The most famous of the mountains in the country
Cattle have been introduced at Bloody Bridge to help restore the precious heath
The Mournes are visited by many tourists, hillwalkers, cyclists and rock climbers. The mountains are immortalised in a song written by Percy French in 1896, 'Mountains o'Mourne' and famously by Don McLean. They also influenced C.S. Lewis to write The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.
The climb to Slieve Donard Summit can be strenuous but worth it for spectacular views; the Co. Down coast, Newcastle town, Murlough Dunes and on a clear day Scrabo Tower to the North and the Isle of Man to the East.
The Glen River Path leads up to the saddle, or col, between Donard and Commedagh and the Mourne Wall, a well known feature in the Mournes.
One of the last active granite quarries in the Mournes is Thomas's Quarry. It is from here the 47 tonne, 40 feet (12m) long Delamont Millennium stone was quarried, the highest modern standing stone in Northern Ireland.
Another place to explore is Bloody Bridge. The name refers to a massacre at the site during the 1641 rebellion; the bodies of slain prisoners were thrown over the bridge into the river, turning the water red.
Finally, take a wander along the Mourne Coast Path, which is hugely important for the access it affords visitors to an otherwise generally inaccessible coastline.
The paths run from the rocky coastline of Dundrum Bay to the lower slopes of the Mourne Mountains, linking ‘true’ mountain with open sea.
Most of our places run the Gift Aid on Entry scheme at their admission points.
Under this scheme, if you're not a member you have the choice of two entry tickets:
If the place runs Gift Aid on Entry, we'll offer you a clear choice between the Gift Aid Admission prices and the Standard Admission prices at the admission point. It's entirely up to you which ticket you choose.
Gift Aid Admission includes a 10 per cent or more voluntary donation. Gift Aid Admissions let us reclaim tax on the whole amount paid - an extra 25 per cent - potentially a very significant boost to our places' funds.
An extra £1 paid under the scheme can be worth over £3 to the National Trust as shown below:
| Gift Aid | Standard | |
|---|---|---|
| Amount paid by visitor | £11.00 | £10.00 |
| Tax refund from Government* | £2.75 | £0.00 |
| Total received by the National Trust | £13.75 | £10.00 |
*Gift Aid Admissions let us reclaim tax on the whole amount paid - an extra 25 per cent - potentially a very significant boost to our places' funds.
