Challenge yourself to climb every mountain summit in the Mourne Mountains range. On this page you will find information about the Mourne Mountains Challenge including its summit list, useful car parking locations, recommendations for guide books and maps, and links to local facilities.
This is a flexible hillwalking challenge to be undertaken independently. It is not a set-date, mass-start event. Each individual participant is free to choose their own start / finish dates and duration period.
This is a flexible hillwalking challenge to be undertaken independently. It is not a set-date, mass-start event. Each individual participant is free to choose their own start / finish dates and duration period.
The summits
The Mourne Mountains Challenge requires participants to visit 14 summits in the Mourne Mountains range. These are marked on the map along with nearby car parking options. Click on a marker for more details. This challenge is intended only for experienced and well-equipped hillwalkers and mountaineers who can navigate themselves confidently through rugged and exposed terrain in any weather. Route choice is entirely up to the participant, therefore we have not included any route suggestions on the map. Route planning is part of this challenge.
| Summit name | Elevation | Irish Grid Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Slieve Donard | 850m | J:358:277 |
| Slieve Commedagh | 765m | J:346:286 |
| Slieve Binnian | 746m | J:320:234 |
| Slieve Bearnagh | 739m | J:313:280 |
| Slievelamagan | 702m | J:329:260 |
| Slieve Meelbeg | 702m | J:301:279 |
| Slieve Meelmore | 687m | J:306:286 |
| Slieve Binnian North Top | 678m | J:317:245 |
| Slieve Muck | 670m | J:281:250 |
| Chimney Rock Mountain | 656m | J:364:257 |
| Cove Mountain | 655m | J:336:271 |
| Eagle Mountain | 638m | J:244:230 |
| Shanlieve | 627m | J:240:227 |
| Slieve Loughshannagh | 617m | J:294:272 |
Challenge information
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Recommended guide books
Walking guide books are a great way to find the very best walks in Ireland which have been hand-picked by local experts. Recommended guide books for the Mourne Mountains Challenge are listed below. These describe various ascents, descents and inter-summit link routes.
Recommended maps
Ireland is covered by a good selection of quality maps produced by a variety of publishers. The most useful maps for walkers range in scale from 1:25,000 to 1:50,000. For the Mourne Mountains Challenge, the recommended titles are listed below.
- Harvey Superwalker 1:25,000 - Mourne Mountains
- Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland 1:50,000 - Mournes Activity Map
- Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland 1:50,000 Discoverer Series - Sheet 29
A hardcopy map and compass are the preferred navigational tools used by all competent self-navigators in the mountains and hills. Relying exclusively on a GPS device or phone for navigation is strongly discouraged. The person who follows a dot, crosshairs or a GPX route on a tiny screen is not navigating. They are effectively being led by their device. This involves no skill whatsoever and will only increase that person's reliance on technology. We recommend using hardcopy maps and traditional magnetic compass because:
- their use requires and reinforces an elementary outdoor skill.
- the user is the navigator (this is not the case when using a GPS device, especially one with the day's route loaded in).
- they do not require a power source, therefore have less impact on the environment.
- hillwalking and mountaineering should be about having a digital detox in nature, not squinting at yet another screen.
- satellites, phones, GPS devices and their associated networks and systems are vulnerable to potential outages caused by external factors (e.g. hacking, ransomware, terrorism, solar fluctuations, space junk, etc).
In short, you should always have the relevant hardcopy map and a traditional magnetic compass in your pack when venturing off the beaten track. The convenience of a GPS is not a valid reason to go into the uplands or other wild areas without these two basic essentials.
Local facilities
If you require accommodation, food and drink, or other local facilities while undertaking the Mourne Mountains Challenge, we recommend you check out what's available in the following nearby destinations.
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