Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more

General => Meets, places, trips and reviews => Topic started by: whoRya on December 03, 2017

Title: Raghtin More-Urris Hills, Inishowen
Post by: whoRya on December 03, 2017
In the summer I got to tick off a walk I have wanted to do for years.  This was a high ridge walk on Inishowen, Donegal.  The summits are not big in height, ranging between 400m and 500m, but they do feel big.  This was one of the best walks I have enjoyed in the Irish hills.  We placed cars so that we could do the full ridge in a linear walk.  Other options are available with the route being dissected by a road at Mamore Gap, approximately half way along the mountain range.

Glenevin Waterfall
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4557/27039334609_704a16291c_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/HcnE9i)

Path ascending Raghtin More
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4579/23950583737_df4974023a_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Cur17V)

Raghtin More summit plateau
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4537/27039348429_c704948c9d_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/HcnJfz)

Raghtin More summit cairn
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4540/27039386619_96436ea36e_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/HcnVB2)

The walk ahead.  Crockmain, Mamore Hill, Croaghcarragh, Urris Hills.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4574/38784633502_29c172a452_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/226goiC)

View across Mamore Gap
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4535/27039424789_a5e56c00d8_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Hco7X8) 

Looking back at Mamore Hill
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4539/27039426259_3d81489d82_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Hco8ot)

Urris Hills with a glimpse of the raised lakes.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4568/38784710582_cf7efccc5a_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/226gMdA)

Looking back at the walk so far.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4521/38099234584_f1b16d6062_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/213Gx5U)

Raghtin More looking moody in the background.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4559/38784716002_b8dff7f8c2_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/226gNQ3)

The wreckage of a Wellington bomber.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4561/23950698547_2dfd4ff1d6_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/CurAfp)

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4531/24943138268_72ee3dc179_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/E19715)

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4581/23950702887_2278dac1f0_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/CurBxe)

The walk ended for us at Dunree Bay and a welcome paddle in the water to cool our tired feet.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4578/38815347281_4902c319c9_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/228YNrx)

We retired to our tents at Binion Bay campsite for a shower before heading for dinner and post walk refreshments in Clonmany.  The owner of the site is born and bred in the area and has a vast array of knowledge of the area, both off the beaten track and also the villages and facilities surrounding, and was a great help.

All in all it was a fantastic trip and one I would recommend to anyone.
Title: Re: Raghtin More-Urris Hills, Inishowen
Post by: Glenn B on December 03, 2017
Nice one guys, love the pics it's a beautiful part of the world. Myself and a couple of mates came up through the Mamore gap on motorbikes a while back on our wee wild Atlantic way tour. Thanks for sharing and is it only me who sees the big slumbering dragon in the last pic :)
Title: Re: Raghtin More-Urris Hills, Inishowen
Post by: torp on December 04, 2017
Nice one mate and as Glenn says great pics and thanks for sharing ;) ;)
Title: Re: Raghtin More-Urris Hills, Inishowen
Post by: Heggs on December 04, 2017
Sounded like you guys had a great time!
I lived close to there when I was a baby and spent many a weekend close to Mamore gap and Dunree when growing up but I've never actually considered walking around there......until now!
Cheers for that, I think I'll start looking into a walk/camp there soon
ATB
Title: Re: Raghtin More-Urris Hills, Inishowen
Post by: whoRya on December 08, 2017
Nice one guys, love the pics it's a beautiful part of the world. Myself and a couple of mates came up through the Mamore gap on motorbikes a while back on our wee wild Atlantic way tour. Thanks for sharing and is it only me who sees the big slumbering dragon in the last pic :)
Glenn, there are some videos on youtube of a cycle descent from Mamore Gap, scary stuff!  After our walk we were not any shape to deal with a rudely awakened dragon.

Nice one mate and as Glenn says great pics and thanks for sharing ;) ;)
Cheers Torp

Sounded like you guys had a great time!
I lived close to there when I was a baby and spent many a weekend close to Mamore gap and Dunree when growing up but I've never actually considered walking around there......until now!
Cheers for that, I think I'll start looking into a walk/camp there soon
ATB

The ground wasn't rocky or wet underfoot, plenty of camping spots.

Dunree fort looked really interesting, I would love to have finished the walk with a look around that.