Butter Mountain

About Butter Mountain

Tucked into the western fringes of the Mournes, this rounded, peat-covered Hump offers a quieter alternative to the jagged granite peaks nearby. Accessible from the Spelga Pass, the summit provides an excellent vantage point overlooking the Spelga Dam reservoir and the craggy north faces of Slieve Meelmore and Slieve Bearnagh.

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Did You Know?

• •The name is a direct translation of the Irish Sliabh an Ime, which stems from the ancient practice of booleying. Cattle were driven to these high summer pastures because the grazing was said to produce the richest butter in the district.
• •While many Mourne summits are defined by dramatic granite tors, this hill is characterised by its deep peat hags and heathery slopes, making for a softer, though often soggier, underfoot experience.
• •The summit serves as a fantastic viewing platform for the Silent Valley area to the south and the massive stone embankment of the Spelga Dam to the west.
• •Despite the name suggesting a dairy-rich bounty, the most common thing you will find spread across this summit is a thick layer of black Mourne mud.