Slieve Gallion

About Slieve Gallion

Sitting as the easternmost outpost of the Sperrins, this sprawling massif dominates the landscape above Moneymore. The summit offers an immense perspective across Lough Neagh toward Slemish. Expect a mix of quiet service roads and challenging peat hags, providing a rugged, atmospheric experience for those bagging this prominent Marilyn.

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Did You Know?

• •The name is derived from the Irish Sliabh gCallann, meaning the mountain of Callann. Local lore suggests Callann was a legendary hound belonging to the High King Niall Glúndub, which met its end on these slopes.
• •From the high point, the view eastward is dominated by the vast expanse of Lough Neagh, with the distinct profile of Slemish in County Antrim and the distant Mourne Mountains visible on clear days.
• •A narrow service road leads most of the way up to the telecommunications masts on the northeastern summit, but reaching the true 527m peak requires a trek across significantly wetter, pathless peat moorland.
• •Near the summit sits a large cairn known as the Inishmid Rock, which traditionally served as a marker for the boundary between the ancient parishes of Desertmartin, Lissan, and Ballinascreen.
• •Choosing the tarmac service road for the ascent offers the rare hillwalking luxury of keeping your boots dry, right up until the moment you leave the road for the true summit and rediscover the authentic, boggy reality of the Sperrins.