This is the heart of Forth Mountain, Sliabh Fhothairt – the Mountain of the Fotharta, who were a tribe living in this area some 2,000 years ago.  In fact, the ridgeline behind you marks the boundary between two ancient Gaelic kingdoms: Forth, on the southern side stretching towards the sea and Shelmaliere, or Síol Maol Uidhir – the descendants of Maol Uidhir – on the northern side. Right in the middle of this frontier between those two kingdoms is the hill of Clourane, now concealed by forestry, but once topped by a huge burial mound of white stone dating back to the Bronze Age. Above you is the aptly-named ‘Drooping Rock’ one of the many quartzite ‘tors’ that are such a feature of Forth Mountain.  These were formed during the Ice Age when surrounding rock was shattered and weathered away, leaving blocks of harder material standing proud above the landscape.  The crags to the left of Drooping Rock are known as The Raven Rocks, and even today you will see ravens circling around this area.    Behind them again, marked by a large transmitter station, is Carrickadee, which also translates as The Raven Rock, the highest point on Forth Mountain standing some 237 meters above sea-level. To the north, your view takes in the Blackstairs Mountains on the horizon, the counties of Carlow, Kilkenny and Waterford where the Comeragh Mountains should just appear on the horizon to your left.  This whole stretch of mountain gives an excellent idea of how the landscape here originally looked – a uniquely rich habitat of rock, heather and gorse which in high summer is filled with flowers, bees and butterflies.