I fancied a trip away from the Mournes last week-end and decided to head for the nearest neighboring mountain range. What the Mournes are to county Down, is what the Cooleys are to Armagh. Slieve Gullion marks the highest point. I had climbed the mountain once before a few years when there was no sunshine. On that day I decided to return on a clearer day. I started from a large car park in the forest courtyard following a forest track initially. Eventually I reached another car park near the summit when the track became a foot trail. The better views were in the distance as the immediate foreground was broad. I could see the Mournes 13 miles away and Slieve Croob 24 miles away. I completed a circular walk by dropping down in the direction of Camlough. Total distance was 12km. Apologies for the lack of details in the photos but I was in unfamiliar territory
First vantage point after leaving the forest:
View westwards from my lunch spot:
Crosslieve from my lunch spot:
Following the foot trail to the summit:
County armagh:
Nearing the summit:
Crosslieve:
Meelmore, Meelbeg, Slievemartin and Slieveban to name a few:
Zoom-in on the eastern Mournes and the Slievemartin range:
Camlough:
One last look at the Mournes: