Castlewellan forest park - Moorish tower

The walk circumnavigates Castlewellan Lake. A short steep climb uphill brings you to the view point over the lake : Moorish Tower.

Technical sheet

n°30318644
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 4.96 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 1h 40 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 85 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 81 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 188 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 121 m
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Photos

Moorish Tower

Description of the walk

Start : Lakeside Car Park. From Castlewellan the forest is signposted from Main Street. (BT31 9BU)

(S/E) From the Lakeside Car Park, turn left, the trail follows the southern shore of the lake for around 1.8 Km before winding steeply uphill.

(1) At any junction, keep the same bearing North-West-West for around 500 m.

(2) Then turn right (North-East) and walk around 400 m until reaching a narrow track leads to the Moorish Tower now hidden in the trees. When designed, this ‘tea house’ would have provided a fine vista across the Lake.

(3) Go past this path to Moorish Tower then at the next junction turn right then left towards the lake shore Northern side.

(4) A steep descent leads back to the lake shore.

(5) As you reach the lake shore, turn left and keep walking with the lake on your right-hand back to the start (around 1.8 Km). (S/E)

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 126 m - Lakeside Car Park
  2. 1 : km 1.72 - alt. 134 m - Junction
  3. 2 : km 2.17 - alt. 166 m - Junction
  4. 3 : km 2.6 - alt. 176 m - Moorish Tower
  5. 4 : km 2.98 - alt. 140 m - Steep descent
  6. 5 : km 3.1 - alt. 131 m - Lake shore
  7. S/E : km 4.96 - alt. 126 m - Lakeside Car Park

Practical information

Start : Lakeside Car Park. From Castlewellan the forest is signposted from Main Street. (BT31 9BU)

Parking : Lakeside Car Park. (BT31 9BU)

Terrain : Moderate with some steep hills. Variable but stable, may be slightly uneven and include loose material.

Public Transport : Translink

Facilities : Car park (fee charged), café, toilets (disabled access), picnic areas, The Peace Maze, Activity Centre, lecture room/ classroom, camping & caravaning, orienteering route, mountain bike trails.

Note : This trail is signposted from the Lakeside car park – follow the brown waymarkers.

Find more information and walk ideas at Walk NI here.

In the nearby area

Moorish Tower and its view on the Castlewellan Lake

Other walks in the area

Walking Castlewellan to Newcastle - Newcastle Way Trail

Tourist office
↔23.27 km ↗+438 m ↘-549 m ◔7h 55 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Down
This 2nd section of the Newcastle Way Trail takes you through Tollymore and Castlewellan Forest Park. Those forest park are hiding those wonderful natural beauties from urban civilization. Take your time to observe those flora and fauna on the paths that wind through the trees.

Walking Drumee Trail - Castlewellan

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↔9.24 km ↗+113 m ↘-113 m ◔3h 00 ▲Easy
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This network of paths formed part of an intricate transport system connecting the settlements of Castlewellan, Annsborough, Maghera, Dundrum, Bryansford and Newcastle. These laneways offered the shortest, easiest routes for horse and cart; for example, transporting coal from Dundrum to Castlewellan; so avoiding the steep hill at Ardnabannon. Nowadays these routes offer peaceful country walks away from busy main roads.

Walking Trassey Car Park to Spelga Pass - Mourne Way Trek

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↔9.36 km ↗+348 m ↘-260 m ◔3h 40 ▲Moderate
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This 2nd section of the Mourne Way Trek, is the Trassey Track, one of the busiest walkers’ routes into the Mournes. However, this is a challenging yet rewarding walk, some of which crosses open hill side with no waymarking so please ensure you are adequatley prepared. Almost all of the distance is off-road, with forest trails and mountain paths predominating. Highlights include a climb to 500m at the summit of Butter Mountain.

Walking Hare's Gap

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Hare's Gap
↔6.91 km ↗+272 m ↘-272 m ◔2h 45 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Down
The Hare’s Gap is the most dramatic mountain pass in the Mournes. Its sharply defined outline indicates that ice once passed this way; using the Gap’s convenient north-south alignment to advance and retreat over the entire Mournes range. In more recent times the Hare’s Gap marked the exit point for smuggled goods which had crossed the hills from the coast along the Brandy Pad. The contraband (which included soap, leather, spices and coffee) was carried through the mountains on the backs of small ponies which descended by the Hare’s Gap to the valley of the Trassey River and on to Hilltown (a favourite distribution centre). Nowadays, the Gap’s easily reached central location on the rim of the High Mournes makes it a popular starting point for routes scaling adjoining peaks, or simply for a walk along the gentle contours of the Brandy Pad.

Walking Trassey to Bloody Bridge Trail

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↔11.96 km ↗+408 m ↘-539 m ◔4h 35 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Down
A moderate linear walk linking Trassey Track and Bloody Bridge via the Brandy Pad, taking in sights such as the Mourne Wall, the Castles, Slieve Commedagh and Slieve Donard. A more challenging alternative route is an option, by summiting Slievenaglogh and Slieve Commedagh, then following the Brandy Pad to Bloody Bridge.

Walking Slieve Donard, Commedagh and Bearnagh Trail

Tourist office
Slieve Donard, Commedagh and Bearnagh Trail
↔17.66 km ↗+1,250 m ↘-1,244 m ◔8h 35 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Down
This is a strenuous and challenging walk with some steep ascents, but it is certainly worth it. The walk takes in three of the four highest peaks in the Mourne Mountains (Slieve Donard 853m, Slieve Commedagh 765m, Slieve Bearnagh 739m) and also the Brandy Pad – the well-trodden and infamous smugglers track. The walk gives wonderful views to the Irish Sea and to the heart of the High Mournes.

Walking Murlough National Nature Reserve - Newcastle

Tourist office
Murlough National Nature Reserve - Newcastle
↔4.53 km ↗+8 m ↘-7 m ◔1h 20 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Down
The Murlough Nature Trail starts and finishes in the National Trust car park. The trail initially follows the main visitor walkway, Slidderyford Path, to Murlough Beach. After a short walk along the beach one enters the Central Reserve via the Archaeology Path. From here the trail loops back to the car park by way of the Back Track. The trail is marked with yellow-topped posts and has a number of points of interest along it.

Walking Dundrum to Newcastle - Lecale Way Trail

Tourist office
↔6.75 km ↗+5 m ↘-8 m ◔1h 55 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Down
This is the 6th section of the Lecale Way Trail. The Lecale region of County Down is characterised by pretty villages, wild coastline and a liberal scattering of historic sites. This walking route uses a combination of country roads, tracks and footpaths to explore the best of the scenery, with lowland terrain and frequent signposts making it suitable for most levels of walking experience. Almost all of the final section is off-road, with the dunes and sands of Newcastle Beach providing a fitting finale.

For more walks, use our search engine .

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