John why have you more right to the hills than "spotty teenage spides"? Better them involved in the DoE than hanging round town with nothing to do. At least there will a new generation of hill walkers who respect the hills.
If you see rubbish pick it up it's a no brainer and enery little helps.
I found this article on the history off the mourne wall walk and the same problems always crop up. But it also highlights the the reason people love the hills......
to have some fun.
MOURNE WALL WALK MEMORIES
‘The best talkers don’t necessarily make the best walkers’
( Mourne Observer quote on the 1978 Wall Walk)
Some things will never happen again. We can be pretty sure that nobody will ever again manage to mobilise a workforce to build anything quite like the Mourne Wall. The effort which was required to construct the Wall is something that few of us can begin to appreciate – in every sense, it is an absolute brute.
The Wall Walk was also a brute. There are many long distance challenge walks in the rest of the world; some are longer but I doubt if any compare with the annual test provided by the 22 miles and 15 peaks, involving a total of 10 000 ft climbing, which encircle the Belfast Water Commissioners reservoirs in County Down. The distance was manageable by a reasonably fit casual walker and the physical challenge was on the limits of what could be completed at speed by a serious fell runner. The final descent towards Long Seefin sometimes involved running at speed on top of the wall coping stones – a skill which was unique to Mourne fell runners, some of whom even knew where the loose stones were.
This is the story of what I can remember about people who met the challenge of completing the annual walk and in particularly those who set records which may never be beaten.
Firstly, there should be an appreciation of those who conceived the Mourne Wall Walk. There are no prizes for guessing which local walker is recorded as doing the first full circuit – the year was 1935 and the man was Wilfrid Capper. Wilfrid, was involved in just about everything to do with walking in this country during his long lifetime. It would not surprise me if he walked back to his Belfast home following his initial circuit of the Wall seventy years ago.
In subsequent years, before and after the War, small parties completed the walk with Wilfrid, who always stipulated that short-cuts were strictly not allowed. It would be great to meet some of these early pioneers of long distance walking but I guess that many of those involved have now walked their last stride.
It was not until 1957 that a properly organised annual event started. The Walk was promoted by the Youth Hostel Association of Northern Ireland as a means of raising funds. Wilfrid, who was still going strong, in association with Paddy McAteer and Victor Pillow were among the
initial organisers. Only 43 people entered in this first year and few could have guessed how big the event was to become.
Early press reports show that 238 in 1964 (201 finishers) and 487 started in 1968 (219 finishers). One notable entrant in 1963 was top English fell runner Eric Beard who set a record time of 4 hrs 26 mins. This was fast but the time is also a measure of how great the performances of other local runners were in following years. Yorkshire based, Eric was a true champion having smashed many mountain running records in GB in the 1960s. He sometimes ran wearing kletters (a type footwear I’ve never heard of).
There are few other records for the early years, during which numbers were small, but by 1975 a total of 1750 people were entered. First home was John Hanna in 5 hrs 40 mins and controversy had commenced. The event annually gave rise to two debates:
1) Was it a good idea to encourage thousands of walkers into the Mournes on one day and did this damage the fragile environment?
2) Should people be allowed to race the walk? Were runners a threat to walkers and did they add an extra burden on the already hassled organisers and emergency services?
The environmental argument was eventually conceded and the walk ended in 1983 but the ‘running debate’ was never settled. L R Carew, of the Belfast Branch of the Irish Mountaineering Club, wrote that he was struck by the rigidity with which the organisers cling to the concept of the event not being competitive. He said that there should be no more ‘giving off’ about wearing running shoes …. And the organisers should take into account the aptitude and state of fitness of entrants. The YHANI organisers responded that ‘plimsolls are unsatisfactory footwear for going into the mountains’.
For the next eight years this argument continued but the following is a record of the times recorded in Mourne Observer articles. Many of these amazing efforts require verification; for example, how accurate was timing and did every winner complete the full course – missing out the summit of Slieve Meelmore was always very tempting. Wilfrid Capper is on record as saying that he never took short-cuts but did everybody follow his full circumnavigation of the Wall? It is hoped that readers of this article can respond with details which will enable the record books to be completed.
1973
The winner (unknown) was given a shield presented by Maeve Kyle.
1974
700 entered the Walk. The Lisburn Shield was presented for competition between teams of 8 walkers from any organisation. Thirteen teams entered and Mourne UDR won.
1976
A total of 1251 started on a warm day. Eleven casualties were airlifted out by helicopter and first back was Tom Perry in a moderate time of 5 hrs 50 mins.
1977
This year marked the arrival of the local supermen. Comber fell-runner Jim Hayes, also described in the press as a ‘star sprinter’, knocked 5 mins of the record to finish in 4:11:30. Joint second, over an hour behind, were T Perry and J White. The weather was described as ‘middlin to piddlin’ and 1512 walkers and one dog completed the course.
1978
The walk was stopped early due to low cloud and sleet. Only 1249 of the 2050 starters managed to find their way to the finish in visibility down to 20 metres. Organiser Paddy McAteer said that 23 people had to be rescued from the mountains and 6 of these ended up in hospital. The weather didn’t bother Jim Hayes too much; he was first to break the 4 hour barrier with an amazing time of 3:58. Jim was described as being ‘super fit, with great balance and the guts that are needed to go leaping down rough slopes’.
Jim Patterson was strangely recorded as doing the same time but ended up being disqualified for starting too late. I can remember some ‘cat and mouse’ games between Hayes and Patterson, with neither wanting to help the other by taking an early lead but I doubt if they ever started that far apart – anybody know what happened in 1978 and who made this decision which deprived Jim Patterson of his share of the record?
1979
By now, entry numbers were on the increase – 2355 started, 1419 finished. Rathfriland man Howard Murray Jnr managed to split Hayes and Patterson. The organisers spent many hours collecting litter from fish & chip vans.
1980
Numbers were up again; 2877 started and 2047 completed the course.
There were several near-death experiences when a number of large stones were dislodged on Binnnian. The weather was described as being the best ever and Hares Gap was said to resemble a huge picnic site with Guinness and red wine being the most popular tipples. Neither of which were sampled by Jim Patterson who stormed around in an amazing 3:48.
One English entrant crossed to Northern Ireland on Friday night, cycled to the Mournes, walked the walk and cycled home again on the Monday.
Local man Irvine Heaney, from Kilkeel, did the walk in a suit and tie.
1981
First home, at 10:50am, was Hugh Annett in a time of 4:23. This means he started just after 6:00am and must not have seen many other people on the way around. The 2459 finishers were presented with silver jubilee badges; 3400 had started and wet weather caused a high drop-out rate.
1982
Hugh Annett was back as winner, with a 3:54 timing. The number of starters fell to 2657, probably due to bad weather. The weather also caused diversions at Little Binnian and Slievenaglogh. A one-legged man John Murray of Ballykinler is said to have completed 12 miles of the walk route.
1983
Ian Park set a new record with 3:42 but it’s not clear what effect rerouting on Binnian had on this excellent time. To avoid erosion, entries had been limited to 3000 but only 2640 started on the day of which 2080 finished.
A Ban the Boot protest was mounted by MCI members who were concerned about damage to Binnian, Loughshannagh and Meelbeg. Claims were made that grass was eroded for 30ft beside the wall.
1984
Following representations from DOE and MCI, the organisers (YHANI) cancelled the walk as an act of good faith in the best interests of the Mournes.
The Wall Walk was many things: it promoted mass fitness, raised money for a good cause, attracted tourists, got people out of bed early and produced some amazing athletic performances. On the other hand, it undoubtedly caused much damage to the hills and generated a lot of litter. In 2005 a new route – the Newcastle Challenge Trail – will be launched. This is also a true test of long distance endurance, through glorious scenery but over sustainable terrain. Who knows, one day this new walk may become as popular as the Mourne Wall Walk once was.
Terry Eakin
May 2005
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