Hiking Benbulbin
The hike up the pass between Benbulbin and King's Mountain is rated as "difficult" and hikers need to be prepared for rapidly changing weather. The week prior to our trip, four hikers had to be rescued from the mountain due to losing their way in the foggy mist, and hikers are advised to stay off the mountain if there is a high risk of inclement weather.
We had wanted to hike this unique mountain on our previous trip to Ireland, but pouring rain prevented us from doing so. This time, the forecast called for a mostly cloudy day, and the sky was adequately clear when we set out from Luke's Bridge. The track starts on a gravel road that heads into sheep pastures.
Gradually the road becomes narrower and by the time it reaches the main ascent, it has narrowed to a single-file mud trail. The difficulty arises from the treacherous footing, with toe-holds carved out in the mud, thistles threatening injury along the way, and a steep drop on one side of the path. Also, a misty fog moved in briefly but subsequently blew away.
About 2/3 of the way up the pass, the incline decreased, and the path widened slightly and became less muddy. We enjoyed a relatively uneventful climb from this point, then reached the part that looks like a plateau from below but is actually an inclined tableland.
From here, it was about a one-mile hike on a narrow track through low heather out to the peak of Benbulbin, located near the point that juts out the farthest. The view over Sligo Bay and Donegal Bay is amazing, extending about 320 degrees.
The weather held during our entire trek, with no more than a few brief periods of rain. We found an alternate route that allowed us to return to the valley floor uneventfully, as the path up had seemed impossible to descend.
One major challenge accomplished! From here, we headed to Glencolumbkille, a rural area about an hour west of Donegal.
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