Wandeling · Co. Sligo
Benbulbin
Benbulbin is a 526 m table mountain in the Sligo country, characterized by a flat top and a sheer face. It is the peak referenced in Yeats’s poetry and serves as the primary hiking destination for the area.
The headland
Sligo Head marks the western edge of Strandhill. Here, the coast of Carribbeg Sound makes a sharp turn. The car park sits right on the cliff top. From there, the path down to the water is brief. The view is why people come. Strandhill beach drops away to the south. Benbulbin fills the horizon. The open Atlantic stretches out beyond that.
This headland is a natural break in the coastal walk running from Strandhill to the Rosses. On a calm day, the water between the headland and the far shore is still. That stillness makes the distance look closer than it actually is.
The lighthouse
Blackrock is the lighthouse that defines this spot. It stands twenty-five metres tall. Its light first went up on 1 June 1835. Blackrock is the only lighthouse in Ireland with an external staircase.
Keepers had a rough schedule in the early days. A single keeper served Blackrock for six weeks. Then he crossed to Oyster Island for two. A heavy rowing boat made the supply run between the two stations every fortnight. Blackrock is one of four lighthouses in Sligo Bay. The other three are near Rosses Point: the Metal Man, Lower Rosses, and Oyster Island. The bay falls within the Donegal–Mayo section of the Wild Atlantic Way.
The walk
A short path leads from the car park down to the old lighthouse. It also reaches the rock at the water’s edge. The coastal path continues south along the cliff toward Strandhill beach. It heads north towards the Rosses.
Allow about an hour for the headland itself. That time includes a stop on the rock. Approach the rock only when the sea is calm.