It’s a well-known truth that predicting the weather in Northern Ireland’s Mourne Mountains is almost impossible. Our August hike delivered the full spectrum sunshine, rain, hail, and then more rain. Despite the constantly shifting conditions, we set out undeterred for a full-day loop taking in Annalong, Slieve Lamagan, Cove Mountain, the Devil’s Coach Road, Hare’s Castle, and a return through Annalong Wood.
With a full day ahead of us, we kept a steady pace, stopping at each summit to refuel and soak in the views. The first major ascent was Slieve Lamagan, arguably the toughest of the high Mourne peaks, thanks to its relentless, steep climb to the summit.
Slieve Lamagan
Rising to 704 metres above sea level with a prominence of 198 metres, Slieve Lamagan is a demanding but rewarding climb. The summit was extremely windy, with fast-moving cloud racing overhead. These conditions opened up dramatic, ever-changing views across to Slieve Bearnagh and the Brandy Pad, making the effort well worthwhile.
Views towards Slieve Bearnagh
The view from Slieve Lamagan across to Slieve Bearnagh is always breathtaking. While photos rarely capture the true scale of the mountain, this post—Slieve Bearnagh, the Mournes—does a great job of conveying the sheer size of its granite tors.
Slieve Lamagan to Cove Mountain
After descending Slieve Lamagan, we turned our attention to Cove Mountain, which stands at 655 metres above sea level. From Cove, the view back towards Slieve Lamagan clearly shows the route we had traversed along the Annalong Valley.
From the Brandy Pad, we decided to descend and follow the Annalong River back towards the woods. It’s a longer walk than it appears, made even more challenging by saturated ground underfoot. Persistent heavy rain ensured that the final stretch was slow and demanding.
Despite the weather, the views across the Annalong Valley remained impressive and provided a fitting end to a memorable Mourne Mountain loop.
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