The Mournes Activity Map | Weather-Resistant | Includes Slieve Croob | Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland | OSNI 1:25,000 Scale Series | Northern Ireland | Walks | Hiking | Maps | Adventure

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This route takes you past two important mountain reservoirs. First is Fofanny Reservoir, with an underground water treatment works capable of processing 52 million litres of water a day. Second is the larger Spelga Reservoir, which was completed in 1957 and flooded a mountain pasture previously known as Deer’s Meadow. A strenuous walk this route takes in the peaks of Slieve Bearnagh (one of the most distinctive mountains in the Mournes, renowned for the granite tors on its summit (739m)) and Slieve Meelmore (704m), finishing by walking down Happy Valley and along a section of the Ulster Way. This circuit uses the Mourne Wall as a handrail on the higher parts of the mountain and offers superb views on a clear day stretching as far as the Sperrins, Lough Neagh and Strangford Lough. Pitfield, Mankelow, Cooper, Cameron, Lusty, Shaw, Linley (2012). County Down and Belfast: mineral resource map of Northern Ireland (PDF) (Map) . Retrieved 14 October 2019. {{ cite map}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list ( link) Discover the beautiful Murlough National Nature Reserve with a sand dune system over 6000 years old. See if you can spot one of the 720 species of butterfly that have made their home in Dundrum Bay. On this part of your walk, you will be able to see the impressive Lough Shannagh and Ben Crom Reservoir to your right.

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. Anglo-Norman castles were established at Clough and Dundrum in the late 12th and 13th century. In the 16th century a second wave of castle building began with tower-houses at Narrow Water, Castlewellan, Newcastle, Newry and Rathfriland. Only Narrow Water survives of this group, so we cannot visit a true Magennis castle, though they did capture and held castles at Dundrum and Narrow Water. Clough Castle As previously mentioned, the Slieve Doan walk is one of the lesser-known peaks in the range, and thus it will not become as busy as popular hikes such as Slieve Donard or Slieve Bearnagh. The Mourne Mountains are all over 600m, although Slieve Donard is the tallest in Northern Ireland at 853m. Is there gold in the Mourne Mountains? At this point, you will see the Mourne Wall stretch over Slieve Loughshannagh to your left and Carn Mountain to your right. Looking straight ahead, you will be able to see Slieve Doan. At around the same time, an expanding population living on the land and the clearance of rough grazing for arable crops and potatoes led to the collapse of seasonal mountain grazing (called booleying). By the eighteenth century the use of granite as a building stone and its suitability, when cut and fashioned, for use as millstones, lintels, window-sills and door-steps gave rise to great local skills in splitting and 'dressing' stone.Slieve Doan is one of the most manageable, yet rewarding hikes in the Mournes. So, if you fancy stretching your legs, here is everything you need to know about the Slieve Doan hike. The unspoiled natural beauty of the MourneArea of Outstanding Natural Beautyoffers a haven for a wide variety of bird, fish, mammal and insect species. Keep an eye out for native wildlife, like the Irish Hare or the Snow Bunting.

With everything close by, the Mourne Mountains & Ring of Gullion is plentiful in quaint towns, incredible scenery, ancient forests, and stately homes. Explore the vastness of our landscapes and receive a giant welcome from all you encounter here. Mountainviews, (September 2013), "A Guide to Ireland's Mountain Summits: The Vandeleur-Lynams & the Arderins", Collins Books, Cork, ISBN 978-1-84889-164-7 MountainViews.ie, a hillwalking resource for Ireland". Mountaineering Ireland (Irish Mountaineering Council). 2014. Crag features: The best of the Binnian tors, home to some desperate slab lines as well as good climbs in the lower to middle grades. Alsothe best concentration of bouldering in the Mournes. Amble around the idyllic Rowallane Gardens . Take a leisurely stroll through the formal gardens and see the impressive design carved from the County Down landscape. The Reverend Moore, who designed Rowallane Gardens, used a more naturalised approach to his grounds. Moore drew great inspiration from the landscape in Tollymore which is reflected in the stunning gardens we have today.

Cultural Heritage of Mourne AONB

Kilmorey Arms Hotel: Stylish hotel in the southeast corner of the Mourne Mountains and not far from Cranfield Beach. On clear days, the Mourne Mountains can be seen from the Isle of Man [13] and Dublin. [14] Highest summits [15] [16] ( MountainViews Online Database [a]) Topographic prominence' is the height of the summit above the lowest point on the terrain surrounding it. [20]