Overview
This self-guided walking holiday along the Mourne Way, starts in Castlewellan, just 42km from Belfast. From day one on this week long adventure, you are immersed in some of the island of Ireland’s most stunning mountain landscapes, the Mourne Mountains. A range of 12 peaks over 600m, with the historic Mourne Wall traversing them, this Northern Ireland walking holiday is a slow and spectacular way to explore its natural highlights, with never-ending panoramas of both summits and sea.
The Mourne Mountains translate into Irish as Beanna Boirche, and they are a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. As you walk through the likes of the Shimna River valley, Castlewellan Forest Park, Tollymore Forest or across the sands of Dundrum Bay, you will see that the area has earned its name. You won’t be short of fantastic foodie spots on the Mourne Way either, with traditional seafood chowder, oysters or fish pie, along with a pint of Guinness of course, just a few of the local specialties.
- Castlewellan Forest Park
- Murlough National Nature Reserve
- Slieve Donard – the highest mountain in Northern Ireland
- Mourne Wall
- Tollymore Forest
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival Castlewellan
You will arrive in the small County Down market town of Castlewellan, famed for its market square, wide chestnut tree-lined streets, and adjoining castle and Forest Park.
- Accommodation: Kings Inn Castlewellan or similar
Day 2: Castlewellan to Dundrum village | 21km
You will begin your self-guided Mourne Way walk in the 140 hectares of Castlewellan Forest Park. With Castlewellan Lake at its heart and the 19th century castle, Castlewellan Forest Park also boasts one of the world’s largest peace mazes. In the afternoon, you will meander along country roads and farm tracks to the peaceful and charming village of Maghera, arriving at your overnight accommodation in Dundrum Village.
- Walking for the day: 5h, 21km ↑408m
- Accommodation: Arley House Dundrum or similar
Day 3: Dundrum to Newcastle | 13km
Today you will begin your walk in the seaside village of Dundrum and its 13th century Norman castle. You will enjoy majestic views of Dundrum Bay and the Mourne Mountains. Through the village you will stroll to the shores of Dundrum Bay and continue walking to the Murlough National Nature Reserve and its 6000 year old sand dune system. Your walking trail will take you along the beaches of Dundrum Bay to the seaside town of Newcastle where you will stay overnight.
- Walking for the day: 4h, 13km ↑60m
- Accommodation: Conlyn House B&B or similar
Day 4: Rest day in Newcastle
Newcastle is a seaside town in the shadows of Slieve Donard, Northern Ireland’s highest peak. It is home to the world-famous Royal County Down Golf Course, and its granite promenade stretches the full length of the town. Here you can spend the day relaxing by the sea in one of the UK’s last remaining natural rock pools. Enjoy the glory of the surroundings or, if the weather is right, you can attempt to climb Slieve Donard, rising 850m up from the sea.
- Accommodation: Conlyn House B&B or similar
Day 5: Meelmore Lodge to Newcastle | 14km
You will be transferred from your accommodation in Newcastle at 09.30 to Meelmore Lodge from where you will walk to the open mountainside and follow the trails in Tollymore Forest to return for another night in Newcastle.
- Walking for the day: 4-5h, 14km ↑290m
- Accommodation: Conlyn House B&B or similar
Day 6: Hilltown to Rostrevor | 11km
You are transferred to Hilltown, where today’s walk starts. Firstly, you will walk along the base of Altaggart Mountain. After a brief climb on the slopes of Tievedockaragh, you will descend into Rostrevor Forest and into the Kilbroney River Valley, passing the 6th-century convent of St. Bronagh. Finally, you’ll walk to the shores of Carlingford Lough and into Rostrevor, where you will stay overnight.
- Walking for the day: 4-5h, 11km ↑200m
- Accommodation: The Rostrevor Inn or similar
Day 7: Kilbroney Park and The Cloughmore Stone | 10/14km
Your final day of walking in the Mourne Mountains, finishes with a walk through Kilbroney Park. You have two choices of walk today, giving you either a slower or more direct route to the summit of Slieve Martin (485m).
From your accommodation, it is a short walk to join the route that meanders around the park, offering views of Carlingford Lough from the summit of Slieve Martin, Kodak Corner and The Cloughmore stone, finishing on the Fiddlers Green route back to your accommodation in Rostrevor and a relaxing evening on the shores of Carlingford Lough.
- Walking for the day: 4h, 10km ↑517m or 5h, 14km ↑546m
- Accommodation: The Rostrevor Inn or similar
Day 8: Departure
Your tour ends after a hearty breakfast, and you begin your onward journey.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation on this tour includes a mix of small, locally-owned hotels, B&Bs and traditional guesthouses. They have been carefully selected based on a variety of criteria including their location, warm hospitality, fine local food and commitment to responsible tourism. All rooms have en-suite or private bathrooms.
Click to view default hotels
*Hotels are subject to availability. In case a particular hotel is fully booked for your desired dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal or higher value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included on all days. When no restaurant location is available on the route, lunches and snacks should either be bought from local shops, or packed lunch can be pre-ordered from your hotel the night before. You can have dinner at the guesthouse you are staying at or at the village inns and restaurants.
Difficulty and terrain
The routes are clearly way-marked, and the itinerary is easy to follow. The route covers varied topography, from rolling hills to canal towpaths. (read more about difficulty grades). We strongly advise you to follow only marked trails and never try to shorten the path through the unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed road notes and maps, and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed info on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
This trip is available from early April till the end of October.
The flexibility of self-guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates, and you can start your trip on any date during the season. For more information, see our blog on the best time to go to Ireland.
Getting there
Up-to-date travel advice on the United Kingdom is available here (for Canadian citizens) and here (for US citizens).
Click to view travel options
- If you’d like to travel to Ireland without flying, read our blog, How to travel to Ireland by train and ferry
- From Dublin airport, take the direct bus X1 towards Newry (1h 10mins). From there, hop on 240 towards Castlewellan Upper Square (45 mins).
- You can also travel by train from Newry – the journey will be approx. 1h 12 mins.
- Ferry from Cairnryan to Belfast: Sail between Scotland and Northern Ireland 6 times daily in a crossing time of only 2 hours 15 minutes, so you can travel when it suits you.
- Ferry from Liverpool to Belfast: Twice daily direct link from the heart of England to Northern Ireland with a crossing time of approximately 8 hours with a choice of both day and night sailings.
- For more information, please visit StenaLine, Translink for public transport in Northern Ireland, Irish Rail for train travel from the Republic of Ireland to Northern Ireland, or use the Omio planner above.
UK Visa and entry requirements:
IMPORTANT: From 2025, the UK is implementing a new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) for many countries around the world. Up until 08 January, the ETA requirement only applied to nationals from Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE.
On 08 January 2025, the ETA requirement was extended to visitors from eligible non-European countries, including Australian, Canadian and US nationals. Then, on 02 April 2025, the ETA requirement was extended to eligible European countries, referring to most of Europe.
You can view the full list of countries that this applies to here and apply for your ETA here, or on the UK ETA app. The ETA usually takes up to three working days to be processed, although we advise applying as early as possible, in advance of your travel dates. People travelling with an Irish passport don’t need an ETA.
You can read more about the UK entry requirements on our blog.
Inclusions
Included
- 7 nights in private en-suite rooms (B&Bs and guesthouses)
- 7 breakfasts
- Luggage transfers from hotel to hotel on all walking days (up to 20kg per person)
- Detailed journey documentation and practical information (maps and waterproof route notes, details of restaurants and places of interest along the way, information on trains or buses needed to get to your first accommodation and back at the end of the tour)
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Lunches, dinners, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses
- Local tourist taxes and entry fees (payable on-site)
- Any items not explicitly listed as included
- eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)
Options, extras and supplements
- A supplement applies to members of a group who require a single room
- This holiday is available for solo travellers. However, a supplement will be charged as the cost of rooms and also luggage or private transfers (when applicable) is not shared. Please note that solo travellers are always accommodated in their own room. For logistical reasons, we don’t offer an option for solo travellers to share rooms with other solo travellers
- Extra nights along the trail are bookable upon request
