Twelve Bens

The Twelve Bens or Twelve Pins (Irish "Na Beanna Beola") is a small mountain range of sharp-peaked quartzite ranges located north east of Roundstone Village in Connemara in the west of Ireland. Dedicated fell runners can hike all twelve peaks in a single day. Topographically, this range is partnered with the Maumturks range on the other side of the lonely Glen Inagh (and the route of Western Way long distance path). Frequent rainfall and steep-sided mountains produce an abundance of small trickles and streams which descend into wide bottomed valleys below the Twelve Pins to join larger streams with riffles and pools. The Twelve Pins are a not exceptionally tall, with the highest peak approximately 730 meters, providing excellent walking and climbing opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts.

The Irish names of the peaks are commonly used, especially as the English naming has not been stable. (The current anglicised names are given in parentheses.)

* Binn Bhán (Benbaun)
* Binn Chorr (Bencorr)
* Binn Dubh (Bencollaghduff)
* Binn Bhraoin
* Binn Doire Chláir (Derryclare)
* Binn Gabhar (Ben Gower)
* Meacanach
* Binn Fraoigh
* An Chailleach
* Binn Breac (Benbrack)
* Binn Leitrí (Benlettery)
* Binn Glean Uisce (Benglenisky)

Further reading

*"The Mountains of Connemara" : A Hill Walker's Guide" (ISBN 0-9504002-4-6) includes a more useful 1:50000 map than the OS maps 37, 38, 44.

External links

* [http://www.mountaineering.ie/features/list600/l600main.htm Mountain Lists in Ireland]