Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more
General => Meets, places, trips and reviews => Topic started by: whoRya on March 12, 2013
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Myself and Rumblebum have planned a wee summit camp on Slieve Meelbeg this Saturday.
Not sure about times yet but we'll likely head up early evening via the Happy Valley, returning the next morning by heading down the NW 'spine' of the mountain for a bit of variety.
http://binged.it/12NfR9b (http://binged.it/12NfR9b)
Give us a wee shout if you fancy it.
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I could be up for his as long as I don't hear how great Liverpool are lol.
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Got a camp later that week or I'd be going ;D
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Good stuff Lenny, although I feel that I must clarify something for the purposes of the public record.
The Liverpool comment is not directed at me. I do not have any connection or affiliation with Liverpool FC, nor have I ever had in the past, nor do I intend to in the future. I consider myself to be of good upstanding and integrity and do not want to be tarnished by the misdeeds and feculent nature of the aforementioned football club.
Oh I feel much better after that :)
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Good stuff Lenny, although I feel that I must clarify something for the purposes of the public record.
The Liverpool comment is not directed at me. I do not have any connection or affiliation with Liverpool FC, nor have I ever had in the past, nor do I intend to in the future. I consider myself to be of good upstanding and integrity and do not want to be tarnished by the misdeeds and feculent nature of the aforementioned football club.
Oh I feel much better after that :)
That comment was defo not aimed at you. However Alan would say
I do have a connection & affiliation with Liverpool FC, I have always had in the past, I will always intend to in the future. I consider myself to be of bad upstanding and integrity and do & will always want to be tarnished by the misdeeds and feculent nature of the aforementioned football club.
:D :D ;D ;D :D :D................:)
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There is only one team and it is not liverpool ;D
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There is only one team in Liverpool and that's the mighty Everton. Up the toffees ;D
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There is only one team in Liverpool and that's the mighty Everton. Up the toffees ;D
Is that the Everton that's below Liverpool in the league, got humped by Wigan at home in the cup and haven't won a trophy in 18 years? ;) cmon the redmen!
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Going back on topic. Has anyone camped on Meelbeg before? I'm expecting it to be a little like Meelmore with thin soil.
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I intend being over Meelbeg on sunday morning but it will probably be after you are all gone. Keep an eye out for a man with a black lab and a collie and say hello if you see me.
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Hi there
I might be able to join you on meelbeg.
I was there yesterday and there was a lot of snow heaped against the wall - expect a cool night! The mournes looked great with a good dusting of snow everywhere.
The summit is quite rocky so it will be difficult to pitch tents.
Fred
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Ok sounds like Meelmore but with more rocks ;D
It would be great if you could join us Fred. Would you be thinking of a bivy? I'll be speaking to Rumblebum later and we'll sort out timings.
Cold? Yes it does give a 'feels like -8' on the Met Office. I'll have to try to convince my body that it isn't actually -8, it just feels it 8)
Nice one Phil, we'll be to sure to say hello and to give your bro abuse about not committing to the 7 7s.
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I havent decided about a tent yet but it will depend of the weather on saturday.
If it was too rocky we could probably camp at the col.
fred
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Has anyone camped on Meelbeg before?
yes, it was very rocky but i found one wee spot just big enough for my tent right at the summit, the other side of the wall was better but that was the windy side and at the time there was an serious amount of sheep poo there, all frozen now though :)
(http://user26557.vs.easily.co.uk/landrover/team-blrc/graphics/photos/2010/sleepy7s/2meelbeg/P8260760%20(Large)%20(Small).JPG)
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Thats an old photo Liam
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Hi there
I might be able to join you on meelbeg.
I was there yesterday and there was a lot of snow heaped against the wall - expect a cool night! The mournes looked great with a good dusting of snow everywhere.
The summit is quite rocky so it will be difficult to pitch tents.
Fred
Good man Fred, we can probably collect you on the way through again.
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Thanks rumblebum, thats great.
Its probable that the snow will remain on the summits for a few days which will be a bit of a treat.
fred
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Ok, planning to get down there for about 6:15pm, to get up there for dinner :)
If there are any other takers, give us a shout.
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There wasn't much snow in the hills today when I was up working.
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good chance they're getting a good dumping of snow right now, i might pop up to dig them out in the morning :) prob leaving happy valley car park about 9.30am
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Yep there's loads on it now.. Staying at Greenhill tonight
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Unfortunately I hd to pull out of this camp but I'm sure it was a cracker with the snow. ::)
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We lived through the night 8)
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8523/8564057577_b3f1ce56c1_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/76526252@N05/8564057577/)
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Good effort guys. Wish I could of made it.
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Was up round there today I saw where you had pitched, great photos
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fair play to you two for staying up there in that, I didn't make it up myself this morning, with all the snow about i thought it best i went a more popular route as i was alone, also wasn't sure which way you would come down (i would have guessed the ridge so would have missed you anyway) so did donard instead, beautiful morning, hardly a breath of wind about, and only a light breeze on the summit, i was so hot going up i ended up dropping layers til i was down to a tshirt, strange mix of groups, many were just in trainers, some people where wearing crampons!
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After a pretty grim wet day in and around Belfast the hope was that it would be snowing rather than raining up where we were heading. Snow on the Belfast Hills and Slieve Croob on the way down gave us great encouragement. The lower lying ground in and around the Mournes was pretty clear but glimpses through the clouds were showing the mountains to be well-coated in a brilliant white blanket of snow.
As planned, we headed up the Happy Valley and the going was good. Occasionally we had to pause to plan our next steps as the sound of gently flowing water gave away the secrets that lay under the untouched flat sections of fresh snow. Knee high into one of the streams would not make for a great start to the night. As the ground got steeper the efforts required became greater. I was delighted that I had finally got a chance to try out my new micro-spikes. I thought when it got to March the chance had gone!
We took a breather at the Meelmore/Meelbeg col, remarking at how there would be worse places to spend the night. Even in the darkness the other peaks were easily picked out. With clear skies and a full moon the view would have been stunning.
After another half hour or so we pulled up on to the summit of Slieve Meelbeg, completing the whole walk without the need for a head torch. With the winds picking up a little and plenty of snow clouds moving around we thought it best to get the shelter up as quick as possible. This mountain had always threatened to be a bit of a tough one to find a good pitch on. Tough that is on a normal day; when you can't tell what is rock and what is grass - pretty impossible. 15 mins later and I had two pegs in about a third of the way each. Fred was having no joy either with his neat 3 peg set up. I had another 8 pegs to try to get in. It just wasn't going to happen tonight. We quickly formed a consensus and beat a track back down to the col, where 15 minutes later camp was established.
The next few hours were passed chewin' the fat, supping cuppas and sizzling burgers - all with the pleasant contrast of the warm glow of flame against perfect white snow. Turning in for me was zipping the tent up to keep the cold out, for Fred it was sticking his head under a tarp. About 15 minutes later the silence was broken by the sound of ice axe on snow. A quick fired off question of "What are you at?" returned the reply "Making a pillow". That brought a smile to my face. It was a good nights sleep for me only waking a few times to the sound of snow on sil-nylon, for Fred that was snow on face. He's one brave lad.
Unfortunately morning didn't deliver that killer-view we hoped for but it was great to wake up in soft fresh snow. With the warm glow of porridge in us it was a pleasant dander back down the valley, weaving a bit to try to get a reception to text Liam who we thought may have taken the notion to make his way up to see us at the top. Thankfully he had decided otherwise.
It was great to get a final proper winter camp in, here's a few pics to share. Sorry no views.
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8512/8564546497_acb61a3368_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/76526252@N05/8564546497/)
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8234/8565644204_d032cacfc3_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/76526252@N05/8565644204/)
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8246/8565641700_e64d324dee_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/76526252@N05/8565641700/)
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8391/8565639860_0cef483461_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/76526252@N05/8565639860/)
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8522/8565638056_33f7ba0eec_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/76526252@N05/8565638056/)
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8390/8564537285_174e2302ed_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/76526252@N05/8564537285/)
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8107/8564535363_ec646aba66_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/76526252@N05/8564535363/)
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Looks like an Epic camp lads and really well done to the two you.
Your friends in work will all be looking at your pictures going, nutter!
Fred's pillow effort made me laugh out hard there, I'm just thinking did you carry much water or melt the snow down?
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Fantastic!!!!!
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I'm just thinking did you carry much water or melt the snow down?
We only took a wee taste of water each but mostly melted snow, Fred's multi-fuel stove made swift work of it.
fair play to you two for staying up there in that, I didn't make it up myself this morning, with all the snow about i thought it best i went a more popular route as i was alone, also wasn't sure which way you would come down (i would have guessed the ridge so would have missed you anyway) so did donard instead, beautiful morning, hardly a breath of wind about, and only a light breeze on the summit, i was so hot going up i ended up dropping layers til i was down to a tshirt, strange mix of groups, many were just in trainers, some people where wearing crampons!
I'd hoped to be coming down the ridge, but after camping at the col, the thought of climbing back up to go down that way just wasn't on the tables. An eclectic mix up Donard all right. A group we were talking to on their way up the Happy Valley had intended to walk around the Spelga area but apparently their cars couldn't get up the Spelga Pass.
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Nice one lads! ;D
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(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_k_ICSkAB1hk/TKLZPZI8dsI/AAAAAAAAGfc/eNMbqc1EEWw/s1600/simpsons_mr_burns_excellent.jpg)
Looked great :) I was on the phone to RB on Saturday night feeling sorry for myself when the snow started here :(
How did the LC hold up to the snow? On Lamagan the fly sheet of mine got all iced over and sagged like a champion, but yours looks pretty taut in the pics.
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Hi folks
I cant really add much more that what Graeme has already said but it was a great night. Cooking an evening meal in the snow with a firelog keping us warm was great. I think it started snowing in the early hours and I woke up covered in about 3 inches of snow. Even with the bivvi bag closed up so that there was only a small breathing hole, thats where the spindrift wanted to come in. Its a pity that nobody else was able to join us. Thanks to Graeme for making this trip happen.
If anyone is thinking of camping on the tops these days, they had better give some serious thought to placing pegs in frozen ground.
(http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l261/Frednobread/g1_zps107c78e8.jpg)
(http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l261/Frednobread/P1050373_zps920e0495.jpg)
(http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l261/Frednobread/P1050371_zpsb7e8015a.jpg)
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The tent seemed to cope very well.
Theres more snow forecast for this week!
Fred
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The tent seemed to cope very well.
Theres more snow forecast for this week!
Fred
Good Good :) I've a few bent and one broken peg to show for frozen ground recently, must replace them swift.
Ahhh... might still squeeze a snow camp in then :) Off to check the weather forecast ;D
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nice one lads,we had planned a Donard summit camp tonight but had to change our plans to lower ground :(
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[img]How did the LC hold up to the snow? On Lamagan the fly sheet of mine got all iced over and sagged like a champion, but yours looks pretty taut in the pics.
The snow was quite light and soft so I think it all just slid off the fly-sheet. It may well have been colder on your night up Lamagan, any moisture on your tent must have frozen on it weighing it down.
Good luck squeezing another camp in.
@ Mourneman, hope your wee trip works out ok, even if it's a bit lower. I hope that the weather allows you to get outside the forests!
Fred, I see you must have been out taking a few pics whilst waiting for me to wake up. Cheers for sharing - enjoy your day off. I'm jealous.
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Brilliant stuff guys, well done for getting out there, kudos and karma to you. :)
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Fred may I ask you to let me know your full kit from clothes to trap sleeping bag ETC..........
What a camp by the way lads, and pictures !
Many regards Dave
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This most excellent writeup has been immortalised for all time here:
http://www.ni-wild.co.uk/blog/2013/03/slieve-meelbeg-summit-camp/
Contact if you would like any changes or a login for the Blog (http://www.ni-wild.co.uk/blog/2013/03/slieve-donard-summit-camp/)
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Hi Wolf
Sorry for the delayed reply, I have been away from the internet recently. My kit was nothing special. My clothes were a microfleece top, fibre pile body warmer and a buffalo jacket with hood. I just used regatta trousers which although they were not insulated were windproof.
For sleeping i had a Nanok four season bag, rated at -10 which went inside an army goretex bivvi bag. I can get away with a 3/4 length thernarest and for an extra bit of insulation I have a roll of silver radiator backing foil which might be visible in the photographs. The sleeping system must have worked well because, not only was I warm all night but the snow that settled on top of me didnt melt. I dont think the temperature was very cold anyway, perhaps minus 2 or 3 degrees.
Fred
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Oops, forgot to mention the micro tarp. These have been mentioned in previous threads. The popular design is assymetric but I made mine like an equalateral triangle so that it can be used against the mourne wall. It usually keeps rain off my face but spindrift goes wverywhere.
Fred
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Nice one guys. A summit camp in those conditions is quite the achievement, especially bivvying.
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As the son would say 'EPIC' well done 8) 8) 8)
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Thanks for the info Fred, great set up also mate.
Again well done lads, loved the pictures and write up !!
WELL DONE !!
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Nice, very nice!