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.

Rising sharply from the Seefeld plateau, the Seefelder Spitze (2,221m) is a classic peak in the Karwendel Alps. The trail from the Rosshütte cable car station follows a sustained ridge-line connecting the Seefelder Joch with the summit. The terrain is typical Karwendel: brittle limestone, narrow ridges, and significant vertical drops into the surrounding range. While the lift provides a useful head-start, the hike itself demands surefootedness and good aerobic fitness, and rewards those who complete it with a panorama spanning from the Zugspitze to the main alpine ridge.