The Co Louth mountains are so undisturbed that even the sheep complain it's a bit peaceful. So just enjoy listening to nature, writes MAL ROGERS
IF IT’S PEACE and tranquillity you’re after, you could scarcely do better than the Cooley Mountains: you have to wade through the stuff here. Even the sheep complain that it’s a bit quiet.
For your brush with the transcendental side of Co Louth, start in the car park of the Lumpers pub (something of a transcendental experience itself). A lane outside the car park leads into the mountains. Follow it for about a kilometre, then, at the junction, bear right. Soon you’ll see a rough road leading steeply upwards.
I’m afraid you have to take that.
The path is rough underfoot but soon gives on to open moorland at the foot of Slievetucan. From here you can just make out, beyond the Coillte plantation, something that looks like a statue of the Madonna. It isn’t. It’s just a piece of rock somebody has thrown a blue plastic tarpaulin around. Search me.
The path now traverses the side of Moneycrockroe, occasionally dipping through boggy patches. Until you rise above 300m or so there’s little bare rock about, but soon outcrops of granite appear.
The hillside is steeper now, and soon our intermediary destination is in view – Carnavaddy on most maps, Carnawaddy to the locals. The cairn possibly derives its name from carn an mhadra, the reputed burial place of Fionn Mac Cumhaill’s dog Bran.
Whatever the significance of the great pile of stones, it’s where to take shelter on the odd occasion when the sun don’t shine. At 400m you’ll also get – weather permitting – views to the Isle of Man and northwards to Cave Hill, in Belfast, and, beyond, to the Sperinns.
From here the track heads almost due east and downhill, with Slievetrasna to the south. The Omeath-Riverstown road is joined at a point called (with reason) Windy Gap – they say one day the wind stopped blowing here and everybody fell over.
The ascent of the easterly side of the valley begins at Long Woman’s Grave (long woman, long story), heading up Foxes Rock. Carlingford Lough heaves into view, with the town of Rostrevor huddled in the shadow of the Mournes.
The path continues along the northeasterly edge of Ravens Rock – and indeed you’ll see the eponymous birds tumbling through the air in outrageous aerobatic displays.
You now have to cross the White Bog, a series of small loughs connected by very boggy land. But the path steers a relatively dry route southeast, past Eagle Rock (sorry, no eponym this time). Hereabouts are a few points where if you holler loudly enough you’ll get a double echo – even a triple if you’re lucky.
The track now leads under the lee of the highest mountain in the range, Slieve Foye. Keep it on your left, with Dundalk Bay on your right, and soon you come to Golyin Pass.
From here it’s less than two kilometres down into old Carlingford and another transcendental meeting – this time with afternoon tea at the Food For Thought deli. Waiter, some more superlatives, if you please.
Francis Bradley writes A note of caution on last week’s coastal walk from Newcastle to Greystones, in Co Wicklow. Take great care by the rail line. Trains can approach silently and quickly, so be alert, and check the timetables at www.irishrail.ie for an idea of when trains are expected
Start and finishLumpers pub car park, Ballymakellett, Ravensdale, Co Louth.
How to get thereHead for Newry, follow the signs for Ravensdale, and thence to Ballymakellett.
Distance13 kilometres.
TimeFour hours.
Map OrdnanceSurvey of Northern Ireland 1:50,000 sheet 29.
SuitabilityFor the moderately fit. No serious mountain climbing is involved, although the local walking group calls Moneycrockroe Coronary Hill.
Best thing about the walkYou won't need your MP3 player, as the sounds are magic: the babbling streams, the ker-cluck of the ravens, the sound of the wild ponies galloping up the side of the glen. And the triple echo.