Slieve Gullion

Slieve Gullion rises south-west of Newry and is the highest point in County Armagh at 573 metres. A scenic forest drive loops around the lower slopes; a path from the top car park leads to two cairns on the summit, one of which contains a small Neolithic passage tomb that you can crawl into for a look.

The summit view is excellent on a clear day — the Mournes to the east, the Cooleys to the south, and the Armagh and Down country sprawled out behind. The Slieve Gullion Courtyard at the base has a cafe, a small visitor centre, and a children's play area with a Cú Chulainn theme.

things to do sight hiking
A story
Slieve Gullion is the eroded core of a 60-million-year-old volcano. The ring dyke around it is the most complete example of its kind in the British Isles and is a textbook visit for geology students. Cú Chulainn, the central hero of the Ulster Cycle, was named after the hound he killed on the slopes of the mountain as a boy — Cú Chulainn, the Hound of Culann.