Knockalongy SW Top

About Knockalongy SW Top

Sitting on the rugged spine of the Ox Mountains in County Sligo, this 521-metre top offers a remote, peat-covered experience. A quieter neighbor to the main Knockalongy summit, the walk across the high plateau rewards visitors with clear views over Ballysadare Bay toward the distinctive plateau of Benbulbin and the Dartry Mountains.

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Did You Know?

• •The name Knockalongy is derived from the Irish Gaelic 'Cnoc na Loinge', meaning 'Hill of the Ship'. This likely refers to the mountain’s prominent profile which served as a navigational landmark for ships navigating the Atlantic approach toward Sligo Bay.
• •The ground here consists of ancient Dalradian gneiss, which forms some of the oldest and most weathered mountain terrain found anywhere in the Republic of Ireland.
• •The summit overlooks Lough Achree to the south; according to the Annals of the Four Masters, this 'youngest lake in Ireland' was created in 1490 during a violent earthquake and landslide that killed 100 people and their livestock.
• •The high ridge connecting this top to the main summit is notorious for its deep peat hags and soft ground, making it a terrain that tests the waterproofing of even the most expensive mountain boots.
• •In clear conditions, the view to the west reaches beyond the immediate moorland toward the high peaks of the Nephin Beg range in County Mayo.