Slieve Bearnagh (Hewitt and Marilyn) and Donard, Mournes, Northern Ireland (Hewitt, Marilyn and 600m+ peak).

Slieve Bearnagh (Hewitt and Marilyn) and Donard, Mournes, Northern Ireland (Hewitt, Marilyn and 600m+ peak).
I’m keeping these summaries short as I’m on a two month tour of Ireland and there’s a lot of hills to hike and therefore lots of entries. All mapping used are view ranger digital OS 1:50 or 1:25. You will get the best results by uploading my wikiloc gpx giles into this mapping software.
Parking for this epic route was at Meelmore Lodge where I paid £15 for a motorhome stop (there is also camping there). It was worth every penny...the amenities were first class and the views from the car park simply world class. Anyway the hike...the Mournes are special! I didn’t know how special until I got here. There’s simply a magic to them...they are stunning, rustic, beautiful and the Mourne Wall is something else!
This is a wonky figure of eight route but in simple terms follow my track and you won’t go far wrong. My trail is on good footpaths for 95% of the time. The first loop of the figure of eight is Slieve Bearnagh. Head south go right on good trails cross over the Mourne Wall and come up sharply on the southern flanks of Bearnagh. Negotiate this rocky ridge and simply follow the MW. Savour the views as you come down to the ‘Hares Gap’ and carry on straight up Slievenaglogh and Slieve Corragh. Yes you follow the MW. You then carry on up Slieve Commedagh...well I thought I did but it was misty by now (stunning views previously) and I missed the summit cairn as I thought that the little stone shelter (a really neat one) built into the MW indicated the top. Oh well an excuse to go back. It’s all very hilly around here and the next stage is too going down sharply from Commedagh to rise just as steeply to the summit of Donard, where there is a cairn and shelter! This is 300m ascent. Everything so far has been stunning but the weather is changing for the worse. The home leg is now back down to the previous saddle with Bearnagh and then hang a left. This takes you on a high valley path that contours the hills all the way back to Hares Gap. From there it is a simple job to retrace the route back to the lodge.
Simply one of the best days I’ve had in the hills. 20.5km in 6hours 45mins with a brilliant 1,500m of uphill. Superb!
Ps...there is a stone shelter at the top of Donard too!