The Sligo Champion

Five most ‘Instagramm­able’ backdrops in County Sligo

- BY DENISE RUSHE

Seeking out the perfect backdrop for the perfect holiday snap to make your dearest and nearest that little bit jealous is all part of the fun on any trip to County Sligo.

Within a ten minute reach of Sligo town, you will find some of the the most inspiring landscapes to choose from along Sligo’s walking trails and routes.

Whether it is a sunset selfie or a blue-sky instagram-worthy day, you really are spoilt for choice in terms of unique locations and settings.

From sunrises across Glencar Valley, to epic sunsets in Enniscrone or Strandhill, lake-water lapping on Lough Gill, and majestic Mullaghmor­e, the Wild Atlantic backdrop and mountains and lakes of Sligo provide some of the most unique photo opportunit­ies in Ireland.

So, without further ado, here’s our top five recommenda­tions for Instagram-worthy locations along Sligo’s great walking trails and routes:

1 ) Strandhill Beach Front

Capture a surfer catching the last waves of the day in Strandhill as the sun sets and rays of light spill across the beach front.

Get there early as it’s one of the most popular locations on any sunny day.

2) Classiebaw­n Castle, Mullaghmor­e The iconic castle set against the skyline of North Sligo takes in the unique tabletop mountain of Benbulben. Whether it’s summer or winter when you visit, you are always guaranteed a truly unique photo opportunit­y.

3) The top of Knocknarea

Take the recently constructe­d Queen Maeve trail on one of those big blue sky days and you will get to see as far North as Sliabh Liag in Donegal and all across Sligo bay. 4) Slish Wood Along the Sligo Way A newly built wooden trail brings you through the beautiful Slish Wood overlookin­g Lough Gill. From here you can look back towards Sligo town and Knocknrea mountain in Strandhill.

5) Barnaribbo­n along the Gortarowey Looped Walk at Benbulben

The most distinctiv­e peak among the Dartry range, it was formed during the ice age by massive glaciers segmenting the landscape. You can get one of the most unique shots of Benbulben along this route.

 ??  ?? Slish Wood. Pic: Paul McGahon.
Slish Wood. Pic: Paul McGahon.
 ??  ?? Knocknarea. Pic: Janell Carew.
Knocknarea. Pic: Janell Carew.
 ??  ?? Classiebaw­n. Pic: Sinead McCarthy.
Classiebaw­n. Pic: Sinead McCarthy.
 ??  ?? Gortarowey. Pic: Aideen Connolly.
Gortarowey. Pic: Aideen Connolly.
 ??  ?? Strandhill. Pic: Sean Murphy.
Strandhill. Pic: Sean Murphy.

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