Wild Nephin National Park | Hike and Overnight Camp

Hiking Letterkeen Loop and camping at North of the Bothy. “Indeed the Nephin Beg range of mountains is, I think, the very loneliest place in this country” - Robert Lloyd Praeger. "Wild Nephin National Park showcases some of the darkest, most pristine night skies in the world and is officially certified as a Gold Tier standard International Dark Sky Park. The Mayo Dark Sky Park extends across the entire National Park, and on a clear night visitors can see thousands of twinkling stars, other planets in our solar system, the Milky Way and even meteor showers, all with the naked eye. Located on the Western seaboard in northwest Mayo, Wild Nephin National Park covers a vast 15,000 hectares of uninhabited and unspoilt wilderness, dominated by the Nephin Beg mountain range. To the west of the mountains is the Owenduff Bog, one of the last intact active blanket bog systems in Western Europe. The National Park also protects other important habitats and species including alpine heath, upland grassland, heath, lakes and river catchments. Greenland white-fronted geese, golden plover, red grouse and otters are just some of the important fauna found within the National Park. Letterkeen loop - This loop follows purple arrows on an old cattle road, a narrow path through trees, sandy road, forest road and riverbank mainly in forestry. It travels in a clockwise direction with climbs and descents, some of which are steep, reaching a highpoint of 311m before descending to cross a pass in the scenic and relatively isolated lowlands of the Nephin Beg Mountains. This is a lovely quiet secluded walk with extensive views from the highest point. The three Letterkeen Loop trails above are waymarked and possible without a map and compass. The Bangor Trail is for very experienced hikers only. Hiking boots and correct rainwear are essential as these trails can become very wet underfoot. Any walker or camper undertaking one of the advanced trails should register in advance at https://www.campingwildnephin.com"