Benbaun

Not to be confused with Beinn Bhàn.

Benbaun
Binn Bhán
Summit and south face of Benbaun, as viewed from Bencollaghduff; Muckanaght is back left
Highest point
Elevation729 m (2,392 ft)[1]
Prominence684 m (2,244 ft)[1]
ListingP600, County top (Galway), 100 Highest Irish Mountains, Marilyn, Hewitt, Arderin, Simm, Vandeleur-Lynam
Coordinates53°31′16″N 9°49′52″W / 53.52111°N 9.83111°W / 53.52111; -9.83111[1]
Naming
English translationWhite Mountain
Language of nameIrish
Geography
Benbaun is located in island of Ireland
Benbaun
Benbaun
Location in Ireland
LocationCounty Galway, Ireland
Parent rangeTwelve Bens
OSI/OSNI gridL7855853903
Topo mapOSi Discovery 37
Geology
Rock type(s)Pale quartzites, grits, graphitic Bedrock[1]

Benbaun (Irish: Binn Bhán, meaning 'white peak')[2] is a mountain in County Galway, Ireland. With a height of 729 metres (2,392 ft), it is the 72nd highest peak in Ireland on the Arderin scale,[3] and the 88th highest peak on the Vandeleur-Lynam scale.[4][5] Benbaun is situated at the centre of the core massif of the Twelve Bens mountain range in the Connemara National Park and is the tallest mountain of the Twelve Bens range, and the county top for Galway.[5][6]

Naming

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According to Irish academic Paul Tempan, the "white peak" in the Irish language name derives from the abundance of quartzite rock in the summit of Benbaun.[2] Tempan notes that Benbaun is the "Mont Blanc" of Connemara.[2]

Geography

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Benbaun is the highest mountain of the Twelve Bens range, which is situated in the Connemara National Park in west County Galway. Benbaun lies at the centre of the range and is situated in the middle of a long east-west ridge that to the west includes the major Bens of Benfree (Irish: Binn Fraoigh, meaning 'peak of the heather')[2] 638 metres (2,093 ft), Muckanaght (Irish: Muiceanach, meaning 'hill like a pig')[2] 654 metres (2,146 ft), and Bencullagh (Irish: An Chailleach, meaning 'peak of the hag/witch')[2] 632 metres (2,073 ft), and the minor Ben of Maumonght (Irish: Mám Uchta, meaning 'pass of the breast or ridge')[2] 602 metres (1,975 ft), and its subsidiary peak of Maumonght SW Top 454 metres (1,490 ft). To the east is a long flat 3.5-kilometre ridge at the end of which lies the minor Ben of Knockpasheemore (Irish: Binn Charrach, meaning 'rocky peak')[2] 412 metres (1,352 ft) to the far eastern end.[6]

A deep col to the south, known as Maumina (Irish: Mám Eidhneach), connects Benbaun to the summit of Bencollaghduff 696 metres (2,283 ft), and to the southern Bens of the "Glencoaghan Horseshoe" which forms around the Glencoaghan River.[6][7]

Another deep col to the north, known as Maumnascalpa connects Benfree and Muckanaght to the northern Ben of Benbrack 582 metres (1,909 ft), which sits on its own small massif with the subsidiary peaks of Knockbrack 442 metres (1,450 ft), and another peak named Benbaun, at 447 metres (1,467 ft).[6][8]

Benbaun sits at the apex of two major glaciated U-shaped valleys.[6][7] To the east is the Gleninagh Valley (Irish: Gleann Eidhneach), from which the Gleninagh river flows. This valley is bounded by two large long north-easterly rocky spurs, and the southern spur contains "Carrot Ridge" (Irish: Meacan Buí), an important area for rock-climbing in the Bens, with climbs varying from Diff (D) to Very Severe (VS) and ranging from 150 to 320 metres in length.[9] To the south-west is the large valley of the Owenglin river which is bounded by several major Bens on each of its sides.[6][7]

Benbaun's prominence of 684 metres (2,244 ft) qualifies it as a P600, and a Marilyn, and it also ranks it as the 41st-highest mountain in Ireland on the MountainViews Online Database, 100 Highest Irish Mountains, where the minimum prominence threshold is 100 metres.[5][10]

Hill walking

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The most straightforward route to climb Benbaun either via the pass of Maumina by walking up the Gleninagh valley, or by staying on higher ground by first summiting Knockpasheemore and then traversing the 3.5-kilometre ridge to the summit; both routes total over 9-kilometres and 4–5 hours of walking.[11]

Because Benbaun lies off the very popular 16–kilometre 8–9 hour Glencoaghan Horseshoe, it gets fewer visits despite being the tallest Ben in the range.[12][13] However, Benbaun sits close to the apex of three other well-regarded "horseshoe climbs" of equivalent difficulty in the Bens:

  1. Owenglin Horseshoe: 20–kilometre 10–12 hour route around the Owenglin River to the west of Benbaun, taking in over twelve summits;[14][15]
  2. Gleninagh Horseshoe: 15–kilometre 8–9 hour route around the Gleninagh River usually done counter-clockwise starting at Knockpasheemore (long northeastern spur of Benbaun) and ending at Bencorrbeg (via the Carrot Ridge);[11]
  3. Glencorbet Horseshoe: 14–kilometre 6–7 hour circuit of Kylemore River, usually done counter-clockwise starting at Benbaun (477 metres), and ending at Knockpasheemore.[7][8][16]
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Bibliography

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  • Fairbairn, Helen (2014). Ireland's Best Walks: A Walking Guide. Collins Press. ISBN 978-1848892118.
  • MountainViews Online Database (Simon Stewart) (2013). A Guide to Ireland's Mountain Summits: The Vandeleur-Lynams & the Arderins. Collins Books. ISBN 978-1-84889-164-7.
  • Paul Phelan (2011). Connemara & Mayo - A Walking Guide: Mountain, Coastal & Island Walks. Collins Press. ISBN 978-1848891029.
  • Dillion, Paddy (2001). Connemara: Collins Rambler's guide. Harper Collins. ISBN 978-0002201216.
  • Dillion, Paddy (1993). The Mountains of Ireland: A Guide to Walking the Summits. Cicerone. ISBN 978-1852841102.

See also

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Benbaun.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Benbaun". MountainViews Online Database. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Paul Tempan (February 2012). "Irish Hill and Mountain Names" (PDF). MountainViews.ie.
  3. ^ Simon Stewart (October 2018). "Arderins: Irish mountains of 500+m with a prominence of 30m". MountainViews Online Database.
  4. ^ Simon Stewart (October 2018). "Vandeleur-Lynams: Irish mountains of 600+m with a prominence of 15m". MountainViews Online Database.
  5. ^ a b c Mountainviews, (September 2013), "A Guide to Ireland's Mountain Summits: The Vandeleur-Lynams & the Arderins", Collins Books, Cork, ISBN 978-1-84889-164-7
  6. ^ a b c d e f Dillion, Paddy (2001). Connemara: Collins Rambler's guide. Harper Collins. ISBN 978-0002201216.
  7. ^ a b c d Helen Fairbairn (30 December 2014). Ireland's Best Walks: A Walking Guide (Walking Guides). Collins Press. ISBN 978-1848892118. ROUTE 33: The Glencorbet Horseshoe. A true classic
  8. ^ a b Paul Phelan (2011). Connemara & Mayo - A Walking Guide: Mountain, Coastal & Island Walks. Collins Press. ISBN 978-1848891029. Route 11: Glencorbet Horseshoe
  9. ^ "Glenn Eighneach". Irish Climbing Wiki. The finest rock formations in the Twelve Bens are found in the south wall of Gleann Eidheanach (Glen Inagh), running from Binn an Choire Bhig to Mám na bFhonsaí, east of Binn Dubh (L808530).
  10. ^ "Irish Highest 100: The highest 100 Irish mountains with a prominence of +100m". MountainViews Online Database. September 2018.
  11. ^ a b Dillion, Paddy (2001). Connemara: Collins Rambler's guide. Harper Collins. ISBN 978-0002201216. Walk 28: Gleann Eidhneach Horseshoe
  12. ^ Helen Fairbairn (30 December 2014). Ireland's Best Walks: A Walking Guide (Walking Guides). Collins Press. ISBN 978-1848892118. ROUTE 34: The Glencoaghan Horseshoe. A true classic
  13. ^ Dillion, Paddy (2001). Connemara: Collins Rambler's guide. Harper Collins. ISBN 978-0002201216. Walk 30: Gleann Chóchan Horseshoe
  14. ^ "Owenglin Horseshoe". MountainViews Online Database. Retrieved 30 July 2019.
  15. ^ Dillion, Paddy (2001). Connemara: Collins Rambler's guide. Harper Collins. ISBN 978-0002201216. Walk 24: Owenglin Horseshoe
  16. ^ Tony Doherty (1 October 2011). "Glencorbet Horseshoe: Around the Bens in Connemara". Irish Times. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
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