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Home  »  Where to walk  »  Walking areas  »

Upland areas in Ireland

Irish mountain & hill ranges

There are 125 distinctly separate mountain and hill ranges in Ireland. The perimeters and boundaries of these upland areas were defined by Kieron Gribbon in 2015 while compiling the Irish Range High Points list. We have created an alphabetical list of all the mountain / hill ranges in Ireland and plotted them on a handy interactive map below to help you identify Ireland's upland areas.

Click here for the criteria used to identify upland area perimeters and boundaries between neighbouring upland areas


31 of Ireland's 125 upland areas are classed as mountain ranges.

Please note that we have illustrated these upland areas based purely on their topography in comparison to surrounding land. It should not be assumed that access is permitted to any of the upland areas illustrated on this website. ​Where local access restrictions exist (e.g. those indicated by "Private Property" signs, "No Trespassing" signs, etc), we strongly advise that you comply with the relevant landowner's wishes.

Upland areas offer great walking opportunities all year round, however we particularly recommend exploring them during months when the days are longest. For this reason, we promote upland walking as our monthly theme for June.

#JuneUplandWalk
 

All-Ireland map
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​Each red polygon on the map below represents the extents of a mountain / hill range in Ireland. Click on a polygon for further information about that area. All the upland areas marked on this map have also been listed in alphabetical order below.
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Alphabetical list
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  • ​Antrim Hills
  • Arigna Mountains
  • Arra Mountains
  • Arranmore Island Hills
  • Ballyhoura Mountains North
  • Ballyhoura Mountains South
  • Barnesmore Hills
  • Belfast Hills
  • Ben Gorm Mountains
  • Benwee Head Hills
  • Bere Island Hills
  • Blackstairs Mountains
  • Bluestack Mountains
  • Boggeragh Mountains
  • Bolus Head Hills
  • Brandon Hills
  • Bricklieve Mountains
  • Brougher Hills
  • Caha Mountains Northeast
  • Caha Mountains Southwest
  • Carhan Horseshoe
  • Carrickfergus Hills
  • Central Inishowen Hills
  • Clare Island Hills
  • Comeragh Mountains
  • Cooley Mountains
  • Corraun Hills
  • Cnoc Mordáin Hills
  • Craigantlet Hills
  • Croaghleheen Hills
  • Croaghmoyle Hills
  • Croagh Patrick Mountains
  • Croghan Hills
  • Crohy Head Hills
  • Cuilcagh Mountains
  • Curlew Mountains
  • Dartry Mountains Northeast
  • Dartry Mountains Northwest
  • Dartry Mountains Southeast
  • Dartry Mountains Southwest
  • Derrynasaggart Mountains Northeast
  • Derrynasaggart Mountains Southwest
  • Derryveagh Mountains
  • Devilsbit Hills
  • Dingle Mountains
  • Doulus Head Hills
  • Dromara Hills
  • Drum Hills
  • Dunkerron Mountains Northeast
  • Dunkerron Mountains Southwest
  • East Achill Hills
  • East Inishowen Hills
  • East Milford Hills
  • Fanad Head Hills
  • Galtee Mountains
  • Garraun Hills
  • Glenbeigh Mountains
  • Glendowan Mountains
  • Gweedore Hills
  • Holywell Hills
  • Horn Head Hills
  • Inishturk Hills
  • Iron Mountains​
  • ​Keeraunnageeragh Hills
  • Knockmealdown Mountains
  • Knocknasilloge Hills
  • MacGillycuddy's Reeks
  • Malin Head Hills
  • Mangerton Mountains
  • Maumakeogh Hills
  • Maumturk Mountains
  • Mizen Head Hills
  • Mount Gabriel Hills
  • Mount Oriel Hills
  • Mourne Mountains
  • Mullaghareirk Mountains
  • Mweelrea Mountains
  • Nagles Mountains
  • Nephin Beg Range
  • North Carrowmore Hills
  • North Letterkenny Hills
  • North Midland Hills
  • Ox Mountains
  • Partry Mountains North
  • Partry Mountains South
  • Purple Mountains
  • Roundstone Hills
  • Shannavara Hills
  • Sheeffry Hills
  • Sheep's Head Hills
  • Shehy Mountains
  • Silvermine Mountains
  • Slieveardagh Hills North
  • Slieveardagh Hills South
  • Slieve Aughty Mountains East
  • Slieve Aughty Mountains West
  • Slieve Beagh Hills
  • Slieve Bearnagh Mountains
  • Slieve Bloom Mountains
  • Slieve Felim Mountains
  • Slieve Gullion Hills
  • Slievemargy Hills
  • Slieve Mish Mountains
  • Slieve Miskish Mountains
  • Slievenamon Hills
  • Slievenamuck Hills
  • South Carrowmore Hills
  • South Cork Hills
  • South Letterkenny Hills
  • Southeast Clare Hills
  • Southeast Wicklow Hills
  • Southwest Clare Hills
  • Southwest Donegal Hills
  • Sperrin Mountains
  • Tawnaghmore Hills
  • The Burren Hills
  • The Twelve Bens
  • Urris Hills
  • Walsh Mountains
  • West Achill Hills
  • West Dingle Hills
  • West Fermanagh Hills
  • West Inishowen Hills
  • West Milford Hills
  • Wicklow Mountains

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Criteria

What is an upland area?

An upland area is a geographical region where the land surface is sufficiently hilly or mountainous to be described as a hill range or mountain range. Some sources classify an area as being upland if it lies above an enclosing 300m contour. We believe this definition is too general as it disregards lower hilly areas which are distinctly not lowland in nature. Instead, we have applied a specific set of criteria to identify the perimeter of every upland area in Ireland.

Identifying and plotting Ireland's upland areas

The following criteria was drawn up by Kieron Gribbon when he was compiling Ireland's Range High Points list (pub. 2015).

  1. The highest summit in an upland area must be at least 150m higher than the highest point on that area's perimeter.
  2. The highest summit in an upland area must also have the greatest prominence within that area.
  3. The key col of an upland area's highest summit must lie either on or outside that area's perimeter.
  4. In addition to its highest summit, (as defined in points 1, 2 and 3 above), an upland area must also contain no less than two other summits which are at least 100m higher than the highest point on that area's perimeter. At least two of these additional summits must also have a prominence of 50m or more.
  5. The lowest point on an upland area's perimeter is also the lowest point in that area as a whole.
  6. The highest point on the boundary between two adjoining upland areas is the lowest col along the highest ridge linking those two areas' highest summits.
  7. An upland area's perimeter can be defined by a combination of rivers, valleys, lakes, coastlines, cols, and / or obvious flattening of the surrounding lower ground.
  8. A n upland area cannot be bisected by a natural watercourse (e.g. a river or stream). In other words, all natural watercourses flowing within an upland area must have all their sources in that same upland area.

In order to compile Ireland's Range High Points list, Kieron Gribbon had to first identify and plot every Irish upland area's perimeter based on the above criteria. Surprisingly, such a task that had never been done before and had to be undertaken from scratch. It was only after all 125 Irish upland areas were accurately plotted that it became possible to identify the Range High Point locations themselves. 
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Shortcuts & bookmarks

If you find yourself returning to any particular page on this website, we recommend creating a shortcut on your device and a bookmark in your internet browser. These will give you much quicker access to the Irish walk-related information you need. For full details, including step-by-step instructions, please visit our "Shortcuts & bookmarks" page.
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Walking initiatives

We have developed the widest possible selection of meaningful initiatives to promote recreational walking in Ireland. These are delivered across The Ireland Walking Guide and High Point Ireland websites and range from monthly walking themes right through to the official All-Ireland Hillwalking Championships. We aim to deliver a consistent programme of initiatives every year on a recurring basis rather than a series of standalone one-off campaigns. Our "predictable" approach to participation initiatives means walkers always know what's coming up and have ample time to plan ahead. But why should you take part? Click here to find out...
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Disclaimer

Please be aware that recreational walking in the great outdoors can be a risk activity. The Ireland Walking Guide and Donard Media (the website's publisher) accept no responsibility for any injury, loss or inconvenience sustained by anyone using this website. Personal safety is entirely the participant's own responsibility.

The inclusion of walking routes, locations and geographical areas on this website is not an indication that access is permitted. It should not be assumed that access is permitted to any any specific piece of land in Ireland. Please note that upland areas and coastal areas indicated on this website are based purely on their geographical characteristics. It should not be assumed that access is permitted to any of the upland areas and coastal areas illustrated on this website. Where local access restrictions exist (e.g. those indicated by "Private Property" signs, "No Trespassing" signs, etc), we strongly advise that you comply with the relevant landowner's wishes. The Ireland Walking Guide and Donard Media recommend that anyone planning to go walking in Ireland should check for potential access restrictions and to request permission from the relevant landowner(s) in advance.

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