# Sligo: Yeats Country and ancient tombs

> 2-day road trip of about 62 km (39 mi) with 7 stops, from Sligo to Mullaghmore. About 0 h 52 min of driving in total.

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b6-sligo-yeats/

**At a glance:** 2-day road trip of about 62 km (39 mi) with 7 stops, from Sligo to Mullaghmore. About 0 h 52 min of driving in total. Megalithic tombs at Carrowmore, the cairn on Knocknarea, a waterfall from a Yeats poem and his grave below Benbulben.

| | |
|---|---|
| Distance | 62 km (39 mi) |
| Driving | 0 h 52 min |
| Suggested days | 2 |
| Stops | 7 |
| Route | Sligo → Mullaghmore |
| Countries | Ireland |
| Updated | June 25, 2026 |

## Route description

Sligo is a lively town on the Garavogue river, with a ruined Dominican abbey and a statue of W. B. Yeats. A short drive west, Carrowmore’s stone circles and passage tombs are among the oldest in Ireland.

Climb Knocknarea from the car park on its southern side; the path takes about 45 minutes to the huge cairn of Queen Maeve, with views over Sligo Bay. Below the hill, Strandhill is a surfers’ village with seaweed baths and a long, windswept beach where swimming is unsafe.

Return through Sligo and take the N16 towards Manorhamilton, then turn off for Glencar Lough and its waterfall. Back on the N15, Drumcliff churchyard holds Yeats’s grave with Benbulben’s steep profile behind it.

Finish at Mullaghmore, a harbour village on a headland with a sandy beach and views of Classiebawn Castle, which is private. The loop is short and suits a weekend; add Lough Gill and its island, the Lake Isle of Innisfree, if you have an extra afternoon.

## Stop-by-stop itinerary

1. **Sligo** (Ireland)
2. **Carrowmore** (Carrowmore, Ireland): One of Ireland’s largest megalithic cemeteries, with dozens of stone circles and passage tombs scattered across fields below Knocknarea.
3. **Knocknarea** (Strandhill, Ireland): A flat-topped hill crowned by a vast unopened cairn said to be the grave of Queen Maeve. The path up takes about 45 minutes.
4. **Strandhill** (Ireland)
5. **Glencar Waterfall** (Glencar, Ireland): A waterfall in a wooded glen beside Glencar Lough, celebrated in a poem by W. B. Yeats. It is a short walk from the car park and best after rain.
6. **Drumcliff churchyard** (Drumcliff, Ireland): The grave of W. B. Yeats below the profile of Benbulben, with a carved high cross and a round tower stump nearby.
7. **Mullaghmore** (Ireland)

## FAQs

**How long is Sligo: Yeats Country and ancient tombs?**
2-day road trip of about 62 km (39 mi) with 7 stops, from Sligo to Mullaghmore. About 0 h 52 min of driving in total.

**How many days do you need for Sligo: Yeats Country and ancient tombs?**
We suggest 2 days: about 0 h 52 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.

**Where does Sligo: Yeats Country and ancient tombs start and end?**
It starts in Sligo and ends in Mullaghmore.

**Which countries does Sligo: Yeats Country and ancient tombs pass through?**
Ireland.