We'll keep this thread for discussions about the hikes we want to do and start a new post for each actual hike.
1) Meelmore & Meelbeg - 8 Jun 10 - http://www.ni-wild.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=1120
2) Donard / Commedagh Saddle - 15 Jun 10 - http://www.ni-wild.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=1169
Before Christmas we had a bit of fun doing short night hikes. Basically we'd all meet somewhere at 7ish on a weekday evening, do a circular hike/peak for a few hours and generally be home around midnight or so.
Does anyone fancy kicking it off again? With the longer evenings technically we could wander somewhere, make something to eat, then wander back.
Seems like a great way to explore and squeeze in some exercise through the week.
Up for this (doing it at the moment already but tend to get off the mountain by sun down). Tues/Wed suits me best. There is room for four (five?) in my jeep if anyone handy to Hillsbro' wants a lift.
I would be up for this depending how my shifts are . I am in banbridge so might take you up on the offer chuck :) .
We should pick off the hills we haven't done yet instead of going over old ground
Yep. I need to tick off Meelmore and Meelbeg to complete my seven sevens dancecard.
Quote from: MG1 on May 28, 2010, 02:44:01 PM
We should pick off the hills we haven't done yet instead of going over old ground
If your doing meelmore and meelbeg you may as well do the wall. ;D
Not sure I fancy the whole thing in an evening ::)
Quote from: MG1 on May 28, 2010, 02:49:28 PM
If your doing meelmore and meelbeg you may as well do the wall. ;D
Quote from: MG1 on May 28, 2010, 02:49:28 PM
If your doing meelmore and meelbeg you may as well do the wall. ;D
Agreed! You up for it J?
As for the night hikes, count me in! I've college classes on Monday and Wednesday evenings up until middle of June, but from then over the summer I will be free pretty much any week night.
I'm in anytime after 28th July.
Quote from: J on May 28, 2010, 02:45:08 PM
Yep. I need to tick off Meelmore and Meelbeg to complete my seven sevens dancecard.
Not sure how you guys would do it but here's a sneaky (read: bit hairy but quick and no doubling back on yourself) way of doing Meelmore and Meelbeg...start at Melmore Lodge...go up their wee path way....over the stile...then keep going straight up...follow a grassy gully up on the left, it's steep but do able.....pause at the top for a cracking view of Hare's Gap etc....from there on it's easy, head for the summit...then hang a right along the wall....over the Meelbeg...then down the valley to either Fofanney Damn or the car park at the woods...finally quick sprint along the wall back to Meelmore Lodge...would be do-able in an evening.
I say we do it. You willing to show us the way?
Quote from: Chuck on May 28, 2010, 03:31:04 PM
Quote from: J on May 28, 2010, 02:45:08 PM
Yep. I need to tick off Meelmore and Meelbeg to complete my seven sevens dancecard.
Not sure how you guys would do it but here's a sneaky (read: bit hairy but quick and no doubling back on yourself) way of doing Meelmore and Meelbeg...start at Melmore Lodge...go up their wee path way....over the stile...then keep going straight up...follow a grassy gully up on the left, it's steep but do able.....pause at the top for a cracking view of Hare's Gap etc....from there on it's easy, head for the summit...then hang a right along the wall....over the Meelbeg...then down the valley to either Fofanney Damn or the car park at the woods...finally quick sprint along the wall back to Meelmore Lodge...would be do-able in an evening.
Yup, sure....are you willing to follow ;)
Well, I'm not exactly fast or fit but I'm game to give it a bash! What about an eve next week?
Quote from: Chuck on May 28, 2010, 03:53:53 PM
Yup, sure....are you willing to follow ;)
I'm up for this :)
Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday is ok with me....but would prefer Tuesday or Wednesday (gives me Monday night to recover from the weekend)
I'll be over that direction on Sunday, so I will do a recce to make sure the mountain's not moved or anything ;)
The mountain's still there all right just couldn't see it on Saturday. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcrobert/4655183401/) When it did reveal itself on Sunday...the gully I did before confirmed itself as not a hands and knees scramble...but it's along way down if you slip ;)
Me and the dog were going to head for Meelmore Lodge Wednesday evening, normally get there on or about 7pm.
If the weather is good and the ground dry (and the walkers comfortable with the look of it):
- Up the gully to Spellack
- Slieve Meelmore Summit
- Dinner/snak/coffee break
- (depending on time) Follow the wall to Slieve Meelbeg
- (depending on time) Down via Fofanny Dam or double back a bit and down via Fofanny Wood/car park direction
- Along the wall following the Mourne/Ulster way back to Mellmore Lodge..
If it's wet or we're not 100% comfortable with the gully route, we
'sprint' toddle gently along beside the Trassey Track and head up to Meelmore via the wall coming from Bearnagh. Adds an extra 0.5 mile onto the route, but the path is more mature.
The random weather generator on Google has Wednesday as fine and clear.
A guesstimate brings the full route out at 6 miles, with the last three down hill or on the flat...doable for me...but I tend to crack on a bit unless I'm walking with others.
Anyone in?
Hi all,
I could be up for this, but will need to confirm it tomorrow if its on Wednesday night.
I am off Thursday so might find somewhere to hang the hammock and stay over afterwards.
Diesyl.
Unfortunately this week has gotten a bit complex, I can't make a night this week but I'd be up for next Tuesday evening!
Although I'm not sure I like any description of a walk that includes the word 'sprint' ;) I'm a slow mover!
@Diesyl: Nearest woods would be at Fofanny Wood beside the car park....or push over to the woods overlooking the dam itself...or the wood leading up from the road directly to the Trassey Track. Not stayed in any of them myself tho.
@J: Sorry for scaring you ;D ....note the single quotes around the word 'sprint'
Rule number one of group walking: you always walk at the pace of the slowest. We all know our capabilities, in a group no-one should feel forced to walk longer/faster than they feel comfortable doing.
bah, completely forgot i am going out on wednesday night.
oh well, another time, maybe next week.
Diesyl.
no problem...any time.
How about we schedule this for next Tuesday 8th June?
Edit:
Thread here:
http://www.ni-wild.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=1120
We'll keep this thread for general night hike discussions and start a new post for each actual hike.
Anyone up for this tomorrow or thursday night?
Quote from: Big E on June 01, 2010, 09:04:30 PM
Anyone up for this tomorrow or thursday night?
Working mate.
I'm still heading up to do Meelmore/Melbeg tonight anyhow. Aiming to hit Meelmore Lodge Car park 7pm or a bit before.
Update: Got out of work a bit earlier, will be at Melmore Lodge Car park but 6.30pm...if anyone's about about look for the silver Jeep, the dashboard will have a Lucy cartoon (http://www.ni-wild.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=451.msg9792#msg9792) on it with my mobile number on it, hit me with a text and wait for you.
First one done! Info here:
http://www.ni-wild.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=1120.msg10037#msg10037 (http://www.ni-wild.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=1120.msg10037#msg10037)
So what's next?
(moved (http://www.ni-wild.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=1169))
I'm still up for a Tuesday night hike, but want to get my last week of college over with! Last class is this Wednesday so I'd be up for an outing on Tuesday 22nd June if that suits any one?
Hike 2 is here:
http://www.ni-wild.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=1169
A quick hike to the Donard / Commedagh Saddle to check out a pitch for the Iplod.
Anyone fancy doing a quickie next week?
Quote from: J on June 17, 2010, 10:47:31 AM
Anyone fancy doing a quickie next week?
Yep!
Speaking of which, I came across the image below when I was clearing out some files on my work hard drive. Apologies for the poor quality of the mapping, but you get the idea! Might make a good one for a night hike? The start point is the big stone gates at the entrance to Annalong Wood. Its about 1 mile or so before Carrick Little car park and there is room there for around 5-6 cars. The walk heads up the forestry track in Annalong Wood for about 3km before crossing the Annalong River. The route then follows another small river to the track that runs from the Carrick Little car park to the col between Binnian and Lamagan. Up and over Lamagan, back down the other side and head back for the forest.
I can only vouch for the first half of this route, as its the only bit I've done before. Plenty of scope to add in some extra distance as well, or to make some changes to the route.
(http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t253/suspectmonkey/Outdoors/Slievelamagan.jpg)
7.5 miles and 565m ascent. Doable but would be a late one.
I'd still quite like to do Doan since we didn't make it on Sat. (Well, only Chuck who doesn't need sleep).
Quote from: J on June 17, 2010, 12:30:56 PM
7.5 miles and 565m ascent. Doable but would be a late one.
I'd still quite like to do Doan since we didn't make it on Sat. (Well, only Chuck who doesn't need sleep).
If we started at Carrick Little it would probably cut the distance down quite a bit. On the return leg after coming off Lamagan you could follow the trail under the Lamagan slabs and then join the Carrick Little trail at Blue Lough.
If we were doing Doan then we could park at the start of the Banns Road (http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=54.125909,-6.035872&sll=54.127619,-6.036344&sspn=0.012071,0.027509&ie=UTF8&ll=54.127871,-6.033468&spn=0.012071,0.027509&z=15). Then follow Banns Road to Lough Shannagh, hop up Doan and back the way we came. Although perhaps Banns Road is a bit of a lengthy walk in for a night hike? Other option then would be to park at the Ott car park, follow the Ott track the route Mike et Chuck took and tackle Doan that way?
Quote from: J on June 17, 2010, 10:47:31 AM
Anyone fancy doing a quickie next week?
Not sure if this is still going ahead, but Tuesday night is definitely out for me this week. Friday night is out as well, which is a bummer as I fancied doing another quick overnighter :(
Anyone fancy one of these soon ???
I defo do - the quick evening hikes are a great way to pep the week up. Just had allsorts on these last weeks.
Quote from: andy on August 03, 2010, 01:10:21 PM
Anyone fancy one of these soon ???
I'm having outdoor withdrawal symptoms I'm up for something soon esp an overnight, anytime after next week is grand for me. I am treating myself to another holiday.
maybe you could join us on the 9th Aug
http://www.ni-wild.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=1308.msg11642#msg11642 (http://www.ni-wild.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=1308.msg11642#msg11642)
Quote from: J on August 03, 2010, 01:24:15 PM
I defo do - the quick evening hikes are a great way to pep the week up. Just had allsorts on these last weeks.
Quote from: andy on August 03, 2010, 01:10:21 PM
Anyone fancy one of these soon ???
Does next Thursday suit anyone for a wee dander
Quote from: LennyJ1 on August 03, 2010, 02:07:27 PM
maybe you could join us on the 9th Aug
http://www.ni-wild.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=1308.msg11642#msg11642 (http://www.ni-wild.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=1308.msg11642#msg11642)
I would love to but at that time I should be right about here
(http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRClyho-0jSsT8vF1lEig_ssF9G8iRiL-xiF_mPGDELJTkynLI&t=1&usg=__p1bDBA3m-Etge9g71h78OYvuJiM=)
(http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSGtIjMbgjtEbZ4_65MiW5bJ_43-Qd0BjmYTGwFTSj1ZzQaVl0&t=1&usg=__VSOPWTeQ2rq-hKvOHRvyz0MxNKk=)