Overview
The Partry Mountains are the least-visited of the ranges that ring Killary Harbour, Ireland’s only fjord, and for walkers after solitude that is exactly the appeal. Where the Twelve Bens and Maamturks nearby rise in sharp serrated ridges, the Partry range (Sliabh Phártraí) is a broad, ancient plateau of peat and rock straddling the Mayo–Galway border. Glaciers ground its surface flat, then meltwater cut deep gorges and plunge pools into its flanks, so the walking splits in two: featureless bog up top, sharply incised valleys below. Lough Nafooey sits at its heart.
Peaks and summit walks
If you want a summit, Maumtrasna (Mám Trasna) is the high point at 682 metres, and its plateau is notoriously featureless, a genuinely disorienting place in mist and one to attempt only with map, compass and the skills to use them. On a clear day the reward stretches to Lough Mask, Mweelrea and Croagh Patrick. Devilsmother (645 metres), to the south-west above the head of Killary Harbour, is a waypoint on the long-distance Western Way; its English name is a polite rendering of the blunter Irish. Knocklaur and Bunnacunneen fill in the ground between the two main tops.
| Peak | Irish Name | Meaning | Height |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maumtrasna | Mám Trasna | The Great Shoulder | 682 m |
| Devilsmother | Magairlí an Deamhain / Binn Gharbh | The Demon’s Testicles / Rough Peak | 645 m |
| Glennagleragh | An Cnoc Beag | The Little Hill | 617 m |
| Bunnacunneen | Binn Uí Chuinneáin | Kinnane’s Peak | 575 m |
| Knocklaur | Cnoc Láir | Middle Hill | 518 m |
| Barnahowna | Mám Cam | Crooked Pass | 516 m |
Lough Nafooey and easy walking
For anyone not after a plateau slog, the Lough Nafooey loop is the walk to do: flat, easy going through bog and heather around the lake, fine for families. The lake drains north towards the River Erriff and on to Aasleagh Falls. Nearby, the Aille River rises in the range and drains its north-west flank before vanishing underground at the Aille Caves, resurging at Pollatoomary and running on through Cloon Lough to Lough Mask, a quiet piece of hydrology worth knowing if you walk that side.
Fishing
Lough Nafooey, Lough Mask and Lough Corrib all hold brown trout, pike and perch, and the Erriff and its feeder streams are wild-trout water. No licence or permit is needed to fish here, though the usual conservation rules apply, so check current bag and size limits before you keep anything. Fishing pressure stays low, which is much of the draw.
Birdwatching and wildlife
The open plateaus, heather moorland and steep rocky slopes suit upland birds. Meadow pipits, skylarks, stonechats and wrens are here year-round, with migrating passerines passing through in spring and autumn. Raptors are the real draw: kestrels and sparrowhawks hunt the lower slopes, merlins turn up now and then, and peregrine falcons have been recorded using the corries and cliff faces. Walk quietly through the bog and you may also see red deer, feral goats and the odd otter near the water.
Practical information
Getting there
Leenane is the nearest village and the most practical base. It sits at the junction of the N59 (Clifden to Westport) and the R336 (the Maam Cross road). Bus Éireann Route 419 runs intermittently between Galway city, Oughterard and Clifden, stopping in Leenane. From the village, minor roads lead to trailheads for the Maumtrasna approach and the Devilsmother loop.
Maps and navigation
The plateau is open and disorienting in poor visibility, so navigation skills are essential. Ordnance Survey Ireland Discovery Series Sheet 38 (1:50,000) covers the whole range, while the more detailed OSI Adventure Series South Mayo map (1:25,000) is well worth having for the summits. Guidebooks such as Connemara & Mayo – Mountain, Coastal & Island Walks give step-by-step routes.
Safety
Weather here turns quickly. Waterproofs, sturdy boots and a charged phone are the minimum in any season. Winter brings snow and ice to the higher cols, turning familiar paths into technical ground; ice axe and crampons come out for the steeper ascents. The area is unserviced, and while remote sections are popular for wild camping, that means strict Leave No Trace, all waste packed out, and dogs kept close around livestock and nesting birds.
Best time to visit
Spring and early summer bring mild weather and wildflowers, autumn the golden heather and quieter trails. Summer weekends put more traffic on the approach roads, so arrive early.
Parking and access
There is no charge to walk the Partry Mountains. Parking is informal, at lay-bys near the Lough Nafooey shore and along the mountain roads out of Leenane and Tourmakeady, and some minor access roads are gated or close after snow, so check conditions before setting off.