Overview
The Tóchar Daithí Bán is just under 2 km and takes 30 to 40 minutes at a stroll – short, but it’s the one trail in Wild Nephin National Park you can do without any hillwalking, in a wheelchair or pushing a buggy. It starts at the front door of the Ballycroy Visitor Centre and loops out over the wet blanket bog on a mix of compacted gravel and raised boardwalk, gentle the whole way. Keep an eye out for the water bars and uneven bits built to drain the bog.
Early on, the path passes a small Dipping Pond, a shallow bog pool that – when the water levels are right – fills with bogbean, marsh pennywort and marsh violets, and draws dragonflies and damselflies. From there the path rises gently to Cleary’s Hill, where the ground opens out to the Nephin Beg range in the east and, on a clear day, the profile of Achill Island, Blacksod Bay and the Atlantic to the west.
If you only have time for one thing, walk up to the top of Cleary’s Hill for that view – it’s the payoff, and it comes without any real effort. And if you can, come back after dark: this is one of the best places in the country for a clear night sky, more on which below.
History & Mythology
The trail’s name, Tóchar Daithí Bán (pronounced Toe-khur Da-hee Bawn), translates roughly as the “path of the white Daithí”. It draws on local tradition about a mythic giant, Daithí Bán, said to have built a fortress on Corslieve, the park’s highest peak at 721 metres. As the story goes, the giant used the islands between Ballycroy and Doohooma Head as stepping stones to reach the sea.
The walk loosely traces this figure’s imagined descent from the highlands down to the coast, linking the visitor centre, the pond and the hilltop view. Interpretive panels along the route explain how the landscape has been shaped by both folklore and centuries of natural process, giving context to the terrain around you.
Nature & Dark Skies
Beyond the mythology, the trail is a way into one of Ireland’s most significant bog landscapes. The surrounding Owenduff Bog is the largest expanse of intact Atlantic blanket bog in Ireland and Western Europe. The raised boardwalk protects this fragile habitat while letting you see the peat-forming sphagnum mosses, heather and gorse up close. This sponge-like system stores vast amounts of carbon and regulates water, and shelters upland species like red grouse, golden plover and otters.
The trail also sits within the Mayo Dark Sky Park, which holds a Gold Tier International Dark Sky designation, with the Ballycroy Visitor Centre as the main gateway. With minimal light pollution, the skies here are exceptionally clear. In the warmer months the visitor centre’s guides run a Dark Sky Educational Programme with stargazing tips and evening talks. Even without a guided session, the open grounds and the vantage point at Cleary’s Hill stay accessible around the clock for night-time stargazing, well after the main building has closed.
Practical Information
- Distance & Time: Just under 2 km loop, 30–40 minutes.
- Grade: Easy. Gravel and boardwalk, gentle throughout.
- Admission: Free.
- Parking: A large, free car park sits directly beside the visitor centre, clearly signposted from the N59.
- Facilities: The Ballycroy Visitor Centre has toilets, baby-changing facilities, a free interactive exhibition and art gallery, and the Ginger & Wild Café for coffee, light meals and homemade treats. The café closes on occasion, so don’t bank on it – bring a flask if you need one.
- Opening Hours: The trail is open 24/7 year-round. The visitor centre building opens daily from 10:00 to 17:30 between February and November, and closes over the winter.
- Dogs: Welcome on a lead at all times. Only service dogs are permitted inside the visitor centre buildings.
- Shuttle Bus: During June, July and August, a free National Park Shuttle Bus runs Tuesday to Saturday, linking the visitor centre with Westport and Bangor-Erris.
- Contact & Events: For direct enquiries, email
ballycroyvisitorcentre@npws.gov.ie. The park also hosts the annual Wild Nephin Nature Festival in early June.
Getting There
The trailhead is at the Ballycroy Visitor Centre on the N59, roughly midway between Mulranny and Bangor-Erris. Driving from Dublin takes about four hours; Galway is around two. If you are exploring the wider region, the walk pairs well with the nearby Claggan Mountain Coastal Trail, or a longer trek into the park’s interior for those with more time and proper boots. Check the visitor centre noticeboard for current shuttle times and weather alerts before setting off, and pack a windbreaker – the Atlantic air moves fast across the bog.