I take mainly private bookings
for hikes or walks in Northern Ireland ;in the Mourne
mountains, Glens of Antrim, the Causeway coast and Slieve
Gullion. As a qualified Blue Badge Tourist Guide I prefer
to have a walk and talk approach to my tours -a walking
trail with a tale
In 2012 I will be offering
countryside walks in County Down and a historical walk
of Newcastle
"I offer
private guided hiking for individuals, couples or small
groups of both private and corporate clients. I also take
occasional open walks (minimum of 6 people)" Loretto
Next
Open walk is Saturday 17 November
Next Slieve Donard
hike is Saturday 01 December
"If
you are looking for an experience and not just a destination,
spend a day in the Mournes with Loretto."
Jenn Dodds, USA
Greetings Loretto, from
Mayo!
A note to thank you for the most enjoyable weekend we
just spent with you. We thoroughly enjoyed our time in
the Mourne mountains with you. Such fantastic landscape
and all the more enjoyable for having it all explained
by yourself. It was a pleasure and thank you very much.
I do hope to return again some time. Mairead
Many thanks for a great
day. It was superb. Liz
I really enjoyed the
hike up meelmore and meelbeg. it is something that I would
like to do again. Many thanks Gina
Loretto has
guided for the BBC "Off the Beaten Track" TV
Series
The Mourne Mountain range
is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
and is proposed as the first National Park in Northern
Ireland.
Visitors
interested in the natural environment, wonderful scenery
and built heritage will love the area. Slieve
Donard, the highest peak in Northern Ireland, stands
prominent, towering over Newcastle Bay.
A popular walking trail
to the top of Slieve Donard
is via the glen river or via Slieve Commedagh, the
watchful mountain.
There are
many routes in the Mourne Mountains and surrounding countryside.
One trail known as the Smugglers'
trail or Brandy Pad begins at the coast and goes through
the mountains passing the Ben Crom reservoir and crossing
through the Hares Gap.
High level hikes over
the craggy tops of Slieve Binnian or Slieve Bearnagh provide
opportunities for wonderful views. Other routes explore
the interaction of the granite men with the Mourne
mountains.
A family walk with a neolithic
twist is to the top of Slieve Gullion. Great views from
the top and an opportunity to see inside a Court Tomb.
If you prefer a lowland
ramble then the Murlough Nature Reserve and Dundrum Bay
trail offers gentle undulating terrain, an opportunity
to do some bird watching and a visit to a norman castle
Close by the Cooley Mountains
also offer great views and a feeling of remoteness. If
you have time and energy after your walk the medieval
town of Carlingford is worth exploring.
The Causeway walk along
the North coast of Ireland to the world heritage site
at the Giant's Causeway provides a mixture of superb cliff
scenery and unusual geological features. Hear about the
myths and legends of the area during your walk. This route
is organised for group bookings.
Go to
the event guide for information
on specific dates.
All routes can be tailor
made to suit group bookings.
Contact Loretto,
your local Blue Badge Guide for further information.
The
Blue Badge is the UK's highest tourist guiding qualification
