Youths Tackle Mourne Mountain Adventure Challenge

Youths Tackle Mourne Mountain Adventure Challenge

The ‘Mourne Mountain Adventure Challenge’ returns for a fifth year on Saturday 23 April. Over 400 young people aged between 12 and 18 years old will be coming along to take on the challenging task of navigating the trails over the Mourne Mountains.

The young challengers will set off in teams of six to take on either the Challenge Route, which has been designed for participants who have limited experience in mountain climbing, or the Expedition Route, which caters for those who are more familiar with trekking through the mountains. These routes will give the young people an opportunity to engage in risk taking adventure by navigating their way through the Mourne Mountains, completing a number of demanding tasks and finally completing their trek in Silent Valley, Kilkeel.

On arrival to Silent Valley the young people will be rewarded by taking part in a vast range of fun filled activities such as archery and laser clay pigeon shooting. As an added extra the Mourne Underwater Search Team (MUST) will be taking the youths on an exciting thrill ride on the Ribs in Kilkeel Harbour, which this year also includes a Viking Longboat.

The ‘Mourne Mountain Adventure Challenge’ was established by the Policing and Community Safety Partnership (PCSP) as an initiative to engage with young people and divert them from engaging in anti-social behaviour and showcase the outstanding natural beauty of the Mourne Mountains. Over the past five years the initiative has exceeded all expectations, with hundreds of young people from across Northern Ireland enrolling every year to take in the challenging tasks and a high turnout is expected to continue with this year’s event.

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Vice Chairperson, Councillor Gillian Fitzpatrick said, “This event is a great example of agencies working together for the benefit of young people in our community. Young people are vulnerable in our society and we have a responsibility to ensure we provide services to prevent them engaging in anti-social behaviour. This event gives them positive examples of how they can use their time constructively”.

Councillor Fitzpatrick continued, “The PCSP is delighted to coordinate this multi-agency partnership approach to providing diversionary activities of this nature for our young people”.

The main sponsors are Newry, Mourne and Down PCSP, Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service, Police Service Northern Ireland, MOD, NI Water and MUST. Many other agency support services will co-ordinate the training and delivery of this exciting outdoor event. The planning has been on-going since last September and after months of preparations the agencies are ready to host this fantastic initiative.