Walking the Mourne Mountains covers one of the finest hill-walking destinations in Ireland — a compact granite range rising steeply from the Irish Sea coast of County Down, Northern Ireland. This definitive guide presents 30 primary routes and over 70 variations, graded Easy to Very Hard, taking in all 14 mountain summits including Slieve Donard (850m), the highest point in Northern Ireland and Ulster, and many smaller hills.

Routes are organised into four sections — Eastern Mournes, Western Mournes, the Mourne Wall, and the Mourne Ultra — ranging from gentle forest rambles and valley circuits to challenging high-level horseshoe ridge walks. Every route features accurate GPX-measured distances and ascent figures, with indicative times calculated to Naismith’s Rule. Highlights include the famous 32km (19.5-mile) Mourne Wall Challenge and the newly-created Mourne Ultra: a set of five interconnected single-day loops covering the full challenge route across the range.

The Mournes are among Ireland’s most accessible upland areas, just 50km south of Belfast and 120km from Dublin, with regular bus services to the main gateway town of Newcastle. A summer Mourne Rambler bus links key trailheads for walkers without cars. Abundant accommodation — from hotels and B&Bs to glamping and camping — in Newcastle, Rostrevor, Kilkeel and the surrounding area makes the Mournes equally well suited to a day walk or a full walking holiday.

• 30 primary routes and 70+ variations providing 100+ unique walks, graded Easy, Moderate, Hard and Very Hard
• All 14 Mourne Hewitt summits covered, including Slieve Donard (850m), the highest point in Northern Ireland
• Includes the Mourne Wall Challenge (32km/19.9 miles) and the newly-created Mourne Ultra — five interconnected loops traversing the full range
• GPX files available to download; fully integrated with the Cicerone app for offline GPS navigation
• Recommended maps: Harvey Maps 1:25k Superwalker, OSNI 1:50k Discoverer Sheet 29, OSNI 1:25k Activity Series
• Practical planning chapters on transport, parking, seasonal conditions, accommodation and access across the range
• Many routes connect to the Mourne Way waymarked trail

Whether you are planning your first day in the hills or a multi-day hillwalking holiday, Walking the Mourne Mountains is the most comprehensive guide ever published for the range — giving you everything you need to explore Northern Ireland’s finest mountains with confidence. Pick up your copy, download your GPX tracks, and head for the hills.

Quick Facts

Area name: Mourne Mountains
Location: County Down, Northern Ireland
Designation: National Landscape (formerly AONB, Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty)
Distance: Routes vary from 8–32km
Typical duration: Half-day to full day; some walks can be combined to create multi-day routes
Start: Newcastle; Rostrevor; various car parks around the range
End: Various (most routes are circular)
Route format: Loops, with some linear and options to connect with neighbouring routes
Stages: 1–5 days (single-day walks or multi-day itineraries)
Navigation: Map and compass essential; Harvey Maps 1:25k recommended; GPX files available
Terrain: Forest paths, mountain ridges, rocky summits, moorland, boggy ground
Difficulty: Easy to Very Hard (4 grades)
Best season: May–September; accessible year-round
Accommodation: Hotels, B&Bs, guesthouses, hostels, camping in Newcastle, Rostrevor, Kilkeel and surrounding area

Author Highlights

“The Mourne Mountains are one of the best hillwalking areas in Ireland, if not THE best. Tucked away in the southern corner of County Down between Dundrum Bay and Carlingford Lough, this compact mountain range offers hillwalkers more opportunities per square kilometre than any other Irish upland area. Large chunks of land in the Mournes are publicly owned or charity-owned, providing walkers with abundant access to high ground from the many purpose-built car parks around the range. This, along with the Mournes' proximity to Belfast and Dublin, makes them one of Ireland's most popular hillwalking destinations.”

– Jordan Gribbon, author of Walking the Mourne Mountains

Route summary table 
Introduction   
Planning information           
When to go     
Getting there   
Getting around            
Local accommodation 
Food and drink            
Money 
Multi-day itineraries    
Practical information            
Climate and weather  
Daylight hours 
Clothing and equipment         
Maps   
Access 
Waymarkings  
Etiquette          
Staying safe    
Background information     
Geology          
Wildlife 
Built heritage   
Using this guide        
Cicerone app and GPX files   
Further information     
Eastern Mournes      
Route 1           Tollymore Forest Park highlights        
Route 2           Tollymore Forest Park and the Brandy Pad   
Route 3           Slieve Donard and Slieve Commedagh from Newcastle       
Route 4           Slieve Donard and Chimney Rock Mountain 
Route 5           The Brandy Pad – Bloody Bridge to Trassey 
Route 6           Annalong River, Hare’s Castle and Rocky Mountain 
Route 7           Annalong Valley Horseshoe   
Route 8           Slieve Binnian from Carrick Little       
Route 9           Lamagan, Cove and Beg from Carrick Little  
Route 10         Slieve Binnian from Silent Valley       
Route 11         Beg, Cove and Lamagan from Silent Valley  
Route 12         Silent Valley Floor      
Route 13         Silent Valley Horseshoe         
Route 14         Slieve Muck, Carn Mountain and Slievenaglogh       
Route 15         Doan, Ben Crom, Slieve Loughshannagh and Carn Mountain
Route 16         Slieve Meelbeg and Slieve Loughshannagh  
Route 17         Bearnagh, Meelmore and Meelbeg    
Route 18         Commedagh and Donard from Meelmore Lodge      
Western Mournes     
Route 19         Spelga Horseshoe      
Route 20         Eagle Mountain and Shanlieve          
Route 21         Slievemeen, Slievemartin and Crenville        
Route 22         Tievedockaragh, Tornamrock and Rocky Mountain  
Route 23         Rocky River Horseshoe          
Route 24         Hen Mountain, Cock Mountain and Slievenamiskan 
The Mourne Wall       
Route 25         The Mourne Wall Challenge   
The Mourne Ultra
Route 26         Newcastle to Trassey Track (TMU1) 
Route 27         Trassey Track to Ott Track (TMU2)   
Route 28         Ott Track to Rocky River (TMU3)       
Route 29         Rocky River to Yellow Water River (TMU4)   
Route 30         Yellow Water River to Rostrevor (TMU5)      
Appendix A     Car parks        
Appendix B     Glossary          
Appendix C     Useful links     

Seasons

The routes can be walked all year round but are best in spring, summer and early autumn. Winter conditions can be encountered at most times of year outside of high summer.

Centres

Newcastle, Rostrevor and Bryansford are the closest bases. Newry, Warrenpoint, Kilkeel and Hilltown are also nearby.

Difficulty

Walks are graded easy, moderate, hard or very hard. No special equipment required, although walking poles can be particularly useful in some places. Micro-spikes are useful to have in wintry conditions.

Must See

The Mourne Wall, the Mourne Way; 14 mountains including Slieve Donard, Commedagh, Binnian and Bearnagh; popular hills such as Doan, Hen Mountain and Slievemartin; Tollymore Forest Park (stunning in autumn), Donard Forest, Rostrevor Forest; Silent Valley Mountain Park. Moraine landscape in Annalong Valley; Cloughmore (Big Stone), granite tors on Binnian, Bearnagh and Hen Mountain

A paper map and a traditional magnetic compass are essential items in every hillwalker’s backpack. These simple tools provide the most satisfying solution for route planning and on-route navigation. The hillwalker who can use these tools, and who does not rely on GPS to navigate, really is a skilled outdoor enthusiast. Three published maps each cover the area of the Mourne Mountains containing all the routes described in this book: • Harvey Maps – 1:25k Superwalker series – Mourne Mountains • Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland – 1:50k Discoverer series – Sheet 29 • Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland – 1:25k Activity series – Mournes including Slieve Croob The route illustrations in this book are based on the Harvey map and are reproduced at a scale of 1:32,000.

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