Cnoc na Slea [Crocknasleigh]

About Cnoc na Slea [Crocknasleigh]

Rising above the Rosguill Peninsula in North Donegal, this rugged coastal Marilyn offers a wild, maritime character despite its modest height. Its heathery slopes provide an unobstructed vantage point over the turquoise waters of Sheephaven Bay, looking across to the sands of Tramore and the distant profiles of Muckish and Errigal.

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Did You Know?

• •The name is a phonetic anglicisation of the Irish Cnoc na Sleá, meaning 'Hill of the Spear', a reference to its sharp profile when viewed from certain coastal angles.
• •From the summit, the view extends across the water to the Horn Head peninsula and the distinctive flat-topped silhouette of Muckish, one of Donegal’s famous 'Seven Sisters'.
• •Despite standing at only 163 metres, its isolation on the peninsula gives it the 150 metres of 'drop' required to qualify as a Marilyn, a status shared with much larger peaks like Errigal.
• •The hill sits as a high point on the Rosguill Peninsula's 'Atlantic Drive', offering a windswept, peat-covered contrast to the sheltered sandy beaches of nearby Downings.
• •In this part of Donegal, the wind has permanent right of way; a walk to the summit usually provides a thorough, if unrequested, Atlantic exfoliation.