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Join us to blaze our favourite local trails on what we believe to be some of the best trail and hill walking on offer including our Happy Valley Hike, Donard Dander, Mourne Way Challenge and Mourne Wall Experience.
Doan hike: best route, distance, when to visit, and more Slieve Doan hike: best route, distance, when to visit, and more
Whether you want to escape to the forest, or spend a fun family day out in one of our many adventure play parks, you’ll be well catered for in Down and Armagh. Gale force winds (gusts over 50mph) make walking difficult and strenuous with a potential to be blown over by gusts.Continue straight along the river’s southern bank and cross the Shimna via a wooden footbridge some 500m further upstream. Winter walks can be a delight especially in calm, clear weather; heavy snowfalls are becoming something of a rarity, but a light dusting of snow can add a special quality to the mountain landscape. Group numbers of no higher than 12 should attempt this route in one go, due to erosion issues around the fragile Mourne wall. The route ascends Hen, Cock and Pigeon Rock Mountains using open mountain terrain before descending through a valley to the starting car park. So, if you fancy stretching your legs, here is everything you need to know about the Slieve Doan hike.
Mourne Mountains - Mountain weather forecast - Met Office Mourne Mountains - Mountain weather forecast - Met Office
The North Tor is a monstrous outcrop of granite towards the end of the crest, and the path passes it on the left side. a b "Response to Northern Ireland Environment Agency consultation on reducing wildfires in the countryside" (PDF). They include the highest mountains in Northern Ireland, the highest of which is Slieve Donard at 850m (2,790ft). Translink operate a dedicated “rambler” bus service through the Mournes from May-August each year, Tuesday to Sunday.
Cross the stile and follow the track south, passing two further gates before you reach open mountain terrain. The earliest farmers began the laborious process of clearing the land of its Ice Age legacy of countless granite boulders. A walking festival is held annually in September by the Wee Binnian Walkers with a variety of walks to suit all levels of experience. A short, two hour, walk to the Rocky Mountain ensued and this concluded with an overnight camp (quiet and peaceful).
5 Walks in the Mournes - WalkNI Top 5 Walks in the Mournes - WalkNI
At this point, you will see the Mourne Wall stretch over Slieve Loughshannagh to your left and Carn Mountain to your right. A circular route in the western Mournes giving a taster of views that can be experienced in the region. While steep and challenging in places, the route is reasonably straightforward and should suit everyone from casual walkers to seasoned hikers. The western Mournes can be conveniently accessed from Leitrim Lodge car park, BT34 5XX, Sandbank Road car park, BT34 5XU, or from any of the car parks near Spelga Dam, including Ott car park, BT34 5XL.Continue to the broad col beneath Spelga Mountain, then turn right (west) and descend steeply, keeping just south of a stream. The song has been recorded by many artists, including Don McLean, and was quoted in Irish group Thin Lizzy's 1979 song "Roisin Dubh (Black Rose): A Rock Legend". Hen Mountain is an ideal venue for family groups; it is less than 400m high, sits close to a car park and has a summit with four rugged tors that are a magnet for young walkers. If there is snow cover, a heightened avalanche hazard is possible and avalanche reports should be consulted where available.
Blue Lough - WalkNI Blue Lough - WalkNI
The Anglo-Norman invasion of 1177 and continued challenges by the Magennises encouraged the building and maintenance of castles in this area from the late 12th up to the 17th century. Now begin to climb west up an open mountain slope, heading for the col between Rocky Mountain and Tornamrock. Cross the adjacent stile and continue to a second gateway that marks the boundary of Tollymore Forest. Yes the rubble path from Blue Loch back to the car park is a pain, but if it helps tackle the erosion then worth it. The Mourne Wall challenge, which is also referred to as the 7-peak challenge because it takes into account 7 of the 10 highest Mourne mountains, is advertised by WalkNI.The route was used in the 18th and 19th centuries by smugglers, who journeyed across the mountains at night with ponies laden with tobacco, wine, spirits and silk. In a survey of leisure visitors, 79% were found to come from Northern Ireland, 15% from elsewhere in the British Isles or Republic of Ireland, and 5–6% were international visitors. This covered the coastal plain to a depth of many feet, and included countless granite boulders swept down from the mountains. There are two widely renowned walking festivals which take place annually in the Mourne Mountains; The Mourne International Walking Festival and the Wee Binnian Walking Festival.
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