Carntogher Way – Slí an Chairn
This walk on the hills above the Glenshane Pass gives access to historic Carntogher Mountain with views across Lough Foyle to Errigal and Muckish in Donegal, Sawel and the high Sperrins, and south-east to The Mournes and Slieve Gullion. Mentioned in the early Iron Age tale Táin Bó Cuailgne, the area is rich in mythology and archaeological heritage and a number of monuments remain visible in the landscape.
County Londonderry
Distance 6.1 miles
OS Map Sheet 8
Terrain Open hill, lanes and minor roads
Nearest Town Maghera, County Derry
Route Shape Circular
Grid Reference C819045
Route Type Hill, Mountain, Riverside
The main looped Carntogher Way coded red starts on a quiet minor road and quickly uses a gravel path to climb the east side of Carntogher Mountain, leading in turn to a section of open grassy mountainside and heathery summit, before returning on gravel paths to the start point. Sections of this route can be boggy underfoot. Appropriate footwear is recommended. This route has a shorter alternative coded blue called the Skelp trail. There is an alternative lower level route coded yellow, the Seefin Trail*, which begins at the carpark and follows a stream through the Pollan Bog with boardwalk in the wetter places, and around Seefin Hill before returning along the same stream to the carpark.
Altkeeran, a hidden glen; the Emigrants Cairn: Shane’s Leaps
Take the Tirkane Road C551 north west out of Maghera for 3 miles and park at the roadside carpark at the Cotter Row C819045 where you see the information sign for the mountain walks. This is the walk start point. Full details on brochure.
Translink – journeyplanner.translink.co.uk
There is a craft shop with post office, tourist information and coffee corner nearby at An Carn Centre C796061 with disabled carparking and toilets, which you pass on the Tirkane Road on the way to the walk start point.
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Walk Route
Carntogher Way – Slí an Chairn
Walked this route 5 Sept after a relatively dry spell. The route is in good condition allow there are some slippery/ mucky spots from the weather. Overall the route is in good condition, the 4 styles are fit for purpose and there are plenty of red/blue markers depending which route you take. Note there are 2 potential starting points for the blue trail after you leave the car park, we were following the red one (which was the same as the blue one for most of the ascent) but we did notice a wider/ easier pathway on our way back to the car. It’s not much further down the road and worth checking out.
As per review below the terrain is mixed
For us, it was very overcast, missely rain, and midges about so the views were hidden and lunch was quick. Still a very pleasant walk