Benbaun#Geography

According to Irish academic Paul Tempan, the "white peak" in the Irish language name derives from the abundance of quartzite rock in the summit of Benbaun. Tempan notes that Benbaun is the "Mont Blanc" of Connemara.

Benbaun is the highest mountain of the Twelve Bens range, which is situated in the Connemara National Park in west County Galway. Benbaun lies at the centre of the range and is situated in the middle of a long east-west ridge that to the west includes the major Bens of Benfree ({{irish place name|Binn Fraoigh|peak of the heather}}) {{convert|638|m|ft}}, Muckanaght ({{irish place name|Muiceanach|hill like a pig}}) {{convert|654|m|ft}}, and Bencullagh ({{irish place name|An Chailleach|peak of the hag/witch}}) {{convert|632|m|ft}}, and the minor Ben of Maumonght ({{irish place name|Mám Uchta|pass of the breast or ridge}}) {{convert|602|m|ft}}, and its subsidiary peak of Maumonght SW Top {{convert|454|m|ft}}. To the east is a long flat 3.5-kilometre ridge at the end of which lies the minor Ben of Knockpasheemore ({{irish place name|Binn Charrach|rocky peak}}) {{convert|412|m|ft}} to the far eastern end.

A deep col to the south, known as Maumina ({{langx|ga|Mám Eidhneach}}), connects Benbaun to the summit of Bencollaghduff {{convert|696|m|ft}}, and to the southern Bens of the "Glencoaghan Horseshoe" which forms around the Glencoaghan River.

Another deep col to the north, known as Maumnascalpa connects Benfree and Muckanaght to the northern Ben of Benbrack {{convert|582|m|ft}}, which sits on its own small massif with the subsidiary peaks of Knockbrack {{convert|442|m|ft}}, and another peak named Benbaun, at {{convert|447|m|ft}}.

Benbaun sits at the apex of two major glaciated U-shaped valleys. To the east is the Gleninagh Valley ({{langx|ga|Gleann Eidhneach}}), from which the Gleninagh river flows. This valley is bounded by two large long north-easterly rocky spurs, and the southern spur contains "Carrot Ridge" ({{langx|ga|Meacan Buí}}), an important area for rock-climbing in the Bens, with climbs varying from Diff (D) to Very Severe (VS) and ranging from 150 to 320 metres in length.{{cite web|url=http://wiki.climbing.ie/index.php/Gleann_Eighneach|title=Glenn Eighneach|publisher=Irish Climbing Wiki|quote=The finest rock formations in the Twelve Bens are found in the south wall of Gleann Eidheanach (Glen Inagh), running from Binn an Choire Bhig to Mám na bFhonsaí, east of Binn Dubh (L808530).}} To the south-west is the large valley of the Owenglin river which is bounded by several major Bens on each of its sides.

Benbaun's prominence of {{convert|684|m|ft}} qualifies it as a P600, and a Marilyn, and it also ranks it as the 41st-highest mountain in Ireland on the MountainViews Online Database, 100 Highest Irish Mountains, where the minimum prominence threshold is 100 metres.{{cite web|url=https://mountainviews.ie/lists/highest/|title=Irish Highest 100: The highest 100 Irish mountains with a prominence of +100m|publisher=MountainViews Online Database|date=September 2018}}

The most straightforward route to climb Benbaun either via the pass of Maumina by walking up the Gleninagh valley, or by staying on higher ground by first summiting Knockpasheemore and then traversing the 3.5-kilometre ridge to the summit; both routes total over 9-kilometres and 4–5 hours of walking.

Because Benbaun lies off the very popular 16–kilometre 8–9 hour Glencoaghan Horseshoe, it gets fewer visits despite being the tallest Ben in the range.{{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 34: The Glencoaghan Horseshoe. A true classic}}{{cite book | last1 = Dillion | first1 = Paddy | title = Connemara: Collins Rambler's guide | publisher = Harper Collins | isbn = 978-0002201216 | year = 2001 | quote=Walk 30: Gleann Chóchan Horseshoe | url=http://www.paddydillon.co.uk/guidebook/ramblers-guide-connemara/}} However, Benbaun sits close to the apex of three other well-regarded "horseshoe climbs" of equivalent difficulty in the Bens:

{{ordered list|type=lower-roman

| Owenglin Horseshoe: 20–kilometre 10–12 hour route around the Owenglin River to the west of Benbaun, taking in over twelve summits;{{cite web|url=https://mountainviews.ie/track/1511/|title=Owenglin Horseshoe|publisher=MountainViews Online Database|access-date=30 July 2019}}{{cite book | last1 = Dillion | first1 = Paddy | title = Connemara: Collins Rambler's guide | publisher = Harper Collins | isbn = 978-0002201216 | year = 2001 | quote=Walk 24: Owenglin Horseshoe | url=http://www.paddydillon.co.uk/guidebook/ramblers-guide-connemara/}}

| Gleninagh Horseshoe: 15–kilometre 8–9 hour route around the Gleninagh River usually done counter-clockwise starting at Knockpasheemore (long northeastern spur of Benbaun) and ending at Bencorrbeg (via the Carrot Ridge);{{cite book | last1 = Dillion | first1 = Paddy | title = Connemara: Collins Rambler's guide | publisher = Harper Collins | isbn = 978-0002201216 | year = 2001 | quote=Walk 28: Gleann Eidhneach Horseshoe | url=http://www.paddydillon.co.uk/guidebook/ramblers-guide-connemara/}}

| Glencorbet Horseshoe: 14–kilometre 6–7 hour circuit of Kylemore River, usually done counter-clockwise starting at Benbaun (477 metres), and ending at Knockpasheemore.{{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}}{{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}}{{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 | access-date=4 August 2019 | title=Glencorbet Horseshoe: Around the Bens in Connemara}}

}}

File:Bencullagh, Muckanaght & Benbaun from Bencollaghduff.jpg|(l-to-r) Bencullagh, Muckanaght and Benbaun, viewed from Bencollaghduff

File:Intersection of Benbaun, Bencollaghduff and Benbreen (from Muckanaght).jpg|Intersection of Benbaun, Bencollaghduff and Benbreen, viewed from Muckanaght

File:Derryclare, Bencorr & Benbaun from lower south ridge of Letterbreckaun.jpg|(l-to-r) Derryclare, Bencorr, and Benbaun, viewed from Letterbreckaun

File:Benbaun.JPG|Benbaun (left) and the long easterly ridge to Knockpasheemore (right)

File:Benfree & Benbaun from Muckanaght.jpg|Benfree (left) and Benbaun (right), viewed from summit of Muckanaght

• {{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 }}

{{commons category|Benbaun}}

• Twelve Bens
• Mweelrea, major range in Killary Harbour
• Maumturks, major range in Connemara
• List of Irish counties by highest point
• Lists of mountains in Ireland
• Lists of mountains and hills in the British Isles
• List of P600 mountains in the British Isles
• List of Marilyns in the British Isles
• List of Hewitt mountains in England, Wales and Ireland

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{{reflist}}

• [https://mountainviews.ie/summit/89/ MountainViews: The Irish Mountain Website], Benbaun
• [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|}}

{{P600 mountains in Britain and Ireland}}

{{Mountains and hills of Connacht}}

{{IrishTrails}}

Category:Marilyns of Ireland

Category:Hewitts of Ireland

Category:Mountains and hills of County Galway

Category:Highest points of Irish counties

Category:Mountains under 1000 metres