These are the kind of feature that most walkers pass without registering, the land simply looking lumpy or uneven underfoot, yet they are the direct imprint of agricultural labour carried out, in many cases, centuries ago.

Cultivation ridges of this type, sometimes called lazy beds, were formed by turning soil up into long raised strips to improve drainage and maximise the depth of workable earth, particularly on marginal or boggy ground. They are found across Ireland, but concentrations on the Iveragh Peninsula speak to the intensity with which communities once worked this landscape, pushing tillage onto ground that today might seem entirely unsuitable for crops. The east-west orientation noted at Letter is not accidental; aligning ridges with the direction of prevailing light and drainage was a practical decision, shaped by the slope and hydrology of each particular plot.