County Down mountaineer dies in tragic accident on Garnedd Ugain in Eryri

A Northern Irish mountaineer who had spent years pursuing his passion for the outdoors has died following an accident in the mountains of North Wales.

Adrian McAnarney, 57, from Katesbridge in County Down, lost his life while hiking in the Garnedd Ugain area of Eryri on Sunday, August 2.

Emergency services were called to a mountaineering incident close to the ridgeline but Adrian was pronounced dead at the scene. His family and the coroner were informed following the tragedy.

Garnedd Ugain rises to around 1,065 metres and sits alongside some of the best-known high-level mountain routes in Eryri. The surrounding terrain includes exposed ridges, steep ground and sections where conditions can quickly become serious.

Adrian was an experienced and enthusiastic walker who had travelled widely in pursuit of the mountains.

In 2023 he was part of a group that climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania to raise money for Southern Area Hospice. The challenge generated more than £50,000 for the charity and Adrian later helped co-author Memories from the Mountain, a book about the group's experience.

His adventures had not stopped there.

A fundraising page created by Adrian and fellow climber Johnny Simpson shows that the pair had also been preparing for an Everest Base Camp challenge in aid of the hospice, building on the friendship and fundraising effort that had begun with Kilimanjaro.

News of Adrian's death has brought an outpouring of sadness among friends, fellow hikers and people within his local community.

Those who knew him have remembered a man who genuinely loved being in the hills and who was generous with his knowledge, particularly when walking with people who had less experience.

Local reports described him as supportive, kind and deeply respected by those who had shared mountain days with him.

His death notice confirmed that Adrian died following an accident in Wales and remembered him as a devoted husband to Monica and father to Jack and Charlie.

He is also survived by his brothers Sean, Brian, Eamon and Cathal, and his sister Jacqueline McClorey.

For the many people who met Adrian through hiking, fundraising and his adventures overseas, his connection with the mountains formed a large part of how they knew him.

From the Mournes close to home to the summit of Kilimanjaro, he had built friendships through walking and climbing, while using some of his biggest challenges to raise money for others.

His death has left a deep sense of loss among that community.

Adrian McAnarney was 57. Our thoughts are with Adrian’s family, friends and loved ones at this incredibly difficult time. We also extend our sympathies to everyone in the walking and mountaineering community who knew him and shared in his passion for the mountains.