The Mourne Mountains
An area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Mourne Mountains are the most picturesque in Ireland and were the inspiration for the writer C S Lewis’s magical land of Narnia in his popular children’s books The Chronicles of Narnia.
In this compact range, 15 miles long and 8 miles wide, only a dozen of the sixty or so individual summits rise above 2,000ft, with Slieve Donard, at 2,769ft, the highest peak in Ulster.
Spelga Dam
Spelga Reservoir is a reservoir in the townland of Spelga (Irish: Speilgeach) in the Mourne Mountains of County Down, Northern Ireland.
It was formed by the Spelga Dam and sits at over 1,200 ft above sea level.
The reservoir and dam were built as part of a project that had origins in the idea of supplying water to Belfast, in 1894.
The Spelga Reservoir itself was developed between 1953 and 1957.
Silent Valley
Silent Valley Mountain Park, Head Road. Ringed by mountains, ‘The Vallet’, located within the Mourne Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, houses beautiful parkland, lakes and a pond.
It attracts around 50,000 visitors per year most of whom come to enjoy the peace and solitude of this mountain area with its unique landscapes and varied wildlife. The site includes an information centre, conference centre and education centre.
The Mourne Wall
The famous Mourne Wall was constructed to enclose the reservoir’s catchment area, built between 1904 and 1922 by the Belfast Water Commissioners.
The wall was crafted from natural granite stone using traditional dry stone walling techniques. On average the wall is about 1.5 metres high and 0.8 to 0.9 metres thick. It is 22 miles (35 km) long and passes over fifteen of the Mourne’s summits. Many walkers use the wall as a marker.
Game Of Thrones
The Game of Thrones™ self guided tour not only brings to life the drama of the series, but also provides a front row seat at locations steeped in local myth and legend.
So why not step on to a set like no other, where you can indulge your fascination for Game of Thrones™, investigate what County Down has to offer, and still have time to enjoy the sort of hospitality that this part of the world is famed? Welcome to the real Westeros!
Royal County Down
According to the results of a Top 100 survey Royal County Down is the most scenic golf course in Britain & Ireland. Royal County Down Golf Club is at Newcastle, a little holiday town nestling at the feet of the majestic Mountains of Mourne.
It opened 130 years ago 23 March 1889 and is one of the oldest golf clubs in Ireland. It has two 18-hole links courses, the Championship Course and the Annesley Links
Kilkeel Harbour
The harbour at Kilkeel bustles with the province’s largest fleet, and is busiest during landings and in the fishmarket auction time. There are fish-processing factories, trawler repair and new build facilities dotted around the harbour.
Granite Trail
The Mourne Mountains are the source of the famous Mourne granite. It was exported around the world in the last couple of centuries.
Liverpool is largely paved with Mourne Granite.
Carlingford Ferry
The Scenic Carlingford Ferry links the historic & mythical Ireland’s Ancient East, from the Cooley Mountains to the Gateway of Northern Ireland, to the majestic Kingdom of Mourne. This is not to be missed!
Cranfield Beach
Cranfield offers gently sloping, mainly sandy beach located at the entrance to Carlingford Lough, an area designated an Area of Special Scientific Interest. It has the majestic Mourne Mountains as a dramatic backdrop.
Tollymore Forest
Covering an area of almost 630 hectares at the foot of the Mourne mountains, Tollymore Forest Park has panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and the sea at Newcastle. It’s open to the public all year.
Kilbroney Park
Rostrevor
At Kilbroney Forest Park and Rostrevor Forest, mountain, stream, sea-lough and valley conjure up a scenic wonderland.
Peace Maze
& Forest Park, Castlewellan
The beauty, vigour and perfect shape of the trees in the National Arboretum attract tree enthusiasts from around the world.
Murlough Beach
& Nature Reserve, Dundrum
Backed by an ancient sand dune system throughout its 6 km length. A large area of the dunes is designated as a National Nature Reserve.
Electric Brae
Spelga Dam
The Electric Brae is a hill at which Newton’s discovery of the law of gravity is defied – basically, a parked car with its handbrake off appears to run backwards uphill.
Corn Mill
Annalong
Annalong Cornmill, which was in operation from the early 1800s until the 1960s, was restored in 2014 to incorporate a new multi-media display.
