Killaspugbrone Loop, Strandhill, Co. Sligo.

The Killaspugbrone Loop in Strandhill in Sligo is one of the most beautiful coastal walks around the area and one of my favourite to do when I am home. It takes in beautiful mountain views, a walk by the ocean front and a trek through a wooden area. It really takes in so many beautiful types of scenery and I would highly recommend walking the loop if you haven’t done already.

The walk also passes by the early Christian site of Killaspugbrone church which is lovely to explore and the views across the water are just beautiful. You can see BenBulben, Knocknarea and Sligo Bay at various points along the way.

The fantastic Sligo Walks Website describes the route as;

‘From the promenade at the sea-front, the trail leads the walker in a loop along the shore line, past the airport run-way, over to Killaspugbrone and back to the village via Dorrins Strand. There are longer and shorter options along the route – including the ‘Via headland’ route which takes the walker along the exposed Killaspug point, which is 6.8km in total or the shorter option along the end of the run-way (6.2km in total). Sturdy footwear is recommended for the route around Killaspug Point as some of the trail is over un-even terrain. There is also the option to turn right just before the kissing gate (on the Strandhill side) to return along a shorter option via the airport road (marked airport loop). The trail includes a short ascent of 30m and is suitable for family groups’.

The last time we walked the loop we were lucky enough to see a small plane land just beside us and the weather was just beautiful. There are also apparently eagles in the area but I haven’t seen them just yet.

It goes without saying that when going for a walk like this you need to make sure that the weather is good enough for walking and that you have water etc. with you. The walk can take up to 2.5hrs to do so also keep an eye on the tides as well. Since part of this is a coastal walk – it can get wet and slippery so be careful.

It is also important when going over such varying terrain to make sure you have the right footwear as well. I would highly advise against wearing just flip flops or the like on this walk – you need supportive trainers (trail runners) or good sturdy boots. Since I worked in an outdoor store in the past I always prefer a lightweight boot with good support. There is so much information out there with regards what to look for in a boot but the Walsh Brother Shoe Company actually have fantastic information on what to look for in hiking boots. The gallery below also goes into how to look after them and I thought that you might find the information useful if you are looking to invest in a new pair! 🙂

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