A grand viewpoint.

I approached Slievekirk from New Buildings on Wed 11 Aug 2010 by a number of minor roads after I had climbed Clondermot Hill. I parked at A (C45051 07676) on the minor road which runs W to E immediately S of the summit. There is room for one car without blocking the laneway. I walked E along the road for some 150 metres to a gate on the left and crossed over. Keeping the fence to my right I went up the field to another gate and the start of a somewhat overgrown, but very passable, track and certainly preferable to knee high heather on either side of it. This track led up to a wooden gate B (C45203 07922) and into a field. Once over the gate I went diagonally up the field to a fourth and final gate and the start of a track C (C45177 08063) which led me up towards the summit and ended just short of a fence. The trig pillar marking the top was about 30 metres beyond the fence at D (C45172 08351). For such a short and easy walk up the views were spectacular. SE was the main Sperrins ridge while to the NW just across the River Foyle was Holywell Hill and Dooish Mountain with a great line of hills further back stretching from Inishowen around to the distant Derryveagh Mountains and more besides. This is a really excellent spot to while away an hour or so. When I was there I also walked out NNE for about 150 metres to another ring contour mentioned by three5four0 in his comments as possibly being higher E (C45372 08429), but both visually and by my very basic GPS reading it is slightly lower. When I was going across to this point I saw tracks made by heavy machinery and a number of marker posts in place which might suggest it is a site for yet another communications mast on this part of the hill to add to those already in situ about 2k to the E. I descended by way of ascent. Up and back was only 1.74k. On my way down I noticed a standing stone in the field leading down to the wooden gate and went a few metres off route to go and have a look F (C45141 07964). For anyone in the Derry area the three tops of Clondermot Hill, Gortmonly Hill and Slievekirk could all be visited in a morning or afternoon. For links see my comments on each of these hills. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/877/comment/6031/

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The wind of change...

I followed Mr Goodman's directions for an ascent from the south, having first checked out the possibility of coming in from the NW from the highpoint/road junction at (G (C449 088)). This was comprehensively rejected; there are big changes afoot on this top. A huge windfarm is in the process of construction on the ridge to the E of Slievekirk, and the livid access road/track for those works (currently very busy with heavy plant vehicles and hard-hatted gentlemen) runs from that junction up onto the hill and along the crest. It passes within yards of the summit, but somehow doesn't seem very welcoming even if there was no objection to its use (I didn't ask).

My picture shows the extent of the workings; it's the view eastward from the 'ground to the NEE (of the trig point that) looks like it might be little higher!'. I'm unconvinced; I don't have any odd old Jackill-esque gadgets (and the webmaster laughed the last time I spoke of lying down and looking at lines of sight) but I think the trig point is marginally nearer the heavens. But for anyone who feels the need to visit both to be on the safe side...look both ways when crossing the road. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/877/comment/6270/

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three5four0 on Slievekirk

The hardest part of the ascent of Slievekirk is finding somewhere to park on the narrow roads around it. The tracks marked on the map, leading towards the summit are pretty over grown, with the exception of the track to the masts. Despite this, what ever side you tackle it is not long before you reach the summit (gaiters are advised as some of the lower ground has been churned up by cattle). The only question being is the Trig Point on the actual summit? Ground to the NEE looks like it might be little higher! Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/877/comment/4037/

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Climb if nearby

I followed Harry Goodman's route up from the south on the Castlewarren Road. At the trig, the gravel access road is very close, and I followed it east for about a kilometer to an another prominent rise on the hill. The work on the turbines seems to be finished, and it would now be possible to easily reach the top using the access road from the Bigwood Road, west of the summit. It was a grey, dull day when I visited, but the views are extensive, towards the Sperrins, along the Foyle, over Derry City and towards Binevenagh, although the hill is definitley dominated by all the turbines. Definitely worth the short walk if you're in the area, but I wouldn't make a journey specifically to bag it. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/877/comment/17900/

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Wind Farm completed

20/05/2019 The wind farm appears to be complete. Lots of parking space at point G (NW of summit) and a good road to follow until close to the summit. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/877/comment/20559/

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