The perennial problem of a long traverse of a mountain range is what to do when you get to the far end and must face a long road walk back to your car if you haven’t a second vehicle at your disposal. A bicycle will sometimes solve the problem but on this occasion I hadn’t thought to bring one.
The crux is easily solved on the Sheeffry Hills in Co Mayo, as the summit ridge is comfortably grassy underfoot, so the obvious choice is to retrace the route and so avoid 12km of hard road, not to mention quite a steep descent to get to it.
Starting at the gate across the road from the car park you can begin climbing straight up to spot height 436m. Apart from some long grass and reeds at the start the going is easy.
It was a calm morning with a layer of thin alto-cumulus cloud preventing the sun from animating the landscape so that the impressive array of the serrated ridges of south Mayo and Connemara were etched in dark relief. The shadows they cast on the still waters of Tawnyard Lough beneath made the surface look black until a gentle breeze riffled the water and burnished it to silver. Once you reach the little peak you will have an outstanding view of the encircling cliffs of Glenlaur’s glaciated coom.
Glaciated valley
Flanked by glistening, meandering rivers on both sides, there is a long, steady pull up to spot height 742m, interrupted by two small cols. The Ordnance Survey map names only one of the peaks on the ridge; but this peak is known locally as Teivebinnia. From it there is a superb view into a glaciated valley with the tarn of Lough Brawn at its head from which the river Bunowen issues to wind its way across the flat boglands that appear to stretch to infinity.
It is an easy jaunt around the top of the cliffs to triangulation station 762m (aka Tievummera). There is a superb view across to Croagh Patrick with its scree-enshrouded upper slopes rising out of a surprisingly long ridge. Away to the northeast an exotic touch was added as the triangular outline of Nephin was capped by a white cloud giving it the appearance of an erupting volcano.
Circling around to Barraclashcame (772m), a little frisson will be added to your day as there is an arête along the way but not one that should give you any cause for concern, for while it has cliffs on both sides there are no awkward spots on the ridge.
From the summit, walk a short distance southwest for an excellent view down into Doo Lough and across to the louring east face of the Mweelrae massif.
The return is an easy trundle, as all the long ascents are now descents and it was with the greatest pleasure I could look down on the long and winding road that would possibly have broken my mettle.
A two-way traverse of the Sheeffry Hills, Co Mayo
Panel map: Ordnance Survey discovery series, sheet 37.
Start and finish: the car park near the top of the Sheeffry Pass. Grid reference: 913 679.
How to get there: take the N59 north from Leenaun, then turn left on to the R335 Louisburg road. Shortly after reaching the southern end of Doo Lough, take a right turn on to a third-class road which is signposted for the Sheeffry Pass. The car park is on your right, opposite the islands on Tawnyard Lough.
Time: six hours.
Distance: 16km.
Total ascent: 900m.
Suitability: route is moderate.
Food and accommodation: Leenaun.
