the right hand side of the lake half ways up a steep bank and under some stones, there is a large boulder nearby. Sorry I can’t be more specific but look out for a small pile of stones and check out the photo. Enjoy the walk, the lake and the view.
Safety - Note 3.5 * Terrain: As already mentioned rain gear & walking boots are a must. You shouldn't get lost as you'll have your reciever with you. Remember the weather can change quickly up the mountains so be prepared.