Colmcille Climbers

Map OSNI 1:50,000, Sheet 13

The Ride

Best known perhaps as the object of a popular traditional song,  Slieve Galleon is an outlier of the Sperrin Range, and its central location in the six counties of Ulster makes it an outstanding viewpoint.   Like many places of prominence nowadays the summit is capped by a communications mast, but the good news here is that it is accessed by a  good tarmac road at a reasonable angle (the bad news is that cars can also get right up to within a kilometre of the mast).  Once the plateau is reached, other rough tracks offer themselves, some of which will give a challenging enough descent.

1.5 hours. 12 Km. Height gain 350m

Approach

From Cookstown to Moneymore, turning left at Ratheane,  just beyond the village at Gr??Follow this road for about 6 Km to a cross roads at Gr 83700 87200 (171m).  Turn left and park at a gateway in Carndaisy Wood, less than a kilometre away.

The Route

Ride back to the crossroads and turn left, beginning the long climb towards the summit.  As you ascend, extensive views open up of fertile rural mid Ulster with its  patch work of fields, nearby Lough Neagh, and further afield, Slemish in Antrim, and the Mourne Mountains in Co Down.

Some way up there is a picnic area and viewpoint, bearing the litter scars of easy motorised access.  On reaching the plateau, the track levels out somewhat, then climbs slightly to reach a locked gate (and the end of the road for the infernal combustion engine!)  Not far beyond is the highpoint and the mast.  After taking in the view,  retrace your steps to gr 81200 88600 and leave the road right at a bend onto a  rough landrover track ( about 1 hour to here).  Follow this for a short distance and take the first left which is followed along first a stony cart track, then a grassy descent to rejoin tarmac at Tintagh.  Zoom downhill to the first crossroads (at  Fairview house where there is a windmill) turn left and regain your transport after about 2 Km.

An attractive alternative would have been to continue over Tintagh Mountain 528m, using one of the descent tracks on that side to reach the attractive Lough Fea, returning along the Southern flanks of Slieve Galleon.  Alas, the fine track circumnavigating the shores of the lake is closed to cyclists, so there is currently little point.