Gleninagh Mountain

About Gleninagh Mountain

Overlooking the southern shores of Galway Bay, this limestone peak epitomises the Burren’s stark, terraced beauty. Its grey karst plateaus provide a unique, grippy ascent, leading to a summit plateau that offers expansive views over the Atlantic toward the Aran Islands and the distant peaks of Connemara.

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Did You Know?

• •The name is derived from the Irish 'Gleann Eidhneach', meaning the valley of ivy; while the summit is a desert of grey stone, the name refers to the sheltered, verdant valleys at its base.
• •From the summit cairn, walkers are rewarded with a vast panorama across the water to the Twelve Bens of Connemara and the limestone cliffs of the Aran Islands.
• •At the northern foot of the mountain stands Gleninagh Castle, a 16th-century L-plan tower house once belonging to the O'Loughlin family, who were known as the 'Princes of the Burren'.
• •The mountain’s limestone pavements are home to a rare botanical mix, where spring gentians and mountain avens grow in the sheltered fissures, known as grykes.
• •Despite its modest height, the hill demands constant attention; the Burren's limestone pavements are designed to ensure that any walker not watching their feet will eventually find themselves shin-deep in a gryke.