Sawel is a Hewitt of 678 m in Derry City and Strabane. Nothing higher stands within 71.4 km; the nearest higher summit is Slieve Snaght (679 m), to the west.
It is also on the county tops list, as the highest point of its historic county. The key col lies 44.8 km away to the south-west, at 98 m. Its drop of 580 m is 86% of its height: the col linking it to higher ground is only 98 m above sea level. It overtops all four of its nearest neighbours; the tallest of them, Croaghgorm, reaches 673 m. In the database's Sperrin Mountains region it is the highest of three register hills, above Mullaghclogha and Mullaghaneany. It shares its height of 678 m with Hill of Wirren. The summit is marked by a trig point.
