Bessy Bell

About Bessy Bell

Rising above the River Strule near Newtownstewart, this prominent Marilyn offers a straightforward ascent via wind farm access roads. While modern turbines now occupy the broad summit, the expansive views across the Sperrins and toward its sister hill, Mary Gray, make it a rewarding vantage point for surveying the North Tyrone landscape.

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Did You Know?

• •The hill’s name originates from a 17th-century Scottish ballad about two young women who fled to the hills to escape the plague. Scottish settlers brought the story to Tyrone, naming this peak and its southern neighbour, Mary Gray, after the unfortunate pair.
• •The summit plateau hosts one of Northern Ireland’s earliest commercial wind farms, established in 1995. The service tracks provide a firm underfoot route to the 420-metre high point, making it accessible in most weather conditions.
• •The trig pillar offers a clear perspective of the Strule Valley and the high Sperrin peaks, including Sawel Mountain and Meenard, with the distant Blue Stack Mountains in Donegal often visible to the west.
• •While the original Bessy Bell and Mary Gray of the ballad died in their mountain hut, their Irish namesakes have proven more resilient, remaining the most recognisable landmarks in the Newtownstewart area.
• •The wind turbines ensure that even on a perfectly still day in the valley, a visit to the summit usually involves a significant amount of 'white noise' and a steady breeze.