SLIEVE BEARNAGH
SLIEVE BEARNAGH
ONE OF THE BEST WALKS IN NORTHERN IRELAND
If the skies are clear, you’ll be blown away by the views.
Thanks to all those who joined us on this group adventure, making it a day to remember.
** Make sure you watch the feature video at the end. Those drone shots 👌 **
8am, burning red winter skies
SLIEVE BEARNAGH, WALK STARTING POINT
There are any number of places to start with the summit of Slieve Bearnagh as your destination. In the past we’ve used the Trassey car park (check it on Google here).
This time, we met at Meelmore Lodge.
Image: Google Maps
With serving food, drink, having toilets and its own camping/glamping area, it’s likely you’ll see a very full car park here during the spring and summer months.
But with being ‘off season’ today, it was the perfect meeting point with plenty of parking spaces available.
WALK TO HARE’S GAP
We headed round the back of the Lodge, taking the walking path/thin road to the right. It’s a straight walk from here, all the way to the stone wall and the foot of The Mournes.
Remember, dogs on leads - lots of sheep around here.
Once over the wall, you’ll spot a few natural, worn-down, grassy paths leading heading over to your left. Follow these until you get to river and stepping stepping stones across.
Sunny blue skies? Using this shot from a previous day to show the main path (looking back towards Meelmore/Trassey car parks, where you’ve come from)
Then looking back up to where you’re headed…
At the river crossing, you’ll clearly see the three mountains of Slievenaglogh to your left, Slieve Bearnagh to your right in the distance, and Slieve Meelmore just beside you on your right,
Follow the stony path directly up to Hare’s Gap - the dip between Slievenagloagh and Slieve Bearnagh. As it gets steeper, it turns to grassy/boulder-filled paths again, so sturdy footwear recommended.
With a huff and a puff, you’ll find yourself at the Mourne Wall in no time. Before carrying on through the gate, take a look back.
Wow.
It gets a little bit harder from here :)
Sorry.
SLIEVE BEARNAGH
After a break for some pics, water, a small bit of food, we followed the Mourne Wall, up Bearnagh to our right.
Don’t hug the wall the whole way up though - you’ll be on your hands and knees. Instead, follow the natural path round to the left.
We had another quick stop here. Just for a group photo. Not to rest our legs or anything.
Thanks to Sasha Ferg
Thanks to hiking_physio
You’ll soon arrive at the HUGE North Tor…and after another steep climb to the South Tor.
It was FREEZING - not many pics taken. Plus someone got injured…details in the video below.
This place is other-worldly. Phenomenal.
Leave lots of time for looking around the exposed rock and huge boulders. As tempting as it may be to balance one for a pic, we’ve heard of people breaking bones and more, after a bit of unexpected wind or the smallest of slips.
A broken leg down at sea level is bad enough. Imagine being stranded 700m high? Take care.
THE DESCENT
At the summit, the path will bring you over to the right, where you’ll see the Mourne Wall again - the same stretch of wall you were just following up on the other side.
Stay to the left of the wall - don’t climb over as there’s a huge vertical drop - and start your descent down.
It’s still steep on this side too though. Lots of big loose boulders too.
We recommend you zig-zag down (imagine a skier), keeping your body at a slight angle so that if you slip/trip, you don’t risk falling with momentum.
FOLLOW THE PATH HOME
After a bit of a thigh-burner down, we were now in the dip between Bearnagh and Meelmore.
It was an easy route back from here. Sharing more stories as we went, we were back on the path which we initially took up to Hare’s Gap earlier.
(Cross the wall at the style, follow the path back to Trassey river - take a left and you’ve now done a full loop).
Thanks to Sasha Ferg
FEATURE VIDEO
Thanks to Stephen J Reid, with drone footage by David Doyle…
MORE OF THE MOURNES >>>
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