craiglynn666 on Butter Mountain

I recently did my bronze duke of ed. we started from meelmore lodge, a little lodge with a beautiful morning view of lukes mountain and hare's gap. we hiked to the northern foot of butter mountain and trekked over it to spelga dam. we continued east along the road and went round ott mountain and over the saddle between meelbeg and loughshannagh. beautiful views of doan and part of ben crom reservoir there. we could also see donard. magnificent. we went round meelbeg and went over another saddle between meelbed and bernagh down to fofanny. we hiked along the ulster way and up the trassy track to the camp half way up.
day two and we went down trassy and into tollymore. through tollymore via the southern paths and up the drinns (i cringe at the word!) and out over the plain between tollymore and donard park. through donard park via greenhill YMCA centre and past donard bridge. continuing on through and down out to maggie's leap. an amazing 2 days. the hardest part being the drinns believe it or not. a piece of advice - don't do the drinns in segments, i.e. taking a break every few minutes, like our group did. do it in one go and get it over and done with. then have a good break at the top, with a spectacular view over to, i think, dromore. nicest view - through the saddle between meelbed and loughshannagh Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/458/comment/992/

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CaptainVertigo on Butter Mountain

A healthy adult ought to make it to the summit of Butter Mountain from the Spelga Dam Car Park in about ten minutes! There's a big reward in terms of views for practically no effort. I brought John(7) and Peter(5) there today, and, really, its a super safe training ground for little people. They have mini walking poles which they love because it gives them that authentic "mountaineer" feeling. I can't think how you'd injure yourself on that grassy slope...short of being dropped from a helicopter head first. The photo shows the wee folk ascending Butter mountain. John's the one with the GPS !!! Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/458/comment/2219/

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Alex92 on Butter Mountain

I did Butter yesterday while waiting to be picked up in the Ott/Blue Quarry car park, after I camped on the shores of Loughshannagh. It's a nice enough wee dander, and as said in previous contributions, it does provide some great views of Spelga dam, Fofanny dam, Bearnagh, Ott, Carn and the other surrounding mountains, without requiring much effort. Best approach is from Ott/Blue Quarry carpark. Ascend up the granite path to the style, and follow the grassy trail to the summit. Gaiters may be needed, as I found out when the whole of my lower right leg sunk into a bog... not nice! Butter is a good introduction if you're looking to use it in a lengthly walk, and it's a good "training ground" for smaller kids as suggested by CaptainVertigo. One word of warning though: Whatever you do, DO NOT ever leave your car over night in the Ott car park. Recently a car was burnt out after being left over night, and I have had my own experiences where a relative of mine had their car broken into. Alternatively arrange for someone to drop you off and pick you up if you are camping, or use the Mourne Rambler bus service. But parking for daytrips should be fine, just take caution. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/458/comment/2667/

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wicklore on Butter Mountain

Butter Mountain should have been a quick up and down from the Blue Quarry/Ott car park. However I was distracted by a pure white goat that clearly wanted to follow me. It was only short of clambering over the stile with me which is on the path leading from the car park. When we said our goodbyes at the stile I hauled myself up to the summit trying to get into the “Healthy Adult will do it in 10 minutes” bracket as posted by CaptainVertigo. My previous long hike in the Mournes had made me unhealthy and it took about 18 minutes from the carpark! Nice views of the Spelga Dam and across to cloud topped Meelbeg and Slieve Loughshannagh. Billy Goat awaited below and I knew I had a healthy snack to share with him so I bade farewell to Butter Mountain and the Mournes until another day. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/458/comment/3387/

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Following the Mourne Way over Butter Mt.

As described in other members comments there is a short and easy way to climb Butter Mt. There is however a more rewarding alternative route which follows part of the Mourne Way. Starting at the Blue Quarry (Ott Track) car park Ott CP (J280 279) the route is fully described in the WalkNI web site and in an illustrated booklet which can be requested on line. There are fine views NE to the high Mournes and, as the walk follows the wide U shaped ridge on the top of Butter Mt and turns SW Cock and Hen Mts in the Western Mournes and Slieve Gullion in Armagh come into view. On reaching the Spelga Pass road B (J260 280) turn left and at the T junction left again to walk back to the start. If you have two cars leave one at the Spelga Dam Car Park and avoid the road walk back. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/458/comment/4063/

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