Glamping at the Mournes
Rita, my friend Emma and myself spent 48 hours in the Mournes area, from a Thursday to a Saturday. Here’s what we did!
You can’t do Happy Glamping without a happy dog!
Accommodation
We spent our 2 nights in East Coast Adventure Centre. We opted for Tumnus, one of their 6 glamping pods. Pets are allowed for no extra charge, and we felt it was safe to let Rita off-lead around the site. The centre also offers experience days and activities, however we mainly used it as our base. There are shared bathroom/shower facilities (a pod divided into 4, toilet/shower x male/female). Our first night there was only one other female on the site so this caused no issues, however on our second morning there was a bit of a queue. Flip-flops are recommended for walking back and forth to the shower. There is also a basic kitchen (we only used the fridge, another of the parties staying had left it a bit messy) and a communal seating pod with a wood-burning stove. We had added firewood (which included firelighters but not matches) to our booking, which was left on our doorstep and so had a campfire and takeaway pizza on the first night. You could also bring your own firewood. Our neighbours shared their marshmallows and skewers with us. Each pod has its own picnic table. Overall, our stay was pleasant, handy to Rostrevor for restaurants/groceries and very peaceful.
(Slow) WiFi included
Kitchen with fridge
Shared bathrooms
Don’t need to pre-book pets
Extra activities available through the centre
Short drive to Rostrevor town centre
Our pod for the night
Hikes & Walks
Cloughmore Stone This walk is part of Kilbroney Park/Rostrevor Forest, so there are multiple different trails and walks which can be accessed from the lower carpark. However, we followed the tarmac road up to the second car park. Access was actually blocked on the evening we went so we walked the last section up to the car park via a forest trail, and then on up to the stone. The round trip took us an hour and Rita was off-lead the whole time. A byproduct of the Ice Age and hailing from Scotland, the stone itself is made of granite and weighs 50 tonnes. The views from the summit where the stone sits are of Carlingford Lough and across to the Cooley Mountains in Co. Louth.
Our main Mournes hike was Slieve Binnian. We parked in Little Carrick car park and followed the trail to the summit. The ascent is pretty gradual the whole way, with the exception of some steps towards the top. Upon completion, we were rewarded with spectacular views over Silent Valley reservoir and the surrounding mountain-scape. We descended following the Mourne Wall, and the entire loop took about 4 hours. Rita was kept on the lead the entire time; the majority of the land is owned by farmers and so there were plenty of sheep about!
On our final morning, we did the River Trail at Tollymore Forest Park. This was a 5.5km trail, alongside the river (surprise!) but which took us into some wider forest trails too. Rita was off-lead and there was even an opportunity to splash and cool off in the lake towards the end.
Cloughmore: “The Big Stone”
Slieve Binnian: Views of the Silent Valley Reservoir, and we’re not even at the top yet!
Slieve Binnian: The perfect “insta-photo” rock: Rita not so sure.
Slieve Binnian: Our descent followed the Mourne Wall
Tollymore: Step up your game
Tollymore: Rita with Auntie Emma
Tollymore: Cooling off after a busy few days
Eating
Both mornings, we had breakfast in The Old Schoolhouse in Rostrevor. Their outdoor terrace (partially covered) is dog-friendly, and Rita was offered a bowl of water. The first day we tried their porridge and granola, and Emma had a build-your-own fry the second day.
The Old Schoolhouse, Rostrevor
Rita doing as she’s told for a change
Emma’s granola
At the bottom of Slieve Binnian, we stopped for a drink at Carrick Cottage Cafe. We sat outside but I believe they are completely dog-friendly. Rita got lots of attention and a bowl of water here too, after her long hike!
We finally found Rita’s hiking limit
Dinner on our second night was at Hugh McCann’s on the Newcastle promenade. Having won awards for its dog-friendly policy, this was a must-go. We were able to order food from the restaurant into the front bar, where dogs were welcome. Rita was smothered with hugs, pats and treats and thoroughly enjoyed her first time in an Irish pub!
Rita’s first pint
Dog-friendly bartender Tom
At Tollymore, outdoor converted horse trailer The Brew Box offered coffees, milkshakes, ice-cream and traybakes.
Rita having difficulty deciding at The Brew Box
Other Activities
A 5 minute walk from Hugh McCann’s is Soak Seaweed Baths. The hand-harvested seaweed is boiled in seawater which extracts the alginate gel, containing nourishing elements and minerals with anti-inflammatory benefits. The seaweed is used by farmers as fertiliser afterwards. Emma and I were able to get booked in last-minute and managed to grab swimsuits at the nearby Tesco Extra en-route. For £40, we shared a single bath, complete with pre-steam and post-shower, all in one contained private room. It was the perfect post-hike, pre-dinner relaxation activity.
Also check out the new Narnia mural on the side of the Rostrevor Inn. Crawford’s Bar at the Inn is dog-friendly. The Rostrevor landscape inspired C.S. Lewis’ idea of Narnia. If this interests you, there is also a Narnia trail at Kilbroney Forest Park.
Savouring the local literary history
Lastly, check out local live music acts in the bars. Country artist Catherine McGrath is local, and her sister Mary and father Matthew can be found performing in both the Cloughmore Inn and Rostrevor Inn. The annual Fiddler’s Green Festival is also on our list for after the pandemic!
