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12th August 2019
09:45am BST
A few facts about the Cardiac Hill trail before I continue: it's located on the slopes of Torc Mountain, it's 8km in length, takes about 90 minutes to complete and there are hundreds of steps in a near-vertical ascent. Yet as I looked upon the way ahead, I remained undeterred. I rushed headlong up those rough-hewn stone blocks which wound their way up the hill ahead of me, with the top of those stairs obscured by surrounding trees. It seemed like a doddle, I was pretty sure I was going to reach the summit in no time flat. But after awhile, my steam started to flag. A rope handrail lined the path all the way to the top and as I got higher I found myself pulling my way up the hill. The steps seemed to get taller, my heart was pounding so hard I could feel it shake my brain, I was leaving a stream of sweat in my wake and the swarming midges were trying their level best to pick my bones clean. Also, the suffocating humidity of the day really didn't help matters. Not. One. Bit. I needed three pitstops to pant, mop the sweat from my brow and slug some water, but I persevered. After what felt like an eternity, but was literally only 30 minutes, I finally crested the top of those steps.
Don't worry though, if you're considering trying this trail, you won't have to face the tough steps on your return trip, as there's a far easier path on your way back down the slopes which passes through a wooded area. There's an option at the end to slightly elongate your journey by going past the Torc Waterfall, which I did, to cap off a memorable, if difficult, experience.
In retrospect, when you're trying to climb something that has "cardiac" in its name, you should probably assume that the ascent is not going to be a walk in the park... although, ironically, since Cardiac Hill is located within Killarney National Park, it technically is a walk in the park. I guess the moral of the story is that if everyone is warning you to be prepared for something, you might actually want to listen to 'em. But as tough as it is — your legs will be burning, knees wobbling, sweat pouring and heart thumping — all that effort turns out to be so worth it. READ NEXT: One Sight In Each Irish County You Need To Visit Before You Die
