Topic: Mourne Upland Path Project - Mourne Heritage Trust (Read 9820 times)

admin · « **on:** February 10, 2011 »

Matthew Bushby the Countryside Services Manager with the Mourne Heritage Trust asked that members be made aware of the following path repair project.

PRESS RELEASE

MOURNE UPLAND PATH PROJECT

Work has started on the Mourne Upland Path Project, which will repair badly eroded sections of path network in the high Mournes. The sites, located within the Mourne Wall, include the route from the col at Slieve Binnian and Slieve Lamagan up to the North Tor on Slieve Binnian, an overall distance of about 1500m. The project has been funded through the NI Environment Agency’s Natural Heritage Grants Programme and NI Tourist Board’s TDS Signature Project.

The damaged area is within not only the Eastern Mournes Special Area of Conservation (a European level of habitat protection) and the designated national Area of Special Scientific Interest but also the water catchment for Silent Valley and Ben Crom reservoirs.

MHT Chair Desmond Patterson said “MHT is delighted to see the repair works get underway to a site that has suffered severe erosion over the years. It is essential that a sustainable path network is maintained, making it easier to use, causing less impact on the environment and water supply.”

Initially, works commenced in January 2011 on the Carricklittle Track above the ‘black gate’ to allow work teams to get to Percy Bysshe quarry. This has the added benefit of making it easier for emergency services to get further into the mountains, a key requirement identified through the Safer Mournes Partnership which follows on from the upgrade of the Bloody Bridge quarry track to Crannoge quarry, completed in August 2010.

A helicopter will be used to lift stone taken from the spoil heaps at Percy Bysshe quarry to the path on Slieve Binnian. The stone will be used for pitching, slab work and blocking severely eroded sections. Techniques will include ‘benching’ and other similar sustainable methods to try and make the paths blend in better with the natural contours and easier to walk on. However, some more formal stone pitched sections will be necessary.

Work teams will be on site for a number of months and the appropriate and careful use of diggers will be integral to repair of the paths. The use of the machinery has been carefully planned to ensure that their impact on the sensitive habitats surrounding the paths – the reason for the work - will be very light, while enabling a more efficient work programme. Measures include the use of a machine with an optimum weight to distribution ratio, long reach and adaptable digger arm to minimise movement around the site and the precaution of biodegradable fluids and diesel. Careful ongoing monitoring of impact will be undertaken and practices adjusted as necessary.

MHT is very pleased that Mourne company Thomas Rooney and Sons will be carrying out a significant amount of the handwork; selecting stone and laying pitched and slab sections. Clive Richardson Ltd, the lead contractor, has significant experience in sustainable path techniques and working in sensitive environments. MHT hopes that further opportunities for the local workforce will arise in due course and has grant applications pending with government departments for similar work in 2011/12.

MHT will also be working with volunteers to repair a section of path at the Binnian/Lammagan col, hopefully the first activity of a dedicated ‘Mournes Path Repair Team’. Contact MHT (details below) if you are interested in getting involved, or even if you want to donate to support this important work.

Matthew Bushby, Countryside Services Manager with MHT said “We are grateful to representatives of the mountain user groups who provided feedback to us in the development of this project. We encourage all users to be careful around the site for the short period of the works, and welcome any comments they may have. We are also grateful to the cooperation of neighbouring landowners and local residents who may be inconvenienced at all as a result of the works.”

Please contact MHT at 028 4372 4059 or mht@mourne.co.uk or visit www.mournelive.com for more information

LandyLiam · « **Reply #1 on:** February 10, 2011 »

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Contact MHT (details below) if you are interested in getting involved

this bit seems to be missing but found it here

http://www.mournelive.com/contactus/index.asp

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Please contact MHT at 028 4372 4059 or mht@mourne.co.uk or visit www.mournelive.com for more information.

ChuckMcB · « **Reply #2 on:** December 08, 2011 »

More news about the next stage in the path work:

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6 December 2011

Mourne Upland Path Project – Erosion Control at Carricklittle/Blue Lough

Work has started on erosion control along the path from Percy Bysshe/Blue Lough above Annalong Wood to the col at Slieve Binnian/Slieve Lamagan. The project has been funded through the NI Environment Agency’s Natural Heritage Grants Programme. .

The eroded site is within the Eastern Mournes Special Area of Conservation (a European level of habitat protection) and Area of Special Scientific Interest, and is also in the water catchment for Annalong River, and the Silent Valley reservoir via the Binnian Tunnel. .

The path has become very eroded in some sections, particularly the steeper parts between Percy Bysshe and Blue Lough and the section leading immediately up to the col. There are severe gullies and the path is rock strewn pushing users onto the adjacent heathland, thus causing wider erosion. The eroded material is washing down to the Carricklittle Track and into watercourses supplying the Binnian Tunnel. .

The works aim to mitigate erosion on the one hand whilst maintaining the challenge of being in the remote outdoors for users on the other. The team will work by hand and with a mini-digger as was seen on the North Tor to establish an narrow aggregate path through the eroded corridor. Techniques will include ‘benching’ and other similar sustainable methods to make the paths blend in better with the natural contours and shed water. Stone ‘slabs’ will be used to step up to higher levels and will help demarcate the route and block off severely eroded areas. Careful ongoing monitoring of impact will be undertaken and practices adjusted as necessary. .

This project continues on from earlier work in 2011 on the Carricklittle Track and repair of the route from the above col to the North Tor on Slieve Binnian. The work team will be on site until the end of January 2012. Mourne Heritage Trust apologises for any inconvenience to adjacent landowners and users. .

Contact Mourne Heritage Trust for more details. .

Mourne Heritage Trust Volunteer Upland Path Team .

The Volunteer Upland Path Team is carrying out repair to eroded sections of the path from Ben Crom to the Binnian/Lamagan col (see photo below). This is an essential part of the effort to mitigate erosion and contributes greatly to a ‘stitch in time’ approach to upland management. .

Contact Mourne Heritage Trust if you are interested in getting involved with the path volunteers, or even if you want to donate to support this important work. .

For more information:
Tel: 028 41765489 (Silent Valley Office) or 028 4372 4059 (Newcastle Office)
Email: mht@mourne.co.uk
Volunteer Website: www.activelifestyles.org
Website: www.mournelive.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Mournelive
Twitter: www.twitter.com/Mournelive

Mourneman · « **Reply #3 on:** December 08, 2011 »

The work done on these paths are great,some real hard work done.

DSCN5961 by surginor, on Flickr

DSCN8746 by surginor, on Flickr

DSCN5113 by surginor, on Flickr

ChuckMcB · « **Reply #4 on:** December 08, 2011 »

That's a really good before and after, looks like it's taken from exactly the same spot.

Hats off to David Farnan, the MHT Area Ranger, he project managed the whole thing hands on (apart from flying the helicopter

)

LandyLiam · « **Reply #5 on:** October 31, 2012 »

Phase 2 announced on the MHT website today - http://www.mournelive.com/news/news/viewdetails.asp?newsID=576
there's a further link for more info but it doesn't work

did find the full review of all the mourne paths here though http://www.mournelive.com/news/news/viewdetails.asp?newsID=570

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AN OVERVIEW OF PROPOSED UPLAND EROSION CONTROL AND PATH WORKS IN THE MOURNE AONB ON SLIEVE BINNIAN AND SLIEVE DONARD – MOURNE UPLAND PATH WORKS PHASE II

The Mourne Heritage Trust (MHT) with funding from Sport NI and NITB will be undertaking upland erosion control and related path work (a total of 3275 linear meters) at:

· Slieve Binnian from the North Tor to Summit Tor (992m)

· Carricklittle Track along the Mourne Wall heading towards Slieve Binnian Summit Tor (1072m)

· The Brandy Pad to the saddle of Slieve Donard/Commedagh (1211m)

Daithi2004 · « **Reply #6 on:** November 02, 2012 »

I was invited by Matthew Bushby of MHT to a site visit of some of ther pathwork. I was there representing Ulster Federation of Rambling Clubs (UFRC) Here is a link to our visit with pictures

http://www.ufrc-online.co.uk/mourne-upland-path-project-mourne-heritage-trust/

PS...Advice: I tried to put pictures up on this post but they were far too big. Is there anyway that I can reduce them to fit within the post?

mregan · « **Reply #7 on:** November 04, 2012 »

Easiest untechnical way would be open them in paint reduce size and save as jpeg

LandyLiam · « **Reply #8 on:** November 04, 2012 »

some photo advice here
http://www.ni-wild.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=1463.msg28619#msg28619

Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more

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Author Topic: Mourne Upland Path Project - Mourne Heritage Trust (Read 9820 times)

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