Slieve Beagh [Sliabh Beatha]

About Slieve Beagh [Sliabh Beatha]

Rising as a broad, peat-covered upland on the border of Tyrone and Monaghan, this modest summit offers a wilderness experience far removed from the high crags. The terrain is predominantly damp moorland and blanket bog, requiring careful navigation to reach the highest point of this sprawling, cross-border Marilyn.

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Did You Know?

• •The name derives from the Irish Sliabh Beatha, meaning 'the mountain of Bith'. Legend states that Bith, a son of Noah, was buried in the ancient cairn that sits on the summit after being denied a place on the Ark.
• •The summit marks a significant geographical point near where the borders of counties Tyrone, Fermanagh, and Monaghan meet, making it a true cross-border peak.
• •The plateau is a vital conservation area for the hen harrier; these rare birds of prey are frequently sighted gliding low over the heather in search of meadow pipits.
• •On a clear day, the view from the trig pillar extends north across the Clogher Valley to the distant, rounded profiles of the Sperrin Mountains.
• •Reaching the top often requires an optimistic attitude toward drainage, as the summit plateau is famously boggy and rarely offers a dry line for more than three consecutive steps.