We expect round attempts will be allowed in the coming months as the lockdown measures relax. Once this is the case, we will post an update to this news feed.

In the meantime, stay safe when you’re in the hills.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the DRR committee recommends postponing round attempts until the current national restrictions on movement have been lifted. Successful rounds will not be ratified during this time.

We would also ask you to review this statement by the Mourne Mountain Rescue Team.

The mountains will still be there when this difficult time has passed. Stay safe.

I get great enjoyment in the planning of challenges like the Rankin round. With living within an hour of the Mourne’s getting out for recce’s was not going to be a problem and as an orienteer spending time looking over the Harvey’s map is a pleasant pastime. My first recce’s were way back in July 2018 when I split the round in two ~40km loops at Loughshannagh. Completing the South West half one day and the North Eastern half three days later (with the exception of Meelbeg and Meelmore). I summed up then that both these sections were very different in nature, the SW less hilly but rougher, but with some fast trail running. While the NE was hillier but well trod with some more technical steep descents.