Miles and miles of winding paths, many of them old quarry tracks through uninhabited and unspoiled landscape, lead walkers high through the hills and make it possible to discover and enjoy spectacular scenery. The 26 mile (42km) Mourne Way is almost entirely off road and traverses the foothills of the Mournes from Newcastle on the Irish Sea to Rostrevor on Carlingford Lough. The walk can be taken in six stages, although several can be combined, allowing walkers to select which route suits them best. Beginning at the Newcastle Tourist Information Centre on Main Street, initially the route leads you out of town, alongside the Shimna River and, waymarked, ascends into Tollymore Forest Park. The trail emerges from the Park through a small beech wood onto a hillside, turning uphill along Trassy Track. Once through the second kissing gate, the path follows the mountain wall to the right as it contours around heath and heather, with views across the Dromara Hills, crosses a mountain stream and up the pipe track to Fofanny Dam Reservoir – processing 52- million litres of water a day for Belfast. The trail continues along the top of Butter Mountain, crosses the boggy saddle between Butter and Spelga mountains via the ‘Ecogrid’ path and rises onto the top of Spaltha, with amazing views across the Mournes and the Ring of Gullion in County Armagh. It passes down into Spelga Pass and around Slievenamiskan and Hen Mountain to the New Bog Road. About 2miles (3.2km) further on the path turns and crosses a ford over Rowan Tree River before crossing Rocky River to go through the saddle between Rocky Mountain and Tornamrock. The trail continues past Altataggart Mountain and contours the foot of the Rostrevor Ridge. This leads through the Rostrevor Forest and onto the finish point in Kilbroney Park, Rostrevor.