Northern Ireland Hiking

The Sperrin Mountains span a 40 mi. arc northeast from Strabane to Milltown to Downhill. The new Sperrin Way, an ambitious collection of waymarked trails, makes a portion of this land more accessible to outdoors enthusiasts. Hikers and bikers who embark on the trail can expect rambles through the best-preserved high-elevation blanket bogs and moorlands in Ireland, as well as some fantastic inland stretches of lush countryside. A number of maps and guided walks to the area are available; for travelers expecting an extended stay in the Sperrins, Ordnance Survey #13 (£5.60) is an invaluable guide to the southern part of the range. Walking in the Western Sperrins (£0.50) has concise instructions and miniature maps for five short walks (5-10 mi.) focused on the area around Gortin, north of Omagh. Walk the Sperrins (£5) provides a selection of 10 hikes (5-13 mi.) with more detailed narrative descriptions of the routes and geological information about the area. Guides are available at the Omagh tourist office and the Sperrins Heritage Centre.

Hikers can also take advantage of the Central Sperrins Way, newly signposted in August 2001. A product of the fragmentation of the former Ulster Way into several more manageable pieces, the Central Way runs 30 mi. through the mountains between the Glenelly and Owenkillew Rivers in Co. Tyrone. The route can be picked up at any point, but the car park at Barnes (where there is also free camping) is a logical starting location. The longest segment of the trail extends northeast from Barnes, following the Glenelly River to Corratary Hill. The Way then crosses the mountains and circles back to Scotch Town, which is connected to Barnes by a well-trodden path. To the west of Barnes and Scotch Town is the Way’s shorter loop, which traverses higher elevations and the expansive bogs of Craignamaddy Hill. The Central Sperrins Way (£0.50) brochure details the route’s segments and sights.

The bounty of the Sperrins is not restricted to pedestrians. Cyclists can enjoy the National Cyc le Network, which connects Derry, Strabane, and Omagh via smooth, low-traffic roads. The route is labeled on Ordnance Survey maps and is signposted in most areas. Further options for Sperrin-edification abound. Visitors to the Sperrins often base themselves in Gortin or Omagh, the towns closest to the most heavily traveled stretch of the range. Distant Dungiven, on the A6 in Co. Derry, provides access to the less-traveled northeastern region.

• Dungiven

Dungiven is located on the main road between Derry and Belfast. Perfectly situated at the foot of the Sperrins, the town also sports sights of its own. The ornate 14th-century tomb of Cooey na Gal, ...more