Twelve Bens facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Twelve Bens (Twelve Pins)
Irish: Na Beanna Beola; the peaks of Beola
View of the range from Roundstone village.
Highest point
Peak	Benbaun
Elevation	729 m (2,392 ft)
Dimensions
Area	161.3 km² (62.3 sq mi)
Naming
English translation	The peaks of Beola
Language of name	Irish language
Geography
Twelve Bens (Twelve Pins) Location in Ireland
Location	Connemara, County Galway, Ireland
Provinces of Ireland	Connacht
Topo map	OSI Discovery 37, 44
Geology
Age of rock	Precambrian-Cambrian
Type of rock	quartzites, grits, graphitic
Climbing
Normal route	"Glencoaghan Horseshoe" (Irish: Gleann Chóchan) "Twelve Bens Challenge"

The Twelve Bens or Twelve Pins (in Irish: Irish: Na Beanna Beola, meaning "the peaks of Beola") is a group of mountains in the west of Ireland. You can find them in Connemara National Park in County Galway. These mountains are known for their sharp, rocky peaks and ridges. The highest point in the range is Benbaun, which stands at 729 meters (2,392 feet) tall.

The Twelve Bens are a popular spot for outdoor activities like hiking. One famous route is the Glencoaghan Horseshoe, which is a long and exciting walk. The mountains are also connected to the Maumturks range, which is to the east. Both ranges share similar types of rocks, mostly strong quartzite.

What's in a Name?
Exploring the Mountains
- Main Mountain Groups
Mountain Rocks and History
A Special Place for Nature
Climbing and Hiking Adventures
- Hiking the Peaks
- Rock Climbing Challenges
List of Main Peaks
Images for kids
See also

What's in a Name?

The word "Ben" comes from the Irish word "Binn," which means "peak." So, "Twelve Bens" means "Twelve Peaks." But here's a fun fact: nobody is really sure which exact twelve peaks the name refers to! There are almost 20 peaks in the area with "Ben" or "Binn" in their names.

An Irish historian named Ruaidhrí Ó Flaithbheartaigh wrote about the "twelve high mountaines of Bennabeola" way back in 1684. Sailors used to call them "the twelve stakes" because they were the first land they saw when coming from the sea. However, he didn't list the specific twelve peaks.

Most people think the "Twelve Bens" are the main peaks in the area that are taller than 500 meters (1,640 feet). In Irish, the mountains are simply called "Na Beanna Beola," which means "the peaks of Beola." Beola was a giant and a leader from ancient Irish stories.

Exploring the Mountains

Glencoaghan River from Bencullaghduff

The Twelve Bens range has 22 main peaks that are over 100 meters (328 feet) tall. The tallest of these is Benbaun. To the north, there's another group of mountains called the Garraun Complex, with 9 peaks. There are also 7 other smaller peaks to the west. This means there are a total of 38 "Bens" over 100 meters!

Even though these mountains aren't as tall as some others in Ireland, their rocky tops and ridges look very impressive against the flat land around them.

The mountains are surrounded by valleys and roads. To the east is the Inagh Valley, and the R344 road. The N59 road goes around the main part of the mountains from the south, west, and north.

Main Mountain Groups

The 22 peaks in the heart of the Twelve Bens can be divided into three parts:

Southern Bens: These 12 peaks form a horseshoe shape around the Glencoaghan Valley. They include famous peaks like Derryclare, Bencorr, and Benlettery.
Central Bens: These 7 peaks are along a large ridge that runs from east to west, with Benbaun in the middle.
Northern Bens: These 3 peaks are part of a smaller group, including Benbrack. Nearby is another peak called Diamond Hill.

The Twelve Bens are also famous for their deep, U-shaped valleys carved out by glaciers long ago. Many popular hiking routes follow these valleys:

Glencoaghan: This is the most southern valley, and its "horseshoe" route is a very popular hike.
Owenglin: A valley to the west, also known for a good hiking route.
Gleninagh: This eastern valley has a famous spot for rock climbing called Carrot Ridge.
Polladirk: A north-western valley that offers beautiful views from Diamond Hill.
Glencorbet: This north-eastern valley also has a popular "horseshoe" hiking route.

Mountain Rocks and History

Quartzite peaks and rocky ridges of Bencorr and its subsidiary peaks and spurs

The main part of the Twelve Bens is made mostly of very strong rock called quartzite. You can also find softer rocks called schists in the valleys. These rocks are known as Connemara Dalradian rocks.

These rocks started as sediments (like sand and mud) that settled in a warm, shallow sea about 700 to 550 million years ago. Over millions of years, movements in the Earth's crust changed these sediments into the hard rocks we see today. The very tops of the mountains are made of tough quartzite, while the sides have schists and grey marble.

The mountains in the Garraun Complex to the north have different types of rocks, like gneiss and various kinds of sandstones and mudstones.

About 10,000 years ago, the last Ice Age also shaped the landscape. Glaciers carved out the valleys and left behind sand, gravel, and large boulders.

A Special Place for Nature

The range includes extensive bog habitats

The entire Twelve Bens area, including the Garraun Complex, is a Special Area of Conservation (SAC). This means it's protected because it has many important habitats and species.

Some of the special habitats found here include:

Clear, clean waters
High mountain heaths
Large areas of active blanket bog (a type of wetland)
Small parts of old oak forests
Rocky slopes

The area is also home to special animals like the Freshwater Pearl Mussel, Atlantic Salmon, and Otter. There are also some rare plants. This protection helps keep this beautiful and important natural area safe for the future.

Climbing and Hiking Adventures

The Twelve Bens are a fantastic place for people who love to hike, run on mountains, and climb rocks.

Hiking the Peaks

View of Polladirk Valley from Diamond Hill.

One writer described the Twelve Bens as "true kickass mountains, with criminally stunning views."

The Glencoaghan Horseshoe is a 16-kilometer (10-mile) hike that takes about 8-9 hours. It's known as one of the most exciting mountain walks in Ireland. There are other similar "horseshoe" routes too, like the Owenglin Horseshoe and the Glencorbet Horseshoe.

For the most adventurous, there's the Twelve Bens Challenge. This involves climbing all 12 main Bens in a single day, which is a huge undertaking!

Rock Climbing Challenges

Carrot Ridge in the Gleninagh Valley

The Twelve Bens also offer great spots for rock climbing. The most famous is Carrot Ridge in the Gleann Eighneach valley. Climbs here can be from 150 to 320 meters long, with different difficulty levels.

There are also other climbing areas in the large bowl-shaped valleys (called corries) between the peaks. These offer multi-pitch climbs, where climbers go up in sections, sometimes hundreds of meters high.

List of Main Peaks

While there are many peaks in the wider Twelve Bens area, here are the 12 peaks most commonly thought of as the original "Twelve Bens." These are the main peaks in the core mountain range that are over 500 meters (1,640 feet) tall.

Main Peaks of the Twelve Bens Mountain Range
Name	Irish Name	Meaning	Height (m)	Height (ft)
Benbaun	Binn Bhán	White Peak	729	2,392
Bencorr	Binn Chorr	Pointed Peak	711	2,333
Bencollaghduff	Binn Dubh	Black Peak	696	2,283
Benbreen	Binn Braoin	Braon's Peak	691	2,267
Derryclare	Binn Doire Chláir	Peak of Derryclare	677	2,221
Bengower	Binn Gabhar	Goats' Peak	664	2,178
Muckanaght	Muiceanach	Hill like a Pig	654	2,146
Benfree	Binn Fraoigh	Peak of the Heather	638	2,093
Bencullagh	An Chailleach	[Peak of] The Hag/Witch	632	2,073
Benbrack	Binn Bhreac	Speckled Peak	582	1,909
Benlettery	Binn Leitrí	Peak of the Wet Hillsides	577	1,893
Benglenisky	Binn Ghleann Uisce	Peak of the Glen of Water	516	1,693