Sperrins Mountains Tyrone
The Sperrin Mountains in County Tyrone are the largest upland area in Northern Ireland, a broad plateau of rounded moorland summits covering over 400 square kilometres between the Londonderry and Tyrone borders that provides the finest and most extensive upland walking landscape in Ulster and a landscape of deep historical and archaeological significance. The mountains are less visited than the more dramatic Mournes but provide a landscape of genuine character whose wide horizons, blanket bog and scattered archaeological monuments from the Neolithic to the early Christian periods create an experience of undisturbed upland Ireland quite unlike the more popular destinations of the province. The highest point, Sawel Mountain at 678 metres, provides views across Northern Ireland and into the Republic on clear days, and the extensive ridge walking available in the central Sperrins traverses moorland of great character and openness. The Ulster Way long-distance walking route crosses the Sperrins and provides a framework for exploring the range over several days. The archaeological heritage of the Sperrins is exceptional and largely unvisited. The Beaghmore Stone Circles near Cookstown, a complex of seven stone circles, twelve stone rows and a cairn of the Bronze Age, are among the most significant prehistoric monuments in Ulster, their unusual configuration and the density of the complex providing evidence of elaborate ceremonial use of this upland landscape. The cairns, megalithic tombs and ring forts scattered across the mountain range complete a picture of sustained human occupation from the Neolithic to the medieval period. The An Creagán Visitor Centre provides an excellent introduction to the Sperrins landscape and its archaeological heritage, and organised guided walks offer access to the more remote monuments.