9k Run Rostrevor: Scenic Loop around Slievemeen and Slievemartin

Route Overview & Local Insights

This 9.0km loop through Rostrevor is a quintessential mountain running experience, packing a significant 466m of ascent into a challenging "SL" category course. Starting on the legendary Mourne Way, you'll climb through the dense canopy of Rostrevor Forest before the landscape opens up as you tackle the twin peaks of Slievemeen and Slievemartin. The terrain is a mix of forest fire roads and rugged mountain trails where you'll reach elevations above 500m. Be prepared for a steep, rewarding grind that offers some of the best technical descent practice in County Down, returning via the fast-flowing Slievebane Trail.

Rostrevor is steeped in legend, famously cited as a primary inspiration for C.S. Lewis’s Narnia; as you run past the "Cloughmore Stone"—a 50-ton glacial erratic—it’s easy to see why. The area overlooks Carlingford Lough, where the mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea. Historically a site of timber production and Victorian retreats, the forest now serves as a premier destination for fell runners and mountain hikers. Because the weather at the summits can shift from coastal sunshine to alpine mist in minutes, local runners always advise carrying a light waterproof shell, even on clear days.