Adventure Activities for Teenagers

Mourne Mountains and Ring of Gullion - a giant adventure park

The Mourne Mountains and Ring of Gullion is one giant adventure park and for teens who like to get out and about, it is a great place to challenge yourself. The demand for outdoor pursuits has really taken off over the last few years and this part of the world has responded with an unbelievable array of exciting pursuits and activities. So whether you want to abseil down a mountain, cycle the face of a hill or paddle the rapids of a river, this area has it all.

Hang on a minute

If you fancy yourself as a bit of a spiderman or spiderwoman then Geology Rocks Adventure Tourism is probably the experience for you. They have rock climbing for all stages and are happy to show the ropes to newbies or give those with more experience a firm foothold in their skills.

Less than half-an-hour up the road at Castlewellan Forest Park, you can get out on the water at the Life Adventure Centre. Hire out a canoe or kayak and have fun exploring the tree-lined lake. If that kind of thing doesn’t float your teen’s boat, then there are a whole host of other pursuits to try including wet bouldering, coasteering and – pull! - clay pigeon shooting. If your teenager really wants to get stuck in, there are overnight camping stays available too. Another option for the overnighters is the nearby East Coast Adventure Glamping on beautiful Carlingford Lough.

Rock and ride with the outdoor experts

Rock and Ride Outdoors is a collaboration between qualified mountain guide, Paul Swail, and Ian Bailey, Cycling Ireland MBLA Tutor and Ireland’s top mountain bike coach. Between them they have over forty years’ experience in outdoor pursuits and they are passionate about what they do. They provide Mountain Biking, Rock Climbing and Mountaineering courses for people of all levels and abilities, and they will be only too happy to show your teenager how to overcome some great physical challenges in their beloved Mournes. Rather uniquely, the whole area is their office so you’ll have to get in touch to find where to meet.

Gullion Adventures offer memorable days out on both land and water. Why not emulate the mythical giants of this magical area and try your hand at archery, or test yourself on some rapids as you kayak or canoe on the local lakes and rivers. Learn to build a raft, abseil down a mountain or learn the skills of bushcraft in the wilds of the Ring of Gullion.

Surviving in the wilds 

Another option for those teens interested in survival is the wonderful School of Bushcraft in Finnebrogue Woods which offers visitors the chance to get out into nature and learn the basics of survival. Your guide and bushcraft specialist, Rob Hill, will teach you essential survival skills on his Bushcraft Fundamentals offering, including the basics of fire lighting and shelter building. The school also offers the excellent and informative Foraging Experience, a day long fully immersive tour where you’ll get great pointers on how to forage safely for wild food and medicinal plants.

Teenage adventure junkies will find more ways to get that adrenaline going at Cloughmor Extreme Adventures where they aim to make sure that each visitor gets the most out of their day. With no fewer than ten adventures to choose from, there is plenty to keep teens busy here.

On the other side of the Mournes, you’ll find Clearsky Adventure Centre. This place takes full advantage of its location on the beautiful shores of Strangford Lough with water sports galore including canoeing and sea kayaking. They’ll also zip you across the lough at a pretty decent tempo in their twelve-seat rib. But if you prefer to keep your feet dry, there’s plenty of climbing and cycling to be done too.