12 bens

goods

thinking about heading out tomorro for a ramble , just wondering if anyone can recommend any good starting points for a good hike up around the 12 bens, have no idea really where to go, iv heard that a good place to start is from a hostel just outside Cliften at the foot of the mnts ?

fergalr

The usual disclaimers apply, you'd better know what your doing, navigation, leave a routecard, mountains in winter etc etc.
Assuming all that...

People do start from the hostel, go up binn breac (or whatever the south-west one is called) and go along the horseshoe, never done that exact approach, so not sure how technical it gets, although I've been on the horse shoe a fair bit.

One of the easiest, safest ways up onto the bens is to go up Derryclare from the south. That's a long gentle climb. You can park at the foot of derryclare, or drive up into the valley, past the bus depot on the narrow road (the buses should be obvious, it's one of the first turn offs after the hostel as you are coming out of clifden, and its in the middle of the horseshoe), and leave the car there by the side of the road and go straight up derryclare.

I've done that a number of times, and it's a very gradual climb.

Lots of people use the hostel as a starting point though, if it's open I'm sure they'd give you information...

goods

cheers il get the map out and have a look