Central Mourne Mountains Circular

The Mourne Mountains are the dramatic granite peaks of Northern Ireland, famously celebrated in song as 'sweeping down to the sea'. This 10-mile (16km) circular route starting from Carricklittle car park takes you into the wild heart of the range. The trek follows the historic Mourne Wall (a 22-mile dry stone wall built between 1904 and 1922 to enclose the reservoir catchment). You pass the edge of Annalong Wood, skirt the deep Blue Lough, and tackle the steep, craggy ascent of Slievelamagan. Continuing past Cove Mountain, the route flirts with the dramatic Devil's Coach Road—a steep gully—before meeting the Brandy Pad (an old smugglers' route) and returning via the rushing Annalong River. It is a stunning showcase of deep blue reservoirs, heather-clad slopes, and views extending across the Irish Sea to the Isle of Man.

Following the historic path used by the Army of the Andes in 1817, this 6-day trans-Andean expedition traverses the central cordillera from Mendoza, Argentina, to the Cajón del Maipo in Chile. The route crosses two significant high-altitude barriers—Portillo Argentino (4,330m) and Paso Piuquenes (4,030m). Hikers move through a high desert landscape of volcanic rock, vast glacial valleys, and the powerful Tunuyán River. The terrain consists primarily of rocky mountain paths, loose scree on the steeper pass approaches, and high-altitude plateaus where exposure to wind and sun is constant.