Ox Mountains facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ox Mountains
Sliabh Gamh
View of the Ox Mountains from Knocknarea
Highest point
Peak	Knockalongy
Elevation	544 m (1,785 ft)
Geography
Ox Mountains Location in island of Ireland
Country	Republic of Ireland
Provinces of Ireland	Connacht

The Ox Mountains, also called Slieve Gamph (which means Irish: Sliabh Gamh in Irish), are a mountain range in County Sligo. This county is on the west coast of Ireland. People sometimes call them Saint Patrick's Mountains. This is because Saint Patrick built churches on their slopes. He also left his name on some of the wells there.

Where are the Ox Mountains?

The tallest point in the Ox Mountains is Knockalongy. It stands 544 metres (1,785 ft) tall.

View from Culleenamore beach of Knockalongy, the range's highest peak

The mountains start just southwest of Ballysadare. They stretch about 40 miles (64 km) to the west and southwest. They reach the border of County Mayo. Here, the mountains continue as the Slieve Gamph range. This range first follows the county border. Then it goes into County Mayo. The Ox Mountains have many peaks. Some are between 1,200 and 1,800 feet (366 to 549 meters) high. Slieve Gamph itself reaches 1,363 feet (415 meters).

What are the Ox Mountains Made Of?

The main rocks that make up the Ox Mountains are gneiss, schist, and granite. These are very old types of rock. Much of this wild, high area is covered with blanket bog. A blanket bog is a type of wetland. It is covered by a thick layer of peat.

Some parts of the mountains have many trees. Other areas have lots of rocks sticking out of the ground. To the north and south, the land is different. It has limestones and sandstones. These rocks formed during the Carboniferous period. This land is mostly used for farming.

Tallest Peaks

Here are some of the highest hills in the Ox Mountains:

See also

In Spanish: Montañas de Ox para niños