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Mourne Mountains Area   N: Commedagh Subarea
Place count in area: 59, OSI/LPS Maps: 20, 29, EW-CLY 
Highest place:
Slieve Donard, 849m
Maximum height for area: 849 metres,     Maximum prominence for area: 821 metres,

Note: this list of places includes island features such as summits, but not islands as such.
Rating graphic.
Slieve Commedagh Mountain Sliabh Coimhéideach A name in Irish (Ir. Sliabh Coimhéideach [PNNI], 'watching/guarding mountain') Down County in NI and in Ulster Province, in Arderin, Vandeleur-Lynam, Irish Highest Hundred Lists, Granite granophyre Bedrock

Height: 767m OS 1:50k Mapsheet: 29 Grid Reference: J34610 28616
Place visited by 838 members. Recently by: rosduke, Baz749, jjbireland700s, patman1974, bandre, mh400nt, RosieMc, Aidan_Ennis, Seamy13, einho, discovering_dann, Tuigamala, DarrenY, Gavsmi33, bowler
I have visited this place: NO (You need to be a logged-in member to change this.)

Longitude: -5.938543, Latitude: 54.188898 , Easting: 334610, Northing: 328616 Prominence: 180m,  Isolation: 0.9km
ITM: 734535 828624,   GPS IDs, 6 char: SlvCmd, 10 char: SlvCmdgh
Bedrock type: Granite granophyre, (Mourne Mountains granite)

As on Slieve Meelmore, there is a tower near the summit of Slieve Commedagh. On the southern side, at the head of the Annalong Valley, is a spectacular group of granite tors known as 'the Castles'. These can be appreciated from the Brandy Pad, a track once used by smugglers. During the 18th Century the Mourne Mountains were notorious for smuggling commodities such as wine, silk, tobacco, tea and brandy, mainly from Britain. The cargo would be brought ashore under the cover of darkness and taken over the mountains to Hilltown and the surrounding areas.   Slieve Commedagh is the second highest mountain in the Mourne Mountains area and the 64th highest in Ireland. Slieve Commedagh is the second highest point in county Down.

Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/63/
COMMENTS for Slieve Commedagh (Sliabh Coimhéideach) 1 2 3 4 5 Next page >>  
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MountainViews.ie Picture about mountain Slieve Commedagh (<i>Sliabh Coimhéideach</i>) in area Mourne Mountains, Ireland
Picture: Approaching Commedagh from Donard
 
High, flat- topped coastal peak wirh steep approaches.
Short Summary created by markmjcampion, Harry Goodman, wicklore  18 Aug 2023
Commedagh is the 2nd highest Mourne - a col separates it from Donard to the SE. It lies near Newcastle on the E edge of the range and has a broad, grassy top surrounded by steep, heathery approaches. The 35k Mourne Wall passes close by. Fine local views and also the Coolies, Sperrins and Antrim Hills. Beware - steep ground to the NE.

NE. From Donard Park J37499 30597 starA take forest track SW through Donard Wood. On exiting the forest a good path continues up the valley to gain the col at the Mourne Wall between Donard and Commedagh J35021 27934 starB. Turn right and follow the Wall uphill to reach a stone tower J34405 28433 starC. Turn right here and cross the plateau NE for circa 300m to the top. Sea to summit 2.5 hrs

NE. From the same car park walk up to J36483 29641 starD, turn right and follow the wall thru the trees for about 200m to a forest ride on left. Follow this up to a stile. Once out on open ground continue W over S'namaddy, then SW to Shan Slieve before following the sharp edge of Commedagh around the Pot of Pulgarve to the top. 2.5 hrs

NW. Park at J31089 31306 starE and head for the Hare’s Gap [see separate entry for Slievenaglogh for more comprehensive description). Then head over Slievenaglogh and Slieve Corragh to reach the stone tower mentioned above. Stick close to the Mourne Wall to avoid cliffs to the N.

Commedagh is also part of the 29km+ Mournes’ Sevens which takes in the 7 highest peaks - track/4460

Other notable tracks include linear track/3379 and track/4116. Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/63/comment/4823/
 
MountainViews.ie Picture about mountain Slieve Commedagh (<i>Sliabh Coimhéideach</i>) in area Mourne Mountains, Ireland
Bleck Cra on Slieve Commedagh, 2006
by Bleck Cra  16 Jul 2006
There are days when nature conspires to make the mountains so beautiful, she breaks your heart. Sunday 28th November 2004 in the Mourne Mountains, was one such day. A wistful, wandering way through a world of up-ended conifers at the hem of Commedagh’s petticoats; snap-dry branches amongst glistening holly and feather-down moss; draw clean blood on barbed wire and emerge on golden pastures to the Pots of Pulgarve: God’s amphitheatre on the Glen River, Dundrum Bay and beyond, where none but the ravens take their seats; so often black misted, but today every lethal rock pinsharp - all pointing down. To an ice-cold wall and drop along the ridge to Hare’s Gap - a canary-coloured winter sun like a match-head: suddenly blazing, suddenly cold as ash, shooting black shadow shafts into silken crags - and at all times the scent of snow in her wake. Meelmore and Meelbeg, from the North and East, grey-cold like wet newsprint and presenting fantastical scenes of ancient Dalriada, as fat satin ravens perform a last night before winter’s cold curtain comes down. Off Bearnagh and East - the root of a rainbow hangs like a huge kite between the lodge and Castewellan, breathing her fairy breath into the glen and suddenly the night looms, casting a palate of blues and lilacs over Binnian-to-Beg; the pace quickens to the saddle and blues melt to pinks and greens and a canter off Donard to the forest road. Night has fallen, the wood whispers; a wide sweep East and below, a carpet of fairy lights from Hilltown to Dundrum, from the Shimna River to Downpatrick. A warm car like a butterfly cucoon, on the Castlewellan Road, South the matt black silhouette of these stunning hills against an ink sky, North a full moon dozing between linen sheets. Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/63/comment/1345/
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MountainViews.ie Picture about mountain Slieve Commedagh (<i>Sliabh Coimhéideach</i>) in area Mourne Mountains, Ireland
 
shippy on Slieve Commedagh, 2005
by shippy  23 Feb 2005
Picture below shows the first walk of the new Navan hillwalking club (no offical name yet) ,on top of Commedagh .We climbed Donard first , from the carpark , through the forest and up by the glen river.Came back down to the col and followed the brandy pad to see the castles . From there we went to meet the wall again on the other side of Commedagh and followed it to the summit . It's a nice way to climb Commedagh as you get to see the Annalong valley in its entirety .From the summit we headed back down ,via Shan Slieve, towards the forest with great views of Donard on the way. An enjoyable walk for our first one as a club . Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/63/comment/1493/
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Bleck Cra on Slieve Commedagh, 2004
by Bleck Cra  22 Aug 2004
Poor old Commedagh - bass player of the fab five, fronted by Donard and backed by the Bearnagh Sisters.
Dull to look at, heather to trail through, wind to cut you in half. In such wind you can of course open your mouth and do Wallace and Gromit faces - sure we make our own fun.
But …… who gives you baffling volcanic globulets? Binnian and Commedagh. Who gives you glorious views of Dundrum Bay? Donard and Commedagh. Who gives you the wickedest drops (from the track)? Cove and Commedagh. Is a pattern not emerging?
Nevertheless in most aspects one cannot underrate Commedagh enough. She is desperately dull to walk, has a thoroughly annoying incline on the Annalong side and thoroughly annoying terrain on the Newcastle side. She is neither bad enough nor good enough. But if you took her show-off neighbours out of the picture, would we not flock to her? Incidentally there are far too many sheep on her.
She stands a sound Corbett 2517 - every inch from sea level. With a bit of vis - sometimes uniquely absent from her peculiar, lonely top, you can see to just about wherever you like, Wicklow, Ellan Vannin, Scotland and worse: North Antrim.
Her pots, the Pots of Pulgarve, are sensational except to the odd unfortunate who occasionally steps out into their infinity: they present a breathtaking tableau of Eagle Rock, Dundrum Bay framed by her and Bro Donard and thousands of fag-smoking ants scurrying up and down the Glen River. And best of all she is one of only 2 spots in the Mournes expanse where you can see raven junior being taught to fly, the old “spare the rod” way. The other, I keep a guarded secret.
Contributor Craigie’s 2 car contortion is fine, but try also Glen River ascent from Newcastle’s Donard carpark with Beginner Book for Boys stroll on to Donard, back down on to The Saddle and up Commedagh. Follow the pots back down Commedagh’s spine into breathtaking vistas and exquisite Donard Wood and back into Donard carpark. Go to pub and enthuse about Commedagh …. endlessly. Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/63/comment/1118/
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MountainViews.ie Picture about mountain Slieve Commedagh (<i>Sliabh Coimhéideach</i>) in area Mourne Mountains, Ireland
Picture: Commedagh and Shan Slieve from Slievenamaddy
Harry Goodman on Slieve Commedagh, 2010
by Harry Goodman  18 Mar 2010
Encouraged by the glorious covering of snow on the High Mournes above Newcastle we climbed Slieve Commedagh on Tuesday 2 March 2010 from Donard Car Park J3750030675 starF. Initially we went up by the Glen River Track to the gate at J3645029625 starG before turning right and following the forest wall along to a fire break at J3635029750 starH, then up left (SW) to cross a stile out on to the open hillside. Once across we headed W up to and over the rocky face of Slievenamaddy, the first part of the approach to Commedagh. From here we continued to follow the ridge up to and past the cairn on Shan Slieve, around the edge of the Pot of Pulgarve to our left before making the final climb up to the summit of Commedagh at 767m J3460028600 starI. It is also worth noting that climbing the mountain from Donard Park means that you climb the full height from sea level. While our climb up the snow slope was at times slow, but steady, the reward at the top was well worth the effort. Before us in all directions were the snow covered High Mournes. Having taken in the magnificent panorama we made the short descent across Commedagh's flattish top to the Mourne Wall and Shelter Tower J3400028475 starJ were we had our lunch sheltered from the strong wind that had been in our face during the climb. While the snow we experienced on the way up had been extensive in its cover we were surprised to find that it was deep enough, in places, to allow us to walk up and over the wall. Once fed and watered we dropped down to the saddle between Commedagh and Donard. Our original intention had been to descend by the Glen River Track NNE back to Donard Park but the prevailing snow conditions and the knowledge that they would soon be gone spurred us on to climb Donard before dropping down NE past the Lesser Cairn and then NNE over Millstone Mountain. From there we descended NNW down the ridge and around the quarry fence to the forest track which we then followed NW down to the Glen River and down to the start at Donard Park. This is a circuit that I would commend to any one wishing to climb the two highest mountains in the Mournes (as well as the highest peak in Ulster) with a third top (Millstone ) for good measure. Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/63/comment/4521/
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Cascade River circuit
by hbowman1  31 Oct 2010
I climbed this mountain yesterday as part of a circular walk which included Luke's Mountain, Slieve Corragh and Shanslieve. Starting off from Meelmore Lodge, we followed the lane up to the stile and headed towards the Trassey track. After a short while on this track we turned left and headed towards Luke's Mountain. The terrain is very marshy and pathless at times, and as such I would strongly recommend gaiters. This was my first time on Luke's Mountain; it offers very nice views of Slieve Croob, Murlough bay and Tollymore forest. Thereafter we headed alongside the valley between Corragh and Commedagh. The terrain is quite steep on the ascent of Corragh. After reaching the Mourne wall at Corragh we turned left and made our way to the summit of Commedagh. Cloud formations and gusts of wind produced a great atmosphere as mountains, previously covered in cloud, appeared gradually as the mist cleared. After a short break on Commedagh, we headed NW over the ridge between Commedagh and Shanslieve. This is a very good ridge walk in the Mournes, but one which I would not advise in poor visibility, as it is quite steep on both sides. Upon reaching Shanslieve, very fine views opened up of Newcastle, Murlough Bay, Bernagh, Corragh, Slievenaglogh and Meelmore. The descent towards the valley is very steep and walking poles are an advantage. Care must be taken when crossing the river towards Luke's mountain. The full walk took 7 hours, but one which I would recommend - tollymore forest, ridge walk between Commedagh and Shanslieve and the views from Shanslieve - being the notable highlights. This was the first time I had climbed Commedagh from Meelmore Lodge; other possible approaches would be Trassey track up to Hare's Gap and follow the wall over Slievenaglogh and Corragh, and Donard Car park to the saddle and turn left at the wall. Another option would be starting at Donard park, ascending Shanslieve and turning left towards the summit. While all four approaches are viable, I think the best approach is starting from Meelmore Lodge or Trassey. The views of Tullymore forest and from the Mourne wall at Corragh are more interesting than the valley between Donard and Commedagh. Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/63/comment/6156/
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