Overview
Barrclashcame, the high point of the Sheeffry Hills at 772 m, is Mayo’s third-highest summit – and one of its least-walked. The range sits a few kilometres inland of the Wild Atlantic Way, so most drivers heading between Westport and Louisburgh never turn up the pass road that runs through the middle of it, and the hills stay empty even at the height of summer. Locals say the name ‘Shay-free’; the Irish, Cnoic Shíofra, is usually read as ‘hills of the wraith’, a nod to the low mist that hangs on the tops.
If you’ve an hour rather than a day, don’t attempt the ridge – drive or cycle the Sheeffry Pass instead. It’s the one thing here almost anyone can do, and the view it opens over Tawnyard Lough is the best in the range for the least effort.
Name and history
The hills are bounded by Glencullin Lough and Doo Lough to the west, Glenummera and Tawnyard Lough to the south, Owenmore Glen to the east and the Bunowen River to the north, wrapping a landscape of deep glens, quiet lakes and scattered townlands – Drummin, Carrowkennedy, Cregganbaun and Delphi among them.
The area carries the weight of the War of Independence. Carrowkennedy, on the eastern side of the hills, was the site of an ambush in June 1921, when an IRA column commanded by Michael Kilroy overran a police patrol; a modest memorial marks the spot.
The Sheeffry Pass
The pass is a single narrow mountain road threading through the heart of the range, and it’s the reason to come if you’re not a hillwalker. There’s a viewpoint partway across with a couple of picnic benches and a long view down over Tawnyard Lough – a good place to stop, eat and turn around, or to carry on south through the Doolough Valley toward Leenane. The road is unfenced, single-track and used by sheep more than cars, so take the bends slowly.
For a longer outing, the pass links into a road loop from Westport out through Drummin, over the Sheeffry Pass, down to Doolough and back via Louisburgh – a full day on a bike, most of it on quiet backroads, with one steep, hairpinned climb over the pass itself that rules it out for nervous beginners. Arrange a bike in Westport or Louisburgh; there’s no rental out here.
Walking the ridge
The full east–west traverse is a long, serious hill day, unwaymarked for much of its length and reliant on clear tracks across the plateau. It takes in the main summits before Barrclashcame at the western end, and rewards the effort with views out to Achill and Corraun, the Nephin Begs, Mweelrea and Croagh Patrick. This is ground for experienced walkers with a map and compass, not a casual afternoon: cloud drops onto the plateau without much warning, and the western corries end in scree-strewn cliffs best left alone. Most people who want a walk rather than a mountain day take the grassy southern slopes and retrace their steps.
For something gentler, the Tawnyard Forest Trail is a signposted loop through mixed woodland near Tawnyard Lough – the sensible choice with children or in poor visibility. Walkers can also join the ridge from the off-road section of the Western Way near Tawnyard Lough.
Peaks and lakes
From west to east the plateau strings together Barrclashcame (772 m), Storikeennageer (580 m), Tievummera (762 m), Tievnabinnia (742 m), Tawnyard (436 m) and Tawnyrower (510 m), the higher pair sitting near the middle of the ridge.
The range holds a run of glacial lakes; the two largest are Lugacolliwee and Lugaloughan, with smaller corrie pools – Lough Brawn among them – scattered across the plateau and holding the light in still weather.
Nearby
South of the pass, the Doolough Famine Memorial – a stone cross on the road through the Doolough Valley – marks the deaths of people who walked this route between Louisburgh and Delphi in the winter of 1849. It’s a short stop on the drive or cycle, and a sobering one.
Practical information
Getting there – The hills lie between Westport (about 30 km north) and Louisburgh (about 15 km south). Access is off the R335 (Leenane–Westport) and the signposted road for the Sheeffry Pass. Walkers often park near the Drummin lay-by before heading onto the southern slopes; both the lay-by and the pass verges are free.
Maps – Carry a proper hill map and a compass or GPS: the plateau is unwaymarked in places and the tracks fade in mist. The relevant Ordnance Survey Ireland Discovery sheet covers the range.
Facilities – There are none on the hills. The nearest cafés, pubs and shops are in Louisburgh and Westport, so fuel up before you head in.
Dogs – Welcome on the walks, but keep them on a lead near sheep and on the boggy, exposed sections.
Accessibility – The terrain is rugged and steep; the walking routes are not suitable for wheelchairs or limited mobility. The pass, by car, is the accessible way to see the range.
Start any ridge walk early to get ahead of the afternoon cloud that rolls in off the Atlantic, and pack an extra layer – the plateau runs several degrees colder than the valley even on a mild day.