Sruth in Aghaidh An Aird – The Devils Chimney
Sruth an Aghaidh an Aird is Ireland’s highest waterfall located on the Dartry Mountains in County Sligo in the northwest of Ireland. Sruth in Aghaidh an Aird is an Irish language name meaning “the stream that flows backwards”, The waterfall is unusual in having no official English name. Wikipedia
The Route
Upon leaving the car park, enter through the pedestrian ‘kissing gate’ to the right of the trail head sign. The trail is 1.2km in length and involves an ascent of approximately 30 minutes and a descent of approximately 15 minutes. Sturdy footwear/boots are recommended as the trail is steep and can be slippery in wet weather.
Geology & Landscape
Throughout Ireland the iconic landscape of Benbulben and the Dartry Mountain plateau is so well known that in many people’s minds it symbolises County Sligo. The magnificent rock edifice rises abruptly some 526m from sea level and is largely composed of Carboniferous limestone, the layers of which can be seen on the cliff face.
The limestone rock was carved by glaciers coming west down Glencar and around from the north-east, cutting the face of Benwisken on the way. Glencar is a magnificent example of a glacial U-shaped valley with a ribbon lake situated within.
Since the glaciers cut the vertical faces out of the limestone rock, the processes of erosion have taken their toll and the stone has gradually fallen away to create the characteristic limestone talus or scree slopes at the base of the cliffs which are visible from the elevated portions of the trail.
Flora and Fauna
Glencar valley supports a wide variety of plants and animals. Both the lands above the trail and the lake are designated as a Special Area of Conservation due to their own rich ecological value. Species range from Otter to Peregrine Falcon. Of particular interest are the yew trees which grow high on the steep slopes below the cliff face. Due to their inaccessible location and slow growing nature, these trees are believed to be some of the oldest growing on the island of Ireland, some of which may be as old as 1000 years.
Did You Know?
At 492 feet (150m) Sruth in Aghaidh An Aird (also known as the Devils Chimney) is listed on the World Waterfall database as Ireland’s Tallest Waterfall.
More information – https://sligowalks.ie/walks/sruth-in-aghaidh-an-aird-the-devils-chimney/
More Places in Sligo: – https://lovetovisitireland.com/?s=sligo&post_type=place
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