Really just a stopping point on the way to Bencorrbeg, this bump doesn't have enough prominence to feature in any lists. It is usually approached from Bencorr or from Bencollaghduff. It is the first rocky prominence on the spur running north from Bencorr. Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/185/comment/4945/

Parking is at a premium along the R344, with only one well-defined space at L82395 55600 A near the bridge over the Tooreenacoona River. From here we walked to L820 562 B where a private road gives access via a farm to the Gleninagh Valley. Beyond the farm is a rough, boggy track about 1.5km long leading to an old stone sheep fold. The views are magnificent. The Gleninagh River meanders amid the russets and green of the bog that sweeps up to the feet of rocky giants: Bencorrbeg, Binn an tSaighdiúra, Bencollaghduff, Benbaun and the long arm of Knockpasheemore Ridge. The hand of man is lightly etched across the landscape in the form of the ghostly ridges of lazy beds and the tumbled down walls of small stone cottages whose inhabitants once looked out on this formidable landscape in a time before An Gorta Mór.

Across the valley we spied Carrot Ridge, curving upwards towards Binn an tSaighdiúra, an Arabian dagger-shaped ridge of quartzite, its eastern edge just beginning to catch the rays of the morning sun. From the wall of the sheep fold L80595 54816 C we headed south to cross the Gleninagh River near a prominent sand bank honeycombed with holes made by a colony of noisy sand martins performing aerial acrobatics as they caught insects on the wing. Crossing the gravelly river bed at a shallow point where the pale green spear tips of yellow flag irises were just beginning to thrust up through the soil, we struck out across the bog towards a distinctive white slab that marks the start of Carrot Ridge immediately left of the imposing quartzite cliffs below Mám na bhFonsai. The walk upwards across steep terrain where the bog has slipped to reveal jagged lumps of white quartzite and scrambling across scree slopes slowed our progress, while the rising sun and high humidity sapped our strength.

Ireland’s longest rock climb (370m, described separately and rated difficult) was technically straightforward on good clean rock and provided a challenging way to attain the summit of Binn an tSaighdiúra. It was exhilarating melding oneself to the form and shape of the rock face, feeling the rough, cold stone beneath one’s stinging fingertips, the silence broken only by the percussive clinking of metal on rock and the occasional cries of newborn lambs in the valley below borne upwards on a gentle breeze.

The climb completed, we moved out of the gully L81086 52969 D marking the end of Carrot Ridge and ascended the summit of Binn an tSaighdiúra. The terrain here is brutal and unforgiving consisting of jagged quartzite rocks that rumble and groan when stepped on, but this is magnificently compensated for by a breathtaking summit panorama: to the east, Bencorrbeg, Lough Inagh and the Maumturks; north, beyond Knockpasheemore, Mweelrea and the Sheeffry Hills with the serpentine coils of the Gleninagh River evident in the valley below; west, in a purple haze, the conical peaks of the Twelve Bens and south, our next objective, Bencorr. Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/185/comment/4613/

Binn an tSaighdiúra is about 15 mins from Bencorrbeg, and we tackled it second on a Bencorrbeg - Binn an tSaighdiúra -Binn Corr horseshoe. Unfortunately the clouds had descended by the time we hit the summit, so the famed views weren't visible. Instead, I'll comment on using Mám na bhFonsaí as an escape/exit from the Gleninagh horseshoe.
It is possible to descend into the Gleninagh valley north of Mám na bhFonsaí, however it's not for the faint-hearted. Most of the northern drop from the col appear to be sheer cliffs, but if you aim for the northwestern end of the col, careful descent (without needing a rope) is possible underneath the crag at L804 529 E (marked on the Harvey map). As you head north into the valley, a glance over your shoulder reveals the daunting wall you've somehow managed to descend. The picture shows the view over to Knockpasheemore from the western slopes of Binn an tSaighdiúra, taken near Mám na bhFonsaí. Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/185/comment/2535/

There are few easy ways to climb the Twelve Bens but why take an easy way when there is a more challenging route? In this case the challenge was Carrot Ridge which snakes up the northern face of Binn an tSaigdiúra (a subsidiary peak of Ben Corr). Carrot Ridge is the longest rock climb in Ireland and some say one of the best ridge climbs at its grade (Difficult) in the British Isles. A good description of Carrot Ridge can be found in Dan Bailey’s book “The Ridges of England, Wales and Ireland - Scrambles and Climbs” published by Cicerone in 2009.

On a glorious sunny day on 10th April 2010 we parked near to the bridge over the Tooreenacoona River on the R334 and then walked along the road northwards for about a kilometre before taking a farm track/footpath which leads SW into the Gleninagh Valley. About 2km from the R334 we left the footpath and veered southwards across the Gleninagh River before walking steeply up the lower slopes of Binn an tSaigdiúra and Bencorrbeg to the foot of Carrot Ridge at L811 532 F. Then it was time to don our climbing gear – harness, helmet, climbing shoes, slings, nuts and a climbing rope. Carrot Ridge although at the lower grade of climbing is still a serious undertaking and the correct equipment and experience is needed.

This was my first serious rock climb after nearly a 30 year gap and as leader I felt a bit of apprehension before starting the climb. The first two pitches of Carrot Ridge (each of about 25m) follow the pinkish quartzite slab at the base of the climb. The second pitch proved the trickiest with a Very Difficult move from the belay position above the first pitch into a groove on the right. Once in the groove the going got better but there is little protection for the leader on this 25m pitch. The third and fourth pitches are quite easy and lead to a short traverse, a corner below the First Step. The corner is easily climbed (fifth pitch) and is followed a short walk to a 15m chimney (sixth pitch). Climbing the chimney proved to be perhaps the most difficult bit of the climb, partly because the rucksacks on our backs made the tactic of back-and-footing up the chimney almost impossible. We had to revert to hand jamming in the chimney crack and groping for scarce handholds on the rock at the top of the chimney.

After much exertion the chimney was passed and we relaxed awhile before scrambling for the next 90m across a pleasant ridge crest to the foot of the seventh and final pitch below the Second Step. The seventh pitch is about 44m long and as our rope was only 40m long, we divided the pitch into two parts with a belay stance after breaching the wall of the Second Step at its lowest point. After this it was an easy scramble to the top of the climb. Moving at a leisurely pace, the climb took us about 4 hours. Carrot Ridge is a must for anyone who has the experience and equipment to climb it but wait for a good dry day as I suspect the rock would be slippery when wet. Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/185/comment/4623/

While going around the Derryclare Horseshoe you can visit Binn an tSaighdiúra. The 450m ridge to this rocky soldier from the main ridge near Bencorr is as rough as they come around these parts, as you can see in the picture. Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/185/comment/1003/