The Mourne Mountains in Northern Ireland are an area of outstanding beauty. People visit every day to walk along the paths into the mountains and marvel at the gorgeous scenery. However, the equally stunning Mourne Park – which lies just over an hour away from Belfast – has not been accessible to the public since the 1500s. In August 2022, that all changed.
The Woodland Trust, a conservation charity, bought 156 hectares of the beautiful woodland last year and they plan to buy even more. Then the trust reinstated several walking paths in the woodland, called The Bluebells Walk, the Whitewater Trail and the Woodland Loop. How idyllic do they sound?
Each of these gravel paths are different, providing easier walks for those who prefer a more casual stroll alongside more challenging routes for more seasoned hikers.
Mourne Park sits by the edge of the Mourne Mountains in Co. Down and there you’ll find red squirrels and pine martens, alongside plenty of other wildlife species. Going forward, The Woodland Trust plans to plant even more trees in the park to help preserve the natural beauty of the area.
If you’d like to help the campaign, which aims to buy the remaining 46 hectares of land in the park, you can donate here. Meanwhile, it’s the ideal time to go and visit – the park lies halfway between Belfast and Dublin, just outside of Kilkeel, and you can park at Mourne Country Park Toptracer Driving Range, 228 Newry Rd, Newry BT34 4LB.