Knocknahillion | |
---|---|
Cnoc na hUilleann | |
Highest point | |
Elevation | 607 m (1,991 ft) [1] |
Prominence | 152 m (499 ft) [1] |
Listing | Marilyn, Hewitt, Arderin, Simm, Vandeleur-Lynam |
Coordinates | 53°31′19″N 9°42′14″W / 53.521816°N 9.703964°W [1] |
Naming | |
English translation | hill of the elbow |
Language of name | Irish |
Geography | |
Location | County Galway, Republic of Ireland |
Parent range | Maumturks |
OSI/OSNI grid | L8703653756 |
Topo map | OSi Discovery 37 |
Geology | |
Type of rock | Pale quartzites, grits, graphitic top bedrock [1] |
Climbing | |
Easiest route | Via pass of Maumahoge |
Knocknahillion ( Irish: Cnoc na hUilleann, meaning "hill of the elbow") [2] is one of the Maumturk Mountains of Connemara in County Galway, Ireland. At 607 metres (1,991 ft), it is the 210th–highest peak in Ireland on the Arderin list, [3] and 256th–highest on the Vandeleur-Lynam list. [4] [5] Knocknahillion is in the middle sector of the long north-west to the south-east spine of the Maumturks. [5] [6] The summit is offset to the west of the rocky central ridge of the Maumturks, and its western-facing slopes have a distinctive "diagonal" rock stratification when viewed from the Inagh Valley. [5] [6]
Irish academic Paul Tempan notes that Knocknahillion derives its name from the townlands of Illion and Illion West ( Irish: Uillinn, meaning "elbow"). [2] [7] It is to the west of the central spine of the Maumturks range at a point where the range turns to a more south-easterly direction (like an elbow). [6]
Knocknahillion is in the middle sector of the long north-west to south-east central spine of the Maumturks range in Connemara. [6]
To the north, Knocknahillion is connected to Letterbreckaun, the 2nd highest peak in the range at 667 metres (2,188 ft), by a high winding rocky ridge that includes the subsidiary peak of Knocknahillion North Top at 541 metres (1,775 ft), whose prominence of 38 metres (125 ft) qualifies it as an Arderin. [5] Further along this ridge lies the minor peak of Barrlugrevagh at 558 metres (1,831 ft), whose prominence of 17 metres (56 ft) qualifies it as an Arderin Beg. [5]
To the southeast of Knocknahillion is the col of Maumahoge ( Irish: Mhám Ochóige), which then rises up again to the corrie lake of Lough Maumahoge ( Irish: Loch Mhám Ochóige), and eventually to Binn idir an dá Log, the highest mountain in the range at 702 metres (2,303 ft). [5] [6] [8]
The easiest way summit Knocknahillion is a 5-kilometre 2-3-hour route via the pass of Maumahoge; 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 sharp "v-shaped" col of Maam Turk ( Irish: Mám Tuirc, meaning "pass of the boar"), from which the entire range bears its name. [6] [8] [9]
Knocknahillion is also climbed as part of the Maamturks Challenge, a 25-kilometre 10–12 hour walk over the full Maumturks range (from Maam Cross to Leenaun), which is considered one of the "great classic ridge-walks of Ireland", [8] but of "extreme grade" due to the circa 7,600 feet of total ascent; however, because the peak of Knocknahillon is offset to the west of the core winding rocky ridge, it is not always summited during the challenge. [9] [10] [11] [12]
While the Maumturks range is not particularly known for rock climbing routes (unlike Bencorr and its Carrot Ridge spur, across the Inagh Valley), some have been developed at a crag just below and west of Lough Maumahoge (L876 532), with routes of 90 to 190 metres at climbing grades of S to HVS. [13]
Walk 15 Binn Bhriocáin and Mám Tuirc
Route 35: The Central Maumturks – North
Route 19: Letterbreckaun
Knocknahillion | |
---|---|
Cnoc na hUilleann | |
Highest point | |
Elevation | 607 m (1,991 ft) [1] |
Prominence | 152 m (499 ft) [1] |
Listing | Marilyn, Hewitt, Arderin, Simm, Vandeleur-Lynam |
Coordinates | 53°31′19″N 9°42′14″W / 53.521816°N 9.703964°W [1] |
Naming | |
English translation | hill of the elbow |
Language of name | Irish |
Geography | |
Location | County Galway, Republic of Ireland |
Parent range | Maumturks |
OSI/OSNI grid | L8703653756 |
Topo map | OSi Discovery 37 |
Geology | |
Type of rock | Pale quartzites, grits, graphitic top bedrock [1] |
Climbing | |
Easiest route | Via pass of Maumahoge |
Knocknahillion ( Irish: Cnoc na hUilleann, meaning "hill of the elbow") [2] is one of the Maumturk Mountains of Connemara in County Galway, Ireland. At 607 metres (1,991 ft), it is the 210th–highest peak in Ireland on the Arderin list, [3] and 256th–highest on the Vandeleur-Lynam list. [4] [5] Knocknahillion is in the middle sector of the long north-west to the south-east spine of the Maumturks. [5] [6] The summit is offset to the west of the rocky central ridge of the Maumturks, and its western-facing slopes have a distinctive "diagonal" rock stratification when viewed from the Inagh Valley. [5] [6]
Irish academic Paul Tempan notes that Knocknahillion derives its name from the townlands of Illion and Illion West ( Irish: Uillinn, meaning "elbow"). [2] [7] It is to the west of the central spine of the Maumturks range at a point where the range turns to a more south-easterly direction (like an elbow). [6]
Knocknahillion is in the middle sector of the long north-west to south-east central spine of the Maumturks range in Connemara. [6]
To the north, Knocknahillion is connected to Letterbreckaun, the 2nd highest peak in the range at 667 metres (2,188 ft), by a high winding rocky ridge that includes the subsidiary peak of Knocknahillion North Top at 541 metres (1,775 ft), whose prominence of 38 metres (125 ft) qualifies it as an Arderin. [5] Further along this ridge lies the minor peak of Barrlugrevagh at 558 metres (1,831 ft), whose prominence of 17 metres (56 ft) qualifies it as an Arderin Beg. [5]
To the southeast of Knocknahillion is the col of Maumahoge ( Irish: Mhám Ochóige), which then rises up again to the corrie lake of Lough Maumahoge ( Irish: Loch Mhám Ochóige), and eventually to Binn idir an dá Log, the highest mountain in the range at 702 metres (2,303 ft). [5] [6] [8]
The easiest way summit Knocknahillion is a 5-kilometre 2-3-hour route via the pass of Maumahoge; 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 sharp "v-shaped" col of Maam Turk ( Irish: Mám Tuirc, meaning "pass of the boar"), from which the entire range bears its name. [6] [8] [9]
Knocknahillion is also climbed as part of the Maamturks Challenge, a 25-kilometre 10–12 hour walk over the full Maumturks range (from Maam Cross to Leenaun), which is considered one of the "great classic ridge-walks of Ireland", [8] but of "extreme grade" due to the circa 7,600 feet of total ascent; however, because the peak of Knocknahillon is offset to the west of the core winding rocky ridge, it is not always summited during the challenge. [9] [10] [11] [12]
While the Maumturks range is not particularly known for rock climbing routes (unlike Bencorr and its Carrot Ridge spur, across the Inagh Valley), some have been developed at a crag just below and west of Lough Maumahoge (L876 532), with routes of 90 to 190 metres at climbing grades of S to HVS. [13]
Walk 15 Binn Bhriocáin and Mám Tuirc
Route 35: The Central Maumturks – North
Route 19: Letterbreckaun