In September 2021, I achieved my goal of hiking the highest peak in every Irish county, all within one week. This is an account of that adventure.
During the pandemics staycation phase, I realised that I hadn't been to every county. I looked at ways to fix that and soon thought of the high points. Research revealed most attempt over a year or more, and while some fully supported trips have achieved record times in the region of 3.5 days, I knew ours had to be self supported. So planning began and once I'd mapped all the hikes and drives I realised that finishing in under seven days was the perfect mix of ambitious but enjoyable, and so it came to be.
A team of three would be ideal to split driving and allow a sleep in the back. Luckily Conall Sweeney and Eoghan Calnan, friends from our time in UL, are always up for a challenge. I'd recommend mid summer for the daylight and weather, but with my first Ironman triathlon that August we had to go later. I wasn't sure how my body would be after that race, so I allowed three weeks for recovery, and with that we'd the holidays booked.
Unfortunately Conall injured his leg a week before the trip. This meant more tiring driving for myself and Eoghan in an already tight schedule, but undeterred, off we went!
Day 1
Mweelrea, Mayo
Leaving work at lunchtime Friday, we were at Silver Strand beach at 4:30pm. The weather was great and the one week timer had begun! A few kilometres on wet, marshy grass, followed by a steep climb along cool rock formations and we were at the summit of Connaught for 6:30pm. A soggy sunset descent to some dry socks, tasty pasta on my MSR stove, and we headed south for Galway to camp at the base of No. 2.
Day 2
Benbaun, Galway
It was a beautiful sunrise over the Twelve Bens. We set off early along the Kylemore river. A really nice path soon becomes steep open mountain to get you to Benbauns iconic stone top. The last half kilometre is all on gravel and very unique. Cloud did roll in as we summitted at 8:50am, but we still had great views as far as the Atlantic Ocean. On the descent we met two women who randomly asked us "what number are you on?" In a funny coincidence this was their final peak after a year of ticking them off, and they were headed to the pub then.
Moylussa, Clare
Joined by our friend Donal, we made short work of our local walk and summited at 3:30pm. I've always loved Moylussa and the bodies were feeling good.
Day 3
Carrauntoohill, Kerry
We were first on the mountain with the sun rising as we reached the top of The Devil's Ladder. It was nice to put away the head torches at that point and have daylight again. We made a quick ascent to summit at 8:30am. Not much of a view, but it's always special to stand on Ireland's highest point. We met the usual crowds as we descended. One of them on the ladder asked if we were we turning around, doubting that we would have started so early!
Knockboy, Cork
Although myself and Eoghan met and live in Limerick, we're both from Cork. So this mountain really confused us as we'd never heard of it. There's a good reason why. Even though it was a dry day, this was a boggy mess. We squelched along in soggy shoes through soppy fields and eventually, thank God, reached the summit at 2:30pm. This one was incredibly slow going on the way up, but on the return we didn't care and trudged through much faster. In hindsight there was much, much worse to come, but luckily we didn't know that.
Galtymore, Limerick & Tipperary
My real local and all time favourite mountain. We hiked the black road to a chaotically windy summit at 7:00pm. It was the kind of wind a mountain throws at you to really make you question what you're doing, but made it all the more satisfying to reach the cross. That night we stayed with my parents in Fermoy, where I was able to pull out the massage gun, foam roller and calf straps which stayed on me for the rest of the week. The past month of escapades were catching up to me.
Day 4
Knockmealdown, Waterford
Sleep deprivation, a dark start and an unclear route through wet heather made this one a bit grim. It was a cool finish though, walking along the ridge wall through dense fog. Reaching the summit at 8:30am and happy to leave that one behind.
Brandon Hill, Kilkenny
What looks like a shortcut through the forest is not. The thorns in my legs say beware! This was otherwise a lovely walk with great views at the top. A wonderfully calm day and we had the place to ourselves summiting at 1:00pm.
Mount Leinster, Carlow & Wexford
One of the hills with an RTÉ mast on top, so not a hike, just a walk up a steep access road. Plenty of others walking this one too, who were very interested by our walking poles and hiking clothes. They couldn't believe our plan for that day alone. Reaching the summit at 3:00pm the dense fog made the barely visible mast look very ominous.
Lugnaquilla, Wicklow
Delays led to us starting this a bit later than planned, and we really saw the impact of shorter days. We've both hiked this before and it truly is a fantastic hike. Most so far could be characterised in a particular way; like fields, bog, rock or gravel. Lugnaquilla has a bit of it all and feels like an adventurous day out in itself. The top can be tricky, especially with the poor visibility we had, but we trusted our bearings and at 7:30pm reached the summit of both Wicklow and Leinster. We stayed with friends of Eoghan's that night to get a shower and some sleep before yet another early start.
Day 5
Kippure, Dublin
Another mast access road which overlooks the capital. Incredible sunrise and views as we climbed, wild deer running in the fields either side, loads of sheep on the cloudy summit at 7:30am, and a great sense of satisfaction as we descended. Although the tarmac roads are getting tough on the feet, particularly for descents.
Cupidstown Hill, Kildare
The shortest of all the walks, kind of a funny technicality really. But it was done at 9:00am.
Arderin, Laois & Offaly
A long drive for a short walk, the theme of this day. In this case it was very wet and boggy. Miserable in fact. We were both delighted to summit at 11:30am and drive out of this rain cloud.
Carnbane East, Meath
The hill of the witch as it's otherwise known is one of the Boyne's 5,000 year old neolithic tombs, which includes Newgrange and Dowth. We arrived just after a tour bus so this was mobbed with people, but we jogged ahead and had incredible views from the summit at 2:00pm.
Mullaghmeen, Westmeath
The lowest of all the summits at 258m, though still higher than Denmark. This was actually a nice change as it's all wooded and is a lovely loop walk. Summit at 3:00pm.
Corn Hill, Longford
Yet another mast access road, this time with some cool views. 4:30pm had us at the top.
Seltannasaggart, Roscommon
I had read this was a strange one. What was once a more obvious summit was levelled to make a windfarm. Now there is a small cairn marked peak to start with, but that peak is actually in Leitrim. To be technically correct we had to wander for ten minutes to find a small unmarked mound over the border which is officially the top of Roscommon. Insane winds made this difficult but at 7:00pm we found it. End of a long but great day, and we stayed with Conall and his brother Kyle in Sligo.
Day 6
Truskmore, Sligo & Leitrim
The infamous make or break mountain. Nestled behind Benbulben is the last of the mast access roads, but this one is a huge RTÉ tower. I'd read stories of people being turned away or forced out if caught. Naturally this had me very nervous as it could stop us in our tracks, so before 6:00am we were walking up the very steep 5km road under the cover of darkness. It was insanely windy, absolutely freezing, and only got worse and worse all the way to the top. We could hear the mast long before we could see it, with the screeching whistle of wind filling the valley below. Barely able to stand with the wind, we reached the summit around 7:30am.
A short walk through the heather brought us to the mountains south-east cairn, just over the Leitrim border and marking the high point of that county. We made our way down, delighted by the fact that if kicked out now it didn't matter because we had made it. Of course it got warmer and calmer with every step too. We climbed the gate minutes before 9:00am as an RTÉ jeep approached. They unlocked the gate as we drove off. Mission success.
Cuilcagh, Cavan & Fermanagh
The famous Stairway to Heaven. After a stressful morning we excitedly approached the carpark in high spirits, only to be told it was closed for maintenance. They were adamant we couldn't go up even after pleading our case. It's otherwise too boggy on this north side so we drove an hour to the south with hopes of finding a way up. And that we did, finding one of the best hikes of the trip (albeit longer and more out of the way). We climbed a forest track to open mountainside, from which there was an incredible ridge all the way to the summit (just behind my right hand in the first photo below). A little behind schedule summiting at 1:00pm, but entirely worth it as this was genuinely incredible.
Slieve Beagh, Monaghan
Yet another infamous one. What a day this was! Slieve Beagh has a name that precedes it, being branded the worst and toughest of all the county tops. On paper it's both short and lacks in elevation so we were keen to see what all the fuss was about. Now I get it! I'd like to leave an element of mystery for those who want to repeat this, so I'll just say this is the only hike which made my feet bleed. While I strangely loved every second of it, finding fun in the dreary bleakness of it all, this was a point where Eoghan had to dig deep. The 'summit' which is a small mound just over the Monaghan border (left hand side of the first photo below), takes some careful navigation to find but by 5:00pm we were there at the broken sign and marked rock that confirms it. We headed to Monaghan town and stayed the night there.
Day 7
Slieve Gullion, Armagh
We headed for Slieve Gullion Forest Park bright and early to once again find a closed gate. Turns out the mountain opens at 8:00am, so we got some food and were first in as they opened. It began with a beautiful drive to the base surrounded by sheep and herds of mountain goats with huge horns all along the road (perks of being first in). The climb is a very well maintained stepped path, and although the weather was a bit wild up top, it was very enjoyable. We summited before 9:00am where we met a nice old man who'd come face to face with a huge stag deer on a side trail from his house only an hour before. Lots of wildlife here.
Slieve Foye, Louth
Incredible. This was a standout MVP for me, and a huge surprise from Ireland's smallest county. Parking in Carlingford town you walk the most perfect grassy trail which zig zags it's way to the rocky Mordor looking peak. There's animals all over, great camp spots, views are stunning and it's just such a nice walk. We detoured on the way up to tackle a much steeper but more fun and adventurous looking direct route which was tonnes of fun. When it becomes rock on top it's a completely different feel and we loved every second as we summited at 11:30am. For the way down we took the normal route. 10/10 - would recommend.
Slieve Donard, Down
The highest point in Ulster and last of Ireland's four (provincial) summits. I had done this a few years ago and couldn't wait to see the Mourne Wall again. We parked in Newcastle, made our way up the beautifully maintained paths along the stream, forest and open hill. Then up the meandering staircase to the col where you reach the spectacular wall. Following the wall, the last pull feels endless but at 4:00pm we were there. The clouds cleared on the way down and we were blessed with spectacular views. This is probably the best of all the hikes on this list, and it should be on every Irish person's bucket list! Probably along with the others of the four provincial summits; Mweelrea, Lugnaquilla & Carrauntoohill.
Day 8
Trostan, Antrim
This was it. Friday again and the end was in sight. In a way it felt so close we could taste it, but in another more visceral way the weather had cooked up a storm through the night which was obvious on the drive, and kicked our asses from the get go, pardon my French. Trostan may be a lovely walk, it's hard to know. What I do know is it was bucketing rain and almost entirely flooded. I had water up to my knees in one section (of grass, not river). The first half is woodland, second is open mountain and here the wind kicked in too. There is one barbed wire fence to be crossed which the wind turned into an adventure sport. The summit itself is this strange massive crater filled with sand. It's like something from a movie, more like being on the moon. We cowered behind the trig point for a little relief from the pelting sideways rain, snapping a proud photo at 7:30am. We couldn't have gotten back to the car quickly enough.
Sawel, Derry & Tyrone
Me oh my. The storm raged on and climbing Sawel meant trudging straight through water, over and over and over again. We were soaked. It was amazing how wet this hill could be for how steep it was. False peak after false peak, each section wetter than the last until eventually we pushed through strong winds to summit at 11:30am. Northern Ireland done and onto the final climb.
Errigal, Donegal
Maybe it was the fact the storm seemed to end at the border, or just that it was the last hike. But I definitely felt like this was now done, that nothing could stop us. We'd met challenges along the way, overcame them all and this was for us to enjoy. Again, no. There was only one car at the normally packed Errigal and the wind howled dangerously even at the base. The start was wet to get to the steep ascent, where the wind made it very sketchy. I had to get down on all fours to brace the wind, waiting up to a minute for any gaps when I could run a small section before hunkering down again. It was too strong to stand during gusts. Progress was very slow. We met the other crazy hikers braving it (from Cork no doubt) some of which were turning around (probably sensible). Slowly but surely we chiselled away at it, bit by bit, taking a lot of care on the dodgier cliff sections until eventually we could see it. One final push across the last ridge and at 3:30pm we were sat at the summit, holding a rock for fear of being blown away. I had taken a handstand photo at every summit so far and this would be no different, Eoghan strongly advised against it, but I got it. And then we made our way safely back to the car.
It was hard not to be overwhelmed by the joy and relief that it had all worked out. Like any good adventure it had thrown curveballs and challenges our way, but that made it all the sweeter to persevere. I don't know many people crazy enough to have done it with me, so I owe a world of thanks to Eoghan for making it possible. When the long drives were as tough as the hikes, and our bodies screamed for us to stop, he kept marching on. I'm hugely grateful for having him as a team mate.
It's an adventure I'd recommend to anyone who is considering it. It will definitely be tough, yes. Likely in parts you didn't expect, but if you push through it will all be worth it. I had a hard time finding accurate routes for some of the hikes so I mapped all of them on my Strava for others to have. If anyone is planning such a trip I'd be happy to help with any questions or concerns you might have.
Happy adventuring,
Brian
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