Kilkeel, County Down – Harbour Town at the Foot of the Mourne Mountains

Fishing Harbour, Mountain Slopes, and Coastal Walking at the Edge of the Mournes

Kilkeel is a small harbour town on the south County Down coast at the foot of the Mourne Mountains, set within the Mourne Mountains National Landscape (AONB) between Annalong and the head of Carlingford Lough. Walking routes link the shoreline with the lower mountain slopes, while the Mourne Way passes nearby through the foothills of the range.

The town centres on an active fishing harbour, with streets extending inland between shops, houses, and small estates. The coast here is defined by open shoreline, beaches, and low cliffs, with the granite peaks of the Mournes rising steeply behind the settlement.

Kilkeel provides practical services for walkers. There are cafés, shops, supermarkets, and places to stay in and around the town, making it a useful base for exploring both the coast and the mountains. Road connections link the town with Newcastle to the north and Newry inland.

Beyond Kilkeel, walking routes head north along the coast toward Annalong and Newcastle or inland onto tracks and paths climbing into the Mourne Mountains. The terrain changes quickly from level shoreline to steeper, rockier ground, with wide views across Carlingford Lough and the Irish Sea.