Days Out NI
Greenway & cycle trail Newcastle

Mourne Coastal Route

A free signed coastal drive where the Mournes meet the sea — stop off for beaches and walks

5 photos
Open accessRide it any time — best in daylight
FreeNo ticket needed
NewcastleGreenway & cycle trail
Get directionsOfficial website
165kmDistance
Full dayHow long
FreeCost
TarmacSurface
Bikes bestBest for

Mourne Coastal Route — A free signed coastal drive where the Mournes meet the sea — stop off for beaches and walks.

  • Distance: About 165km (102 miles) Belfast to Newry; the Newcastle-to-Warrenpoint coast is a shorter slice.
  • Surface: Public roads (A2 coast road and quiet country lanes); the optional Kilkeel Cycle Route is on tarmac roads.
  • Gradient: Coast road is fairly level; the four Mourne scenic loops and the Kilkeel cycle route climb and are hilly.
  • Traffic-free: No — this is a driving route on public roads. Cycling stretches share quiet roads with traffic, not segregated.
  • Bike hire: None on the route; nearest is Life Adventure Centre, Castlewellan (028 4377 0714).
  • Buggy / scooter: Not as a route (it's a drive). Individual stops — Newcastle promenade, forest parks — are pram-friendly.
Plan your visit

The route: coast, mountains and four scenic loops

The full route covers about 165km (102 miles) from Belfast to Newry, marked throughout with white text on brown signs so it's easy to follow. The coastal stretch hugs the A2 from Newcastle through Annalong (about 5 miles on) and the fishing port of Kilkeel, ending the seaside section at Warrenpoint before turning inland to Newry. From Bloody Bridge outside Newcastle, four signed scenic loops climb into the Mournes — the High Mournes, Rostrevor, Whitewater and Slieve Croob loops — swapping sea views for mountain ones. Along the way you pass long beaches, harbour villages and the gateways to Tollymore Forest Park, Donard Forest and the Silent Valley Reservoir. It's a proper coast-and-mountain drive rather than a single walk or ride.

Free to follow Signed driving route 165km / 102 miles Coast & mountains Beaches & forests Scenic loops
Good to know before you go:

Greenways and cycle routes across NI host seasonal sportives, family cycle days and ranger-led events through the year. Check listings for current dates near you.

Before you set off

What to bring

  • 🚲Bikes (or hire on the day)Check whether you bring your own or can hire at the start.
  • 🪖Helmets for everyoneEspecially the kids — a comfy helmet makes the whole spin better.
  • 💧Water and snacksNot every route has a café on it, so pack a little something.
  • 🧥A light layerYou warm up cycling but cool down at stops — easy to peel on and off.
Good to know

Everything before you go

Cost
Free to follow the route; some town car parks pay-and-display; individual stops (forest parks, Silent Valley) may charge
Start / parking
No single trailhead — a signed loop you can join anywhere. Newcastle is the natural family base; car parking at towns and viewpoints along the A2
Distance
About 165km (102 miles) Belfast to Newry; the Newcastle-to-Warrenpoint coast is a shorter slice
Surface
Public roads (A2 coast road and quiet country lanes); the optional Kilkeel Cycle Route is on tarmac roads
Gradient
Coast road is fairly level; the four Mourne scenic loops and the Kilkeel cycle route climb and are hilly
Traffic-free?
No — this is a driving route on public roads. Cycling stretches share quiet roads with traffic, not segregated
Bike hire
None on the route; nearest is Life Adventure Centre, Castlewellan (028 4377 0714)
Buggy / scooter friendly
Not as a route (it's a drive). Individual stops — Newcastle promenade, forest parks — are pram-friendly
Toilets / food
Toilets, cafes and shops in Newcastle, Annalong, Kilkeel and Warrenpoint
How long to allow
A full day to drive the whole route with stops; a half-day for the Newcastle-to-Kilkeel coast
Address
Mourne Coastal Route, A2 coast road, Newcastle, Co Down BT33 (signed Belfast to Newry)
Questions

Before you go

Is it free?
Free to follow the route; some town car parks pay-and-display; individual stops (forest parks, Silent Valley) may charge
How long is the route?
About 165km (102 miles) Belfast to Newry; the Newcastle-to-Warrenpoint coast is a shorter slice
Is it traffic-free?
No — this is a driving route on public roads. Cycling stretches share quiet roads with traffic, not segregated
Can I hire a bike?
None on the route; nearest is Life Adventure Centre, Castlewellan (028 4377 0714)
Is it buggy and scooter friendly?
Not as a route (it's a drive). Individual stops — Newcastle promenade, forest parks — are pram-friendly
Getting there

Mourne Coastal Route starts at No single trailhead — a signed loop you can join anywhere. Newcastle is the natural family base; car parking at towns and viewpoints along the A2. Tap below for directions to the start.

Directions on Google MapsOfficial website See it on our map
Nearby

Make more of the day

More days out around NewcastleSee what else is close by More greenways & trails across NITraffic-free routes to walk and cycle
The story

About this trail

The Mourne Coastal Route is one of Northern Ireland's signed scenic driving routes, running about 165km (102 miles) from Belfast down the County Down coast to Newry. It links North Down, the Ards Peninsula and the Lecale coast with the Mourne Mountains, the granite range that gives the route its name and rises almost straight from the sea around Newcastle.

The route is waymarked with white-on-brown signs and built around stops rather than a single path. Four scenic loops branch off into the high country — the High Mournes, Rostrevor, Whitewater and Slieve Croob loops — taking in the Silent Valley Reservoir, which was built in the 1920s and 1930s behind the famous Mourne Wall to supply Belfast with water.

For cyclists, the wider area is crossed by National Cycle Network Route 99 and quiet-road circuits such as the Kilkeel Cycle Route, which passes the Silent Valley, Carlingford Lough and the Mourne foothills on tarmac country lanes.