Ox Mountains – Knockalongy and the Sligo Way

Overview

The Ox Mountains are old, and the weather has worn them down from real peaks to the long, low heather ridge you see today. The Irish name, Sliabh Gamh, means ‘storm mountains’.

The range runs west-southwest from just south of Ballysadare towards the County Mayo border, filling the western horizon of County Sligo above Ballisodare Bay. It is a mix of granite, gneiss and metamorphic rock under blanket bog, forestry and sheep pasture. Knockalongy, at 544 m, is the high point, but the appeal is the emptiness: moorland, scattered old monuments, and a handful of trails through the valleys and along the ridge. The range is also called St Patrick’s Mountains, after the saint who is said to have built churches on the slopes and blessed wells across them.

History

The rough ground did the locals a favour. It was awkward enough that the Normans never settled here in force, which helped keep the area under Gaelic control long after other parts of Ireland had changed hands. Older still are the Neolithic and Bronze Age remains – stone circles, cairns and ring forts on the higher ground – many left untouched because tampering with the old sites was thought to invite the wrath of the aos sí, the fairies. In the 19th century there was a short-lived run of lead and copper mining on the lower slopes, and traces of the workings remain. The River Moy rises near Cloonacool and feeds the fisheries the region is better known for.

Walking

• The Sligo Way – Sport Ireland lists the Sligo Way as an 80 km trail from Lough Talt, in the Ox Mountains, to Dromahair in County Leitrim. It is a good place to start for a marked route. Choose a stage and arrange transport from its far end before setting out, and follow waymarks and any diversions.
• Knockalongy and the ridge – the high ground is open hill rather than a waymarked path, and the ridge has no waymarks. Treat it as a separate undertaking: carry an Ordnance Survey map and compass and know how to use them, check land access before you go, and turn back if weather or visibility makes the route uncertain.

Mountain biking at Coolaney

Coillte’s Coolaney centre, on the eastern side of the range, has purpose-built trails graded blue, red and black: climbs through pine and heath, then twisty descents with berms, rollers and rocky sections. The higher trails open up views north over Ballisodare and Sligo bays.

Check the operator’s map and trail notices, and choose a grade you can ride comfortably. Beginners should start on the blue loops; the red and black descents are for riders who know what they are doing. The trails are one way, so follow the signs. If the centre car park is full, Coillte directs visitors to additional parking in Coolaney village.

Scenic drive and fishing

The Ox Mountain scenic route runs along the lower slopes with regular pull-outs – a good slow drive, dark ridges on one side and green valleys below, and a quiet stop to watch the light change over the moorland.

There is trout fishing in the catchment too. The Owenmore River, which rises near Gurteen and runs through Templehouse Lake to the Ballysadare River, holds both trout and salmon. Licence and permit rules differ by species and water, so check current Inland Fisheries Ireland rules before you cast.

Practical information

• Getting there: the nearest towns are Ballysadare and Tubbercurry; from Dublin take the M4 to the N4 to Sligo, then follow signs for the scenic route.
• Parking: use the parking listed for your trailhead and check signs on arrival. Spaces can be limited at busy times, so come early or mid-week.
• Maps: use the Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSi) mapping for the range. The Sligo Way is waymarked; the ridge and the open hill are not.
• Transport: you will want a car for the trailheads and the scenic pull-outs.
• Best season: late spring to early autumn for the weather and the heather in colour. Winter is fine with sturdy boots, waterproofs and navigation skills.
• Safety: weather changes fast on the exposed tops. Carry map, compass and warm layers, tell someone your route, and keep clear of old mine workings.

Nearby

• Carrowmore – a megalithic cemetery near Sligo town and easy to fold into the same day.
• Carrowkeel – a cluster of passage tombs in the Bricklieve hills to the south, some aligned with the solstice.
• Benbulben – the flat-topped mountain north of the range, with a forest walk around its base for a complete contrast in limestone.

If you have one afternoon, choose between a marked stage of the Sligo Way and the Coolaney trails. Check the Coillte trail notices before you set off, as heavy rain or forestry work can close sections at short notice.