Copes Mountain

Rising above the northern shores of Lough Gill, this limestone upland offers a spectacular vantage point over Sligo town. While often overshadowed by its more famous neighbours, the broad plateau provides a wilder experience with clear views across to the distinctive silhouette of Knocknarea and the distant Ox Mountains.

• •The name commemorates the Cope family, who held extensive estates in County Sligo during the 17th century.
• •From the summit, walkers can look directly down onto Lough Gill and pick out the Lake Isle of Innisfree, made famous by the poetry of W.B. Yeats.
• •The hill forms part of the Dartry Mountains, a range noted for its dramatic glacial-carved limestone plateaus and steep cliffs.
• •It is often bagged alongside its higher neighbour, Crockauns, as part of a high-level circuit overlooking the coastal flats of Sligo Bay.
• •It manages to offer the same expansive Atlantic views as Benbulbin but without the inconvenience of having to share them with half of the county's tourists.