Mountain climbers and hill-walkers are being asked to avoid Co Donegal’s Mount Errigal over a three-day period to facilitate a helicopter lift for new pathways on the iconic mountain.
Overlooking the spectacular Poison Glen and Dunlewey, Mount Errigal’s cone shape makes it one of the most instantly recognisable peaks in Ireland.
The west Donegal mountain is also hugely popular with hill-walkers, climbers and casual hikers who enjoy the striking views from the summit of the county and its off-shore islands.
Each year thousands of people ascend the mountain. The location has become so popular that authorities in Donegal had to create a car-park to facilitate the large numbers.
In 2018, an assessment of the mountain and the impact of walkers reported serious concerns about footpath erosion.
As a result, a pathway is being built to ease walker traffic on other parts of the mountain. The next phase of the “Sustainable Access and Recreation Project on Errigal” started this week and will run until mid-September.
A spokesman for the contractors said the new phase would involve the use of a helicopter over three days in July and he requested that the public did not try to summit the iconic mountain during those days.
He said: “A helicopter lifting operation is scheduled to start on 5th July and last for three days, depending on weather, particularly wind and visibility. There will be traffic management in operation on the R251 regional road for the duration of the helicopter lifting operation.
“We would request that climbers do not climb [try] to climb the mountain during the phase of the helicopter lift from July 5 to 7 for safety reasons.”
The spokesman said most of the carpark at the bottom of Errigal would also be occupied by the contractors from this week until September although there would b e a pedestrian route through it for hikers.
Further information about access to the mountain is available at www.errigalmountain.com.
