Slieve Binnian North Top

Perched on the northern end of one of the Mournes' most dramatic ridges, this subsidiary peak offers a rugged, granite-strewn landscape. While the main summit of Slieve Binnian draws the crowds, this top provides a quieter vantage point overlooking the deep blue Ben Crom Reservoir and the jagged Silent Valley.

• •The name Binnian is derived from the Irish Sliabh Binneáin, meaning 'Mountain of the Little Peaks,' a reference to the jagged granite tors that dominate the skyline along this ridge.
• •This peak overlooks the massive engineering feat of the Ben Crom Reservoir; from this height, you get a clear perspective of how the Mourne Wall was designed to funnel water into the Silent Valley catchment basin.
• •To the north, the view is dominated by the steep, scree-covered slopes of Slieve Lamagan, while the Annalong Valley stretches out below, flanked by the massive heights of Slieve Donard and Slieve Commedagh.
• •The summit area is defined by its weathered granite outcrops, known as tors, which were shaped by periglacial processes during the last ice age, leaving behind a distinctive 'ruined castle' appearance.
• •Navigating between the main summit and the North Top in thick mist can be surprisingly disorienting, as the massive granite boulders all begin to look suspiciously identical after twenty minutes of wandering.