Discover Cloughmore Stone
Situated above the Co. Down Village of Rostrevor, you can discover Cloughmore Stone – meaning ‘The Big Stone’ in Irish. The Village of Rostrevor is also worthwhile visiting, it is small but has a strong connection with well known individuals including: C.S. Lewis, Author of Narnia and former Irish President Mary Mcalesse.
Cloughmore Stone is a huge granite boulder perched on the mountainside of Slieve Martin and weighs an impressive 50 tonnes. It is also a site of Irish Mythology, views of outstanding natural beauty and popular links to the ice age. The legend says Irish giant Finn McCool threw Cloughmore Stone from the Cooley Peninsula across Carlingford Lough.
However the real story entails that the stone found its place due to the events of the ice age millions of years ago. According to geologists, it was a result of the displacement of a rock from the ice age. During this time seas around Ireland were frozen, where Cloughmore Stone was successfully transported naturally from Scotland to County Down, where you can view it here today.
What are you waitting for? Embrace yourself to walk the hike to breathtaking views, discover history and witness outstanding scenery. Continue reading below to learn about how you can successfully walk this hike.
Points of Interest
- Mourne Mountains
- Carlingford Lough
- Cooley Peninsula
Directions/ Getting there
Cloughmore Stone is part of Kilbroney Forest Park. Getting there you should follow the signs for Rostrevor. Using Google Maps is a great tool for getting to your destination on time without getting lost or being worried. This would be a good option if you are unfamiliar with this area.
Getting to the stone, you first access the main entrance of Kilbroney Forest Park. This entrance is on the main road and approximately a few minutes walk from Rostrevor town.
Once you are at the main entrance, follow the road straight and soon will pass the lower car parks on your left, keep driving and you will soon approach the road bending right. Few minutes later you will see the Cloughmore Stone car park. This car park is surrounded in beautiful scenery with trees grabbing your attention and the path for stone is visible.
Car Park to Cloughmore Stone
The first part of this walk is climbing up a steep hill, please take care when completing this section of the walk. Continue to follow the signs which are displayed throughout the walk therefore you don’t get lost and are aware of your whereabouts.
Majority of this walk is in a forest environment, and there might be a chance the forest is being worked at and may be subject to closure from time to time.
As you get deeper into the walk, you will be more height up and will get great views from here over Carlingford Lough.
Once you reach the top the stone will be in front of you. This area is very open and does not disappoint as the views are picturesque and breathtaking. To your right you will see the open spaces of Carlingford Lough and the Cooley Mountains, which are located in Co. Louth.
To your left you will see the Mournes grabbing your attention.
After you are done, you can retrace your steps back to the car park. Be Careful as the hills are steep and depending on the weather conditions the path might be slippery, icey and more likely to cause injuries or falls if you aren’t careful.
Facilities and Additional Information
Car parking
There is a car park at Cloughmore Stone, which is free for the public to use. The car park has approximately 40 parking spaces, therefore no need to worry about not getting a space to park.
Picnic Areas
The car park which I mentioned above has picnic table facilities. Plenty of time for you to enjoy lunch before your adventure begins. The tables are very much spaced out, therefore your privacy will not be invaded. Especially during covid and keeping a safe distance at 2 metres, which is recommended as a public health and safety guideline.
Prices
The Cloughmore Stone walk experience is free, you don’t have to pay an entry fee or parking fee. We hope you enjoy your experience.
Times
Cloughmore Stone is located in Kilbroney Forest Park approximately 230m above sea level. The opening times are 9am – 7pm Monday to Friday.
Toilets and Cafe
Toilets are available at the Kilbroney Park Cafe. To access this facility you drive down to the lower car park and the cafe is located at the bottom of that car park. Walk through the cafe to the other side, walk down the steps and the toilets are located at the left of the staircase.
Cloughmore Stone is worth the visit and a very popular destination among the locals. If you plan on doing this walk, please bring suitable footwear and take clothing depending on the time of the year – coat, waterproof leggings etc. I hope you enjoy this walk, and don’t forget to take photos to document your adventures and memories here.
