The Silent Valley
For Enquiries to : Customer Services Unit, Water Service, Westland House, Old Westland Road, Belfast, BT14 6TETel: 08457 440088
Website: www.waterni.gov.uk
"Everything originated in the Water and everything is sustained by the Water" (Goethe)
The Silent Valley is a Mountain Park situated in the high Mournes and features a dam ringed by dramatic Mountain panoramas and the famous Mourne wall located in the U-shaped valley of the Kilkeel river.
Mountain Park
The 200 acre site below the reservoir is a combination of mountain, moorland and woodlands making it an ideal setting for flora and fauna to flourish in.
The Silent Valley nestles high amongst the Mourne Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The Park is surrounded with breathtaking countryside, to the east Craggy Binnian, to the west the Cliffs of Slievenag Lough, and to the north Doon and Ben Crom.
As this area is a major local asset to County Down, attention has been placed upon environmental planning and recreational issues. The water service has ensured that sustainable development has occurred in the area in order to safeguard the area for future generations.
Management has applied techniques such as limiting car access, providing shuttle busses and issuing byelaws which visitors are expected to comply with. Visitors are also expected to adhere to the Country Code, which support’s the Water Service in their attempts to protect this local asset.Facilities:
The Mountain Park has been developed to cater for recreational visitors to enable families to have a quiet day out.
The information centre and restaurant are housed in two old colonial style bungalows, the last remnants of the construction period. The information centre tells the story of the silent valley via the exhibition. The restaurant has impressive views over the mountain-park and is opened at 11.00am to 6.30pm each day each day in July and August and at weekends in June and September.
The seminar complex is fully equipped with up-to-date facilities, thus providing a distinct location for conferences. The complex is for hire all year around and can be booked via the Water Service’s administration department.
There is a shuttle bus service at the mountain park which frequently operates to/from Ben Crom to/from the car park, between 12.00 noon and 5.45pm. This service is available at weekends during May, June and September and daily in July and August.
A return ticket costs £1.20 return and £0.90 single.
There are bye-laws which are designed to safeguard your enjoyment of the Silent Valley as well as protect the area itself. Please observer them and follow the country code. Dogs should be kept on a lead.
Opening Times and Admission
| The Reservoir grounds are open daily from 10am until 6.30pm (Summer) and 10am until 4pm (Oct - April) | |
| Car | £3.00 |
| Minibus | £6.00 |
| Coach | £20.00 |
| Motorcycle | £1.50 |
| Pedestrian - Adult | £1.50 |
| Pedestrian - Child | £1.50 |
| Annual Permit - Car | £20.00 |
| Annual Permit - School Bus | £50.00 |
