Mourne Mountains Travel Guide — Things to Do, Food & Hotels
mountain range in County Down, Northern Ireland, UK
About Mourne Mountains
The Mourne Mountains were formed by volcanic activity 66 million years ago in the Mesozoic Era. This activity didn't break surface as erupting volcanoes, so you don't see spiky peaks or basalt columns; rather it was an upwelling of magma beneath the Silurian sandstone, shale and mudstone that cloaks County Down further north. Glaciers during several Ice Ages wore away the upper layers until the granite was exposed - this is very hard-wearing so the Mournes weathered less than other Irish mountain ranges, and have the highest peaks in Northern Ireland. The glaciers carved out the U-shaped Silent Valley and left vast boulders teetering on the slopes. Prehistoric dwellers used the stone for their sturdy monuments, exporting it as far as the Brú na Bóinne complex near Drogheda, and shifting it
Mourne Mountains Travel Guide Sections
Our comprehensive guide covers 10 sections including: