The Mourne Mountains in County Down, Northern Ireland, are a stunning range of granite mountains that rise dramatically from the surrounding landscape. These mountains have been the inspiration for many stories, songs and poems, and are a popular destination for hikers, climbers and nature lovers. The highest peak is
The Mourne Mountains, also called the Mournes or the Mountains of Mourne, are a predominantly granite mountain range in County Down in the south-east of Northern Ireland. They include the highest mountain in all of Ulster, Slieve Donard at 850 m (2,790 ft). The Mournes are designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and it has been proposed to make the area Northern Ireland's first national park. The area is partly owned by the National Trust and sees over 50,000 visitors every year. The Mourne Wall crosses fifteen of the summits and was built to enclose the catchment basin of the Silent Valley and Ben Crom reservoirs. The wall, and the area inside it, are owned by Northern Ireland Water.