Things To Do
There is a vast array of things to keep you occupied during your stay at the Slieve Croob Inn. The Inn itself has regular evening bar entertainment which includes local Irish bands.
Further a field there are a number of activities such as Golf at a wide range of local course including the Royal County Down Links Course.
Legananny Dolmen is a neolithic portal tomb, built between 4000 and 4500 years ago. The word 'dolmen' was used by early studies of antiquities and comes from the Breton (the language of Brittany in France closely related to Irish gaelic) word 'tolmen' which means 'stone table'. These monuments also gave rise to legends after which they have been named. The Giant's Grave or the Druid's altar are common local names for such features. Originally this would have had a mound covering it but most of this has been removed although there are traces on all sides of the tomb itself except for the lane on the left.
In this case the name Legananny comes from Liagán Áine or 'Pillar of Enya'. She was the mythical goddess loved by the equally mythical Finn McCool.
This portal tomb is on Slieve Croob in County Down and is pictured from the rear with the portal just visible between the two entrance stones to the left of the rear stone and the Mourne Mountains visible in the distance. Unlike Poulnabrone which is made of limestone, Legananny is made of granite.
The "Local Area" offers for the more energetic hill walking, cycling and pony trekking. For the keen fisherman there are a wide range of water courses available for both Rainbow and Brown trout. For a more leisurely time how about some general sight seeing around some of the many historic towns and places or alternatively just relax with a cold Guinness in the bar.
Among the many attractions in the immediate locality are forest parks, miles of sandy beaches, the lively seaside resort of Newcastle and the historic town of Downpatrick; the resting place of St Patrick.
Newcastle lies at the foot of Slieve Donard 'where the mountains sweep down to the sea'. The barren peak of Slieve Donard, climbing steeply to 2,796 ft, dominates the mysterious blue distance of the landscape. It's an afternoon climb from the car park at Bloody Bridge near the holiday resort of Newcastle, or from Donard Park in Newcastle itself. From the top you can see the Isle of Man and the full length of Strangford Lough. To the north-west lies the pale line of Lough Neagh (the largest fresh water lake in the British Isles), a vast inland sea covering 153 square miles, famous for its eels - an Ulster delicacy.
The Mournes host 3 reservoirs including Silent Valley which supplies Belfast's water. The scenery is truly spectacular and the visitor has several options for hill walking, including a path that follows the Mourne wall; a dry stone wall which is over 22 miles long.
Murlough Bay is close to Newcastle and offers a beautiful area for walking and 6 miles of golden beaches |
