Diamond Hill

Diamond Hill stands at 442 metres on the north-eastern edge of the Twelve Bens, inside Connemara National Park, and it is the one Connemara summit with a properly built route to the top - gravel path low down, then stone steps and boardwalk over the wet sections, then a rockier upper stretch to the summit. That construction is why it works for people who would not attempt the rest of the range. The loop is about seven kilometres and takes two to three hours. From the top the view runs west over Ballynakill Harbour and the coast, out to Inishbofin, north to Mweelrea across Killary, and east into the bare heart of the Bens. The park below protects blanket bog, heath and a small herd of Connemara ponies. The upper section is exposed and the path is genuinely slippery on wet rock, which is most of the time.

What you actually see

• The built path - gravel, stone steps and boardwalk to the summit.
• The coastal view - Ballynakill Harbour, the islands and Inishbofin.
• The Bens - the bare quartzite range immediately east.
• The park below - blanket bog, heath and Connemara ponies.

When to go

April to October. The upper rock is slippery in wet weather, which is common. Early starts avoid the mid-morning crowd from the visitor centre.

Honest expectations

The upper section is exposed, steep and slippery despite the boardwalk lower down. Cloud removes the view often. The car park charges and fills in summer.

Nearby

Letterfrack and Kylemore Abbey are close; Killary Harbour is north.