Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more

Outdoor Activities => Northern Ireland Hiking, Walking, Running, Orienteering and Geocaching => Topic started by: clairebear on October 12, 2013

Title: Mourne wall
Post by: clairebear on October 12, 2013
So I have had this on my to do list all summer, there has always been something or another and I had other races too.  No more excuses so the weekend was totally free and the weather was looking good, no rain so that's good.

I was going to do it in 2 days but I wanted to get home for strictly so a light pack and do in a day with an early start was the plan.   Up at 5am, I'm used to early starts so was no bother, arrived at carricklittle at 6.45 and was starting to walk at 6.55am.   My pack was light and I'd went with a full 2ls of water, 6gels, 4snickers, various bars and a big chicken baguette.  Small first aid kit, waterproof jacket, phone and cashs food.  I was wearing trail trainers, my sock gaiters and a light jacket.

Used my head torch but it wasn't long before it came off, up binnian and now I'm sweating, cash is hyper and as he's attached to me helps me up! 

Cloudy at the top but thought I'd get cash to pose.(http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/10/13/jabese9y.jpg)
Quickly down the rather steep side and up over wee binnian and moolieve.  All the time I was walking up and running down. 

(http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/10/13/7y4yrunu.jpg)

Down to silent valley and I went accross the top of it.  (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/10/13/arusyzy2.jpg)
The weather was grand and my choice of jacket was spot on. 

Up slieveenlough which was boggy and craggy. Not a nice climb really.  Up over and down to slieve muck.  Now in my head I knew after muck the hard part of climbing was done in meters anyway.  (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/10/13/bajuduty.jpg)

It does look very steep from this side and I munched a snickers hoping for the nuts to make me give super strength! (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/10/13/deba3eje.jpg)

Scrambled up muck, feeling the climb of it alright, up to mist covered summit again (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/10/13/uza7uvan.jpg)
(http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/10/13/rybumeta.jpg)

Now I needed some savoury food so took half of my bap before going up carn.  This was the first time I've been up it an it's a pretty wee mountain, I'd go here again, (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/10/13/a8e5yny5.jpg)

Down and up loughshannagh, guns and roses came on my shuffle and axel was a great distraction.  (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/10/13/tyhutyjy.jpg)

Another of the cash man, he was starting to calm down a bit now thank goodness. 

Think this is on way up loughshannagh, (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/10/13/ate9u6av.jpg)

The weather was chilly at the summits and windy, not great for photos though. 

Then I flatlined on the way up meelbeg, gel in snickers too but after meelmore I had to stop for painkillers for the dodgy knee, add a caffeine tab to the water and give myself a good talking too. 

(http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/10/13/5azutu5u.jpg)

Seemed to work and bernagh was steep but not too bad, (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/10/13/3emabe4u.jpg)(http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/10/13/e7ygepa2.jpg)

Hares gap was busy, ate other half of lunch and pushed on through the mist over corragh and the water pipe was in sights.  Refilled my bladder and added another caffeine H2o tab.  Yaldi as they say over commedagh and I passed  two guys and all I could smell was chicken soup, oh how I wanted savouriness instead of sweetness, got over that with another snickers!(http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/10/13/a3y3e2e3.jpg)
The end was near, all I had to do was clamber up Donard which I hate, it's always busy and has litter all over it, I avoid it but not today, I was now talking and singing to myself, lots of looks of disbelief and people loving cash. 

Asked a man from England to take our photo at the top of Donard
(http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/10/13/ede6ymyn.jpg)

Oh sore knees galore on the descent. 

Able to get back on my running again now and a long but flattish route via Donard bog, remembered to stick to the left hand side of the wall.  (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/10/13/ymaquzyr.jpg)

Long seffon funny little thing, took wall to left.

(http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/10/13/3e6ajuvu.jpg)
(http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/10/13/a9a7u7e7.jpg)

Two friendly ponies one was a wee Shetland at the old house.

Now I was gonna follow the wall on through but I was a little put off as there are stories o getting lost and all so we veered left down the track/lane to the road and then back to the car park.  (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/10/13/arumera4.jpg)

Was still doing some sort of a run which was pleasing. 

Back to the car park at 3.40 which made it 8.45 walking time. 

(http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/10/13/neduhasu.jpg)

Things I would do different. 
Bring another savoury lunch and ditch the snickers.  The chicken soup on commedagh was nearly mine.
Use the H2o tab from the start.
Bring a buff for the chilly summits.

A great days Craic, we really did have a fantastic day and something I have wanted to do for a while.  I stopped a good few times for photos, food etc.

Next time it's under 8hours.
Title: Re: Mourne wall
Post by: Spud on October 12, 2013
Nice work Claire, well done!
Title: Re: Mourne wall
Post by: Mourneman on October 12, 2013
karma claire,doing this trek next weekend
Title: Re: Mourne wall
Post by: Rusty Madra on October 12, 2013
Fair play to you and well done... That's a cracking time too. It's no small feat the Mourne Wall. It exhausted me when I done it and my time was a load of hours longer than yours lol!
Title: Re: Mourne wall
Post by: clairebear on October 12, 2013
its a great walk mourneman, i read your last post from when you guys done it, hope the weather is kinder and visibility is good. 
Title: Re: Mourne wall
Post by: phil_b on October 12, 2013
Excellent work Claire, and a great time too. I am hoping to do it the other way round next year after doing it the same way as you earlier this year.
Title: Re: Mourne wall
Post by: LandyLiam on October 12, 2013
Brilliant Claire, you're an inspiration, especially for the early start, that's something I just couldn't do.
Title: Re: Mourne wall
Post by: clairebear on October 13, 2013
phil i reckon it will be tougher the other way, muck and binnian are steep.  I always like your photos, much better than my misty efforts.
Title: Re: Mourne wall
Post by: specimanYak on October 13, 2013
Well done Claire, that's a brilliant achievement and the photos look great.
Title: Mourne wall
Post by: Kayakgirl on October 13, 2013
Well done Claire!
Title: Re: Mourne wall
Post by: Rich.H on October 13, 2013
Congrats, didn't realise you were up for this so soon when you talked about it. and some good tick over the past month for you.

1.MMM
2.Causeway coast
3.Mourne wall

Reads like mosts folks bucket list and you knock them all out in a month. kudos.
Title: Re: Mourne wall
Post by: clairebear on October 14, 2013
cheers richie, it's a great walk, when we meet up after christmas we can have a go at it the other way round.  Though it'd need to be an early start to get finished before sunset again.  Hows the big hills in donegal going?