Mountain Blue Book Signing at Mountain Blue Gallery
A Tour of Ireland's Majestic Mountains
Activities / Adventure
Many a song has been written about Ireland's majestic mountains These short tours will give you a little flavour of just a few of Ireland's favourite mountain haunts.
North & West Mountain Tour
Day 1 - The Mourne Mountains
'Where the Mountains of Mourne sweep down to the Sea'.
The best place to start your mountain quest - the Mourne Mountains stretch for 15 miles across the northern Ireland countryside in Co. Down. Excellent for climbing, walking and cycling countryside with roads that encircle the hills some of which are 2,00 feet high. Towering highest is Slieve Donard nearly 3,000 feet above the sea at Newcastle.
Stay a couple of days in Newforge House. Newforge is a small but chic traditional country house situated near Craigavon a house that depicts a sense of belonging to a bygone era.
Day 2 - The White Mountain and the Giants Causeway
Moving northwards to just south of Belfast driving along the slopes of the White Mountain, just 3 miles from Lisburn and where you will find the remains of Castle Robin, dating from around the 16th century, Nearby Hilden the north's only 'real ale' brewery welcomes visitors. The goal today is to get to the very north of Ireland to overnight at Bushmills Inn, close to the Giant's Causeway and home to one of the finest Irish whiskey distilleries.
The Giant's Causeway (The Fomorian's Stepping Stones) is a truly magnificent rock formation on the west side of Benbane Head, now a World Heritage Site and is one of the world's outstanding geological curiosities. Today's mountain is the prominent isolated mass of Knocklayd (1,695 feet). The circuit of the mountain makes an interesting tour of about 17 miles. On the lower slopes of the hill, you will find the ruins of an ancient church known as Goban Saer's Castle.
Day 3 - The Sperrins
The next day's journey will take you through the countryside of Derry-Londonderry with the Sperrin Mountains as background. Driving around the basaltic cliffs of Binevenagh Mountain (1,260) near Coleraine, you will find a unique terrain that is sure to interest any botany, ornithology and entomology.
Further south towards Maghera you will see the slopes of Carntogher Mountain with its stone circle called Slaghtneil. Between Carntogher and Glenshane Mountain, the road from Maghera to Derry climbs steeply to 1,000 feet to enter the famous Glenshane Pass. Beyond the pass, the road descends the Roe valley to Dungiven. Close by is your place of rest tonight – the small but beautiful Ardtara Country House near Upperlands, or Bishop's Gate Hotel in the walled city of Derry-Londonderry.
Day 4 & Day 5 - Benbulben and Yeats Country
Travel south to Co. Sligo - the perfect territory for walking thanks to its contrasting scenery and many curiosities. There are 2 mountain walks - Knocknarea, a moderate climb and Benbulben, which is a bit tougher.
Knocknarea Mountain (452m) is six miles from Sligo town and offers a relatively easy walk of about 45-60 minutes. There is a notice in the car park which explains the route. Knocknarea has a mound of stones at the top, reputedly the tomb of Connaught's legendary Queen, Maeve.
From the top are views of Donegal, the Ox mountains, Sligo Bay and Mayo.n Benbulben (527m) has a striking tabletop profile and is one of Ireland's most famous mountains. It features prominently in Irish legend and more recently has been associated with W.B. Yeats, who is buried nearby. For your visit to the Sligo region, we recommend Coopershill House.
Day 6 - Croagh Patrick
From Sligo travel west to Mt. Croagh Patrick, a mountain near the town of Westport in County Mayo, Ireland. Each year, as many as one million pilgrims and visitors make the trek to the top to pray or just enjoy the spectacular view.
Known in the Irish language as Cruach Phádraig and colloquially as "the Reek," Mt. Croagh Patrick has been a sacred site since ancient times. Before the arrival of Christianity, the Celtic people regarded the mountain as the dwelling place of the deity Crom Dubh.
Neolithic art can still be seen on a rock outcropping known as "St. Patrick's Chair" along the path to the top, and a Celtic hill fort was recently uncovered at the base of the mountain. According to Christian tradition, St. Patrick went up the sacred mountain at festival time in 441 AD. After fasting at the summit for 40 days, he banished all the snakes and demons from Ireland.
The site quickly became an important place of Christian pilgrimage. A stone oratory dating to between 430 and 890 AD was recently discovered on the summit.
For your climb of Croagh Patrick we recommend staying in Enniscoe House, andenjoy outstanding views of the spectacular wild and unspoilt landscape this region is renowned for - enjoy its open peaceful spaces and its friendly, welcoming people.
An Alternative - Southern Mountain Tour
Days 1 and 2 - County Kerry and the McGillycuddy Reeks
With eighty of the mountains in the southwest of Ireland over 2000 feet high, there is an abundance of superb mountain walking in this part of the country. Both the Dingle and Iveragh peninsulas offer facilities along with the opportunity to explore their mountain ranges.
A suggested three-day walk on the Iveragh Peninsula will take you up the craggy, seldom frequented Knockagantee. This is followed by a crossing over Mullaghanattin and the MacGillycuddy Reeks. The latter included Ireland's highest mountain, Carrauntoohill. The walk moves on to Cloghane and Mount Brandon, where there is a string of "paternoster lakes" and fine Atlantic views.
Ireland's Blue Book has four beautiful properties in the region, The Park Hotel Kenmare, Cahernane House Hotel, The Killarney Royal and Carrig Country House.
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Source: https://www.irelands-blue-book.ie/itinerary-detail.html/mountain-tour-html
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