Slieve Binnian
This fantastic circular walking route follows the Mourne Wall to the summit of Slieve Binnian (747m), traverses between the spectacular South and North Tors before descending along a track past the Blue Lough, Annalong Forest and back to the car park.
| County | Distance | OS Map |
| Down | 7 miles | Sheet 29 + Mourne Outdoor Pursuits Map (1:25,000) |
| Nearest Town | Route Shape | RouteType |
| Annalong Village | Circular | Hill, Mountain |
| Terrain | Grid Reference (Start) | Grid Reference (Finish) |
| Tracks and mountain terrain | J345219 | J345219 |
| Point of Interest | Blue Lough and Mourne Wall |
| Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty | Mournes |
| Route Description | From the Carrick Little car park, follow a clear, stony track that rises gently between the fields. Note the boulder walls alongside, and the high mountains around the distant head of Annalong Valley. Cross a stone step stile beside an iron gate and turn left to follow the Mourne Wall uphill. The wall rises steeply on the rugged slopes of Slieve Binnian, but it is an obvious line to follow almost all the way to the summit. There is a break when the wall runs into a bare face of granite, and before this point you should drift to the right and aim for a notch in the top of the mountain. Going all the way to the summit at 2449ft (747m) involves using your hands and taking care on the rock. The reward is an exceedingly fine panorama of the surrounding mountain. In clear weather it's possible to see the Isle of Man out to sea and the Wicklow Mountains beyond Dublin. Pick your way carefully around the base of the Summit Tor and continue walking along the ridge of the Mountain. You cross a broken wall and follow a clear path past the Back Castles. These are a handful of wrinkly little tors that you don't have to grapple with. Simply enjoy the views as you walk past them. The North Tor is a monstrous outcrop of granite towards the end of the crest, and the path passes it on the left side. The ground slopes away more steeply as the path wanders through the heather, past boulders and outcrops of granite on the way down to a prominent gap - the col between Slieve Lamagan and Slieve Binnian. At the col turn right and follow a clear path downhill. This passes close to the Blue Lough and by keeping right at junctions with other paths, you'll be led down to a clear track passing a corner of Annalong Wood. Simply follow the track alongside the Forest fence and return to the iron gate in the Mourne Wall. Cross the wall using the stile and follow the track back to Carrick Little car park. Please be aware - although, there are numerous walking routes in the Mournes, the majority of these popular walks are not formally designated public rights of way. Most routes have developed over time due to traditional use. Below 600 feet (180m) most land is privately owned and is farmed or grazed. Many of the traditional access routes cross this land or pass along farm lanes and quarry tracks. Access is only available therefore through the tolerance and goodwill of the landowners. Walkers are advised to respect that they may be walking on private land and are encouraged to make themselves aware of and adhere to the principles of Leave No Trace' - www.leavenotraceireland.org |
| Getting to the Start | The Carrick Little car park is at the junction of the Head Road and Oldtown Road near Annalong. The Mourne Rambler bus departs from Newcastle Bus station on a regular basis during the summer months. |
| Facilities | Toilets and refreshments available in nearby Annalong Village. |
| Accessible Toilet Facilities | No |
| Accessible Terrain | No |
| Accessible Signage | No |
| Publication | Route 4 in a pack of walks titled - 'Mourne Mountain Walks' produced by Mourne Heritage Trust |
| Publication Availability | This pack of route cards costs £5.95 and is available from a range of outlets including - Mourne Heritage Trust - 028 4372 4059 Newcastle Tourist Information Centre - 028 4372 2222 email: mht@mourne.co.uk visit www.mournelive.com |
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3 feedback comments have been left by readers about Slieve Binnian:
Followed this route on Wednesday, May 12th, 2010. Started from Carrick Little car park when the weather was fine. As I approached the summit the weather turned nasty. At one point there was snow coming at me horizontally. The wind was bitterly cold and the cloud had really decended on the summit. The granit tor took on the form of a rather spooky looking outline and appeared out of nowhere rather suddenly. I managed to find shelter on the north side of the tor and settled down for some tea and sarrnys. Just as quick as the weather had closed in the cloud cleared and the sun appeared. It was just as if someone had pulled back the curtains and there appeared in front of me the most wonderful view of the Silent Valley I had ever witnessed. This was my first time walking this route. It will certainly not be my last. I hope to do it again very soon. The view across the Mourne range is breathtaking, looking across to Lough Shannagh on one side and Slieve Donard on the other. This is a must for all ramblers and walkers provided you are prepared for a steep ascent, following the Mourne Wall, and the ever changing weather conditions. The descent is gentle and really enjoyable. You can follow the well defined paths, passing the Blue Lough which should be on your left hand side and eventually walking along the side of the Annalong Wood back to your starting point at Carrick Little car park. If you haven't taken this route, wait no longer. Go walking, it's good for you.
What an astounding view from the Summit Torr of Slieve Binnian! Almost felt like we didn't deserve that kind of panorama for only climbing one mountain--although it is quite a steep climb, so maybe we earned it. We didn't do the whole loop, just walked to the top and back following the Mourne Wall (handy, that). As usual in the Mournes, the clouds rolled in to obscure the summit, but we waited around a few minutes and it cleared for long enough to stand in awe and take photos. Waterproof boots are a must, as the path is boggy at places, and it's a steep descent so those with joint trouble may want to bring along hiking poles for this one.
Climbed Wee Binnian and Slieve Binnian with five friends 19/08/09 starting from the carpark on the C313 and going offroad at the Cross Water Bridge completing the circular walk by following the Mourne Wall in an easterly direction back to the carpark.Tough climb to the top at Summit Tor with visibility at 20 to 50 metres throughout. Almost impossible to stay standing on Summit Tor with winds over 60 mph (my estimate).It was a great walk but have to do again to get the view. Bacon rolls in the cafe in Annalong before starting are highly recommended and fish and chips with mushy peas at the Mourne Cafe in Dundrum were outstanding.
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