Barr na Coilleadh [Barnacuillew] [Barnacuille]

About Barr na Coilleadh [Barnacuillew] [Barnacuille]

Rising above the remote blanket bogs of North Mayo, this modest Marilyn offers a sense of isolation far greater than its 264-metre height suggests. The terrain is typical of the Erris region—unfenced, peat-heavy, and often saturated—leading to a summit that overlooks the vast, wild expanses between Ballycastle and Belmullet.

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Did You Know?

• •The Irish name Barr na Coilleadh translates as 'the top of the wood,' an echo of a time when this now-barren peatland landscape was covered in post-glacial scrub and forest.
• •Because it is classified as a Marilyn, this hill possesses at least 150 metres of prominence, making it a surprisingly distinct landmark within the undulating moorland of the region.
• •The surrounding area forms part of the expansive North Mayo boglands, where the lack of formal trails means hikers must navigate by line-of-sight across a mosaic of heather and deep sphagnum moss.
• •Navigating the approach requires a stoic attitude toward damp feet; in this part of Mayo, 'dry ground' is often more of a theoretical concept than a physical reality.