Official tourism website for Northern Ireland
En

Men of the Mournes

56 Burren Road, Warrenpoint, County Down, BT34 3SA

Book Tickets Online

About

All is quiet in the Mourne Mountains. A tranquil spot to pause and reflect, it’s little wonder that these summits and valleys have been immortalised in verse and song. But it wasn’t always so... once upon a time, this famous range was a hive of activity for stone masons, soldiers, and even smugglers.

Join expert mountain guide Peter Rafferty as he stretches your imagination (as well as your legs). Make your way over rocky paths at a gentle pace, with plenty of breaks allowing you to stop and take in the spectacular sights and sounds of this special mountain range. Learn about the era when Mourne granite was highly sought after and the mountains echoed with the sound of handpicks. Watch as Peter shows you the tools and ‘plug and feather’ technique used to cut the stone, discover where it was sent, and hear about the men who built the 22-mile Mourne wall, constructed in 1904 to define a catchment area for a local reservoir.

Listen to Peter’s stories of the US military men who trained here before heading for the trenches of the Second World War, and discover how the Mournes were also home to less respectable pursuits in times gone by. See the Brandy Pad routes which were used by local smugglers in the 18th and 19th centuries, and soak up the atmosphere in one of the secret caves which came in very handy for storing illicit brandy, silk, tea, tobacco and other contraband. With so many tales to tell, it becomes evident why the Mournes are said to have been the inspiration for CS Lewis’ mystical Chronicles of Narnia.

Towards the end of the tour comes a vista that – despite having enjoyed a day already full to the brim with beautiful views - might just take your breath away. The scene overlooking the Ben Crom dam is, quite simply, spectacular. There couldn’t be a more fitting finale to a day rich in sights, sounds, stories and the freshest of air. Even your guide Peter, for whom the Mournes were a childhood playground, never fails to be wowed by this scene. It’s an experience he says he will never tire of – and something you are unlikely to forget, either. “It’s just fantastic,” Peter admits. “Sometimes you just stand and look at the views and say, ‘This is unreal’.”

Book Tickets

Facilities

Establishment Features

  • Groups catered for
  • Prior Booking Required
Men of the Mournes

Video

  • Men of the Mournes

Add Men of the Mournes to your Itinerary

Close window

Call direct on:

Tel+44 (0) 7974768831

Check availability for Men of the Mournes (opens in a new window)

Map & Directions

What's Nearby

  1. Our play farm offers a huge indoor soft play area with four dragon slides and a massive…

    0.58 miles away
  2. Excellent example of a tower-house and bawn built about 1568 at a point where the Newry…

    1.18 miles away
  3. Kilbroney Park Forest features riverside walks and an arboretum. There is a two-mile…

    2.59 miles away
  4. 'Cill Bhronaigh', or Bronagh’s Church (12th century), is located in the graveyard just…

    2.71 miles away
  5. Known locally as the ‘King’s Ring’, this court tomb has a prominent position in the…

    2.84 miles away
  6. "Where the Mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea" (Percy French)
    The popular song has…

    5.12 miles away
  7. Bagenal’s Castle located in historic Newry is a 16th century fortified house and…

    5.57 miles away
  8. This is undoubtedly the most commanding building in Newry and is arguably the most…

    5.71 miles away
  9. This monument is an extremely well preserved Neolithic burial site with three chambers. …

    5.72 miles away
  10. Kilnassagart Inscribed Stone, in the south of County Armagh, is regarded as being one of…

    5.8 miles away
  11. South of the County Armagh village of Jonesborough lie the ruins of Moyry Castle, built…

    6.09 miles away
  12. This unusual megalithic monument is set on the eastern edge of a low ridge, overlooked by…

    6.16 miles away
  13. Slieve Gullion is Ireland's Mountain of Mystery. The Forest Park offers walking trails,…

    6.26 miles away
  14. Slieve Gullion Forest Park is in the heart of the Ring of Gullion. The Ring of Gullion is…

    6.26 miles away
  15. The site contains two early churches situated back to back. Even earlier, it was the…

    6.7 miles away
  16. This 18 arch viaduct, close to Newry, is a prominent feature of the south Armagh…

    7.52 miles away

Virtual Tour

Map & Directions

Back to Top

Tourism Northern Ireland

Don't Miss