Meelmore Lodge to the Devil’s Coachroad

in Routes Walking by Simon — August 4, 2010 at 9:00 pm | 2 comments

The Devil’s Coachroad is one of the more adventurous routes to tackle in the Mountains of Mourne and is probably best done in a group. The gully splits the face of Slieve Beg at the head of the Annalong Vally and can be approached from a number of directions. If approaching from the Annalong Valley it provides a fun alternative to just ascending to the Brandy Pad. The route detailed here starts at Meelmore Lodge (note: the start of the route is at Meelmore Lodge in real life – the position of Meelmore Lodge is shown (as at 4th August 2010) incorrectly on Google Maps). The route joins the Trassey Track up to Hare’s Gap and then along the Brandy Pad to the head of the Annalong Valley. It then passes around the shoulder of Slieve Beg (some loss of height is inevitable here) until the granite debris of the stone chute is reached. At this point the route is clear, yup, you are going up that gully. At the top you can look back and admire what you have just done (pictured), with Slieve Donard watching on in the background. To return, turn north to come off Slieve Beg onto the Brandy Pad and then retrace your steps.

Tags: Mountains of Mourne