Kilkeel

Coastal walking beneath the Mourne Mountains

Kilkeel is a harbour town in County Down, set between the Irish Sea and the southern slopes of the Mourne Mountains. The town lies within the Mourne Mountains National Landscape, where the mountains descend towards the coast and walking routes connect the shoreline with valleys, foothills and higher ground.

The working fishing harbour forms an important part of Kilkeel's character. From the coast, the mountains rise prominently behind the town, creating a landscape where coastal walking can be combined with routes into the Mournes without travelling far inland.

The Mourne Way crosses the wider mountain landscape north of Kilkeel, connecting Newcastle with Rostrevor through the foothills and forests of the Mournes. Local roads, tracks and footpaths provide access from the Kilkeel area towards the trail and surrounding mountain country, making the town a useful southern base for exploring the range.

Kilkeel has shops, cafés, places to eat and drink and accommodation, providing a practical base for several days of walking. Its position between the mountains and sea also allows days in the uplands to be combined with shorter walks along the County Down coast.

Exploring Kilkeel on foot

Walking around Kilkeel ranges from relatively level coastal routes to considerably steeper mountain terrain. Around the town, roads and paths lead towards the shoreline and surrounding countryside, while routes inland provide access to the valleys and lower slopes of the Mourne Mountains.

North of Kilkeel, the coast continues towards Annalong, with the mountains rising immediately inland. From this side of the Mournes, walkers can explore a mixture of farmland, forest, mountain tracks and more demanding upland paths, with the landscape becoming progressively rougher as routes climb away from the coast.

The Mourne Way provides opportunities for longer walking through the wider landscape, while Kilkeel can also be used for shorter days that combine the coast, countryside and lower mountain slopes. Higher routes require more preparation, with steeper gradients, exposed ground and rapidly changing mountain conditions possible away from the town.

To the south-west, the landscape opens towards Carlingford Lough and the border with the Republic of Ireland, while northwards the Mournes continue towards Annalong and Newcastle. This position makes Kilkeel a useful base for exploring the southern side of the Mourne Mountains National Landscape while remaining close to the coast.

For walkers staying near Kilkeel, Mourne Country House provides a countryside base between the coast and the mountains. From here, walkers can explore the valleys, reservoirs and lower slopes of the Mourne Mountains National Landscape, connect with longer routes through the Mournes, or spend a day exploring the County Down coast.