Slieve League is home to some of the most impressive sea cliffs in Europe. Even from Bunglass, you can’t help but be awe-struck by the sheer grandeur of the precipice plunging into the ocean beneath you.

The walk follows a steep and sometimes exposed path along the clifftop to the 595m summit. The trail is paved with stone flagstones for the first section, then dwindles to an earthen footpath. You climb over several undulations during the ascent, including the vertiginous Eagles Nest. Further up lies the hazardous knife-edge ridge of One Man’s Pass, though most hikers bypass this easily on its landward side.

The ridge broadens as you approach the mountain’s peat-covered eastern top, with the true summit and trig pillar another kilometre further on. The views are predictably impressive from both locations, with a better Atlantic vista hard to imagine.

Simply reverse your outward route to return to Bunglass below.

- Helen Fairbairn
 

Don’t Miss

The space and exhilaration that only comes atop high Atlantic cliffs

The remains of an early Christian monastic site, visible on Slieve League’s eastern slopes

Practical Information

Treat this as a mountain ascent, carrying all necessary supplies and avoiding bad weather. Take great care near the cliff edge.

Bring cash to pay for your parking ticket in Bunglass

During summer months, park at Slieve League Visitor Centre and take the shuttle bus to and from Bunglass