Keash Hill Trail
Walking Trail · Sligo
Keash Hill Trail is a 3.6 km strenuous waymarked out-and-back route in Sligo, starting near Ballymote.
Notice from the trail operator
Notice from Trail Management: It has been brought to our attention that due to the nature of the rock formation on Keash Hill large sections of the sheer face around the caves have begun to move. There is risk of falling rocks as a result. Trail Management will continue to monitor this situation, and ask that all hill walkers obey all signage. Most importantly, please note that the Keash Hill Trail ends at the first cave. Do not pass beyond this point. Dogs are not permitted on the off road sections of the trail as it crosses open farmland. For further information on the Keash Hillwalk Trail, visit www.sligowalks.ie.
As recorded in the register on 2026-08-13. Check with Keash Hill Walk Committee before travelling.
Grade
| Activity | Grade | Difficulty | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walking | Strenuous | Challenging | 1 hour 30 minutes |
Getting there
Starts at Keash Hall car park, near Ballymote.
Finishes at Centre of Kesh Village.
- Trailhead coordinates
- 54.05068, -8.4455
- Irish Grid reference
- G 70873 11354
- Ordnance Survey sheets
- Discovery Series Sheet 25
The National Trails Register's own latitude and longitude fields are empty for all 1,186 trails on it. This trailhead comes from Sport Ireland's separate Trailheads dataset, matched to this trail on its register ID.
About the trail
Keshcorran Mountain is capped by a large un-opened cairn, known as the pinnacle, which can be seen from many parts of Co. Sligo. Seventeen caves are located on the western side of the mountain. The hill and its surroundings feature in a number of legendary tales, including a story of the birth of Cormac Mac Airt, the most famous of the legendary kings of Ireland. Cormac was born at a well beneath the caves and was raised by wolves. The trail starts from church car-park, located in the centre of Keash village, and follows the medieval ‘Bóthar An Chorráin’ road beneath Keshcorran. Pass a left turn and continue for a further 250m to reach a stile on the right. Follow the marked route across the field and along the side of the hill. Turn right and make your way carefully up the hill. For the purpose of safety, the trail ends at the first cave. Return via the same route.
- Waymarking
- Red arrow on black discs
- Dogs
- No
Who manages it
Keash Hill Walk Committee
Sligo LEADER Partnership Co., Development Centre, Cleveragh Road, Sligo. Tel: 071 9141138. Email: [email protected]
Conditions and closures change. The operator is the authority on both, not this page.
Elsewhere
Trails nearby
Measured trailhead to trailhead, in a straight line.
- Derryvunny - Greenwood Trail 12 km away · 0.6 km trail
- Derryvunny - Multi Access Trail 12 km away · 0.1 km trail
- Derryvunny - Old Woodland Trail 12 km away · 0.7 km trail
- Dohern Loop Trail 14 km away · 5 km trail
- Lough Key - Drummans Island Trail 15 km away · 2.7 km trail
- Lough Key - The Bog Garden Trail 15 km away · 3.9 km trail
Common questions
How long is the Keash Hill Trail?
3.6 km, recorded as a out-and-back route on Sport Ireland's National Trails Register. It climbs 88 m in total. Sport Ireland estimates 1 hour 30 minutes.
How hard is the Keash Hill Trail?
Sport Ireland grades it Strenuous, with an overall difficulty of Challenging. Grades are set against national criteria, so they are comparable with other registered trails.
Where does the Keash Hill Trail start?
Starts at Keash Hall car park, near Ballymote. The trailhead is at 54.05068, -8.4455 (Irish Grid G 70873 11354).
Can you bring a dog on the Keash Hill Trail?
No. The register records dogs as not allowed on this trail.
Who manages the Keash Hill Trail?
Keash Hill Walk Committee. They are the authority on current conditions and closures, not this page.
More in Sligo
Trail data from the Sport Ireland National Trails Register, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Trailhead coordinates from the companion Trailheads dataset. Snapshot taken 2026-08-13.