A Great Walk up a Gem of a Hill

If you want to do a more lengthy walk than the routes already described, I can recommend a great walk that I took on the bank holiday Monday. The route starts at only 18M above sea level, is approximately 4km in length to the summit and took me 1.5 hours to reach the top.

I had planned out a 13km circuit over Slievemeen, Slievemartin and Crenville as being a perfect walk for a long summer evening. Having never got around to doing this, I was glad to try it on an autumnal afternoon to burn off some of the excesses of the weekend! Once I got to the forest tracks on the far side of Crenville before the sun fully set I didn’t mind doing the last stretch in the dark.

As you turn off the coast road at the signs for Kilbroney Park you will see a parking area past a red brick building on your right. Park up here and walk back down the road a few metres to the opening of the track at D (J19792 18349). This walk takes you into a nature reserve and it starts of as a beautiful mixed forest walk. You simply follow the way markings to the Fiddlers Green, heading through the green you take a left at the junction in the track. From here you are looking out for a waymarking that says “viewpoint” which is at E (J18800 17265), follow a steeper track through the trees. You keep following your nose up to the Cloghmore which is at F (J19154 17257).

As the walk gets closer to the big stone the trees start to fall away and views start to open up, not just back down to the Lough below, but even over towards Slievemartin which would be a future target. From Cloghmore you follow the tracks to the obvious opening in the forest to the south east. Your next target is the old stone wall over Ballymagelty at G (J193 169), it is near the corner of the forest on your right hand side. The route to the top is as simple as following this battered old wall. Again your surroundings change on this last stretch of the walk, as the more exposed mountainside gives new views of the Lough and right down to Binnian and Lamagan as you rise further up. The summit is marked by a modest pile of stones a few metres away from the wall.

The variety of scenery and views on this route make it one that I would recommend. You also get to walk pretty much the full ascent of the mountain (you can start from the Lough if wish to get it all though). The Clogmore is an area that should be part of your ascent of this hill anyway, whatever route you choose. Another beauty of this route is that you are not doubling back on yourself if you are heading for Slievemartin and further and it is all on decent track, but no road walking.

From here it only took me ten minutes to summit Slievemartin before heading off for the more punishing terrain of Crenville, which by the way, has far better terrain and easier access routes now from the Northern side, thanks to a newly constructed mountain bike track! Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/543/comment/14850/

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wicklore on Slievemeen

I parked at the well used large car park at A (J196 174). This was bustling with people having barbeques, playing sports and wandering along nearby tracks. There were horse riders, mountain bikers and plenty of hikers. I had absolutely no concerns at leaving my car there. It is always a bit worrying parking a car in unfamiliar places but this really felt like a secure starting place.

At the end of the car park is a notice board with maps, colour coded routes and general information. Beyond this is a track where there is a choice of two 'black arrow' routes. By taking the left route, and following the arrows, I headed up through the forest to the col (B (J202 174))between Slievemeen and Slievemartin in about 25 minutes. Another 10 minutes along a fence brings you to the few stones that mark Slievemeen's summit at C (J201 169). The views were fantastic in the good weather. The Cooley's were so near and so far south across Carlingford Lough, basking in the sunshine. Warrenpoint and Rostrevor were only a stones throw to the west. The Irish Sea glistened and sparkled off to the east. Shanlieve, Binnian and distant Bearnagh were distinctive among the spread of hills to the north.

I headed back to the col and on to Slievemartin which took about 15 minutes. I chose to continue on from there to Crenville and Slievemeel, and I would recommend this car park as the start point for those looking for either the short or longer walk. I was easily able to follow forest tracks the 3 kms back from Slievemeel to the car park. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/543/comment/4122/

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Famous stone, yes, seriously!

The story about Cloghmore (An Chloch Mhór, 'the big stone') is perhaps more remarkable than the stone itself. According to local legend it was thrown across Carlingford Lough by the giant Finn MacCool while fighting his Scottish counterpart Benandonner. And that's no word of a lie (unlike some mischievous mistruths recently made up on this site about another stone!). Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/543/comment/4754/

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csd on Slievemeen

Slievemeen is only 800 metres away from Slievemartin, so you might as well bag the two of them at the same time. Both have similar great views and are well worth the minimal effort required. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/543/comment/2786/

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three5four0 on Slievemeen

Slievemeen, the last top on my walk from Pigeon to Rostrevor and only a short walk from Slievemartin. The views are great from the summit, but also from the small top of Ballynagelty whilst descending by the old wall & fence to Cloghmore. From here you can follow paths and forestry tracks down to Rostrevor. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/543/comment/3242/

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