Overview
We leave this historic village with its iconic Norman castle along narrow cobble streets soon reaching country lanes and forest track. We reach open mountain quite soon and the vista is simply stunning. As we gaze along the coast to the north and south the views across Carlingford Lough to the Mourne Mountains are magnificent.
We enter a lovely forest section with a series of waterfalls streaming down the mountain from Slieve Foye’s rugged ridge above. The views to eagle rock above are great.
After skirting back along the mountain edge we head up to the saddle between Slieve Foye and Barrnvave (the Gaelic name for Queen Maebh’s gap). This place name has its roots far in Irelands ancient past. We will recount some of the famous Irish saga,’The Tain Bo Cuailgne’ an epic and heroic tale of love, jealousy,deceipt and Warriors who played their part in the age old battle between the men of Ulster and Queen Maebh of Connaught in the West of Ireland.
After passing through the gap we gradually descend by a long- abandoned settlement. The lost mountain village.
There’s no better place to finish a day walking than Carlingford, where a pint of the black stuff awaits or maybe a plate of Oysters fresh from the lough that we’ve been looking down on all day.
