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Author Topic: Wildest Place in NI?  (Read 26496 times)

Rumblebum

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Re: Wildest Place in NI?
« Reply #15 on: February 21, 2012 »
Wildest place in NI?

Its definately got to be the Next boxing day sale!!

Enter that place at your own peril,  i once saw a 50 year old woman use a clothes hanger like a set a nung chucks!!
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Samm

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Re: Wildest Place in NI?
« Reply #16 on: February 21, 2012 »
Yeah, it's odd to think that most of the Mournes is below what would be the natural tree line.  If man had never mucked about with it, we wouldn't have the scenery that we associate with the Mournes and our other uplands.  We'd probably only get a good view when doing the 7 7's!  If we removed the sheep and the idiots who cause wildfires then the Mournes would look very different in time.
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sjh1

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Re: Wildest Place in NI?
« Reply #17 on: February 21, 2012 »
Quote from: whoRya on February 21, 2012
Someone mentioned about trees re-seeding themselves.  Not sure if that is the case here, but there are a few scattered ones in the area.  I thought it looked cool.



On the topic, I think I get the feeling of wilderness when I can't see or hear a road.  I love the feeling of needing to take gear with you to 'survive' the environment in which you are going to.

Ahh, now if we got rid of the sheep ...

But as somebody pointed out to me recently there would still be hares and deer about to control growth slightly although I see very few of either in the Mournes. Back in the day (scientific term) there might have been natural wildfires too.

Samm, would the 'natural tree line' also depend on factors such as soil thickness, boggy conditions etc.? I've seen ledges half way down cliffs that I'm sure sheep can't get to but no trees present. Heather usually a lot healthier tho.

Edit: also interesting point about being out of sight of a road. ... and I also thought that mink looked strangely cat-like and strangely in a tree but will stick with my original answer.
« Last Edit: February 21, 2012 by sjh1 »
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What would the world be, once bereft
Of wet and of wildness? Let them be left,
O let them be left, wildness and wet;
Long live the weeds and the wilderness yet.

... from 'Inversnaid' by Gerard Manley Hopkins.

RedLeader

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Re: Wildest Place in NI?
« Reply #18 on: February 22, 2012 »
Wilderness for me is judged by distance from civilization / roads / lights. In Northern Ireland I suspect the inner Mournes are the most remote. For the North of Ireland as a landmass Donegal seems like it might have some epic wilds.
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Oisín

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Re: Wildest Place in NI?
« Reply #19 on: February 22, 2012 »
Wilderness is a hard one to define isn't it? I feel that wilderness is something I would relate to lack of humans. Somewhere that we arent the dominant species and where we are reminded we are just another animal, that needs the same things as other animals to survive (food,water,sheleter etc)

I havent travelled an awful lot of the country, but I would have to say the Sperrin Mountains. I'm saying this because they are the place you would call the middle of nowhere, and if you got lost there you are pretty out of the way. I can only compare this to the Mournes where your in respect closer to more towns and more people.
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mregan

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Re: Wildest Place in NI?
« Reply #20 on: February 22, 2012 »
Donegal when I was growing up always seemed pretty remote but now it isn't. Houses popped up everywhere during the boom. Even in around glenveigh etc you are never too far away from a house now. Unless you walk around in circles ;-)
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whoRya

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Re: Wildest Place in NI?
« Reply #21 on: February 22, 2012 »
Quote from: mregan on February 22, 2012
Donegal when I was growing up always seemed pretty remote but now it isn't. Houses popped up everywhere during the boom. Even in around glenveigh etc you are never too far away from a house now. Unless you walk around in circles ;-)

Yes with Donegal, they seem to have built on all the best bits and dug-up the bits they can't build on.
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sjh1

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Re: Wildest Place in NI?
« Reply #22 on: February 22, 2012 »
I appreciate the views about distance from civilisation and I love that feeling in the middle of the Mournes ... but as I said many parts of our uplands are so ruined by agriculture that they just can't count as wild for me.

Large sections of the Antrim Plateau have been dug up, reseeded with grass and then overstocked with sheep. Nothing but intensively-farmed green deserts, hardly a bird or wild animal in sight - I suppose wilderness of a sort.

I'd say the Mournes are more natural than either the Sperrins or Antrim hills, with less pressure from factory-farming; I would love to see the sheep removed from the Mournes & see what real wilderness would develop! Incidentally was the Mourne wall not originally built to keep sheep out? I don't think this ever happened in reality but would like to see it attempted!

Was in Annalong Wood there in late December, walked through the recently burnt sections. Good amount of gorse (whins) shoots already appearing. If this is allowed to regenerate naturally it'll provide a much better habitat for birds than the dark conifer plantations, might allow a few deciduous trees to get a foothold too. Look forward to seeing how it develops.

Never been to the Garron Plateau, anybody know what it's like? Seems quite remote, suspect a bit boggy and exposed for camping tho.

Note was originally thinking on a smaller scale, specific cliffs, rocky outcrops, small islands in lakes maybe? ... However I suppose large-scale landscapes are a big part of wilderness.

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What would the world be, once bereft
Of wet and of wildness? Let them be left,
O let them be left, wildness and wet;
Long live the weeds and the wilderness yet.

... from 'Inversnaid' by Gerard Manley Hopkins.

DryBag

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Re: Wildest Place in NI?
« Reply #23 on: February 24, 2012 »
it's got to be the boulder field at the foot of fair head. it's inaccessible, inhospitable, and as far as I know it's the result of natural processes rather than human intervention.
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Chris E

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Re: Wildest Place in NI?
« Reply #24 on: February 25, 2012 »
I can see why you think Fair Head. I was at Murlough Bay last w/end with the family and the NT has a Bothy  and a bungalow for rent down there, but no takers.
The road in is steep, windy, liable to subside and would be lethal in slippery conditions.
On the plus side buzzards, sheep, plenty of shags  (feathered type), cliffs, running water (off the cliffs), great views and lots of peace and quiet. ;)
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Chris

sjh1

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Re: Wildest Place in NI?
« Reply #25 on: February 25, 2012 »
Quote from: DryBag on February 24, 2012
it's got to be the boulder field at the foot of fair head. it's inaccessible, inhospitable, and as far as I know it's the result of natural processes rather than human intervention.

Good call! Have never been down there, will have to check it out. I have been down the road at Murlough Bay to the NT bothy but never got round actually beneath the cliffs. A plan for this summer!
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What would the world be, once bereft
Of wet and of wildness? Let them be left,
O let them be left, wildness and wet;
Long live the weeds and the wilderness yet.

... from 'Inversnaid' by Gerard Manley Hopkins.

Hunter

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Re: Wildest Place in NI?
« Reply #26 on: February 26, 2012 »
mamore gap co donegal nice place.
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DominoYesMaybe

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Re: Wildest Place in NI?
« Reply #27 on: February 27, 2012 »
To the Fair Head Posters - I walk there regularly and if you fancy a dander from Marconi's cottage in the west along the old miner's track, up and over the cliffs and then down into Mirlough via Benvan in the east over the boulders and up the grey man's.. give me a shout it is a hell of a walk and surprisingly around 1km of ascent.

For me the Sperrin Challenge walk was prob the "Wildest" didnt see another soul all day and bugger all litter you do (in order)

Mullaghcarbatagh (517m)
Mullaghclogher (572m)
Mullaghasturakeen (581m)
Mullaghclogha (635m)
Mullaghdoo (568m)
Dart (619m)
Sawel (678m)
Meenard (626m)
Mullaghneany (627m)
Oughtmore (569m)
Crockbrack (526m)
Crockmore (478m)
It crosses 2 roads in 20 miles and they are wee piddly things

Fantastic walk if a bit boggy in places
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Wolf_Larson

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Re: Wildest Place in NI?
« Reply #28 on: February 27, 2012 »
The old path at the gaints cause way is real nice to walk, after you jump the gate where the tourists turn back, also can be dangerous due to land slides. I would never do it on a windy day as the drops of the narrow path are life threatening.

I have pictures on my facebook off the path, im callled wolf larson on facebook with a picture of a great white shark  :D



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mregan

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Re: Wildest Place in NI?
« Reply #29 on: February 28, 2012 »
I have done that path on the bike or what remained of it. Climbing up to hamiltons seat with a bike on my shoulder was a bit of a heart in mouth moment.  :o
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