Slieve Croob Summit

Just north of the Mourne Mountains lie the Dromara Hills, a gloriously peaceful range filled with pretty hills and sweeping views. Slieve Croob is the highest and most commonly summited, with a peak at 1,752 feet (534 m) and is part (perhaps obviously) of the Mourne & Slieve Croob Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. 

The mountain is an intriguing mixture of beauty, myth and human incursion. The summit is adorned with a few radio masts and transmitter stations, access for which is provided by a lane that climbs right to the top. Nonetheless, the views are extravagant enough to look past them, to the fantastic landscapes beyond. 

Head to the top of the highest summit in Northern Ireland’s Dromara range

Trails up Slieve Croob mostly begin as tracks and turn into grassy paths and even pathless sections further up. There’s nothing technically challenging and it’s a perfectly doable family adventure in good weather. The mountain is mostly grass, tussocks and rock; fairly easy going underfoot but surefootedness will certainly come in handy. 

Aside from the masts, the summit holds the remains of a considerable burial cairn, long since ruined by weather and human intervention. Smaller cairns are dotted around, and added to each year by locals who ascend the hill in harvest festival season, at Lughnasadh. The views on a clear day are wonderful, particularly to the imposing Mourne Mountains to the south. 

Thanks to the relative ease of ascent, you can explore Slieve Croob throughout the year but take extra care in winter conditions and be mindful of ice, avoiding harsh weather. Keep an eye on the skies, for the conditions can be changeable. It’s also worth noting that dogs are not allowed on the mountain at all.