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| Maximum height for area: 772 metres |
Summits in area: 7 |
| OS Map(s): 37 for all tops |
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Walk Guide 136 for
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Seven Sheeffry's
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Maintainer: Geo
 (Guide rating: 3.17) |
Overview
Walk length: 18.0km Ascent: 1400m Duration (without stops): 7:00 h:mm
A strenuous start, with a beautiful ridge walk, then a tough finish to one of Ireland's best kept secrets, the seven summits of the Sheeffry's. This walk as described involves a car-split, otherwise there is the guts of 10km of a road walk!
Points visited: Start = L823 699 - Barrclashcarne NW Top = L838 700 - Barrclashcame - Tievummera - Tievnabinnia - Tievnabinnia East Top - Tawny Rower - Western Way meets Road = L920 697 - Bernaderg = L915 693 - Tawnyard - Finish = L916 681 (Guide last changed: 2012-07-01)
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Approaches
We came from Westport, south on the N59 (Clifden direction) and turned right at a sign for Sheeffry Pass approx 8km from Wesport. This brings you along a pretty, but narrow road, with the hills you are aiming to climb rising ahead of you. Pass through the hamlet of Drummin, and on, crossing Sheeffry bridge then a dramatic climb after a sharp left. Shortly after you cross the highest part of the road look out for a small picnic/parking area on your left, which is the walk finish and where you leave a car. Drive on to the road end at a T junction, turn right with Doo Lough on your left and drive to the top of the lake, the start is here on the right at a famine memorial, where a handful of cars can be parked. Put boots on and admire the view!
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Start
From the car, go East uphill immediately and sharply. There is a spur running just South of East which will bring you eventually to the twin summits of Barrclashcarne NW, the most northerly is the highest. The ground although steep and with a climb of over 500m, is actually firm and of short grass, with some rocky outcrops, and so is good going even in wet weather.
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Points visited
From Barrclashcarne NW go SSE across a little col then another sharp pull up the nose of the main bulk of the mountain. This is steeper as it ascends, and then turns from grassy to stony, and hence requires care on the loose scree. When you reach the plateau a change of direction to NE brings you to the summit of Barrclashcarne over a flat wide stony plain. The top is a sad little pile of stones on a peaty shelf!
From here go generally E following the ridge (narrow in places) to the trig pillar at Tievummera and maybe have a cuppa here to revive yourself for the not too taxing walk NE to Tievnabinnia, passing the little tarns en-route.
Next continue south of E to a narrow col 1km away then uphill further E to the summit of Tievnabinnia E.
From here it's NE over generally level ground to start, then steeply downhill to the first col, up and over a second small summit, then ENE to another col where the alternative or cross-country Western Way passes across your path, continue the last few hundred metres to the top of Tawny Rower, we had our second cuppa here, and we needed it, at this stage legs are getting tired, but the views S to the Partry's. Ben Gorm, etc is to die for.
Retrace steps to the Western Way and follow it South, beware of the ground getting increasingly wet and slippy on your downhill trek, also take note of the change in route of the WW (see my comment on Tawny Rower for details). When you reach tarmac after nearly an hour off Tawny Rower, turn right, cross Sheeffry bridge, and a little after the left turn in the road at the grid ref I named Barnaderg (from the OS 37) go right off the road and take a roughly WSW line climbing the ridge of Tawnyard over quite wet but passable ground, steeply to the ridge. Go to the highest point, crossing several fences to get to the summit of Tawnyard.
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Finish
From the last of the seven summits of the day Tawnyard, take a SE line to return to the Tawnyard picnic area. There a couple of fences to cross and some rough, wet ground and this will take about 40 minutes. If you have views and any energy left, savour the view over Tawnyard Lough, and the mountains South of you. A walk to remember
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