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Sliabh Crub
(Mountain of the Hoof.)
Slieve Croob is the highest
 of
the Dromara hills South west of Ballynahinch, it is said to be crowned
by twelve cairns, although only one, directly on the summit can be easily
found. There are also a plethora of British Telecom communication towers.
During the construction of these towers by British Telecon the substantial
remains of one of the cairns was destroted. (Read Samuel Lewis' discription
of the cairns 1837)The mountain rises to a height of 534 meters (1751
ft) from its summit there are commanding views of the the surrounding
countryside, the full extent of the Mourne mountains can be appreciated
from here. On a clear day Lough Neagh, with the Sperrin mountains beyond
in Co Tyrone can be seen, as too can the Cave Hill north of Belfast, the
Isle of Mann and the Cumbrian mountains in England.
Traditionally the locals would gather
here at the feast of Lughnasa, in honour of the Celtic sun god Lugh
this was traditionally held on Blaeberry
Sunday, the first Sunday in August, the tradition was carried on into
the 1950's. On the way to the summit people would gather baskets of bilberries
(blaeberries), the afternoon would consist of music, dancing and courtship.
There is a car park at the foot of
the mountain and from there a tarmac track to the summit, dogs are not
permitted on the mountain. The source of the river
Lagan is located on the north face of the mountain.
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