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Irish Mountain Challenges

The Irish Mountain Challenges are a unique set of 24 standalone Irish hillwalking challenges created by The Ireland Walking Guide. These personal outdoor adventure challenges can be undertaken at any time by experienced, well-equipped hillwalkers and mountaineers. The objective of each challenge is to visit every summit in a specific mountain range in Ireland which is higher than 2,000 feet.

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The Challenges

We have created a mountain challenge for every upland area in Ireland containing a minimum of two mountain summits, at least two of which must also be on the Slievemore list. Each challenge has been carefully designed to work as a single-day expedition for experienced hillwalkers and mountaineers. For this reason, the Wicklow Mountains range has been split into two separate challenges. Find out more about each challenge by clicking on its marker in the map below or via the alphabetical list further down this page.
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Achill Mountains Challenge

Bens Mountain Challenge

Blackstairs Mountains Challenge

Bluestack Mountains Challenge

Caha Mountains Challenge

Comeragh Mountains Challenge

Derrynasaggart Mountains Challenge

Derryveagh Mountains Challenge

Dingle Mountains Challenge

Dunkerron Mountains NE Challenge

Dunkerron Mountains SW Challenge

Galtee Mountains Challenge

Knockmealdown Mountains Challenge

MacGillycuddy's Reeks Mountain Challenge

Mangerton Mountains Challenge

Maumturk Mountains Challenge

Mourne Mountains Challenge

Mweelrea Mountains Challenge

Nephins Mountain Challenge

Partry Mountains Challenge

Shehy Mountains Challenge

Sperrin Mountains Challenge

Wicklow Mountains North Challenge

Wicklow Mountains South Challenge

Always bring a map and compass

​A hardcopy map and compass are the preferred navigational tools used by all competent self-navigators in the mountains and hills. Relying exclusively on a GPS device or phone for navigation is strongly discouraged. The person who follows a dot, crosshairs or a GPX route on a tiny screen is not navigating. They are effectively being led by their device. This involves no skill whatsoever and will only increase that person's reliance on technology. We recommend using hardcopy maps and traditional magnetic compass because:

• their use requires and reinforces an elementary outdoor skill.
• the user is the navigator (this is not the case when using a GPS device, especially one with the day's route loaded in).
• they do not require a power source, therefore have less impact on the environment.
• hillwalking and mountaineering should be about having a digital detox in nature, not squinting at yet another screen.
• satellites, phones, GPS devices and their associated networks and systems are vulnerable to potential outages caused by external factors (e.g. hacking, ransomware, terrorism, solar fluctuations, space junk, etc).

In short, you should always have the relevant hardcopy map and a traditional magnetic compass in your pack when venturing off the beaten track. The convenience of a GPS is not a valid reason to go into the uplands or other wild areas without these two basic essentials.

We have listed all relevant maps on each mountain challenge's page. Alternatively, you can browse all maps on our dedicated maps page.
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Browse maps

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​Irish Mountain Challenges

• The Achill Mountains Challenge
• The Bens Mountain Challenge
• The Blackstairs Mountains Challenge
• The Bluestack Mountains Challenge
• The Caha Mountains Challenge
• The Comeragh Mountains Challenge
• The Derrynasaggart Mountains Challenge
• The Derryveagh Mountains Challenge
• The Dingle Mountains Challenge
• The Dunkerron Mountains Northeast Challenge
• The Dunkerron Mountains Southwest Challenge
• The Galtee Mountains Challenge
• The Knockmealdown Mountains Challenge
• The MacGillycuddy's Reeks Mountain Challenge
• The Mangerton Mountains Challenge
• The Maumturk Mountains Challenge
• The Mourne Mountains Challenge
• The Mweelrea Mountains Challenge
• The Nephins Mountain Challenge
• The Partry Mountains Challenge
• The Shehy Mountains Challenge
• The Sperrin Mountains Challenge
• The Wicklow Mountains North Challenge
• The Wicklow Mountains South Challenge