Sperrins

{{Infobox mountain

| name = The Sperrins

| native_name =

| other_name = Sliabh Speirín (Irish){{cite web |title=Sperrin Mountains/Sliabh Speirín |url=https://www.logainm.ie/en/1166751 |website=Placenames Database of Ireland}}

| photo = Sperrin Skyway - geograph.org.uk - 3313349.jpg

| photo_size = 300

| photo_caption = Looking towards Sawel and Dart mountains

| country_type = Sovereign state

| country = United Kingdom

| region_type = Constituent country

| region = Northern Ireland

| district_type = Counties

| district = County Tyrone, County Londonderry

| parent =

| border =

| range_coordinates = {{coord|54.8|N|7.083|W|type:mountain_region:GB_scale:300000|format=dms|display=inline,title}}

| coordinates =

| highest = Sawel Mountain

| elevation_m = 678

| length_km =

| length_orientation =

| width_km =

| width_orientation =

| area_km2 =

| geology = Schist, quartzite,{{Cite web |url=http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/ks3/gsl/education/resources/rockcycle/page3997.html |title=The Rock Cycle, Schist, Co Tyrone, The Geological Society |access-date=3 March 2013 |archive-date=22 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140522142048/http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/ks3/gsl/education/resources/rockcycle/page3997.html |url-status=live }} granite, basalt, rhyolite

| orogeny = Caledonian orogeny

| period =

| map =

| map_caption =

}}

The Sperrins or Sperrin Mountains ({{langx|ga|Sliabh Speirín}})[https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/9b31e0501b744154b4584b1dce1f859b/page/Place-Name-Info/?data_id=dataSource_1-PlaceNames_Gazeteer_No_Global_IDs_3734%3A24049 Northern Ireland Place-Name Project] are a mountain range in Northern Ireland. The range stretches from Strabane and Mullaghcarn in the west, to Slieve Gallion and the Glenshane Pass in the east, in the counties of Tyrone and Londonderry. The landscape is mostly moorland and blanket bog. The region has a population of some 150,000 and is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Features

It has a distinctive glaciated landscape. The mountains mostly have rounded summits and the landscape is mainly moorland and blanket bog. The Glenshane Pass, part of the A6 Belfast to Derry road, is in the mountains and has notoriously bad weather in winter. Sawel Mountain is the highest peak in the Sperrins, and the seventh highest in Northern Ireland. Its summit rises to {{convert|678|m|abbr=on}}. Another of the Sperrins, Carntogher (464 m), towers over the Glenshane Pass.{{cite web | title=Glenshane Slopes Landscape | work=Environment and Heritage Service | url=http://www.ehsni.gov.uk/landscape/country_landscape/39/39-land.htm | archive-url=https://archive.today/20120731141625/http://www.ehsni.gov.uk/landscape/country_landscape/39/39-land.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=2012-07-31 | access-date=2008-06-26 }}

Geologically, the Sperrins are formed mostly from Precambrian metamorphic rocks, with some younger Ordovician igneous rocks in the southern flank of the range. The Mountains are very sparsely populated and provide habitat for a diverse range of birds and mammals. Red fox, Sika Deer, Pine Marten and Red Squirrels are commonly found there alongside Peregrine Falcons, Buzzards and Sparrowhawks. Visiting Golden Eagles from the neighbouring reintroduced Donegal population have been sighted across the range from Strabane to Draperstown although no breeding population has yet been established. The Mountains also provide one of the last refuges of Red Grouse in Northern Ireland.

List

\|Rank !\|Name !\|Irish name{{cite web\|url=http://www.mountaineering.ie/_files/Paul%20Tempan%20Irish%20Mountain%20Placenames%20-%20Feb%202012.pdf\|title=Irish Hill and Mountain Names\|publisher=MountainViews\|author=Paul Tempan\|date=February 2012\|access-date=19 August 2020\|archive-date=31 October 2020\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031220454/https://www.mountaineering.ie/_files/Paul%20Tempan%20Irish%20Mountain%20Placenames%20-%20Feb%202012.pdf\|url-status=live}} !\|Height[https://mountainviews.ie/lists/arderinall/Arderins and Arderin Begs] {{Webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210926172527/https://mountainviews.ie/lists/arderinall/Arderins/ \|date=26 September 2021 }}. MountainViews. !\|Prominence
class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:left"
1	Sawel Mountain	Samhail Phite Méabha ("likeness of Méabh's vulva")	{{convert\|678\|m\|abbr=on}}	{{convert\|657\|m\|abbr=on}}
2	Mullaghclogha	Mullach Clocha ("summit of the stone")	{{convert\|635\|m\|abbr=on}}	{{convert\|207\|m\|abbr=on}}
3	Mullaghaneany	Mullach an Ionaidh ("summit of the wonder")	{{convert\|627\|m\|abbr=on}}	{{convert\|302\|m\|abbr=on}}
4	Meenard	Mín Ard ("high mountain pasture")	{{convert\|620\|m\|abbr=on}}	{{convert\|85\|m\|abbr=on}}
5	Dart Mountain	An Dairt ("the lump")	{{convert\|619\|m\|abbr=on}}	{{convert\|89\|m\|abbr=on}}
6	Mullaghasturrakeen	Mullach an Starraicín ("summit of the steeple")	{{convert\|581\|m\|abbr=on}}	{{convert\|46\|m\|abbr=on}}
7	Mullaghclogher	Mullach Clochair ("summit of the stony patch")	{{convert\|572\|m\|abbr=on}}	{{convert\|127\|m\|abbr=on}}
8	Oughtmore	Ucht Mór ("big mountain breast")	{{convert\|569\|m\|abbr=on}}	{{convert\|104\|m\|abbr=on}}
9	Spelhoagh	Speilg Chuach ("cuckoo rock")	{{convert\|568\|m\|abbr=on}}	{{convert\|20\|m\|abbr=on}}
10	Mullaghdoo	Mullach Dubh ("black summit")	{{convert\|568\|m\|abbr=on}}	{{convert\|20\|m\|abbr=on}}
11	Carnanelly	Carnán Aichle ("little cairn of the lookout")	{{convert\|562\|m\|abbr=on}}	{{convert\|307\|m\|abbr=on}}
12	Mullaghmore	Mullach Mór ("big summit")	{{convert\|550\|m\|abbr=on}}	{{convert\|235\|m\|abbr=on}}
13	Mullaghcarn	Mullach Cairn ("summit of the cairn")	{{convert\|542\|m\|abbr=on}}	{{convert\|377\|m\|abbr=on}}
14	White Mountain	Sliabh Bán ("white mountain")	{{convert\|537\|m\|abbr=on}}	{{convert\|42\|m\|abbr=on}}
15	Slieve Gallion	Sliabh gCallann ("mountain of the heights")	{{convert\|528\|m\|abbr=on}}	{{convert\|333\|m\|abbr=on}}
16	Crockbrack	Cnoc Breac ("speckled hill")	{{convert\|526\|m\|abbr=on}}	{{convert\|151\|m\|abbr=on}}
17	Mullaghcarbatagh	Mullach Carbadach ("boulder-strewn summit")	{{convert\|517\|m\|abbr=on}}	{{convert\|32\|m\|abbr=on}}

Politics

Sperrin was the name of a proposed United Kingdom constituency in the Sixth Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies.{{Cite news|date=2018-09-10|title=Final electoral boundary proposals published|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-45474526|access-date=2021-03-05|archive-date=15 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210415040305/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-45474526|url-status=live}}

References

External links

[http://www.bbc.co.uk/ni/landscapes Landscapes Unlocked] - Aerial footage from the BBC Sky High series explaining the physical, social and economic geography of Northern Ireland.

Category:Mountain ranges of Northern Ireland

Category:Mountains and hills of County Tyrone

Category:Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Northern Ireland

Category:Mountains and hills of County Londonderry

Category:Protected areas of County Londonderry

Category:Protected areas of County Tyrone