Slievekirk

About Slievekirk

Rising above the Faughan Valley in the northern Sperrins, this modest moorland hill is topped by prominent telecommunication masts. While the terrain is largely upland grass and peat, the summit rewards walkers with a wide panorama spanning Derry city, the waters of Lough Foyle, and the distant hills of Donegal.

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Did You Know?

• •The name derives from the Irish Sliabh na Circe, meaning 'Mountain of the Hen', a common motif in Irish toponymy often linked to the red grouse or local legends of a supernatural hen.
• •Despite its modest elevation, the hill’s position makes it a significant Marilyn; it offers clear lines of sight to the basalt cliffs of Binevenagh and the sprawling Inishowen Peninsula.
• •The summit is a major telecommunications site for the northwest of Ireland, featuring a dense cluster of masts that make the hill easily identifiable from the city of Derry.
• •The ascent is often a straightforward affair via access roads serving the masts, providing an easy way to bag a Marilyn without the usual Sperrin bog-trotting.
• •Those hoping for a wild, untouched wilderness at the peak may be disappointed by the electronics, but the humming machinery at least provides a rhythmic soundtrack to the view.