Slieve Snaght

About Slieve Snaght

Dominating the heart of the Derryveagh Mountains, this rugged granite peak offers a wilder, more remote alternative to its famous neighbour, Errigal. The ascent involves crossing deep, boggy lower slopes before reaching a boulder-strewn summit plateau. From the top, the views down into the glacial Poisoned Glen and across to Tory Island are spectacular.

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Did You Know?

• •The name is derived from the Irish Sliabh Sneachta, which translates literally as 'Mountain of Snow.' It likely earned this title because its summit often retains a white cap long after the winter snow has melted from the surrounding lower glens.
• •Situated on the edge of Glenveagh National Park, Slieve Snaght is the highest of the central Derryveagh peaks, standing as a bulky granite counterpoint to the sharp, white quartzite cones of the nearby Seven Sisters.
• •The summit provides a unique perspective on Donegal’s geography, offering clear sightlines over the dark waters of Lough Veagh and the remote, uninhabited interior of the Glenveagh estate.
• •The standard approach from the R251 near Dunlewey is notorious among local walkers for its extremely wet, pathless terrain; reaching the firmer granite of the upper slopes usually requires a persistent slog through deep peat and heather.
• •While the name promises a winter wonderland, the 'snow' most visitors actually experience here is a particularly thick and persistent Donegal mist.