The uphill walk to the circle
From a small parking pull-in beside local houses, a gravel path climbs roughly 320m through trees and gorse before opening into the pasture field. The ground inside the circle is very uneven, so stout footwear helps.
Beltany Stone Circle
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About
A vast Bronze Age ring of 64 standing stones crowns Tops Hill above Raphoe, wrapped around a mysterious raised mound that may predate the circle itself. It is one of the largest and earliest stone circles in the country, with sweeping views over Donegal's prehistoric landscape.
Things to Do
Walk the ring of 64 stones
Sixty-four closely set stones, survivors of an original 80 or more, encircle a low hummocky platform that may be a ruined burial cairn or passage tomb. They range from ankle-high slabs to pillars over 2m tall, several threaded with quartz.
Find the cup-marked stones
The triangular slab on the inner east side carries at least 43 cupmarks facing inward, and other stones bear ring-and-cup marks. The carvings sit on inner and outer faces and are easy to miss.
The outlying standing stone and alignments
A solitary stone nearly 2m tall stands about 20m to the south-east of the ring. It may align with the winter solstice, while the tallest pillar in the west-south-west lines up with the cup-marked slab towards the Bealtaine sunrise over Tullyrap.
Hilltop views from Tops Hill
The circle sits on the 170m summit with broad panoramas across east Donegal, including the cairn on Croaghan Hill about 6km away. It is an exposed, windy spot, so bring a jacket.
Meet the Beltany Stone Head
A small carved stone head, possibly an Iron Age idol, was found at or near the circle and is now in the National Museum of Ireland. The Raphoe area has produced several such heads, known as the Raphoe Group.
Explore the wider prehistoric landscape
Beltany anchors a dense cluster of local monuments, among them the passage-tomb cemetery at Kilmonaster and the cairn and hillfort on Croaghan Hill to the south.
Plan Your Visit
- Hours: Open all year round, every day; there are no gates, staff or closing time.
- Admission: Free — no charge to visit
- Parking: A small free parking area sits at the base of the path near local houses, so park unobtrusively; there is no formal car park or charge.
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