Sawel

About Sawel

Rising as the highest point of the Sperrin Mountains, this rounded, peat-heavy summit straddles the border between County Londonderry and Tyrone. It offers a remote, often boggy experience typical of the range, rewarding walkers with expansive views across the Foyle towards the Inishowen Peninsula and the distant hills of Donegal.

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Did You Know?

• •The name is derived from the Irish 'Samhail Phádraig', which translates to 'Patrick’s likeness' or 'resemblance', suggesting the mountain’s profile was once associated with the saint.
• •Sawel serves as the county top for both Londonderry and Tyrone; a long-standing boundary fence runs directly over the summit to mark the divide.
• •The most popular approach begins from the high point of the A212 road at the Sperrin Pass, offering a relatively short but consistently wet climb through deep heather.
• •From the summit trig pillar, the panoramic view includes the neighbouring peak of Meenard, the waters of Lough Foyle, and, on exceptionally clear days, the distant Paps of Jura in Scotland.
• •Hiking here involves an inevitable encounter with 'Sperrin Soup'—the local term for the treacherous, ink-black peat hags that can easily swallow a walker to the knee.