The best traffic-free bike rides around Hazelwood

Small coffee cart at the southwestern entrance of the Gleniff Horseshoe. Ideal stopping point just before the valley fully opens up. Here you look out onto the first flanks of Benwiskin and the wide basin of the Dartry Mountains.

Small bridge over the Ballintrillick River, just before the southwestern entrance of the Gleniff Horseshoe. A quiet, green viewpoint where the river flows beneath you and the first outlines of Benwiskin and the Dartry Mountains become visible. But I don't find it that special.

The Drumcliff Round Tower is the remnant of an early Christian monastery traditionally founded around 560 by Columcille (Columba). Only the stump of the tower remains standing, but together with the High Cross across the road, it forms a clear landmark of the old abbey site. The tower was part of a larger monastic complex that was a religious center for centuries along the old route between Sligo and Donegal. The weathered stones and the open space around the tower give a clear picture of the early medieval presence in Drumcliff.

The grave of William Butler Yeats lies next to the church of Drumcliff, at the foot of Benbulben. The simplicity of the gravestone contrasts with his status as a Nobel laureate: a sober limestone slab with his famous last line “Cast a cold Eye / On Life, on Death. / Horseman, pass by.” The place forms a silent, symbolic stop in the landscape that shaped so much of his poetry. The proximity of the old monastery site, the High Cross, and the remains of the round tower give the whole a layered historical atmosphere.

Drumcliff is one of the most symbolic places in County Sligo: an early Christian site with a 12th-century High Cross, remains of a round tower, and the quiet church where W. B. Yeats is buried. The high cross displays weathered biblical reliefs, while the tower base recalls the ancient monastery that once stood here. Yeats’ grave lies simply beside the church, with his famous last line as an epitaph. The combination of history, literature, and the view towards Benbulben makes this one of the most layered stops in the north.

The strange silhouette of Benbulben watches over Drumcliff, the village where Yeats, who died in Roquebrune (France), wanted to be buried. To the left of the church is his tombstone with the epitaph written by the poet. Don't miss the round tower and the high cross (early 11th century), engraved with biblical scenes, reminiscent of the first monastery founded in the 6th century by Saint Columba.

Benbulbin is a striking table mountain in the Dartry Mountains, formed by glaciers and composed of limestone and shale. Its silhouette is globally recognizable and forms the visual highlight of North Sligo.

The Union Wood Trail runs through Ballygawley wood and around Union Rock. The paths are easy going and enjoyable, as is the climb up to Union Rock from here. With epic views of Sligo Bay on a clear day, it's well worth it.