Bengorm [An Bhinn Ghorm]

Guarding the southwestern edge of the Nephin Beg range, this peat-covered Marilyn offers a wild, solitary experience. The terrain is typically Mayo—soft and demanding—but the summit rewards the effort with a commanding view over the Owenduff River valley and the intricate coastline of Clew Bay.

• •The name derives from the Irish 'An Bhinn Ghorm', meaning 'the blue peak'. In Irish topography, the word 'gorm' is often used to describe the dark, hazy, or blue-green tint that hills take on when viewed through the moisture-heavy Atlantic air.
• •Bengorm overlooks the Owenduff Bog to the north, which represents one of the last remaining intact Atlantic blanket bog systems in Western Europe and forms a core part of the Wild Nephin National Park.
• •The summit offers a clear perspective of the famous drowned drumlin landscape of Clew Bay, with the distinctive quartzite cone of Croagh Patrick visible across the water to the south.
• •Walkers often pair Bengorm with its higher eastern neighbour, Corranabinnia; however, the intervening col is notoriously saturated and requires careful navigation to avoid the deepest peat hags.
• •If you manage to return to the trailhead with dry socks, you have either experienced a rare Mayo drought or have mastered the local art of levitating over saturated bog.