Slieve Bearnagh

About Slieve Bearnagh

Recognisable by its jagged granite tors, this is arguably the most dramatic summit in the Mournes. The climb is steep and unrelenting, but rewarded by the sight of the Mourne Wall hugging the ridges towards Slieve Meelmore and Slieve Commedagh, with the Silent Valley reservoir shimmering far below.

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Did You Know?

• •Derived from the Irish Sliabh Bearnach, the name translates as the 'gapped' or 'notched mountain.' This refers to the mountain's distinctive silhouette, defined by the deep dip between its massive summit granite tors.
• •The historic Mourne Wall crosses the summit, a 22-mile dry-stone structure built between 1904 and 1922 to protect the Silent Valley catchment area. Following the wall uphill from Hares Gap provides one of the steepest, most lung-bursting sustained climbs in the entire range.
• •The summit offers a perfect vantage point to trace the 'Brandy Pad,' a historic smugglers' path that skirts the lower slopes of Slieve Commedagh. In clear weather, the views extend beyond the nearby peaks of Meelmore and Meelbeg to the Isle of Man across the Irish Sea.
• •While many Mourne peaks are rounded, Slieve Bearnagh is defined by its weathered granite outcrops. The Great North Tor provides excellent scrambling opportunities and reliable shelter from the prevailing winds that often whip across the col.
• •The climb from Hares Gap is so unrelenting that the Mourne Wall ceases to be a feat of engineering and becomes a very long, very steep banister for those questioning their fitness levels.