Slemish

About Slemish

Rising abruptly from the Antrim plateau, this dramatic volcanic plug offers a short, sharp ascent that belies its modest height. Its craggy, dark dolerite slopes contrast sharply with the surrounding green farmland. Once at the summit, you're rewarded with a panoramic perspective across the Braid Valley towards the distant Sperrin Mountains.

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Did You Know?

• •The name originates from the Irish Sliabh Mis, meaning the 'mountain of Mis'. While the identity of Mis is obscured by mythology, the name has persisted for centuries as a primary landmark in the local folklore of County Antrim.
• •Tradition holds that a teenage Saint Patrick was brought here as a slave in the 5th century. He spent six years tending sheep on these slopes for a local chieftain named Milchu, an experience credited with deepening his faith before his eventual escape.
• •The hill is a textbook example of a volcanic plug. Formed during the Palaeogene period, it is the solidified core of an extinct volcano where molten magma hardened within the vent, eventually outlasting the softer surrounding landscape through erosion.
• •From the summit, the view stretches across the Braid Valley to the town of Ballymena. On exceptionally clear days, walkers can look beyond the Antrim coast to see the distinctive silhouettes of the Paps of Jura on the Scottish horizon.
• •Every March 17th, the quiet slopes are transformed as thousands of people make a traditional pilgrimage to the top. It is perhaps the only day of the year when the rugged, pathless ascent feels more like a crowded high street than a mountain.