A short drive from Clifden and close to Roundstone Bay, Bengower lies in the SW of the jumble of rocky peaks that comprise the 12 Bens. It is often summited as part of the Glen Coaghan Horseshoe or in conjunction with one or two adjacent peaks. The N side is very steep and requires some easy-grade scrambling but other approaches are more benign. The views from the top are excellent esp. the sweep of bens around to Derryclare, S to Cashel Hill and the huge blanket bog and innumerate lakes that surround it.

SE. Park at L80066 48563 A [room for a few cars] and walk back the road to make your way onto Bengower's SE spur at L79679 48352 B. Head N over a prominent knoll and when you reach the col at L79437 49276 C head NW over ever-steepening rocky/grassy ground until you meet a better-defined ridge at L78424 49990 D and then head steeply N to the summit. Allow 1.5hrs+

S. Park at the hostel L77711 48234 E and head over a stile in the hostel's W fence. From here it's a relentlessly steep pull on grassy terrain to the top of Ben Lettery and then an easy down-and-up to BG. Allow 1.5hrs

W. Park at spacious L75012 49897 F and head N for about 150m before turning right at the end of a former forestry plot. It's initially gentle and boggy but after about 500m the going is firmer and steeper until the summit of Benglenisky. An easy ridge walk takes you over to BG from here. Allow 1.25hrs

Notable tracks incl. track/2436, track/3929 and, if you've got a long summer day, track/2731. Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/167/comment/4927/

The view shows the rather uninviting view from Bengower to Benbreen on a day with an interesting cloud inversion. This thankfully was not my route - I was headed for Benglenisky - but this is reputedly a tricky enough descent without being unable to see where it ends. Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/167/comment/15930/

You may want to come off the ridge between Binn Gabhar (Bengower) and Ben Lettery, if you have left a car somewhere near Derryclare and have been doing the horseshoe. Below is a picture of the ridge between the two, Ben Lettery to the left and south, Bengower off the picture to the right. As you can see much of the ridge is bare rock or scree. If you turn SE, at L7787050318 G, which is 650m SW of Bin Gabhar and still quite high on the ridge, you can miss the more awkward bits and come down mostly on heather at the right of this picture. Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/167/comment/997/

Reaching Bengower, peak of the goat, from the north will be a surprise to you if you think there isn’t any scrambling in the Bens.

This is the summit cairn and what looks like a bit of a shelter. Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/167/comment/1006/

View of Chochan Horseshoe Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/167/comment/2204/

As part of a walking weekend organised by The Mid-Ulster Walking club Binn Gabhar was the first peak tackled in a Glencoaghan Horseshoe Walk. Started the circuit at L80057 48570 H - 33m(Derrynavglaun) which is located up lane (first left after Benlettery Youth Hostel on N59). Point is at a junction on lane where there is enough room to park a few cars without causing an obstruction. Nine of us backtracked for about three hundred metres past house on right and at end of fence turned right up onto lower slopes of Binn Gabhar. A fairly straight forward, albeit challenging climb over increasingly firmer and rockier ground as you rise, past level area at L78422 49990 I (494m). Eventually spilled on to the wide top where there appear to be three high points vying for summit honours. The most obvious, and broadest, L78318 50642 J (appears to be the highest as GPS reading here was 665m, while 658m & 661m respectively at two high points to the left (west) overlooking Binn Leitrí. Descent down steep north face was fairly difficult at times requiring some scrambling skills but all made it safe and sound onto col below Binn Bhraoín the next challenge in the walk. Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/167/comment/2324/