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Benlettery
Binn Leitrí
Benlettery behind the Ballynahinch Castle fishery
Highest point
Elevation	577 m (1,893 ft)
Prominence	62 m (203 ft)
Listing	Arderin
Coordinates	53°28′55″N 9°50′43″W / 53.481824°N 9.845263°W / 53.481824; -9.845263
Naming
English translation	Peak of the Wet Hillsides
Language of name	Irish
Geography
BenletteryIreland
Location	County Galway, Ireland
Parent range	Twelve Bens
OSI/OSNI grid	L7754649537
Topo map	OSi Discovery 44
Geology
Rock type(s)	Pale quartzites, grits, graphitic bedrock

Benlettery (Irish: Binn Leitrí, meaning 'Peak of the Wet Hillsides') at 557 metres (1,827 ft), is the 259th–highest peak in Ireland on the Arderin scale. Benlettery is in the southernmost peak of the Twelve Bens mountain range in the Connemara National Park in County Galway, Ireland, and is the 11th-tallest of the core Twelve Bens. The Ben Lettery An Oige youth hostel is on the southern slopes of Benlettery, off the N59 road to Clifden.

Naming

According to Irish academic Paul Tempan, the townland of Lettery (Irish: Leitrí, meaning "wet hillsides") is on the south slope of Benlettery. Tempan notes an alternative name of Bindowglass or "Bendouglas" (Irish: Binn Dúghlais, meaning "peak of the black stream") was recorded as early as 1684 by Irish historian Ruaidhrí Ó Flaithbheartaigh. Ó Flaithbheartaigh chronicled about a pool of water on the summit which turns the hair white of anyone who washes in it.

Geography

Benlettery is the southernmost peak of the Twelve Bens and lies at its western edge. Benlettery is connected to the range by a high northerly ridge to the peak of Bengower 664 metres (2,178 ft); this ridge forms a fork which also connects neighboring Benglenisky 516 metres (1,693 ft) to Bengower. Benlettery is one of the six Bens that form a horseshoe around the valley of the Glencoaghan River (also known as the Glencoaghan Horseshoe).

Unlike most of the other main Bens, Benlettery is below 600-metres in elevation, however, its relative positioning at the southern end of the range, and its "pyramidal" summit (when viewed from the south), means that is often featured as a scenic backdrop to the Ballynahinch Castle and the Ballynahinch Lake.

Ben Lettery Connemara Youth Hostel

On the southern slopes of Benlettery is the 40-bed "Ben Lettery Connemara Youth Hostel" (Benlettery spelt as two words), owned and operated by An Oige, the Irish YHA; it was ranked by Outside.ie as one of the ten best An Oige youth hostels in Ireland.

Hill walking

As with Derryclare 677 metres (2,221 ft), on the east side of the Glencoaghan Horseshoe, Benlettery's accessibility makes is a popular peak as a standalone 5-kilometre 2-3 hour climb (starting and ending at the Ben Lettery An Oige youth hostel); however, the high ridge Benlettery shares with the peaks of Bengower and Benglenisky, means that it is also climbed as part a 7-kilometre 3-4 hour horseshoe loop-walk with these peaks.

Benlettery is part of the 16–kilometre 8–9 hour Glencoaghan Horseshoe, considered one of Ireland's best hill-walks; and of the even longer Owenglin Horseshoe, a 20–kilometre 10–12 hour route around the Owenglin River taking in over twelve summits.

Gallery

• Benlettery behind Ballynahinch Castle
• Benlettery (left), Bengower (middle), Benbreen (right), from Derryclare
• Benlettery (right) and Benglenisky (left), from the Owenmore River
• Benlettery (left) and Benglenisky (right) from summit of Bengower

Bibliography

• 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

• 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

References

1. ^ "Benlettery". MountainViews Online Database. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
2. ^ 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. ^ 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. Dillion, Paddy (2001). Connemara: Collins Rambler's guide. Harper Collins. ISBN 978-0002201216.
7. ^ "Ben Lettery Youth Hostel". An Oige, Irish Youth Hostel Association. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
8. ^ "Ben Lettery Hostel". Lonely Planet. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
9. ^ Dillion, Paddy (2001). Connemara: Collins Rambler's guide. Harper Collins. ISBN 978-0002201216. Walk 24: Owenglin Horseshoe
10. ^ 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
11. ^ Dillion, Paddy (2001). Connemara: Collins Rambler's guide. Harper Collins. ISBN 978-0002201216. Walk 30: Gleann Chóchan Horseshoe
12. ^ Dillion, Paddy (2001). Connemara: Collins Rambler's guide. Harper Collins. ISBN 978-0002201216. Walk 23: Binn Ghleann Uisce
13. "10 Awesome An Óige Hostels". Outside.ie. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
14. John G. O'Dwyer (29 October 2015). "A walk for the weekend: Twelve Bens, Connemara, Co Galway". Irish Times. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
15. Paul Phelan (2011). Connemara & Mayo - A Walking Guide: Mountain, Coastal & Island Walks. Collins Press. ISBN 978-1848891029. Route 4: Benglenisky, Bengower and Benlettery

External links

• MountainViews: The Irish Mountain Website, Benlettery
• 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

v t e Mountains and hills of Great Britain and Ireland
British Isles	P600s Marilyns Fell Mountains by height by prominence (Simms classification)
Scotland	Mountains and hills Munros Murdos Corbetts Grahams Donalds
Outside Scotland	Furths Hewitts Nuttalls England Wales
England	Birketts Ethels Wainwrights
Ireland	Mountains in Ireland Vandeleur-Lynams Arderins MountainViews
County tops	England and Wales (1964) England (ceremonial) Wales (local government areas) Scotland counties council areas Northern Ireland counties districts Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland county and provincial tops

v t e Mountains and hills of Connacht
List of mountains in Ireland
Achill Island	Croaghaun Slievemore
Dartry Mountains	Benbulbin Tievebaun Truskmore
Maumturks	Binn Chaonaigh Binn idir an dá Log Binn Mhór Corcogemore Knocknahillion Lackavrea Leenaun Hill Letterbreckaun Mullach Glas
Mweelrea Mountains	Mweelrea Ben Lugmore
Nephin Range	Nephin Nephin Beg Birreencorragh Corranabinnia Slieve Carr
Ox Mountains	Knockalongy Knocknashee
Partry Mountains	Devilsmother Maumtrasna
Sheeffry Range	Barrclashcame
Benna Beola	Twelve Bens Benbaun Benbrack Benbreen Bencollaghduff Bencorr Bencullagh Benfree Benglenisky Bengower Benlettery Derryclare Muckanaght Others Diamond Hill Tully Mountain Garraun group Benchoona Doughruagh Garraun
Others	Ben Gorm Bricklieve Mountains Croagh Patrick Curlew Mountains Errisbeg Knockmore Knocknarea Lissoughter Seltannasaggart Sliabh an Iarainn Slieve Bawn

v t e Lists of long-distance trails in Ireland
Long-Distance	Waymarked Ballyhoura Way Barrow Way Bealach na Gaeltachta Beara Way Blackwater Way Bluestack Way Burren Way Cavan Way Croagh Patrick Heritage Trail Dingle Way Dublin Mountains Way East Clare Way East Munster Way Grand Canal Way Hymany Way Leitrim Way Lough Derg Way Kerry Way Mid Clare Way Miners Way and Historical Trail Monaghan Way Multeen Way Nore Valley Way North Kerry Way Offaly Way Royal Canal Way Sheep's Head Way Slieve Bloom Way Slieve Felim Way Sligo Way South Leinster Way Suck Valley Way Táin Way Tipperary Heritage Way Western Way Westmeath Way Wicklow Way Non-Waymarked Bangor Trail Beara-Breifne Way (partial) Malin to Mizen
Pilgrim path	Cnoc na dTobar Cosán na Naomh Lough Derg Saint Kevin's Way Tochar Phádraig
Cycle greenway	Boyne Greenway Boyne Valley to Lakelands Greenway Cork Greenway (Harbour Greenway, Midleton–Youghal) Dublin–Galway Greenway Great Southern Trail Great Western Greenway Royal Canal Greenway Tralee–Fenit Greenway Waterford Greenway Kingdom of Kerry Greenways (North Kerry Greenway, South Kerry Greenway) (proposed)
Boarded mountain	Cuilcagh "Stairway to Heaven" (Cavan/Fermanagh) Diamond Hill (Connemara) Djouce (Wicklow) Glendalough "Spinc/White Trail" (Wicklow) Torc Mountain (Kerry)
Fell running	Denis Rankin Round Wicklow Round
Schemes	Walks Scheme
Lists of mountains in Ireland

• Mountains and hills of County Galway
• Geography of County Galway
• Mountains under 1000 metres