Moderate 6 Days / 4 Nights Walking

Mourne Mountains Walking Holiday — 6 Days

The Mournes from Rostrevor to Newcastle with an Extra Day to Explore

Starting From €740 per person

The Mourne Mountains Walking Holiday — 6 Days extends the classic 5-day route with an extra arrival day in Rostrevor, giving you time to discover the southern Mournes before setting off north towards Newcastle.

You arrive in Rostrevor, a pretty seaside village beneath the mountains, and spend your first full walking day in Kilbroney Forest — ancient oak woodland, the dramatic Cloghmore Boulder, and sweeping views south over Carlingford Lough. From there you follow the Mourne Way through the heart of the range, walking alongside the famous dry-stone Mourne Wall and passing through Tollymore Forest Park with its elegant stone bridges and river walks. Your final day in Newcastle is yours to explore Donard Forest and the beach promenade before you head home.

This is a self-guided holiday — route notes, maps, and GPX files are sent in advance, your bags are transferred door to door each day, and the pace is entirely your own. B&B accommodation with full Irish breakfast throughout.

Highlights

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Kilbroney Forest Looped Walk

A dedicated day exploring Kilbroney Forest above Rostrevor — ancient woodland, the Cloghmore Boulder with its panoramic views, and the quieter, wilder character of the southern Mournes.

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The Mourne Wall

One of Ireland's great engineering feats: a dry stone wall that runs for 35 km over 15 mountain summits, built between 1904 and 1922 to enclose the Silent Valley water catchment. Walking alongside it is an unforgettable experience.

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Tollymore Forest Park

One of Northern Ireland's most beautiful forests, with ancient woodland, elegant stone bridges over the Shimna River, and a now-famous role as a filming location for Game of Thrones.

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Donard Forest & Newcastle

Your extra day lets you explore Donard Forest — the wooded lower slopes of Slieve Donard — and the beach and promenade of Newcastle before you leave. A gentle, rewarding finish to a mountain week.

Who Is This For?

This tour suits walkers who want a focused mountain experience in the Mournes with an extra day to breathe it all in. You should be comfortable walking 12–18 km per day over varied terrain — forest paths, open moorland, and some hilly ground on the Kilbroney and Mourne Wall stages. The extra night in Newcastle gives you time to explore Donard Forest or simply walk the beach without the pressure of an early departure. A good choice for walkers who prefer a relaxed pace, those returning to multi-day hiking, or anyone flying home from Belfast with flexibility on the final morning.

Tour Itinerary

Day 1

Arrival in Rostrevor

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Arrive in Rostrevor, a picture-postcard Victorian village nestled between the Mourne foothills and the southern shore of Carlingford Lough. Your pre-departure pack includes public transport options from Dublin and Belfast — the village is accessible from both cities via Newry. Settle into your B&B, take an evening stroll along the lough shore, and find a good spot for dinner before the walking begins.

Day 2

Kilbroney Forest Looped Walk

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A full day exploring Kilbroney Forest above Rostrevor — one of the finest forest walks in Northern Ireland. The route climbs through ancient oak woodland to the Cloghmore Boulder, a massive glacial erratic perched on the hillside with sweeping views over Carlingford Lough and the Cooley Peninsula across the water. The descent back through the forest is gentler, passing through some of the most atmospheric woodland in the Mournes.

Day 3

Mourne Way Part 1 — Rostrevor towards the Mountains

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pin_drop Rocky River → Rostrevorhiking 14.9 kmlandscape ↑401mlandscape ↓517m

Your first day on the Mourne Way proper. The trail leads inland from Rostrevor and into the heart of the Mournes — open moorland, the first glimpses of the famous Mourne Wall, and the growing sense of a genuine mountain landscape. The day ends in or near the Mourne foothills with the best still to come.

Day 4

Mourne Way Part 2 — through Tollymore to Newcastle

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pin_drop Deerpark, Spelga Dam → Newcastlehiking 17.5 kmlandscape ↑453mlandscape ↓793m

The highlight of the tour. The Mourne Way passes through Tollymore Forest Park — ancient woodland, elegant stone bridges over the Shimna River, and the distinctive atmosphere of a landscape used as a filming location for Game of Thrones. The trail emerges in Newcastle as Slieve Donard rises above the town, a fitting arrival in the seaside town that will be your base for the next two nights.

Day 5

Donard Forest & Newcastle Coastal Walk

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A free day to explore at your own pace. The most popular option is a looped walk into Donard Forest — the wooded lower slopes of Slieve Donard — following the Shimna River up through the trees and returning along the Glen River with views back over Newcastle and the bay. Those who prefer something flatter can walk the beach and dunes of Murlough National Nature Reserve, one of Ireland's oldest sand dune systems, just south of Newcastle. Either way, the evening is yours — Newcastle has good options for a final dinner with the mountains behind you.

Day 6

Departure from Newcastle

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A final Irish breakfast with the Mournes at your back. Your pre-departure pack includes public transport options to Dublin Airport (via Newry, approximately 2.5 hours) and Belfast Airport (approximately 1.5 hours). We can arrange private transfers if preferred.

Accommodation

- Accommodation: 5 nights in en-suite B&B rooms - Breakfast: Full Irish or continental breakfast every morning - Luggage Transfer: Daily door-to-door transfer of your main bag - Navigation: Personalised digital itinerary and route app for your smartphone that keeps you on the trail at all times - Pre-Departure Travel Pack: Sent 4 weeks before you travel, including onward travel options from Newcastle - Support: 24/7 emergency support line for the duration of your trip

What's Included

check_circle What's Included

doneAccommodation: 5 nights in en-suite B&B rooms
doneBreakfast: Full Irish or continental breakfast every morning
doneLuggage Transfer: Daily door-to-door transfer of your main bag
doneNavigation: Personalised digital itinerary and route app for your smartphone that keeps you on the trail at all times
donePre-Departure Travel Pack: Sent 4 weeks before you travel, including onward travel options from Newcastle
doneSupport: 24/7 emergency support line for the duration of your trip

block Not Included

closeFlights: Travel to Ireland is not included
closeAirport Transfers: Travel options from Newcastle are outlined in your pre-departure pack
closeInsurance: You will need travel and walking holiday insurance
closeMeals: Lunches and dinners (we'll happily recommend pubs and restaurants en route)
closePersonal Gear: Hiking equipment and clothing

Best Time to Visit

May and June are our top picks. Long evenings, wildflowers on the Cooley foothills and manageable trail traffic make these months hard to beat. June and early July offer the longest daylight hours, which matter for the longer Mourne Ridge days.

September is arguably the finest month of all. Bracken turns gold, the light is sharp and clear, trails are quieter, and accommodation is easier to book.

July and August are the warmest months but the busiest. Slieve Donard sees significant foot traffic, and accommodation needs to be booked well in advance.

The walking season runs from late spring through to late autumn, typically April to October.

Time your visit with a festival. Many trails host walking festivals throughout the season — see our complete 2026 walking festivals calendar to plan around one.

From

€740 per person

Based on 2 sharing

Preferred Start Date

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Book at least 20 days in advance

Number of Walkers

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phone or call +353 42 932 3396

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