Slieve Bearnagh

About Slieve Bearnagh

This distinctive Mourne summit is defined by its two massive granite tors, which give it a jagged, broken profile. The climb is steep and strenuous, particularly the final pull alongside the Mourne Wall. Reaching the gap between the tors rewards walkers with one of the most rugged, atmospheric settings in Northern Ireland.

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Did You Know?

• •The name comes from the Irish 'Sliabh Bearnach', meaning 'gapped' or 'notched mountain'. This refers to the prominent dip between the North and South Tors, which gives the peak its recognisable silhouette from across County Down.
• •The Mourne Wall, a 22-mile dry stone boundary built between 1904 and 1922, traverses the very top of the mountain. It was constructed to protect the catchment area of the Silent Valley reservoir from livestock, a remarkable feat of engineering given the gradient on Bearnagh's eastern flank.
• •The summit offers a spectacular, framed view southwards over the turquoise waters of the Ben Crom Reservoir, with the sprawling, tors-capped ridge of Slieve Binnian dominating the skyline across the valley.
• •Hare’s Gap, the pass to the east of the summit, was historically a key transit point for smugglers. Known as the 'Brandy Pad', the route was used to transport illicit goods like tobacco, soap, and spirits from the coast into the heart of the mountains.
• •The granite tors on the summit are some of the most impressive in the range; while the North Tor is the highest point, the South Tor requires a short scramble and offers the best vantage point for looking back at the peak of Slieve Commedagh.
• •The climb from Hare’s Gap is so punishingly direct that the Mourne Wall ceases to be a boundary and effectively becomes a handrail, providing a sturdy grip for those reconsidering their hobbies on the thirty-degree slope.