Silent Valley and the Ben Crom Dam

From the car park at the south end of the Silent Valley Mountain Park, walk north through the grounds onto the tarmac reservoir road. It runs up the valley beside the Silent Valley reservoir to the Ben Crom Dam, passing the outlet of the Binnian Tunnel, which carries water under the mountain from the Annalong River. At the dam you can climb the steps for a view over Ben Crom Reservoir. The way back is the same road.

It is 10.0 km out and back with 87 m of ascent; allow about 2¾ hours. The grade is Easy: a road almost all the way, gently rising, with the Mourne Wall and the high tops above. NI Water gives the Ben Crom Dam Walk as 10 km (6 miles) return.

NI Water closes the Silent Valley when the Met Office issues a wind warning for the Mournes: it did so on 4 April 2026 and on 3 October 2025 and reopens after a safety inspection, so check its site first in stormy weather.

NI Water charges at the gates: cars £5.00, motorcycles £2.50, minibuses £13, and people on foot or on bikes £1.60 (60p for a child), with contactless accepted. There is room for 120 cars, first come first served. Hours are 9am to 6.30pm in April, September and October, 9am to 9pm from May to August and 9am to 4pm from November to March.

Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.