Slieve Meelbeg

About Slieve Meelbeg

Rising as a symmetrical granite cone, this prominent Hewitt is bisected by the historic Mourne Wall. The ascent from the Trassey Track offers a steep, grassy pull, rewarding walkers with dramatic perspectives of the tors on neighboring Slieve Meelmore and the deep waters of the Silent Valley Reservoir to the south.

Key Statistics

Find It

Did You Know?

• •Its name derives from the Irish Sliabh Míol Beag, generally translated as the 'small mountain of the hares.' It sits as the slightly smaller, more rounded twin to its neighbor, Slieve Meelmore (the 'big mountain of the hares').
• •The historic Mourne Wall—a dry stone structure over 22 miles long—runs directly over the summit. Built in the early 20th century to protect the water catchment area, it serves as a reliable, if punishingly steep, navigational handrail during the frequent mountain mists.
• •The summit provides one of the most distinctive views of the Ben Crom Reservoir, which appears tucked tightly between the steep slopes of Slieve Lamagan and the craggy profile of Slieve Binnian.
• •Slieve Meelbeg is a key peak in the 'Seven Sevens,' a challenging mountain endurance event that requires participants to summit all seven peaks in the Mourne range that stand over 700 metres in height.
• •The col separating this peak from Slieve Meelmore is notorious for its capacity to hide deep peaty water beneath a thin carpet of moss; many walkers have ended their day with one boot considerably heavier than the other.