Benbreen () at , is the 100th–highest peak in Ireland on the Arderin scale, and the 122nd–highest peak on the Vandeleur-Lynam scale.Mountainviews, (September 2013), "A Guide to Ireland's Mountain Summits: The Vandeleur-Lynams & the Arderins", Collins Books, Cork, Benbreen lies in the southern end of the Twelve Bens mountain range in the Connemara National Park in County Galway, Ireland. Benbreen is the 4th-tallest mountain of the Twelve Bens range, after Benbaun , Bencorr , and Bencollaghduff . Benbreen's profile is of a "high narrow rocky ridge with several summits", than a typical "peaked mountain".
Naming Irish academic Paul Tempan notes that can mean "drip" or "drop", but is more likely related to a personal name, and is the basis of the local surnames and , which have been anglicised as "Breen" and "McBreen".
Geography The actual summit of Benbreen lies on the southern end of a long high rocky quartzite ridge that includes the subsidiary peaks of Benbreen Central Top , and Benbreen North Top ; this gives Benbreen the profile of a "high narrow ridge", with Benbreen as the South Top, than a typical "peaked mountain". Benbreen Central Top's prominence of , and Benbreen North Top's prominence of , qualify them both as Vandeleur-Lynams on the Irish mountain classification system.
Benbreen lies between the summits of Bencollaghduff to the north, and Bengower to the south, and its southerly ridge down to the col with Bengower (known as , or "pass of the wind" at 470 metres), is noted for its large deposits of scree.
Benbreen's prominence of qualifies it as a Marilyn, and it also ranks it as the 60th-highest mountain in Ireland on the MountainViews Online Database, 100 Highest Irish Mountains, where the minimum prominence threshold is 100 metres.
Recreation
Hill walking
Benbreen is most often climbed as part of the popular 16–kilometre 8–9 hour Glencoaghan Horseshoe, considered one of Ireland's best high-grade hill-walking routes. Benbreen is also climbed as part of the even longer Owenglin Horseshoe, a 20–kilometre 10–12 hour route around the Owenglin River taking in over twelve summits;
Rock climbing
Benbreen's northeastern cliffs have multi-pitch rock-climbs with grades from Diff (D) to Moderate Severe (MS), and length ranging from 40 to 130 metres. Some of the first ascents date from the mid-1980s, and noted routes include Blind Faith (S 3a, 4a, 3a, 80 m), and Stoned & Starving (S -, 4a, 75 m).
Gallery
Bibliography
See also
Twelve Bens Mweelrea, major range in Killary Harbour Maumturks, major range in Connemara Lists of mountains in Ireland Lists of mountains and hills in the British Isles List of Marilyns in the British Isles List of Hewitt mountains in England, Wales and Ireland
References
External links MountainViews: The Irish Mountain Website, Benbreen MountainViews: Irish Online Mountain Database The Database of British and Irish Hills , the largest database of British Isles mountains ("DoBIH") Hill Bagging UK & Ireland, the searchable interface for the DoBIH