Overview
Slieve Commedagh is the second-highest mountain in the Mournes at 767m, and its main problem is standing next to the highest. Most walkers pointed at Newcastle head for Slieve Donard across the saddle, which means Commedagh gets a fraction of the boots and the summit tower gets a fraction of the litter. If you want the same views with fewer people, this is the smarter of the two climbs.
The Irish name Sliabh Coimhéideach means ‘the guarding’ or ‘watching mountain’, and it earns it: on a clear day the summit is visible from Belfast. The mountain carries the Mourne Wall over its top, and from there the ground drops to the Glen River valley on one side and rolls out over the High Mournes on the other, with the Irish Sea and Newcastle below.
History and heritage
The Mourne Wall and summit tower
The Mourne Wall runs straight over Slieve Commedagh, a dry-stone barrier built to enclose the water catchment that feeds Belfast’s reservoirs. It is the best navigation handrail in the range and a marker for the Mourne Sevens badge challenge.
At the top stands a small single-room stone tower, one of only three such towers in the Mournes, built to shelter the men who constructed the wall. Be honest with yourself about it before you climb: the tower is mostly unusable, full of debris and mess, and worth using only in genuinely extreme weather. It photographs better than it shelters.
The Brandy Pad and the Castles
The southern flank is crossed by the Brandy Pad, a smugglers’ track once used to move brandy, tobacco, tea and silk inland from the coast. It winds beneath a cluster of granite tors called the Castles, which give confident walkers a short scramble and everyone else a good foreground for photographs. The Pad itself is well-trodden and gentle compared with the climbing sections.
The wider mountain has belonged to the National Trust since 1991, when it bought the 1,300-acre site from the Annesley Estate; the area had been designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1986. Near the base, off the approach from Donard Car Park, you pass a 19th-century stone ice house once used to keep the Annesley family’s meat cold.
Walking routes
The most popular ascent starts at Donard Car Park in Newcastle, following the Glen River up through Donard Forest, past the ice house and onto built stone steps to the col where the Mourne Wall begins. Turn right and the wall takes you to the tower. It is steep and rocky in places, but the steps and the wall make it hard to get lost.
For a shorter single-peak trip, start from Trassey Car Park and follow the Trassey Track (waymarked for the Ulster Way) to the col, then join the wall to the summit. Both routes cross the Brandy Pad near the Castles, so you can take in the historic track without committing to a full loop.
Route options at a glance:
- Donard three-peak walk – Takes in Donard, Commedagh and Bearnagh with the Brandy Pad. The official route is 15 miles (24km), a long strenuous day of 6 to 7 hours for fit walkers, not the half-day it is sometimes described as.
- Trassey single-peak – About 8km (5 miles) round-trip, typically 3 to 4 hours.
- Guided hike – A qualified mountain leader runs summit ascents from Donard Car Park with history and navigation along the way. £15.50 per adult, booking required, participants 18+ with reasonable fitness.
Summit views and activities
On a clear day you can trace the Newcastle coastline, pick out the Pot of Legawherry and the Pot of Pulgarve, and see across to the Isle of Man. Commedagh is one of the seven peaks in the Mourne Sevens (Donard, Commedagh, Binnian, Bearnagh, Meelbeg, Meelmore and Muck); walk all seven and you earn the badge. The Castles draw scramblers and boulderers, and photographers time sunrise or sunset for the light on the tower.
Practical information
- Parking: Donard and Trassey car parks are the usual starts, but don’t count on free parking as a given. Charges apply at some Mourne car parks (Meelmore Lodge, for instance, charges around £4), and spaces fill early on summer weekends.
- Dogs: Allowed on all routes. Keep them on a lead on exposed ridges and near the Castles, where livestock or nesting birds may be present.
- Families: Moderate to strenuous. Older children may prefer the Trassey approach, but expect steep, rocky sections and built steps.
- Safety: Weather turns fast in the Mournes. Carry waterproofs, sturdy boots and a map or GPS. In an emergency dial 999/112 and ask for Mountain Rescue.
- Facilities: None on the mountain. The summit tower is not maintained for public use. Bring your own water, food and a charged phone.
- Public transport: Translink routes 71/71A run from Belfast to Newcastle town centre; from there it is a short taxi to either car park. There are no direct buses to the trailheads.
Getting there
Take the A2 south from Belfast to Newcastle (about 30km) and follow the brown tourist signs to Donard or Trassey Car Park. Start early: afternoon cloud rolls in off the coast, and the stone steps go slick in rain or frost. Give yourself extra time for navigation and photo stops, and check the Met Office forecast before you set out.