Overview
Lough Island Reavy isn’t a natural lake. It’s a reservoir of about 102 hectares, built to hold water and still doing the job – its supply feeds treatment works in County Down and, further off, Belfast. It sits in gentle farmland just outside Kilcoo, on the northern edge of the Mourne Mountains, and where the high Mourne lakes are wind-scoured and bare, this one is still and hedged about, more mirror than drama.
That calm is the appeal, but be clear about what it is: a low-key spot for anglers and cyclists, not a sightseeing stop, and with no car park of its own it takes some effort to reach. Local tradition adds one flourish – that Saint Patrick’s body rested at Kilcoo on its way to burial at Downpatrick.
Fishing
Anglers are the main visitors. The lough holds pike, perch, wild brown trout and eels, and it has long been tied to the Kilcoo Angling Club. Game fishing runs to a set season, 1 March to 31 October – not year-round. Under the current DAERA rules, anyone aged 12 or over needs a DAERA Game Rod Licence and a Game Fishing Permit; the bag limit is four stocked trout, each at least 25.4 cm, and lawful methods are fly, spinning and worm fishing. There are fishing stands around the bank, but no boats are allowed on the water.
Walking and cycling
A flat, well-trodden path runs round the water, an easy loop for a gentle walk, though it turns soft after heavy rain. The bigger draw for the active is cycling: the reservoir is a waypoint on the Newcastle / Lough Island Reavy Route, a 24-mile (about 40 km) circular loop from Newcastle mapped by OutmoreNI. It runs on quiet country roads past the water and up towards Castlewellan and Slieve Croob, with some steep pulls and descents – the route notes advise dismounting on the sharpest sections. The OS grid reference for the reservoir is J377316.
Reflections and wildlife
The still surface gives reliable reflections, and in a hard winter the whole lough can freeze over, as it did in January 2010 – a rare treat for photographers. The rest of the year it’s a quiet place for a bit of casual birdwatching along the hedged banks, no special kit required.
Getting there and parking
There’s no public car park at the reservoir, and no disabled parking or accessible fishing stands. The nearby Lough Island Reavy Cottage keeps its parking for guests, so don’t count on a space there. From Newcastle, head south on the A50 towards Castlewellan, then follow signs for Kilcoo; the water lies on the north side of the road between Kilcoo and Castlewellan. Public transport is sparse – buses don’t come close, so a car is effectively necessary for the last stretch. There are no toilets, shops or cafés on site; Kilcoo, Bryansford and Newcastle have what you’ll need.
Nearby attractions
- Tollymore Forest Park – Northern Ireland’s first forest park, with its river gorge, old stone bridges and mature pines.
- Castlewellan Forest Park – home to the Peace Maze, one of the world’s largest permanent hedge mazes, plus a Victorian castle and lakeside trails.
- Mourne Mountains – the range proper, from easy valley strolls up to Slieve Donard, the highest of them.
If you’ve come this far, make Tollymore or Castlewellan the main event and give Lough Island Reavy twenty quiet minutes on the way.