Knocknashee

knocknashee

Walk Category: Upland Walk
Walk Grade: Strenuous
Walking Terrain: Mountain Trail
Waymarking: Red Arrows
Trailhead: Roadside Parking
Dogs: Dogs not allowed

Length: 5.5km
Ascent: 120m
Time: 1.5hrs
Suggested Gear: Walking Boots, fluids and snacks
Longitude: 54.11675
Latitude: -8.669593


Directions to the Trailhead

Take the N17 from Sligo towards Galway. After approx. 27km you pass Coolaney-Mullinabreena GAA pitch to your left, followed almost immediately by the Homeland store to your right. Turn right here. At the Sacred Heart Church turn right and the mountain will appear to your left. Limited roadside parking is available.

The Trail Map:- OSI Map Series 25

Knocknashee (Cnoc na Sí – Hill of the Fairies) is one of Ireland’s largest Bronze Age hillforts. While not as well-known as its larger mountain cousin Ben Bulben, Knocknashee is nonetheless a beautiful table top mountain which overlooks the drumlins and plains of south Sligo. This trail is linear in nature and provides access to an open plateau at the summit.

Knocknashee, is a notable feature in the generally flat, low-lying landscape of South Sligo. Rising to 270m, the 53-acre limestone plateau is clearly visible from the nearby N17 Galway-Sligo road. With its encircling earth and stone ramparts, burial cairns, and hut sites, Knocknashee is rich in megalithic history and holds a central part in Irish folklore. It is believed to have been a fortified pre-historic town, possibly the ‘capital’ of late-Bronze Age Connacht (c. 1000 BC). Michael Gibbons, one of Ireland’s leading field archaeologists, refers to it as “one of the great European hill-forts”.

The Route
The trail begins at the ‘kissing gate’ which leads to a steep gravel path and steps towards the summit. The ascent is c. 120m and about 0.5 km in length. Sturdy footwear/boots are recommended as the trail can be wet and slippery. At the end of this path is a stile leading to an open grassy plateau, continue straight ahead to the summit and cairn, or turn right and follow the stone wall, taking a circular route around the plateau with panoramic views of the surrounding landscape, including Keash Hill (17km to the east), the Ox Mountains (6km to the west), Knocknarea (32km to the north) and on a really clear day, Crough Patrick (80km to the southwest). Just a few kms the the southeast you can clearly see Court Abbey, which is worth a visit.

Prehistory at Knocknashee

Knocknashee is part of the Ox Mountain range, formed 300-340 million years ago during the Carboniferous period. It is a table top mountain which, although not as well-known as Ben Bulben to the north, provides an arresting feature in the landscape of south Sligo. It is the location of one of Ireland’s largest Bronze Age hill forts. At the summit you will find evidence of two cairns which were possibly passage tombs, evidence of the hill’s importance to our ancestors. One of the cairns is located towards the northern end of the hilltop, has a diameter of 28m and a height of 2.5m. The second cairn is located on the northeastern face, 28m in diameter and just 1m in height. There is also some evidence of the outline of the foundations of dwelling structures around the summit.

Did You Know?
Exposed rock on the southern face of the hill is known locally as the wishing chair and it is said that if you can see Croagh Patrick on a clear day when you sit in it, your wish will come true. The plateau offers panoramic views of the surrounding landscape, including Keash Hill (17km to the east), the Ox Mountains (6km to the west), Knocknarea (32km to the north) and on a really clear day, Croagh Patrick (80km to the southwest). Just a few kms to the southeast you can clearly see Court Abbey, which is worth a visit.

WB Yeats mentions Knocknashee in his poem The Ballad of Fr O’Hart.

NB: Please note that the property traversed by this route is private and access is available by kind permission of the landowners. The summit and its surrounds once constituted a sacred burial place and should be treated with dignity and respect.

Nearby walks you might like

Tubbercurry Trail

A forest and bog land trail located on the Ballina Road in Tubbercurry

Tubbercurry-Trail

Coolaney Road and River Walk

A pleasant river and road walk which forms a circuit through the countryside of Coolaney

Sligo Walks Podcast 006 – Knocknashee

Michael Toolan tells the SligoWalks.ie podcast about the development of a new walk at Knocknashee in Sligo.

Latest news items from the SligoWalks blog

  • Forests Close Due To Storm Éowyn

    Forests Close Due To Storm Éowyn

    Due to extensive damage to trees and paths in forests across Sligo, the public is being asked to stay away from walking in our recreational forests at least for the coming days and possibly for longer. Hundreds of trees fell at Slish Wood alone due to high winds and harvesting machines will need to be…

  • Stay Indoors During Storm Éowyn

    As Storm Éowyn approaches overnight from the Atlantic, walkers are reminded to take all precautions ahead of what is looking like a very strong and life threatening storm. We’ve been asked by the National Emergency Coordination Group chief Keith Leonard to remind you that this will be one of the most dangerous storms that we’ve…

  • Irish Stoat Survey – Call Out To Sligo

    Irish Stoat Survey – Call Out To Sligo

    The Irish Stoat Citizen Science Survey is in its final weeks, and researchers need your help! Nearly 800 sightings have been verified across Ireland, with only 19 from County Sligo. If you have seen an Irish stoat, alive or dead, please submit your sightings via the National Biodiversity Data Centre website before the end of January to…

  • Plan ahead and Prepare
  • Dispose of waste properly
  • Leave what you find
  • Respect wildlife and farm stock
  • Be considerate of others
  • Minimise the effects of fire

One response to “Knocknashee”

  1. Padraic Boylan

    Absolutely delightful experience, never imagined such high hill in this beautiful area surrounded by such a expanse of lowland, contributing to breathtaking views.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *