Northern Ireland Mountain Running Association
www.nimra.org.uk

This 12 mile circuit covers most of the peaks in the central Mournes, starting inside the boundary wall just south of Meelmore Lodge. The route climbs south to the first peak, Meelmore followed with good fast running along the Mourne wall south west to Carn Mountain. Then you descend steeply south of east round Lough Shannagh and hence north-east to Doan. There is a short steep descent south-east off Doan, west to the Ben Crom river and then you contour round on faint paths to Ben Crom Dam. A path climbs up from the dam to the col between Binnian and Lamagan. The latter is climbed with the route then following the ?central ridge? of Lamagan, Cove and Commedagh. After Commedagh, the Mourne wall is followed west, again with very fast good underfoot conditions, to Slievenaglogh, before descending to Luke?s Mountain. From there it is 2 km across the Trassey to the finish.

Category A Long : 12 miles/6400 feet.

Start: Stile south of Meelmore Lodge

Start                      GR 308 301

Meelmore (tower)     GR 306287

Meelbeg                  GR 301279

Slieve Loughshannagh GR 294272

Carn                       GR 288260

Doan                       GR 302262

Ben Crom dam (top)  GR 314256

Lamagan                 GR 329260

Cove                      GR 336270

Commedagh (cairn)   GR 346286

Slievenaglogh           GR 327291

Luke?s Mountain        GR 328304

Finish                     GR 308 301

Not all checkpoints will be manned.

Meelmore Lodge has parking, toilets, some limited accommodation and a caf?. There is a campsite ? but intended primarily for families, not necessarily for noisy celebrating fell runners!

+44(0)28 4372 5949

Email: meelmorelodge@hotmail.co.uk

Other accommodation is available in the Newcastle area, less than seven miles away by road.