Bangor trail - Ballycroy National Park

Sometimes described as “the loneliest place in Ireland”, due to the isolated nature of the route, this challenging 39km trail takes you through all types of terrain – country roads, bog tracks, open countryside, across rivers – all of which enable walkers to experience a solitude no longer available elsewhere in Ireland. You won’t see a house along the route, and you may not even meet another soul along the route!

The Bangor Trail follows an old drover path (a path for moving livestock) which may date from the Iron age, and along the route, you’ll see evidence of evidence of previous human habitation, including pre-Famine ruins. The route is low enough to avoid climbing (the highest point is 230 metres) but not so low as to bring walkers right into the wet Owenduff bog.

This route starts in Bangor and finishes in Newport. The part of the route near Newport is mostly on-road, the really challenging part of the route starts from the Brogan Carroll bothy at Letterkeen, which is a hiker’s shelter in the Wild Nephin Ballycroy National Park. The remainder of the route – approximately 24km – from Bangor Erris is just about as wild and as isolated as you can get, apart from the wildlife – you might spot Irish hares, deer, frogs or grouse on your way.

This is not a walk for beginners – you really need to have a good level of fitness and have experience of trails over similar terrain. Preferably, you should do this with another person and be prepared for a long day – the hike can take up to 12 hours. If you are only planning on doing this walk one way, you will need to arrange for transport to pick you up from your finishing location. If you are planning on doing the return leg, you will need to split the journey over two days, so bring camping gear or arrange accommodation.
*Unless you are an experienced long distances runner.