View source for Benbrack

{{short description|Mountain in County Galway, Ireland}}
{{distinguish|Beinn Bhreac (disambiguation){{!}}Beinn Bhreac}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Use Irish English|date=June 2020}}
{{Infobox mountain
| name = Benbrack
| other_name = ''Binn Bhreac''
| translation = speckled peak
| language = [[Irish language|Irish]]
| photo = South face of Benbrack (from Muckanaght).jpg
| photo_caption = South face of Benbrack viewed from [[Muckanaght]], with col of Maumnascalpa at right
| elevation_m = 582
| elevation_ref = <ref name=mviews>{{cite web|url=http://mountainviews.ie/summit/308/|title=Benbrack|publisher=[[MountainViews Online Database]]|accessdate=4 August 2019}}</ref>
| prominence_m = 264
| prominence_ref =  <ref name=mviews/>
| listing = [[Marilyn (hill)|Marilyn]], [[Lists of mountains in Ireland#Arderins|Arderin]]
| location = [[County Galway]], [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]]
| range = [[Twelve Bens]]
| map = Ireland
| map_caption = Location in Ireland
| label_position = right
| map_size       = 240
| coordinates = {{coord| 53.537986|N|9.862684|W|display=inline,title|region:IE_type:mountain_source:GNS-enwiki}}
| coordinates_ref = <ref name=mviews/>
| topo = [[Ordnance Survey Ireland|OSi]] ''Discovery'' 37
| geology =  Pale quartzites, grits, graphitic top bedrock<ref name=mviews/>
| easiest_route =
| grid_ref_Ireland = L7655855818
}}
'''Benbrack''' ({{irish place name|Binn Bhreac|Speckled Peak}})<ref name="peak">{{cite web|url= http://www.mountaineering.ie/_files/Paul%20Tempan%20Irish%20Mountain%20Placenames%20-%20Feb%202012.pdf|title=Irish Hill and Mountain Names|publisher=MountainViews.ie|author=Paul Tempan|date=February 2012}}</ref> at {{convert|582|m|ft}}, is the 251st–highest peak in [[Ireland]] on the [[Lists of mountains in Ireland#Arderins|Arderin]] scale;<ref name="mva">{{cite web|url=https://mountainviews.ie/lists/arderin/|title=Arderins: Irish mountains of 500+m with a prominence of 30m|publisher=[[MountainViews Online Database]]|author=Simon Stewart|date=October 2018}}</ref> while it does not have the elevation to be a [[Lists of mountains in Ireland#Vandeleur-Lynams|Vandeleur-Lynam]], it has the [[topographical prominence|prominence]] to rank as a [[Marilyn (hill)|Marilyn]].<ref name="mvvl">{{cite web|url=https://mountainviews.ie/lists/vandeleur-lynam/?PHPSESSID=6lpes93lcdlq890dprmqqu4dn6|title=Vandeleur-Lynams: Irish mountains of 600+m with a prominence of 15m|publisher=[[MountainViews Online Database]]|author=Simon Stewart|date=October 2018}}</ref><ref name="collins">Mountainviews, (September 2013), "A Guide to Ireland's Mountain Summits: The Vandeleur-Lynams & the Arderins", Collins Books, Cork, {{ISBN|978-1-84889-164-7}}</ref> Benbrack is situated on its own small [[massif]] to the north of the core [[Twelve Bens]] mountain range in the [[Connemara National Park]] in [[County Galway]], [[Ireland]]. It is the 10th-tallest of the core ''[[Twelve Bens#List of peaks|Twelve Bens]]'', and is linked by a deep col to [[Muckanaght]], which is itself attached by a high ridge to the tallest mountain of the Twelve Bens range, [[Benbaun]] at {{convert|729|m|ft}}.<ref name="collins"/><ref name="Dillon">{{cite book   | last1 = Dillion   | first1 = Paddy   | title = Connemara: Collins Rambler's guide   | publisher = Harper Collins   | isbn = 978-0002201216   | year = 2001  | quote=Walk 26: Cnoc Breac, Binn Bhreac and Maolan}}</ref>
==Naming==
The name is most likely derived from the lumps of [[quartzite]] stones and boulders that are strewn across the summit of Benbrack.<ref name="peak"/>
== Geography ==
Benbrack sits on its own small [[massif]], with Benbaun and the large massif of the core Twelve Bens lying to the south, connected via a deep col called '''Maumnascalpa''' to the Bens of [[Muckanaght]] {{convert|654|m|ft}} and [[Benfree]] {{convert|638|m|ft}}; to the north is [[Kylemore Lough]] (and [[Kylemore Abbey]]), and across the Lough is the massif of [[Garraun (Galway)|Garraun]], which is part of the wider [[Twelve Bens]]/Garraun Complex [[Special Area of Conservation]].<ref name="Dillon"/><ref name="phelan10"/>
To the west of Benbrack, at the end of a long spur, is the subsidiary, and similarly named summit of '''Knockbrack''' at {{convert|442|m|ft}} ({{langx|ga|Cnoc Breac}}, meaning "speckled hill").  To the north of Benbrack, is the other subsidiary summit of '''Benbaun''', at {{convert|447|m|ft}}, which can confused with the larger 729-metre Benbaun to the south, and therefore its other Irish language place name {{langx|ga|Maolán}} (meaning "knoll"), can be used instead.<ref name="collins"/><ref name="phelan10"/>
Benbrack lies at the intersection of two major [[U-shaped valley]]s, with Glencorbet to the east, and Polladirk to the west (Polladirk can be viewed from a popular scenic viewpoint on the summit of [[Diamond Hill (Ireland)|Diamond Hill]]).<ref name="Dillon"/><ref name="collins"/>  To the northwest of Benbrack, is the small valley and river of '''Mweelin''' {{langx|ga|Mweelin}}, around which Knockbrack, Benbrack and Benbaun (477 m) form a small horseshoe, popular with walkers.<ref name="phelan6"/>
== Hill walking ==
The most straightforward route to climb Benbrack is a 5-kilometre 2.5-hour round-trip via its subsidiary peak of Benbaun, starting and ending at the car park in [[Kylemore Abbey]] (L747583); this route can be expanded into the 7-kilometre 3.5 hour ''Mweelin Horseshoe'', by descending via Knockbrack.<ref name="Dillon"/><ref name="phelan6">{{cite book | author=Paul Phelan | year=2011 | title=Connemara & Mayo - A Walking Guide: Mountain, Coastal & Island Walks | publisher=Collins Press | isbn=978-1848891029 | quote=Route 6: Mweelin}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/travel/go-walk-mweelin-connemara-co-galway-1.1481806|title=Go Walk: Mweelin, Connemara, Co Galway|author=John G. O'Dwyer | date=3 August 2013 | accessdate=4 August 2019 | newspaper=[[Irish Times]]}}</ref>
Benbrack is also climbed as part of the ''Glencorbet Horseshoe'', a 14-kilometre 6–7 hour circuit of Kylemore River, usually done counter-clockwise, which takes in the peaks of Benbaun (477 metres), Benbrack, [[Muckanaght]] (optional), [[Benfree]], Benbaun (729 metres), and ending at [[Knockpasheemore]].<ref name="Helen34">{{cite book|url=https://www.amazon.com/Irelands-Best-Walks-Walking-Guides/dp/184889211X|title=Ireland's Best Walks: A Walking Guide (Walking Guides) |author=Helen Fairbairn|publisher=Collins Press|date=30 December 2014|isbn=978-1848892118|quote=ROUTE 33: The Glencorbet Horseshoe.  A true classic}}</ref><ref name="phelan10">{{cite book | author=Paul Phelan | year=2011 | title=Connemara & Mayo - A Walking Guide: Mountain, Coastal & Island Walks | publisher=Collins Press | isbn=978-1848891029 | quote=Route 11: Glencorbet Horseshoe}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/travel/around-the-bens-in-connemara-1.612349| newspaper=[[Irish Times]] | author=Tony Doherty | date=1 October 2011 | accessdate=4 August 2019 | title=Glencorbet Horseshoe: Around the Bens in Connemara}}</ref>
==Gallery==
<gallery mode=packed heights=190>
File:Polladirk Valley, Twelve Bens, Ireland.jpg|Polladirk Valley with Benbrack and Knockbrack to the left, as viewed from [[Diamond Hill (Ireland)|Diamond Hill]]
File:Col between Benbrack and Knockbrack - geograph.org.uk - 200986.jpg|Summit of Knockbrack as viewed from the col with Benbrack
File:View north west from summit of Benbrack - geograph.org.uk - 200889.jpg|View northwest to [[Killary Harbour]], from the summit of Benbrack
</gallery>
==Bibliography==
*{{cite book | last1 = Fairbairn | first1 = Helen | title = Ireland's Best Walks: A Walking Guide | publisher = Collins Press | isbn = 978-1848892118 | year = 2014}}
*{{cite book| author=[[MountainViews Online Database]] (Simon Stewart)|year=2013 | title=A Guide to Ireland's Mountain Summits: The Vandeleur-Lynams & the Arderins |publisher=Collins Books | isbn=978-1-84889-164-7}}
*{{cite book | author=Paul Phelan | year=2011 | title=Connemara & Mayo - A Walking Guide: Mountain, Coastal & Island Walks | publisher=Collins Press | isbn=978-1848891029 }}
*{{cite book   | last1 = Dillion   | first1 = Paddy   | title = Connemara: Collins Rambler's guide   | publisher = Harper Collins   | isbn = 978-0002201216   | year = 2001 }}
*{{cite book | last1 = Dillion | first1 = Paddy | title = The Mountains of Ireland: A Guide to Walking the Summits | publisher = Cicerone | isbn = 978-1852841102 | year = 1993 }}
==See also==
{{commons category|Benbrack}}
*[[Twelve Bens]]
*[[Mweelrea]], major range in Killary Harbour
*[[Maumturks]], major range in Connemara
*[[Lists of mountains in Ireland]]
*[[List of Marilyns in the British Isles]]
{{clear}}
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*[https://mountainviews.ie/summit/308/ MountainViews: The Irish Mountain Website], Benbrack
*[https://mountainviews.ie/mv/irl150setup.htm MountainViews: Irish Online Mountain Database]
*[http://www.hills-database.co.uk/downloads.html The Database of British and Irish Hills ], the largest database of British Isles mountains ("[[DoBIH]]")
*[http://www.hill-bagging.co.uk/ Hill Bagging UK & Ireland], the searchable interface for the [[DoBIH]]
{{Mountains of Great Britain and Ireland|}}
{{Mountains and hills of Connacht}}
{{IrishTrails}}
[[Category:Marilyns of Ireland]]
[[Category:Mountains and hills of County Galway]]
[[Category:Geography of County Galway]]
[[Category:Mountains under 1000 metres]]