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• Mourne Way Overnighter: October 23, 2010 - October 24, 2010

[suspectmonkey]

What: Mourne Way Overnighter
When: Saturday 23rd October (10.30am) - Sunday 24th October
Where: Start in Donard Car Park, Newcastle.  Finish in Rostrevor.

The Mournes are a wonderfully compact range of mountains crowned by Ulster's highest summit, Slieve Donard. From all over County Down the dome of Donard and the serrated tors of Bearnagh and Binnian can be seen crowning a skyline of graceful peaks. The gentler foothills and surrounding farmlands are equally beautiful in their own pastoral way. Not surprisingly the Mournes are a magnet for walkers, and the 26-mile long Mourne Way marries many of the best features of Mourne country walking. Following a mixture of forest trails and mountain paths this route is almost entirely off-road as it travels through the foothills of the Mournes, from Newcastle on the Irish Sea, to Rostrevor on Carlingford Lough.

Alright folks, time to get out in the hills again!  Planning to walk the Mourne Way which starts in Newcastle and follows forest tracks and mountain paths to Rostrevor, 26 miles away.  The route passes through Tollymore Forest Park, follows the base of Slieve Meelmore and Meelbeg, heads through Spelga and finishes by descending through Rostrevor Forest to Kilbroney Park.

I'm hoping to set off on Saturday 23rd October and camp/bivvy around the half way mark (probably around the Slievenamuck - Hen Mtn. area).  Then set off to complete the route on Sunday, finishing in Rostrevor.  From Rostrevor we can catch an Ulsterbus back to Newcastle.  I've checked the bus timetables and they seem to run fairly regularly using the #39 route from Rostrevor to Kilkeel and then the #37 route from Kilkeel to Newcastle.

So, whos in?  This is a good trip to get a decent walk and overnighter ticked off, but without having to trundle over summits for a change

More info: Mourne Way - Walk NI
Bus info: Translink Journey Planner

Going:
suspectmonkey
Kat
chris
matthewrblack

Maybe:
landyliam
Sawyer
Chuck

[chris]

I'd be up for that, I'm off this weekend.

[LennyJ1]

Sorry going to be in Glasgow this weekend, Will be avalible next weekend tho

[suspectmonkey]

I'm off this weekend.

Thats gonna be a shock to the system having a weekend off

Sorry going to be in Glasgow this weekend, Will be avalible next weekend tho

Pity you can't make it Lenny... although Glasgow isnt a bad spot to spend the weekend!

[Matthew]

Howdy chum, I am heading to shoot ducks this Sat with dad and will be back home in and around 10:30-11. How does this suit time wise, I am guessing it will be too late?

Matthew

[suspectmonkey]

Howdy chum, I am heading to shoot ducks this Sat with dad and will be back home in and around 10:30-11. How does this suit time wise, I am guessing it will be too late?

Matthew

To be honest Matthew I hadn't really thought about times yet!  Guess will just pick a time that suits as many people as possible.  To be honest I'd prefer not to be heading off too early, because there isn't much point arriving at the camp spot early in the afternoon only to find we've a whole load of hours to kill in the dark and no huge fire to keep us occupied   Seeing The Book of the Bivvy is getting good mileage on here at the moment I thought this was an adequate quote:

There are five rules for covering country:

...4 Finish Late

Which also solves the problem of how to pass the evening in the confines of the bivvybag.  Don't get into the bivvy until the evening's already over.

Whilst on the subject, I stuck the route in Quo and have the profiles for day 1 and 2.  The total distance is coming up a bit short, so I've probably missed a turn here or there, but it gives you a rough idea of the distance for each day.  The Route Card in Quo is giving about 6 hours to complete the first day, but that doesn't take into consideration breaks etc.  I guess its going to be dark around 6pm so what time would we fancy heading off at?  If we leave before 12pm then we are going to have a whole lotta evening to kill, but if we leave after 12pm we are going to be doing some walking in the dark.

By the way, if the timings work out okay for you Matthew I can give you a lift.

[Matthew]

Cheers for the lift offer mate. if you get a moment can you e mail me the QUO map files so i can have a gander over them.

matthewrblack@aol.com should do for the address

[suspectmonkey]

If you get a moment can you e mail me the QUO map files so i can have a gander over them.

Done

[LandyLiam]

Been thinking of doing this walk recently so i'm up for it but I have things arranged for the weekend (like kids birthdays   ) but trying to reschedule so i can at least do one of the days (hopefully day 1)

A good campsite is the where the Rowan Tree & Rocky Rivers meet, plenty of water and a big fire pit 

[Matthew]

If you get a moment can you e mail me the QUO map files so i can have a gander over them.

Done

Cheers lad I am out at an A Level agreement trial today but I will have a wee look when I get home.

[suspectmonkey]

Been thinking of doing this walk recently so i'm up for it but I have things arranged for the weekend (like kids birthdays  ) but trying to reschedule so i can at least do one of the days (hopefully day 1)

A good campsite is the where the Rowan Tree & Rocky Rivers meet, plenty of water and a big fire pit 

Cheers for the heads up on where to camp, that sounds like a decent spot!  Hopefully you'll be able to make it for at least one of the days, or even the overnighter!

[Dowser]

Suspectmonkey may want to consider some mushrooms on toast before he tackles his 26 mile Mourne Way dander 

I was thinking more sausage and egg... and replacing the toast with soda bread

You gonna join us mate?  I promise to let you do some 'shroom identification en route, although can't guarantee I'd be up for taste sessions yet!

Hey Suspect'

Unfortunately I have baby sitting issues on Saturday, and Wife issues on Sunday, so I will probably have to give this one a miss. I would love to be coming along for this one as a 26 mile dander is right up my street!!!

I see your concerned about arriving too early.  To be honest I have never found this a problem, especially in the Autumn/Winter months.  I love getting to my camp site early and getting a cool bivvi constructed, a bit of food cooked, a fire lit in the hobo stove and then settle down for a couple of drinkies.  I find that by the time you've practiced all your bushcraft etc you never have enough time and end up trailing yourself off to bed about 2am in the morn 

If I can wangle anything I'll let you know but I'm fairly sure I'm 99% screwed for this weekend  :'(

[666_pack]

if i can bum a lift home I'm in!? (any takers?)

[MikeD]

I might be able to come too - still have to buy those shoes tho!

[suspectmonkey]

If I can wangle anything I'll let you know but I'm fairly sure I'm 99% screwed for this weekend  :'(

No worries dude, will keep my fingers crossed for the 1%

if i can bum a lift home I'm in!? (any takers?)

Wouldn't see you stuck, but your direction is totally the wrong way for me.  That said, if no one from your direction is going would a lift to Lisburn help to catch the train to Craigavon?  Sorry if this is turning into Planes, Trains and Automobiles

I might be able to come too - still have to buy those shoes tho!

Late night shopping on Thursday night!  Actually, this would be a really good trip to try the trail shoes out on, just a pity I can't afford any at the moment.  Oh well, Christmas isn't all that far away and I'm hoping Santa has heard of Innov-8 and Salomon

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