Slievemore may not be the most challenging climb, but it is sure to take your breath away, writes Denis Coghlan
WHEN YOU reach a comfortable age in life, walking becomes increasingly weather-related. You no longer enjoy slogging through torrential rain in order to gain a summit that offers nothing but five metres of visibility and the possibility of a nasty accident.
That is why Slievemore, on Achill Island in Co Mayo, offers something for all the family. If conditions become an issue, the climb can be postponed in favour of the beach; of water or windsurfing; or of megalithic monuments and a medieval-style booley village, all immediately available at its base.
Slievemore, the "big mountain", turns its broad backside to Belmullet and reverses into the sea. Southward, its flank rises over Keel Lough and the Deserted Village and provides terrific views of Clare Island, Turk and Boffin. To the west, the immense sea cliffs of Croaghaun and Achill Head provide further challenges while, to the east, a tide rip at Bullsmouth leads the eye towards the flat crown of Corraun. It is an amazing place, distilling the essence of island panoramas, blanket bog wilderness and western cloudscapes into a memorable experience.
It is not an easy walk. But it is over grass or heather and is within the capability of any reasonably fit person. If you do run out of puff, you can at least enjoy incredible views when you reach the Star Stone. The Star Stone is a large quartz boulder on the southwestern shoulder of the mountain that may have been placed there in Neolithic times. Its white shimmer leads you upwards from the car park. From there, you can speculate on whether the sea once washed the edge of the mountain and filled Keel Lough before it was sealed off by Atlantic storms.
Two hours will bring you comfortably to a ridge walk that has few challengers in Ireland. At 671m, Slievemore is not in the big league but, because you climb from sea level, it appears to be higher. The summit is broad and welcoming, narrowing to easterly drop-offs. It is a place to relish, with the Mullet and Inishkea islands to the north and a golden orb gracing its trig point. But it should be treated with respect. The mountain is not welcoming when the mist is down. Keep an eye to Inishbofin or Croaghaun for approaching weather fronts. Don't be caught out.
A westerly descent is easiest, leaving the Star Stone below and to your left while dropping along the ridge to the extremity of the Deserted Village. A leisurely stroll brings you back to the car park by way of the Deserted Village, with its tumbled stone cottages and a system of summer grazing that reaches back to the 12th century.
Slievemore should be climbed in good visibility, and, because it is so accessible, that is easily managed. It is not big. But then neither is Achill. As Patrick Kavanagh observed: "Gods make their own importance." Slievemore, Co Mayo
Start and finishCar park at the Deserted Village, two kilometres north-east of Keel
How to get thereBy car or bus
DistanceEight kilometres
TimeThree hours, plus time to sit and stare
MapsOrdnance Survey Ireland Discovery Series, sheet 30.
SuitabilityAn easy but steep walk for all ages. Know how to read a map and use a compass. Dress appropriately. Bring drinks and snacks and leave only footprints.