Letterbreckaun ()
is one of the
Maumturk Mountains
, photo=View south to Knocknahillion from Letterbreckaun.jpg
, photo_caption= Maumturk Mountains: looking south from Letterbreckaun towards Knocknahillion and Binn idir an dá Log.
, country=Republic of Ireland
, region = Connacht
, region_t ...
of
Connemara
Connemara (; )( ga, Conamara ) is a region on the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast of western County Galway, in the west of Ireland. The area has a strong association with traditional Irish culture and contains much of the Connacht Irish-speak ...
in
County Galway
"Righteousness and Justice"
, anthem = ()
, image_map = Island of Ireland location map Galway.svg
, map_caption = Location in Ireland
, area_footnotes =
, area_total_km2 = ...
, Ireland. At , it is the second-tallest of the Maumturks, the 129th–highest peak in Ireland on the
Arderin
Arderin () is a mountain on the border between Laois and Offaly in Ireland. With a height of 527 metres (1,729 ft) it is the highest point in the Slieve Bloom Mountains, and is the highest point in both County Laois and County Offaly.
An ...
list,
and 159th–highest on the
Vandeleur-Lynam list.
[Mountainviews, (September 2013), "A Guide to Ireland's Mountain Summits: The Vandeleur-Lynams & the Arderins", Collins Books, Cork, ] Letterbreckaun is in the middle sector of the long north-west to south-east spine of the Maumturks.
Naming
The
anglicised
Anglicisation is the process by which a place or person becomes influenced by English culture or British culture, or a process of cultural and/or linguistic change in which something non-English becomes English. It can also refer to the influen ...
name "Letterbreckaun" comes from ga, Leitir Bhriocáin or ''Leitir Breacáin'' meaning "Brecan's hillside", and is also the name of a
townland
A townland ( ga, baile fearainn; Ulster-Scots: ''toonlann'') is a small geographical division of land, historically and currently used in Ireland and in the Western Isles in Scotland, typically covering . The townland system is of Gaelic origi ...
on the slope of the mountain.
Saint Brecan
Saint Brecan was an Irish saint active in the 5th century AD. There are legends concerning Brecan from Clare and Aran, and wells and churches are dedicated to him in various places in Ireland. His main monument is the ''Tempull Breccain'' complex ...
is a saint associated with Galway county, and is said to be the successor to
Saint Enda of Aran.
Geography
Letterbreckaun lies at the northern end of the central sector, of the long north-west to south-east central spine of the Maumturks range, in the Connemara National Park; when viewed from the west, the peak has a distinctive "pyramidal" shape, in contrast to the rounded shapes of the neighbouring peaks.
To the south, Letterbreckaun is connected by a long winding
quartzite
Quartzite is a hard, non- foliated metamorphic rock which was originally pure quartz sandstone.Essentials of Geology, 3rd Edition, Stephen Marshak, p 182 Sandstone is converted into quartzite through heating and pressure usually related to tect ...
rocky ridge to
Knocknahillion
Knocknahillion () is one of the Maumturk Mountains of Connemara in County Galway, Ireland. At , it is the 210th–highest peak in Ireland on the Arderin list, and 256th–highest on the Vandeleur-Lynam list.Mountainviews, (September 2013), "A ...
at ; the ridge itself includes the two minor peaks of
Barrlugrevagh and
Knocknahillion North Top , and after Knocknahillion, descends to the col of
Maumahoge ( ga, Mhám Ochóige).
To the north of Letterbreckaun is the subsidiary summit of Letterbreckaun NE Top , whose
prominence
In topography, prominence (also referred to as autonomous height, relative height, and shoulder drop in US English, and drop or relative height in British English) measures the height of a mountain or hill's summit relative to the lowest contou ...
of qualifies it as an
Arderin Beg.
Further north, the slopes of Letterbreckaun drop into the sharp and steep "v-shaped" col of Maam Turk ( ga, Mám Tuirc, meaning "pass of the boar"), from which the entire range bears its name.
Paul Tempan notes that the "holy well" marked on the OS maps at Maam Turk was noted by Irish historian
Ruaidhrí Ó Flaithbheartaigh
Roderick O'Flaherty ( ga, Ruaidhrí Ó Flaithbheartaigh; 1629–1718 or 1716) was an Irish historian.
Biography
He was born in County Galway and inherited Moycullen Castle and estate.
O'Flaherty was the last ''de jure'' Lord of Iar Connacht, a ...
in 1684, saying: "There is a well in memorie of
St. Fechin at Mam-tuirk".
Further north from the col of Maam Turk is the minor peak of
Maumturkmore, which then crosses the "Col of Despondency" to the grassy
sandstone
Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks.
Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicates) ...
and
siltstone
Siltstone, also known as aleurolite, is a clastic sedimentary rock that is composed mostly of silt. It is a form of mudrock with a low clay mineral content, which can be distinguished from shale by its lack of fissility.Blatt ''et al.'' 1980, p ...
massif of
Leenaun Hill
, photo = File:View north to Leenaun Hill from Letterbreckaun.jpg
, photo_caption = View north to Leenaun Hill from Letterbreckaun
, photo_size =
, elevation_m = 618
, elevation_ref =
, prominence_m = 363
, prominence_ref =
, lis ...
.
Letterbreckaun's
prominence
In topography, prominence (also referred to as autonomous height, relative height, and shoulder drop in US English, and drop or relative height in British English) measures the height of a mountain or hill's summit relative to the lowest contou ...
of qualifies it as a
Marilyn, and it also ranks it as the 82nd-highest mountain in Ireland on the
MountainViews Online Database
In these lists of mountains in Ireland, those within Northern Ireland, or on the Republic of Ireland – United Kingdom border, are marked with an asterisk, while the rest are within the Republic of Ireland. Where mountains are ranked by height ...
, ''
100 Highest Irish Mountains'', where the minimum prominence threshold is 100 metres.
Hill walking
The easiest way summit Letterbreckaun is a 6-kilometre 2-3-hour route via the pass of Maam Turk; however, because of its positioning on the high rocky central spine of the central Maumturk range, it is also summited in a longer 14-kilometre 5–6 hour loop-route starting at the col of
Maumahoge in the south, climbing Knocknahillion and then along a winding 2-kilometre rocky ridge to the top of Letterbreckaun, before descending via the "v-shaped" col of Maam Turk.
Letterbreckaun is also climbed as part of the ''Maamturks Challenge'', a 25-kilometre 10–12 hour walk over the full Maumturks range (from
Maam Cross
Maam Cross () is a crossroads in Connemara, County Galway, Ireland. It lies within the townland of Shindilla, at the junction of the N59 from Galway to Clifden and the R336 from Galway to the Maam Valley
Gleann an Mháma (English languag ...
to
Leenaun
Leenaun (), also Leenane, is a village and 1,845 acre townland in County Galway, Ireland, on the southern shore of Killary Harbour and the northern edge of Connemara.
Location
Leenaun is situated on the junction of the N59 road, and the R336 ...
), which is considered one of the "great classic ridge-walks of Ireland",
but of "extreme grade" due to the circa 7,600 feet of total ascent.
Since 1975, the
University College Galway
The University of Galway ( ga, Ollscoil na Gaillimhe) is a public research university located in the city of Galway, Ireland. A tertiary education and research institution, the university was awarded the full five QS stars for excellence in 201 ...
Mountaineering Club, has run the annual "Maamturks Challenge Walk" (MCW),
and man a checkpoint on the summit of Letterbreckaun.
Gallery
File:Maumturks from summit of Benbaun.jpg, Letterbreckaun (centre, distance) viewed from Benbaun
Benbaun () is a mountain in County Galway, Ireland. With a height of , it is the 72nd highest peak in Ireland on the Arderin scale, and the 88th highest peak on the Vandeleur-Lynam scale.Mountainviews, (September 2013), "A Guide to Ireland's Mo ...
File:South slopes of Letterbreckaun.jpg, South face of Letterbreckaun from ridge with Knocknahillion
Knocknahillion () is one of the Maumturk Mountains of Connemara in County Galway, Ireland. At , it is the 210th–highest peak in Ireland on the Arderin list, and 256th–highest on the Vandeleur-Lynam list.Mountainviews, (September 2013), "A ...
File:Lough Inagh, Letterbreckaun (left) and Knocknahillion (right) from Inagh Valley.jpg, Looking north to Letterbreckaun (left), and Knocknahillion
Knocknahillion () is one of the Maumturk Mountains of Connemara in County Galway, Ireland. At , it is the 210th–highest peak in Ireland on the Arderin list, and 256th–highest on the Vandeleur-Lynam list.Mountainviews, (September 2013), "A ...
(right), across Lough Inagh
Lough Inagh () is a freshwater lake in the Inagh Valley, in Connemara, Galway, in the west of Ireland.
Geography
Lough Inagh is located about east of Clifden on the R344 road in the Inagh Valley. The Twelve Bens range lies to the west of the ...
File:Knocknahillion and Binn Bhriocain, Maumturks, Ireland.jpg, Letterbreckaun behind Knocknahillion
Knocknahillion () is one of the Maumturk Mountains of Connemara in County Galway, Ireland. At , it is the 210th–highest peak in Ireland on the Arderin list, and 256th–highest on the Vandeleur-Lynam list.Mountainviews, (September 2013), "A ...
, viewed from Binn idir an dá Log
File:Letterbreckaun (in cloud).jpg, Letterbreckaun (right, in cloud) with the v-shaped pass of Maam Turk (left)
Bibliography
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See also
*
Twelve Bens
, photo=Boats and mountains, Roundstone (6047965086).jpg
, photo_caption= View of the range from Roundstone village.
, region = Connacht
, region_type = Provinces of Ireland
, translation = The peaks of Beola
, language = Irish language
...
, major range in Connemara
*
Mweelrea
Mweelrea (; ) at , is the 26th-highest peak in Ireland on the Arderin scale, and the 34th-highest peak on the Vandeleur-Lynam scale.Mountainviews, (September 2013), "A Guide to Ireland's Mountain Summits: The Vandeleur-Lynams & the Arderins", Co ...
, major range in Killary Harbour
*
Lists of mountains in Ireland
In these lists of mountains in Ireland, those within Northern Ireland, or on the Republic of Ireland – United Kingdom border, are marked with an asterisk, while the rest are within the Republic of Ireland. Where mountains are ranked by height ...
*
Lists of mountains and hills in the British Isles
The mountains and hills of the British Isles are categorised into various lists based on different combinations of elevation, prominence, and other criteria such as isolation. These lists are used for peak bagging, whereby hillwalkers attempt ...
*
List of Marilyns in the British Isles
This is a list of Marilyn hills and mountains in the United Kingdom, Isle of Man and Ireland by height. Marilyns are defined as peaks with a prominence of or more, regardless of height or any other merit (e.g. topographic isolation, as used in ...
*
List of Hewitt mountains in England, Wales and Ireland
This is a list of Hewitt mountains in England, Wales and Ireland by height. Hewitts are defined as "Hills in England, Wales and Ireland over two thousand" feet in height, the general requirement to be called a "mountain" in the British Isl ...
References
External links
The Maamturks Challenge University College Galway Mountaineering Club
The Maamturks Challenge: Routecard (2015)MountainViews: The Irish Mountain Website Letterbreckaun
the largest database of British Isles mountains ("
DoBIH
The mountains and hills of the British Isles are categorised into various lists based on different combinations of elevation, prominence, and other criteria such as isolation. These lists are used for peak bagging, whereby hillwalkers attempt ...
")
Hill Bagging UK & Ireland the searchable interface for the
DoBIH
The mountains and hills of the British Isles are categorised into various lists based on different combinations of elevation, prominence, and other criteria such as isolation. These lists are used for peak bagging, whereby hillwalkers attempt ...
{{IrishTrails
Marilyns of Ireland
Hewitts of Ireland
Mountains and hills of County Galway
Mountains under 1000 metres