I love hill walking and hiking, mainly inside the Mourne hillsides in Northern Ireland that are so available to everyone. Like a professional professional professional photographer (along with a bit lazy) I am always wanting to access the very best views as rapidly as possible to make certain which i convey more hrs to soak up the views and uncover just as much potential compositions as possible. Therefore if you’re somewhat lazy whatsoever much like me, the following two suggested routes to spectacular views should meet your requirements!
Route 1 – Slieve Loughshannagh / Carn Mountain
It absolutely was the first ever walk Used to within the Mournes and for me offers the best views within the whole area. Access develops from the carpark past their prime inside the Spelga dam then when there it’s roughly a 40 minute walk to the peak degree of Slieve Loughshannagh!
The ascend is quite uneventful until about midway up you get come the Mourne wall. If you climb within the wooden stile you’re welcomed with spectacular check out Doan and lough Shannagh lower below. Out of this level you can preserve on up Slieve Loughshannagh across the left or ascend Carn mountain across the right. Carn mountain is a little more than Slieve Loughshannagh nevertheless the views inside the latter be effective.
Out of this level you will notice an entire panorama of summits within the semicircular shape including Slieve Meelbeg, Slieve Meelmore, Slieve Bearnagh, Slieve Donard and Slievelamagan from left to right. Further right earns views of Doan, the Silent Valley and Ben Crom reservoirs. Beyond this the scene stretches completely for that coast.
Route 2 – Slieve Bearnagh / The Brandy Pad
About 4/5 miles north east within the last carpark brings you to definitely certainly certainly another readily available route that starts in the finish of Slieve Meelbeg and leads inside the ‘Brandy pad’ for that ‘Hare’s gap’ then inside the side of Slieve Bearnagh. (The ‘Brandy pad’ is unquestionably a vintage smugglers route which was used for quite a while to smuggle alcohol and tobacco inside the coast into the middle of the nation!)
There’s two routes you can take here, you are able to climb the Hare’s gap across the left hands side that is a kind of small ‘U’ produced valley between Slieve Bearnagh and Slievenaglogh, or go right which takes you additional inside the side of Slieve Bearnagh along with within the Mourne wall. When you purchase the second route you’re again welcomed with spectacular check out Doan along with the silent valley within the distance. You’re going to get near the middle of the Mournes here, almost encircled by hillsides and hillsides. It seems like you’ve grew to become part of some type of prehistoric plateau that’s silent, barren and beautiful!
If you are searching at climbing to the peak degree of Slieve Bearnagh then while using the Hare’s gap route will most likely be simpler. Once within the gap there’s a stone stairs incorporated inside the mountain across the right leading inside the side. Everyone other ascend is fairly easy. I’d explain even though the view inside the Hare’s gap is not as breathtaking because the formerly mentioned route.
If you wish to get yourself a concept of simply how much to discover on these routes then check out the photos online. There are many images available there of people routes and lots of other locations in the Mournes too.