Knocknasliggaun [Knockasliggaun]

Rising above the boggy lowlands of County Mayo, this isolated Marilyn offers a rugged, pathless ascent typical of the Ox Mountains. At 417m, its summit provides an uncrowded vantage point over the shimmering waters of Lough Conn to the south and the massive quartzite bulk of Nephin to the west.

• •The name derives from the Irish Cnoc na Sligán, which translates to 'hill of the shells' or 'hill of the flat stones,' likely describing the shattered, slaty metamorphic rock found across its slopes.
• •It sits on the southern fringe of the Ox Mountains, an ancient range of gneiss and schist that is significantly older than the limestone plains surrounding it.
• •The summit offers an excellent perspective on the Nephin Beg Range, providing a clear view of the 'Great Wilderness'—one of the most remote and uninhabited areas in Ireland.
• •Navigating the lower slopes often involves a tactical game of 'find the firmest tuft' to avoid disappearing into the notorious West of Ireland blanket bog.