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[Matthew]

As some of you know from the Friday-Saturday trip, I was heading back down to Meelmore lodge for the Saturday night for a few friends. I had phoned on the Friday and was greeted by a woman who turned out to be the owner in a far from friendly tone, claiming we do not let young people on here as they cause too much damage and mess. Apart from being slight annoyed with being labelled within five seconds this was just dam right rude. aster assuring the woman I was not one of the so called "yobs" she took my booking.

Before leaving the Friday overnighter, I confirmed my booking in person so all was well. After getting fresh gear, girlfriend and another couple, we were off. Arriving in Meelmore lodge, I proceeded to pay for the night only again to be spoken to in a far from friendly manner (recurring theme) by the same woman claiming I was not suitably dressed; apparently, outdoor kit is not acceptable. As she realised I was the person from the phone she soon backtracked and granted us our site.

Moving towards the gate to the field I was stopped by three carloads of people who had been refused by the farmer, he stopped me too asking if I had paid and demanded to see the receipt, I have no problems with that. Next, along he asked what we would be doing so I simply told him camping, as this was a campsite, not quite as funny as it had sounded in my head apparently. The farmer then asked if we were in separate tents, again I just told him two tents for the two couples, by now I was just getting pissed off with the level of rudeness, bad manners and general discomfort of being there.
finally got to the site parked the car and pitched the tent, no sooner as I jumped in, two of the staff came down to inspect the tent and warn us about not making a mess and to keep the noise down in a far from polite way. The kind man even commented that he was unsure that my tent was suitable for a night's sleep.     Half an hour later after visiting the gentleman's I decided I would say to the staff that there was human waste all over the floor.... it stayed there until today.

Had a bbq and had a great time around the fire well apart from being watched from a staff caravan through a pair of binoculars. So much for the music stopping at 11:30 a large group kept loud music, drunken chat and dam right inappropriate behaviour going until 3:00AM with not a word being said.
Went to bed and got some sleep, up, washed, cooked breakfast only to be approached again by two staff claiming we had left our rubbish all over another area of the field, clearly this did not happen, I had been doing decent thing and was picking up litter and putting in OUR bin

Bottom line I won't be back to a filthy, un sanitary, un inviting, unhelpful and miserable place. It is a shame because the views are brilliant, especially for people who have never been in the "hills". I can fully understand their reluctance to let people young people in but it's not fair to judge people on face value. I know they are trying to tidy up their image as a messers camp site but there are ways and means of doing it.


Matthew

[Scribble]

Shit one , I can not say I had the same experince I stayed Saturday night with my son arrived bout 2 and picked my site weput up the tempest and then me and my 4 year old went for a dander we had a brill time but when we came back a Belfast taxi had arrived with jet ski , they wer loud and played wat ever music they wanted ( Caroline stewart) for an hour or so , one of the guys came down and told them to switch it off .
Me and wee lad enjoyed watching the groups of young ones coming in knackered looking as if the had walked the mourne walk

the only thing that pissed me off was the twat on quad selling fireblocks mainly because I had no BBQ to put them on also he woke us about 11 .

I def will go back as I had no trouble but if they spoke to me like the way you said they did I think I would of lost the plot .

I think u wer behind me listening to death meatal as I was admiring your tent but I could be wrong (black car )

[surfnscenic]

Lats year, perhaps around April I was assisting with a Duke of Ed group who were camped elswhere and as an experiment I opted to stay close by at Meelmore Lodge.  I made the fatal error of camping near to the main block.  The noise and litter was bad.   

After 11:00PM there was a car driving about the tent area, a child screaming and adult voices and conversation that someone was going to get sorted out.  In the top left hand corner of the main field there was a caravan with a group of guys drinking, talking incessantly around a large fire in what appeared to be a 50-gallon oil drum.

At 02:00AM I'd had enough.  I struck camp, bunged everything into my car and headed home.  Just as I was leaving I phoned the owner and made him aware of the niose and that I was leaving.  I had no intentions of returning.

However, in June I was assisting Dof E again and they were camping at Meelmore.  As my daughter would be there I decided to remain on site to lend a hand generally but in case there was any similar behaviour that may require the group to evacuate.

It was very busy with a few families, some other youth groups, some outdoor types and plenty of BBQ campers.  I envisaged another disrupted night.  It was slightly quieter.  In the morning the place was covered in litter and the toilet block was a disaster.

It is so unfortunate that being in an ideal location that as with everything the yobs are allowed to ruin it and the decent folk are challenged.  Can I get off my soapbox now?

[Matthew]

I suppose it is like all these palces, just hit and miss

[Scribble]

I suppose it is like all these palces, just hit and miss

I have a 4 year old and a 6 year old that I would love to lend you for a night if it meant you could have a better reception

[RedLeader]

I've only stayed once and had a mixed reaction. There were some groups of yoofs about but the owners had said they'd relaxed the rules since there'd been a concert on in Newcastle the night before. We did have to put up with some music late into the night (which no-one tried to stop) but it could have been worse. However, when the farmer came round selling logs I had to listen to him bitching about how messy and troublesome everyone was. Just to be harsh, I wasn't making a mess or any noise and was only there with one small boy and therefore unlikely to be troublesome and couldn't really be arsed listening to him. If he doesn't like running a campsite then he should get a different job. I'm assuming he wouldn't like it if I wandered over to him while he was on his hols and moaned at length about the ills of working in the industry I'm in.

That said, I'm glad of their secure parking service and it does really help Mournes access for overnighters but from Matts comments it seems like they need to start showing a bit of sense and discretion.

[ChuckMcB]

Shame that their current heavy handed approach (to 'scare' the messers away and get word around that they are not welcome) backfired on them and ended up targeting you.

[suspectmonkey]

I suppose it is like all these palces, just hit and miss

I've had a pretty similar experience on a couple of occassions at Meelmore Lodge.  I know they are having a lot of problems with anti-social behaviour, but they seem to be targetting the wrong people.  Because they are a "family" campsite then it appears to be okay if you turn up with your 5x riotous children, 2x Staffies and enough Carlsberg to fill a swimming pool.  If, however, you are a couple clearly using the campsite as a base for hiking in the Mournes then you are likely to be interrogated and lucky to be allowed to stay.  From witnessing a few domestics there I'd say the families are the problem!  Mind you, many campsites appear to be the same these days so I guess I there isn't much choice... 

Actually, next time I'm there I might just have a word with them and see what the craic is.  I remember seeing Meelmore Lodge on Countryfile and they interviewed the landowner.  My interpretation of what he said was something along the lines of "we used to hate walkers and campers coming to the area, but then we realised if we offered a campsite and secure parking we could make a fortune." 

Perhaps I'm just being a bit harsh though because they left a hair in my scrambled eggs on Saturday morning...

[LennyJ1]

I think that the fact the site is so close to the mournes to par you car is great, but the is a better site at Rostrevor.

[Matthew]

I think u wer behind me listening to death meatal as I was admiring your tent but I could be wrong (black car )

Nope not me, I was in a silver Mondeo. we parked at the second section form the bottom.

[Scribble]

I think u wer behind me listening to death meatal as I was admiring your tent but I could be wrong (black car )

Nope not me, I was in a silver Mondeo. we parked at the second section form the bottom.

did your lady friends sleep in car as i think you where to the left of me and when i woke up 

[Matthew]

no no it was just the two couples, i do know who you mean though. looking down the field we were to the left of the car.

[Scribble]

no no it was just the two couples, i do know who you mean though. looking down the field we were to the left of the car.

well we wer in the same field 

[chris]

The first and last time I used a proper dedicated camp site I was greeted by the owner's shotgun 3 inches from my face! All in all your guys experience doesn't seem too bad
Are they guys who own it the same who run/work in the coffee shop?

[ChuckMcB]

Are they guys who own it the same who run/work in the coffee shop?

Yes, as I understand it, this lady (June) is the farmer's wife, the other younger ones are staff (a couple only new this season).

But a bit of internet stalking turns out these two faces that you should recognise: lady on the left is the daughter (Ruth McClenaghan), gent on the right is the owner of the land/coffee shop, Desmond Patterson. (source)

More stalking turns out that Desmond Patterson is "chairman for the Mourne Heritage Trust." (source)

I better stop now

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