Maumturks


The Maumturks or Maamturks is a mountain range in Connemara, County Galway, in the west of Ireland. It is a long, broadly-straight range, consisting of weathered quartzite peaks in its central section. The Maumturks lie east of the Twelve Bens, on the other side of Lough Inagh and the Inagh Valley.

Hill walking

The walk of the full range, is considered one of the "great classic ridge-walks of Ireland", and since 1975, the University of Galway Mountaineering Club, has run the annual "Maamturks Challenge", a walk covering the entire 25–kilometre range in a single day. Near the centre of the range in a deep glen is, a site of pilgrimage dedicated to Saint Patrick.

List of peaks

The table below lists some of the highest major mountain peaks of the Maumturk Mountains.
RankMountain peakElevationEnglish Name
1Binn [idir an dá Log]Benadolug‡
2Binn BhriocáinLetterbreckaun
3Binn MhórBinn Mhor
4Binn ChaonaighBinn Chaonaigh
5Mullach GlasMullach Glas
6An Meall DubhLeenaun Hill
7Binn MhairgBinn Mhairg
8Corcogemore*Corcogemore*
9Cnoc na hUilleannKnocknahillion

The anglicised version is rarely used or marked on any maps; a more common anglicised name is the incorrect name of "Barrslievenaroy", which is a nearby townland on the slopes of Binn idir an Da Log.
Cartographer Tim Robinson notes: "the Ordnance Survey has been incorrectly calling this mountain 'Leckavrea' for a hundred and fifty years." "Lackavrea" is the mountain to the east on the other side of Mám Aodha.

Rock climbing

While the Maumturks are not known for rock climbing, the Loch Mhám Ochóige area of the range has rock climbs in the V-Diff to HVS grades.