Josephine Weir - Aug '06
I used to holiday in the mournes with my family, I will never forget the natural beauty and the friendly people there.

Irvine Jones - January '06
Your Place and Mine - - - is a treasure-trove of information, history and memories - - - whether it is WW2, the Belfast Blitz, or walking in the Mournes. I " came on " Simon Kirwan's photograph of the summit of Slieve Donard - - - with its " oversize trig point " and remembered getting up there in 2000 while on a visit back " home" . The walk started at the car - park in Donard Park, Newcastle. Following the Glen River Trail to where it meets the Mourne Wall, passing by The Icehouse where the hiking trail comes out of the forest, onto the bald mountainside.

After that the weather started to deteriorate - - - and by the time the Mourne Wall was reached - - - visibility was down to maybe 10 yards, thanks to cloud or mist or rain or all of these. Fortunately there was the OSNI " Mourne Country " map, and I was at the Wall, otherwise the hike would have ended ! The Wall was a comfort to follow. Suddenly, out of the mist - - - there was the " oversized trig point " - - - on top of stone structure that forms the turning - point of the Wall, where it goes abruptly from an easterly to a southerly course.

There was a doorway in the turning point, not too hospitable in there, but out of the rain, so the sandwiches made by my sister , came out , and tasted great ! After lunch I stepped outside to find the sun was shining, rain had stopped, and I was looking down on to the Irish Sea nearly 2800 feet below. The return trip was leisurely, I met a group just coming uphill, near where the Trail left the Wall to return towards The Icehouse. I believe The Icehouse was just that - - - an ancestor of the modern freezer, with ice from the mountain, used by a nearby Big house! There was also a lone American on the trail, from Minnesota!

Simon Kirwan's photograph is almost a souvenir.

Alex Johnson - Apr '07
I couldn't think of a better place to spend ones time. I have been hiking, climbing and camping in the Mournes since I was 5, and my interest and love for them becomes greater every day. My favourite spots in the Mournes would be the area around Loughshannagh, and at the summit of Doan (which in my opinion, boasts the most spectacular paronamic views in the Mournes). The Mournes have a certain quality about them which no other area posesses.

Tom Newell (February 2004)
The people of Mourne are that kindly, if you ask them the time of day they would give you the clock.

David Ellison (April 2002):
"One Sunday morning, 3 or 4 weeks back, we drove down to Tullymore Park and did the 8 mile walk. It was a nice dry day (not many of those this year so far!) and the bluebells in parts of the forest were simply breathtaking. In one particular spot, to use that old cliche, there really was a huge carpet of them - stretching as far as the eye could see. What a wonderful sight .... nature is just amazing!"

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