Ben Bury rises to 795m (2,608ft) and forms the north-eastern shoulder of the Mweelrea massif in County Mayo, the third-highest summit in the range and 45th in Ireland. Its Irish name, Ucht an Chreagáin, means ‘breast of the little crag’, a nod to the rounded shape that earned it the old English nickname ‘Oughty Craggy’. The peak sits on a horseshoe ridge with Mweelrea (814m) and Ben Lugmore, looking south over the fjord of Killary Harbour and north into the glacial valley of Glenconnelly.
Few people climb Ben Bury on its own. It hasn’t the cairned drama of Mweelrea next door, and the summit itself is a flat plateau scattered with boulders rather than a defined point. What it has is the position: the top opens out to a 360-degree view across Killary, the Atlantic coastline and the surrounding peaks, and that view is the reason to do the walk. If you only have the legs for one summit in this corner of Mayo, make it Mweelrea – but the full ridge takes in both, and Ben Bury is the better viewpoint of the two.
The Mweelrea Horseshoe
The standard way to reach Ben Bury is the Mweelrea Horseshoe, a 15km circuit from the Delphi Mountain Spa & Lodge (grid reference L840652). Guidebooks rate it among the best ridge walks in Ireland, and it earns that. The route works clockwise:
- Start at Delphi and follow the Owenaglough River upstream through boggy ground.
- Take the steep pull up to Mweelrea’s summit cairn.
- Continue north-east along the ridge, dropping to the col that leads to Ben Bury.
- Cross Ben Bury’s flat top, where cairns mark the high point.
- Descend the narrow ridge towards the gap and retrace your steps to Delphi.
Reckon on 6 to 7 hours and about 1,200m of total ascent. The lower ground near the Owenaglough is wet after rain, and the ridge is exposed once you’re on it.
Other ways up
For a single-peak day, the direct Ben Bury route (17.1km, 4,135m of gain) is the popular choice. It uses the same Delphi base, climbs the Mweelrea ridge, summits Mweelrea, then drops to the Ben Bury col before the final pull. It’s graded moderate to hard and usually takes 7 hours.
Two shorter approaches are described by local walkers:
- The Ramp – an eastern ascent from the Coum Dubh (Sruhauncullinmore) valley. The track climbs steeply to the col between Ben Lugmore and Ben Bury, then follows the ridge to the top. It skips the long Mweelrea ridge but pays for it with a steep, rocky scramble.
- Doo Lough access – a car park at the south-east end of Doo Lough (grid L8282 6950) gives the shortest line to the Ben Bury col. A marked track leads past the neck of land between Doo Lough and Glencullin Lough before joining the ridge. Limited spaces, no facilities.
Both appear on the OS Discovery Series 37 map.
Scrambles and winter routes
The north-east slopes offer Grade 1-2 scrambles for experienced hillwalkers. In winter the Lough Bellawaum corrie, on the north-east side, holds two graded ice and mixed lines: the Blue Route (Grade II/III, 270m) and the Red Route (Grade III, 305m). These need ice-axe and crampon skills and the conditions to match – they are not casual outings.
The rock underfoot
Ben Bury is part of the Mweelrea Formation, mostly Ordovician sandstones laid down on ancient alluvial fans and delta plains, with interbedded volcanic ash that gives the rock a speckled look. It’s a different beast from the quartzite Twelve Bens across the harbour. The north faces are steep and craggy; the summit plateau is flat, dotted with cairns and boulders.
For the record, the mountain’s 60m (196ft) of prominence is what puts it on the Vandeleur-Lynam and Arderin lists of recognised Irish summits.
Getting there and parking
From Westport, the nearest large town, take the R335 south-west to Louisburgh and continue to the Delphi centre. The main car park is at the Delphi Adventure Centre on the R335 near Louisburgh: free parking, a small café and toilets. The alternative is the Doo Lough south-east car park (grid L8282 6950), with limited spaces and no facilities. You can also approach the R335 from Leenane to the south.
Public transport is the weak point. There’s only a limited bus to Louisburgh and nothing close to the trailhead, so a car is effectively essential. The nearest major airport is Ireland West Airport Knock, about 70km north-east, where car hire is the practical option. The summit is open-access with no entry fee.
When to go, and the warnings
The mountain is most walked in August, September and October, when the days are long and the ground is at its driest. After rain the lower sections near the Owenaglough are properly boggy, and the ridge is exposed enough that visibility can shut down fast – carry a map, compass and enough clothing whatever the forecast says at the car park. The Blue and Red winter routes in the corrie demand full winter skills; don’t go near them without them.
Worth a stop nearby
- Aasleagh Falls – a waterfall on the R335 a few kilometres north of Delphi, best after a few days of rain when the Erriff is in spate. (Aasleagh Falls)
- Doo Lough – the lake mirrors the surrounding peaks on a still day; a good spot to break the drive.
- Killary Harbour – Ireland’s only true fjord, with boat tours and sea-to-mountain views.
- Ben Lugmore – the neighbouring peak, usually combined with Ben Bury on the horseshoe.
