Hiking Derryclare Mountain - Twelve Bens, Connemara

A hike up Derryclare in the Twelve Bens in Connemara with clear views of the entire mountain range. I started this walk on a track off the R344 between Lough Inagh and Derryclare Lough. There is a track alongside the shore of the Derryclare Lough which eventually reaches open mountainside to commence your climb up Derryclare. As you begin the climb - the Maumturks, Lough Inagh and Derryclare Lough provide an impressive view behind you. This route was quite wet and slippy on the lower part of the mountain and the higher I went the ridges and summits of the other peaks of the Twelve Bens/Pins came into view. The final ascent is steep and a bit of a scramble but well worth the effort. I decided to do a looped walk and came down the ridge next to Binn an Doirín keeping the stream to my right hand side. I eventually (after a battle through a forest) linked up with the forest track to return me to where my car was parked.