Overview:

Distance: 3.6km
Elevation gain: 23m
Format: Looped Trail
Time: 30 - 90 minutes
Start / End / Parking:
There is space for 11 cars at the start / end point of the trail, here.
Trail difficulty: Easy
This trail is very accessible - underfoot it is either a well maintained gravel path, or old laneways.
Read about trail grading in Ireland here.
Trail quality: 4/5
Very well maintained. With some more time and general weathering the route will feel more natural and part of it’s surroundings.
Views: 5/5
Possibly my favourite views of Sligo Bay.
Buggy/Wheelchair friendly: No - but almost. There is one kissing gate.
Dogs allowed: On a lead
When did I walk this route: March 2025
External resources:

The Raghly Loop is a 3km walk around a tiny headland that juts out into the top of Sligo Bay. This walk is small but mighty, providing stunning views of the coastline and many of Sligo’s most iconic landmarks. Starting from the roadside car park, there’s space for 11 cars beside the infoboard. Along the trail you’ll find several info boards explaining the history, wildlife, and distinctive geographical features you’ll pass.

The only unusual wildlife I saw that evening were Barnacle Geese. On my way to the trail I passed Ballygilgan (Lissadell) Nature Reserve, which is also known as The Goose Field! According to the NPWS, “about 3000 Barnacle Geese arrive in October to spend the winter in North Sligo… The geese breed in Greenland in the summer and spend the winter in Ireland. They graze in Lissadell – Maugherow area every winter until April, spending every night on the island of Inishmurray.” As I drove past I indeed saw what looked like a few thousand geese grazing, and as I reached the end of my walk, I saw many flying out to one of the further islands.

This trail is very accessible - underfoot it is either a well maintained gravel path, or old laneways. The way-marking for the trail is a red arrow on a black backdrop, although most of the time the trail path is so well built that it’s hard to get lost.

My favourite place on this walk was the Signal Post and the ruins of the Pilot Lookout. Signal Posts were used by the coastguard to communicate with passing ships - they communicated across the waters by raising different coloured flags and placing them at different heights along the flagpole.

The sea pilots worked similarly, sending up flares to message passing ships. However their job was to row out and guide ships through the more treacherous parts of Sligo Bay. The last sea pilot of Raghly was John Joe Herity, and he retired in 1987.

Reaching the bottom of the lane, you turn right, passing the ruins of the old coastguard station. Soon after that, you’ll arrive to the harbour. Built in the early 1800’s, this harbour soon became one of the most important harbours between Derry and Galway, as well as being a thriving fishing port. These days the small fishing fleet primarily focuses on lobster and crab pots, which were stacked all around.

As I made my way back along the final lane to the carpark, I watched the moon rise over Glencar valley. The view down it from this angle is unique, and I spent some time guessing whether I could truly see the cliffs around the Devil’s Chimney waterfall.

For such a simple trail, it has been developed really well, making the most of the landscape and the history of the area. It’s a great addition to the most accessible trails out there, and I know I’ll be back to soak up the views from the Signal Post again.