Slieau Whallian

About Slieau Whallian

Rising steeply above the village of St John’s, this prominent ridge is famous for its dark folklore and uncompromising northern slope. While much of the ascent passes through dense plantation, the summit opens out to provide a superb vantage point over the central valley, Peel Hill, and the Irish Sea.

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Did You Know?

• •The name is derived from the Manx Gaelic 'Slieau Whallian', meaning 'Hill of the Whelp' or 'Hill of the Puppy'. While 'Slieau' is a common prefix for Manx peaks, the specific reference to a young dog is an unusual etymological survivor in the local landscape.
• •The hill is steeped in grim local legend as the site of the 'Witches' Slopes'. It was said that accused witches were placed in spiked barrels and rolled down the precipitous northern face; surviving the fall was considered proof of sorcery, leading to an inevitable execution.
• •The summit offers one of the best perspectives on Tynwald Hill, the four-tiered grass mound where the island’s parliament has met for over a millennium. Beyond the village, the view extends past the Greeba hills to the east and the rugged coastline of Peel to the west.
• •Because of the steep, constant gradient of the forest tracks, the hill is a staple for local fell runners. The ascent from the valley floor to the trig point is short but provides a vertical gain that punches well above its weight for a hill of this height.
• •The northern flank is so notoriously steep that locals often joke it is the only place on the island where you can fall off a hill and land in someone's back garden in the village below.