Public asked to avoid peak during helicopter work

A helicopter was used in the construction of the Errigal pathway and will be used again for repair work

People have been asked not to climb a mountain in County Donegal later in the week due to a helicopter carrying heavy materials overhead for repair work.

The work to repair the Errigal pathway is scheduled to take place on Wednesday but may also continue into Thursday.

Large sections of the €630,000 (£536,500) pathway, which was opened in October 2022, were washed away following heavy rain.

Errigal is the highest of seven peaks in Donegal's Derryveagh mountains, known as the Seven Sisters.

Errigal is near Gweedore in County Donegal in the Republic of Ireland

It is estimated that more than 40,000 people climb the mountain every year.

Cairde na hEaragaile (Friends of Errigal), which comprises a number of bodies with an interest in protecting the mountainous area, has appealed to hikers to avoid the area as the vital repair work, using the helicopter, is carried out on the path.

What work is being done on the mountain?

Large sections of the pathway have been left exposed by the extreme weather

Project officer Josephine Kelly said people should not walk below the helicopter while it was lifting materials, such as heavy stones, up and down the mountain.

A stop/go system will be in operation for drivers on the road next to the car park at the bottom of the pathway, so cars will have limited access to the mountain.

Ms Kelly said the pathway had been badly damaged when five inches of rain fell in three hours.

"There is a stream that runs along the side of the path, and it simply couldn't handle the sheer volume of water that came down and large sections of the embankment, taking some large boulders with it, washed away, or destroyed parts of the path," she said.

"Although we can't physically close the mountain pathway, what we are asking is for people to stay away on Wednesday and Thursday.

"There is obviously safety issues with members of the public in the area when a helicopter is being used and carrying large loads, and also we would also ask people to avoid using the area in terms of allowing the workers to be able to be able to carry out their work efficiently."

Extensive rainfall caused a river near the bottom of the mountain to overflow

Sam Hesling, who is overseeing the project, told BBC News NI that working on a mountain pathway was complex and had many practical challenges.

“We stockpile aggregate from the quarries, which will be crushed stone with dust mixed within it, and we fly it up using concrete skips on the helicopter and we spread it along the path, then we rig it out and compact it," he said.

“We will also be using more stones from the mountain itself to build more features on the paths, like more cross-drains and a bit more pitching."

'A small sacrifice for long-term benefits'

Ms Kelly said it was vital the path was restored to help better protect the landscape and allow better access to the mountain.

She said the pathway helps walkers and climbers of all abilities to enjoy the beautiful scenery of Errigal and to climb its peak, which stands at 751m (2,464ft).

"I was speaking to an 84-year-old man last week, who said he was only able to climb Errigal again after the pathway was installed," she said.