Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more
Outdoor Activities => Northern Ireland Camping and Bushcraft => Topic started by: andy1984 on April 07, 2010
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I was watching off the beaten track a few days ago, the one of fairhead, and it looks like a class walk!
I was wondering if it is possible to wild camp up there? It looked like there might be suitable from the programme but just wondering if anyone here had.
is the ground good enough to pitch a tent?
Remote enough that no one would care?
Cheers
Andy
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I watched the same program and had exactly the same thought. We're planning to do this walk in the next few weeks either as a single day or overnighter. I reckon you could camp up there as long as you were inconspicuous as the top is well away from the roads.
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I reckon you could camp up there as long as you were inconspicuous as the top is well away from the roads.
yeah thats what i thought!!
A overnighter sounds good! ;D although prob best to pick a good weather window, i'd say it could get very blowly!!! lol
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walk the grey mans path to murlough bay pitch your tent at the old church.or go up into the cliffs there are some remote spots.
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Sounds like a plan I'm def going to this, when are you guys thinking about going? This weekend maybe?Weather seems good bit better today
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walk the grey mans path to murlough bay pitch your tent at the old church.or go up into the cliffs there are some remote spots.
Sounds like a plan I'm def going to this, when are you guys thinking about going? This weekend maybe?Weather seems good bit better today
Sounds good. I think this weekened should be fine for me too.
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cant go this weekend.be careful on the greymans path.and dont draw attention to the fact that your camping at murlough bay as its not strictly allowed.enjoy.
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I watched the same program and had exactly the same thought. We're planning to do this walk in the next few weeks either as a single day or overnighter. I reckon you could camp up there as long as you were inconspicuous as the top is well away from the roads.
you kept that quiet. ;)
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We haven't actually planned it yet but Suspectmonkey was thinking it. You up for a sneaky overnighter?
I watched the same program and had exactly the same thought. We're planning to do this walk in the next few weeks either as a single day or overnighter. I reckon you could camp up there as long as you were inconspicuous as the top is well away from the roads.
you kept that quiet. ;)
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I might be able to come too, hopefully, you'se'll be able to post details of where u r meeting.
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Just rewatched the off the beaten track there now....think I'm going to give this a go on Sunday. More info here (http://www.bbc.co.uk/blueprint/offthebeatentrack/fairhead.shtml).
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Fair Head is one I really want to do but alas, I think Sunday is out for me. Weather's a bit suspect too.
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I would be up for a sunday Up fairhead aswell.
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Had a try at this yesterday (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcrobert/sets/72157624410049899/). The path along the shore is actually quite poor, very overgrown, loads of times the path ended up in a bog, or disappeared off into a drop down to the beach (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcrobert/4807818437/in/set-72157624410049899/#/), it 'aint no One Man Pass (http://www.ni-wild.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=1147.0), but you gotta be careful if it's windy/wet or you have kids along. Perhaps in the spring/autumn other tracks along the shore will become visible.
Top tip: ignore the man from the TV program (and the web site (http://www.bbc.co.uk/blueprint/offthebeatentrack/fairhead.shtml)) that advise going go up the gully beside the waterfall, when we tried to do it it was a mud slide. Only got half way up (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcrobert/4805839003/in/set-72157624406129357/) before choosing life and heading back to the beach for lunch.
After lunch we noticed folks coming down a farm track further on, seems that's the best way to get up to the cliff top (it does involved a little bit of minor farm land trespassing so that's prob. why the Beeb doesn't recommend it). So once you reach the waterfall (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcrobert/4808436818/in/set-72157624410049899/), cross the river and you will see an old metal winch, that's at the bottom of a farm track, follow it up as it twists and turns up the cliff to the top.
ps. even without getting to the top of the cliff there is loads of camping room at the foot of the waterfall, very flat, bit exposed if the wind/sea picked up, it's been used before as there was a fire pit in evidence.
pps. not much parking at the start point (perhaps only four car's worth), there's a new house been built at what was Marconi's cottage and there are big piles of soil and rubble lying about. The shore front car park has more but it would be ++dodgy overnight because it soo far away from civilisation.
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I didn't realise that there was a path along the shore - I thought some of it was sheer cliff.
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Wife and I had another go at this on Saturday. Very cool. The route up the farm track just after the waterfall is perfect (tip: once you reach the top of the cliff you will see a small quary works on the left...turn left there and cross the fence as close to the cliff edge as your nerve can handle ;)
Fair number of wild camping spots, but most are visible from the farm houses so keep it subtle.
Found the Grey Man's path no problem (once you reach the rocks with yellow dots painted on them, you are getting close)
Was a bit spooky, after lunch the Grey Man came to get us. The below photos were taken maybe 15 minutes apart.
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4093/4826350021_221e21f60c.jpg) (http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4102/4826950482_770ff3f9a3.jpg)
(http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=71377&intl_lang=en-us&photo_secret=984cbf38b9&photo_id=4826179383)
Just to show you how fast it can turn nasty.
Clickity Click (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcrobert/4826179383/in/set-72157624452299911/#/photos/mcrobert/4826179383/in/set-72157624452299911/lightbox/)
(apologies for turning into a big girl towards the end of the movie...I was just wearing a t-shirt when I started filming...mute the sounds if you don't like the sounds of a grown man crying ;D)