Best river hikes in County Down
Go with the flow on these riverside adventures! From gentle streams to powerful rapids, these hikes offer constant companionship with the sound of rushing water.
Here are some great hikes to explore in County Down.
Most popular hikes
Reviews for river hikes in County Down
Declan · reviewed over 2 years ago
The Trail on the App is pretty easy to follow. Deviated slightly as it didn’t summit “Hen” so did that and rejoined the trail on the other side. All in all it was spot on and I would recommend it to anyone who hasn’t done hen cock and pigeon to use this route. Note: “Difficult” as labelled.
Tollymore Forest Park – Mountain and Drinns Trail
Maura Flood · reviewed over 1 year ago
Gorgeous walk in forest, by the river and a lake. Fabulous views of the Mournes, Newcastle, the sea and surrounding villages.
Paul McArthur · reviewed about 4 years ago
Surprisingly enjoyable trail through varied terrain. Beach, country roads, green lanes and forest estates….. all with the back drop of the Mourne Mountains. You could complete it in one long day, but definitely the best way to savour the journey is over two days. Either wild camp or B&B…. the choice is yours.
Holger S. · reviewed about 4 years ago
Great views, but most of it is on tarmac, so it's rather hard on your joints. Unfortunately there are currently two problems with the route: 1. Around km 28/mile 17.5 there is no path. I had to follow a sort of game trail, climb over a barbed wire fence, trod over a field with cattle on it and finally crawl through a hedge to get to the lower path. No sign of the two stiles mentioned in the description I found on the official website. 2. Kms 34-36/miles 21-22 lead along a very busy street which in a news article I found described as dangerous for pedestrians, so I left that bit out. In some areas the markings are very good, in other they aren't. The route description on the official website helps. My recommendation is to do the whole thing on an all-terrain bike. The most challenging bits would be just before Fathom Mountain and the downhill part in Ravensdale Forest. If you decide to walk, I highly recommend the alternative route over the peak of Slieve Gullion (this is not feasible by bike). After rainfall you might need good boots, for the descent on the north side is quite boggy. In any case, whether on foot or by bike, with or without the peak, you need some stamina as there are some steep roads to climb.
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