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The Annual Cairn Sunday Walk! to Mullaghcarn Mountain (1778ft) - Mullach Cairn means the summit of the cairn, a cairn being a pile of stones.
Is on Sunday 28th July 2024 at Gortin Glen Forest Park, Lislap East, Co Tyrone. Parking is free at the main carparks and toilets on site.
Start your walk at the 'Trail Head' information panel, beside the Cafe building, and follow the waymarked 'Mullaghcarn Trail' signs.
(This walk is not a organised event)
Start your walk on your own tme and you should do the walk under 3hrs.
The tradition of climbing to the top of Mullaghcairn is thought to date back over 1000 years.
Cairns have been used from Prehistoric times to present.
The act of adding a stone to the cairn, is a deep rooted tradition, that by adding this rock you are preserving the integrity of the cairn, referencing the age- old practice of people, over generations, carrying stones to the summit to add to the cairn there.
It is believed that the cairn marks a place regarded of great religious significance; perhaps a burial place.
The practice of climbing Mullaghcarn is likely to have had a pagan origin; historians detail how people sought to be closer to their gods.
The introduction of Christianity saw the nature of the arranged climb to the top of Mullaghcarn become an annual day of pilgrimage.
‘Blueberry Sunday’ as it was to be known was marked by participants performing religious practices at the summit. Through time, ‘sports days’ became a feature there.
Activities including berry picking, eating and drinking, singing and dancing enhancing what had become a notable annual occurrence.
The pilgrimage and subsequent festivities appealed to all age groups.
Notably, there were those who regarded attendance an ideal ‘courting’ or matchmaking’ opportunity; it was a place where lasting good relationships began!
In 1997, 300 hardy participants climbed Mullaghacarn on the last Sunday of July. In doing so, they revived a tradition that had been lost in time. ‘Cairn Sunday’, as it is now known, is about more than participating in a physical activity; it brings a community and its visitors together in the beautiful picturesque Gortin Glen Forest Estate landscape.
Participants are invited to come to Gortin Glen Forest Park for departure on the walk.
The walk is on a tarmac and gravel terrain, but it should be noted that the trail’s gradient can be quite challenging, particularly towards the end of the route.
As always, participants will be encouraged to adhere to the Countryside Code.
They should respect the wildlife and fauna of the area and be mindful that they walk within a working forested area. Littering is not appropriate.
Dogs are very welcome, but owners should keep them on a lead.
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Gortin Glen Forest Park, GLEN PARK ROAD GORTIN,Omagh, United Kingdom
