The Mourne Mountains, the mountains of Narnia

The Mourne Mountains, in County Down, Northern Ireland, are a compact group of granite mountains that sweep down to the Irish Sea. Rounded peaks, silent valleys, reservoirs and a very long stone wall running along the ridges make up a landscape that inspired the writer C. S. Lewis in creating Narnia. The highest summit, Slieve Donard, is the highest peak in Northern Ireland.

History

The Mournes formed about 55 million years ago from masses of granite that cooled beneath the surface and were later exposed by erosion and glaciers. For centuries the mountains were crossed by smugglers carrying goods from the coast inland along paths such as the Brandy Pad. In the 19th century Mourne granite, a fine stone, was quarried and used for buildings and pavements all over the United Kingdom.

Between 1904 and 1922 the Belfast Water Commissioners built the Mourne Wall, a dry-stone wall about 35 kilometres long that runs over the summits of fifteen mountains, to mark out the catchment area that would feed the city's reservoirs. Soon afterwards the Silent Valley reservoir was completed. The song The Mountains of Mourne, written by Percy French in 1896, made these mountains famous among Irish emigrants all over the world.

What to see

Slieve Donard

Slieve Donard, 850 metres high, is climbed by a path that starts from Donard Park in Newcastle and follows the Glen River up to the Mourne Wall, before the final stretch to the summit. Allow four to five hours there and back. From the top, on clear days, you can see Scotland, the Isle of Man and the mountains of Wales.

The Mourne Wall and the Silent Valley

The Mourne Wall is one of the great works of the early 20th century: in places it is about two and a half metres high, and you can follow it along the ridges. In the Silent Valley, the park around the reservoir offers easy walks, a visitor centre telling the story of the dam's construction and a summer shuttle bus to Ben Crom reservoir.

Tollymore and the forests

Tollymore Forest Park, at the foot of the mountains, is a woodland crossed by the Shimna River, with stone bridges, caves and 18th-century follies. It was one of the Game of Thrones locations: scenes from the first episode were filmed here. Nearby is Castlewellan Forest Park, with a lake and a hedge maze.

Newcastle and the coast

Newcastle is a seaside town at the foot of Slieve Donard, with a long beach and promenade. Along the south coast, fishing villages such as Annalong and Kilkeel offer views of the mountains sweeping down to the sea.

Narnia and the Mournes

C. S. Lewis, born in Belfast, loved these mountains and wrote that certain Mourne landscapes made him feel that at any moment a giant might raise his head: an image we find again in The Chronicles of Narnia.

Practical information

The mountains are open all year round. For walks you need boots, waterproof clothing and a map, because mist can come down quickly. The Silent Valley and the forest parks have pay car parks.

Getting there

• By bus: from Belfast to Newcastle in about an hour and a quarter.
• By car: from Belfast along the A24, in about an hour.
• By air: George Best Belfast City Airport is about an hour away.

Nearby

• The town of Downpatrick, with St Patrick's grave and the centre devoted to him.
• The Ards Peninsula and Mount Stewart.
• Belfast and the Titanic Belfast museum.

Tips

• How long: a day for Slieve Donard, two or three days to explore the area.
• When to go: May to September.
• A tip: if you do not want to climb to the summit, walk in Tollymore along the Shimna River to the stone bridges: it is the most magical walk in the Mournes.

Mourne Mountains on the map

Nearby