Slieve Donard, Commedagh and Bearnagh Trail

Start : Trassey Track Car Park (BT33 0QA)

(S/E) From Trassey Car park, follow the road to the left for 50m (South).

:1:: The start of Trassey Track will be on your left (waymarked for the Ulster Way). Follow the obvious track up towards the mountains. You will go through 3 sets of double gates (including the one at the start) before you reach the open mountains.

Look ahead and you will see Hare’s Gap (a saddle between Slieve Bearnagh and Slievenaglough). Continue up the main Trassey Track.

(2) Just before the path increases in gradient up towards the quarry, take the right hand track up towards the col between Slieve Meelmore and Slieve Bearnagh, where you meet the Mourne Wall after 1.5 Km.

(3) Cross the stile and turn left (South-East), following the Mourne Wall up Slieve Bearnagh which is a challenging ascent with some rocky outcrops to maneuver.

(4) On the top make your way over to the Summit Tor for wonderful 360 degree views of the High and Western Mournes.

(5) Walk across to the North Tor, approx 500 metres away. From the North Tor, follow the steep track down Slieve Bearnagh towards Hare’s Gap. Extreme caution should be taken here as it is very steep. Part of the lower track is built steps.

(6) On reaching Hare’s Gap, you get good views of the High Mournes and Ben Crom Reservoir. From Hare’s Gap, follow the easily identifiable Brandy Pad, bearing right (East) at the distinct cairn on the path at the col between Slieve Beg and Slieve Commedagh. Continue along the path underneath the Castles (pinnacles on the south side of Slieve Commedagh).

(7) At the end of the Castles, bear left and continue on the path up to where it meets the Mourne Wall at the col between Slieve Donard and Slieve Commedagh.

(8) At this point, walk up to the right (East) in the direction of Slieve Donard.

(9) When you have reached Slieve Donard summit, take your time to look at the horizon and retrace your step on the Brandy Pad. Take care when descending in wet and icy conditions due to the terrain being slippy underfoot, and retrace your steps back to the col before commencing the summit of Slieve Commedagh. (Waypoint (8)) This time, go straight ahead. Follow the Mourne Wall up Slieve Commedagh (North-East).

(10) From Commedagh views can be enjoyed to Newcastle below and out to the Irish Sea. From here continue along the wall, up Slieve Corragh and then Slievenaglough.

(11) Continue down towards Hare’s Gap. It is better to be on the south side of the Mourne Wall to navigate your way down the steep ascent towards Hare’s Gap. Part of the lower track is built steps.

(6) At Hare’s Gap climb the stile or pass through the gate on the right and descend through the rocky terrain to the right to meet the Trassey Track at the Waypoint (2). Follow the Trassey Track for 3.5 Km back to the start point. (S/E)

Start : Trassey Track Car Park (BT33 0QA)

Parking & driving to start : The walk starts at either of two car parks. The first is the Trassey Track Car Park. From Bryansford take the B180 to Hilltown. 4 km later, turn left onto Trassey Road. The Car Park is on the left approx 1.5km along this road. Alternatively carry on for another 500m approx and park at Meelmore Lodge Amenities Centre.

Terrain : Steep, rocky mountain paths

Public Transport : Translink

Dog Policy : Dogs must be kept on leads

Find more information and walk ideas at Walk NI here.

The Mourne Mountains, also called the Mournes are a granite mountain range in County Down in the south-east of Northern Ireland. They include the highest mountains in Northern Ireland, the highest of which is Slieve Donard at 850 m (2,790 ft). The Mournes are designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and it has been proposed to make the area Northern Ireland's first national park. The area is partly owned by the National Trust and sees many visitors every year. The Mourne Wall crosses fifteen of the summits and was built to enclose the catchment basin of the Silent Valley and Ben Crom reservoirs.