The Munster Blackwater is one of Ireland's premier angling destinations, rising in the mountains of east County Kerry near the source of the Brown Flesk River and flowing for over 160 kilometers (approximately 105 miles) eastward through Counties Cork and Waterford before reaching the tide at Cappoquin. Ireland's fourth-longest river, it drains a catchment of more than 1,200 square miles, encompassing five mountain ranges, and terminates in a long, narrow estuary stretching some 15 miles to Youghal. The river's dark, peaty character — earning it the name "Blackwater" — originates in the upper reaches, where the terrain is heavily boggy and several tributaries carry significant peat staining. The geology of the catchment is divided roughly between old red sandstone, limestone, and lower limestone shales, giving the river a varied character along its length. The Blackwater is a large, broad river with dramatic fluctuations in level; during heavy rainfall, the gauge at Careysville can rise by more than 12 feet. The nearest towns and villages serving anglers are Mallow, Fermoy, Lismore, Cappoquin, and Youghal.