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<\/a><\/p>\nThick cloud was dominating all the other summits around but Binnian remained clear for now.\u00a0 Surely this wouldn’t last.<\/p>\n
Some of the quarry huts are silhouetted against the skyline.<\/p>\n After a bit of look around the various huts and with a few bivvy spots banked for future reference we proceeded up to the summit of the east top.\u00a0 The views all over the Kingdom of Mourne and out to sea were fantastic, considering the weather.\u00a0 On a clear day this would be the perfect place to spend a lazy afternoon.\u00a0 Cloud was now coming and going and the main summit torrs of Slieve Binnian provided a dramatic background display.<\/p>\n Upon reaching the summit proper we felt the full force of the north-easterly wind.\u00a0 With the protection offered by the torrs we could probably have dealt with southerly, south-westerly, north-westerly, northerly….but north easterly was a tough one.\u00a0 Tent damage was likely.\u00a0 I have found this to be the windiest summit in the Mournes, I honestly don’t think I have been up there without it blowing a gust.<\/p>\n It was time for plan B, we moved along the spine of the mountain to the Back Castles checking along the way for suitable protection from the wind.\u00a0 We eventually came upon the wall that climbs up from the Annalong Valley crossing the main ridge of the mountain before disappearing down into the Silent Valley.\u00a0 The wall was at a perfect angle for giving protection from the wind so after dropping 20 or so metres down we set up camp for the night.<\/p>\n We climbed back up to the torrs and found a great place to have dinner and a cuppa whilst overlooking the twinkling lights of Cranfield and Carlingford in the distance.\u00a0 Whilst we sat and watched life go on way down below I began to wonder if any of the folk down there were casting a glance up at the mountains and wondering if anyone was up here.<\/p>\n Dinner inside our bellies and a fire log on – tonight was my night on Binnian!<\/p>\n After a restful night we awoke to a bit of a grubby misty morning.\u00a0 Despite there being no view, it was warm and still.\u00a0 Unfortunately though we spent the next hour looking for a lost compass, packing unpacking and packing again, and retracing the many steps from the night before, all around the Back Castles and the summit torr.\u00a0 Nothing turned up.\u00a0 Wick, it had now turned into the price of a B&B for the night.<\/p>\n With our one remaining compass we took advantage of the poor visibility to practice our navigational skills, looking for features down around Binnian Lough and Douglas Crag.\u00a0 We came across this huge boulder near Binnian Lough, made all the more impressive by it’s sudden appearance out of the mist.\u00a0 Without a view to distract, the atmosphere around Binnian Lough was serene with birdsong being the only audible noise.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n