START YOUR MOUNTAIN ADVENTURES FROM KRIBBEN COTTAGES

Step out of Kribben Cottages and immerse yourself in the beauty of the Mourne Mountains. We’ve chosen our top 5 mountain walking routes, which can be easily accessed on foot from Kribben Cottage during your stay.

Whether you want a get-together with a group of friends, a romantic break for two, or you’re in need of a family getaway, Kribben Cottages are nestled in the heart of the Mournes, the ideal location to start your mountain adventures, capture those all-important memories and take in breath-taking views from sea to summit.  Please remember to be fully prepared to face all four seasons when walking in the Mourne’s and wear the correct footwear to support you in the Mournes.

1. Seefin

Level: Easy | Distance: Approx 2.5 miles | Suggested Footwear: Trainers with a little grip

Soak in the views from the summit of Seefin, one of our smallest mountains in the Mournes and the closest to Kribben Cottages. Whether you choose our ‘out and back route’ or our  circular ‘Seefin Loop’ reaching Seefin’s summit is suitable for the whole family to enjoy and a great introduction to hill walking.

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2. Rocky 

Level: Moderate | Distance: Approx 5.5 miles | Suggested Footwear: Hiking Shoes

A frim favourite with the locals, our Rocky route offers panoramic views of the Mournes including Slieve Donard, Northern Ireland’s highest peak, the Brandy Pad, where smuggled goods were transported on pack ponies in centuries gone by and the ever-popular Slieve Binnian. If you enjoyed your trek onto the summit of Seefin and you’re feeling energetic, you’ll be blown away by the views on Rocky, we can assure you (on a clear day) it’s definitely worth the additional miles.

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3. The Blue Lough

Level: Easy-Moderate | Distance: Approx 7.5 miles | Suggested Footwear: Comfortable walking shoes

Wander from Kribben Cottages and along the Carricklittle lane to the Blue Lough, where rumour has it, the remains of a fighter plane from the Second World War lie beneath it’s calm and gleaming surface. Of course as rumours go, this has never been proven but we do love a good story! A hot spot for picnics and the perfect location to relax and enjoy some sunny weather, the Blue Lough has become a firm favourite amongst locals and tourists alike. Situated in the heart of the Annalong Valley, the Blue Lough draws quite the crowds in the summer months and whilst there are no mountains to ascend on this route, you can marvel at their grandeur as they tower above you on your walk through the valley.

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4. Slieve Binnian

Level: Moderate | Distance: Approx 7 miles | Suggested Footwear: Hiking shoes with good grip

Easily accessible and with multiple route options, Slieve Binnian has become increasingly popular over the years. Standing at 747m, it holds the title of the third highest peak in Mourne and therefore a mountain worth ticking off your bucket list, not to mention the beautiful views across the Mourne Countryside and into the Silent Valley that can be admired. If you’re an early bird and the weather is in your favour, we recommend setting your alarm to reach the summit for sunset, we promise it’s worth getting up for!

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5. Binnian Loop

Level: Moderate-Hard | Distance: Approx 9.5 miles | Suggested Footwear: Hiking shoes with good grip

If you fancy a longer walk, a more gradual climb and even more incredible views, you will love our ‘Back of Binnian Loop’, which takes you on an adventure past the Blue Lough and provides stunning aerial views of the Ben Crom Reservoir before summiting Binnian from a North Westerly direction. While the climb is gradual in comparison with the direct ascent up Binnian by the wall, this loop is longer, covers rougher ground and requires a little bit of scrambling and a head for heights.

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For more information on booking accommodation at Kribben Cottages, or walks in the local area, please email us on stay@kribbencottages.com or 07724727283 and we’ll be happy to help.

Nestled in the foothills of the Mourne Mountains, Kribben Cottages are situated in an area of outstanding natural beauty, offering countless walks and adventures for you and your family to enjoy during your stay. We’ve pulled together a list of our favourite family walks within a short drive of Kribben, which means you can enjoy everything Mourne has to offer, helping you make as many memories as possible, without wasting any precious vacation time.

With so many choices for wonderful walks and scenic strolls, the easy part of your stay will be settling in and enjoying our cosy accommodation, the hard part, will be deciding what to do and where to go first! With that in mind, we recommend putting the kettle on, treating yourself to a cuppa and taking a moment to read the information below to discover some of our favourite family walks in the local area and help you plan your stay.

Annalong Harbour Walk

Distance: Approx: 10k | Transport: Walk from Kribben Cottages

With views from sea to summit, it’s almost impossible to visit Kribben Cottages without a visit to Annalong Harbour and a venture round the village and its rugged coastline. A small tidal harbour used by local fishing boats, Annalong Harbour has historically been the heart of the community in Annalong. The picturesque fishing village is only a short walk from Kribben Cottages, with stunning coastal and mountainous scenery it offers itself as an idyllic and peaceful haven. One of the best ways to explore Annalong and the scenic views it offers is to explore our Harbour Walk.

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Forest Parks

• Silent Valley | Distance from Kribben: (3.3 miles)

• Kilbroney Forest Park | Distance from Kribben: (8 miles)

• Tollymore Forest Park | Distance from Kribben: (10 miles)

• Castlewellan Forest Park | Distance from Kribben: (13 miles)

With so many fantastic forest parks and wonderful nature walks on offer we couldn’t pick just one! So we’ve compiled a rough guide on four of the forest parks nearby and what’s on offer for you and your family

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Ben Crom Reservoir

Distance: Approx: 10km | Transport: A short drive from Kribben Cottages (3.3 miles)

A firm favourite with locals and tourists alike, the walk along the tarmac road in the Silent Valley to the magnificent Ben Crom Dam is one not to be missed. Only a short drive from the entrance of Kribben Cottages, the walk to the ‘top dam’ as it’s known locally, allows you to walk amongst the grandeur of the mountains and marvel at their sheer height and scale without the difficulty of climbing them. Mountains such as Slieve Binnian and Slievenaglough shelter you on either side as you walk along the flat and winding tarmac path and you have the option of walking the steps onto the breast of the dam wall to overlook the reservoir and admire the panoramic views of the valley.

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Knockcree Mountain

Distance: Approx 4 miles | Transport: A short drive from Kribben Cottages (2.6 miles)

Sitting at 306m, Knockcree is an isolated hill offering beautiful views from the fishing and farming community of Kilkeel and as far as Cranfield Point, Carlingford Lough and the Cooley Mountains. The walk itself is easily accessible from the top of Ballymageogh Road just outside Kilkeel or from the village of Attical if you’ve ventured from the Head Road in Annalong. A gradual climb with wide trail paths, it may not be a mountain in the official sense but when little feet manage to get to the top they feel like they’ve climbed the tallest mountain in the world! So, what are you waiting for… pack a picnic, grab the family and head for this very little but scenic hilltop.

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Cranfield/Greencastle Beach

Distance: Approx 4 miles | Transport: A 20-minute drive from Kribben Cottages (11 miles)

The fifth and final recommendation for family walks near Kribben Cottages would have to include a dander along Cranfield and Greencastle Beach. Gather you family and go to the beach where you’ll stretch those legs across miles of stunning coastline from Cranfield all the way to Greencastle Pier and back again.

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For more information on booking accommodation at Kribben Cottages, or walks in the local area, please email us on stay@kribbencottages.com and we’ll be happy to help.

Exciting experience brand – “Embrace A Giant Spirit”

Tourism NI has launched a new and exciting experience brand to promote Northern Ireland on the Island of Ireland and Internationally.
Their mission is clear – to transform how the world sees us, how visitors will feel when they’re here and the rich experiences and the memories they’ll take home. After testing a number of different brand ideas with thousands of potential visitors, ‘Northern Ireland – Embrace A Giant Spirit’ stood out as a firm favourite, reflecting our history, culture and of course our people.

Myrtle Haugh, Owner of Kribben Cottages explained, “This is a new initiative, a new experience brand and a new approach to promoting tourism in Northern Ireland. Kribben Cottages can’t wait to be part of this new and exciting 10-year journey by helping our visitors discover their own giant spirit during their stay and making sure they awaken it!”

The world knows us as big-hearted hosts and that goes beyond tourism. We want to help our visitors get to the heart of Mourne, meet the locals get a flavour of local life and get involved. Whether you’re an explorer or a wanderer, we can help you get off the typical tourist trails and find something real, something unique, unusual and quirky. The Kingdom of Mourne offers a wide range of experiences to stimulate your senses and allow you to get hands on and immerse yourself.

The Embrace a Giant Spirit – Opportunity & Invitation

Tourism chiefs hope it will transform how prospective visitors see Northern Ireland and boost its demand as a “must-visit” holiday destination. The new brand will be promoted to the travel trade and to consumers in the rest of the UK. Tourism Northern Ireland Chief Executive John McGrillen said: “Tourism is a fiercely competitive, global industry and it is crucial that Northern Ireland has prominence both on the island of Ireland, and internationally. Northern Ireland – Embrace a Giant Spirit is an opportunity and an invitation to create economic uplift for everyone involved in tourism, in all parts of Northern Ireland. It will build on the strengths and successes of the last decade to give authentic experiences provided by businesses large and small that will leave our visitors with unforgettable memories.”
It’s true what they say, “some places you visit and others you experience, feel and cherish,” and we truly believe the Kingdom of Mourne will capture a piece of your heart and you’ll never get it back. So what are you waiting for, book your visit to Kribben Cottages and start your journey of discovery, where you can awaken you very own giant spirit.
Book Your Cottage Stay Now!

Visitors can find out more about the tourism initiative by visiting the website below;
Tourism NI – Read More