Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more

General => Meets, places, trips and reviews => Topic started by: chris on November 29, 2010

Title: Donegal
Post by: chris on November 29, 2010
Got a week off work so I'm away to Donegal, thought I might as well make a few people jealous ;D then I can use those thoughts of jealousy to keep me warm in my tent  :-[
Title: Re: Donegal
Post by: LennyJ1 on November 29, 2010
Have fun
Title: Re: Donegal
Post by: RedLeader on November 29, 2010
Nice one. Where in Donegal? It's been on our list of places to visit for a while.
Title: Re: Donegal
Post by: suspectmonkey on November 29, 2010
Have a good one!  Whats the plan or are you just gonna head there and see what happens?

Thoroughly jealous by the way :)
Title: Re: Donegal
Post by: Hunter on November 29, 2010
Ur going Camping were abouts in Donegal r u going ?
Title: Re: Donegal
Post by: chris on November 29, 2010
(http://www.gweedore.net/wp-content/gallery/poisoned-glen/lbd-d8-0697-poisoned-glen_.jpg)
The poisoned glen. Looks awesome. Gonna tick off a few hills Muckish and Errigal are the two main ones and just get a few quality mountain days!
Title: Re: Donegal
Post by: suspectmonkey on November 29, 2010
The poisoned glen. Looks awesome.

Looks awesome indeed, although I reckon its probably a bit frostier at the moment ;)  All the better of course!
Title: Re: Donegal
Post by: chris on November 29, 2010
(http://www.gweedore.net/wp-content/gallery/poisoned-glen/lbd-e2-1196-poisoned-glen_.jpg)

Hopefully it'll look a bit more like this  :o
Title: Re: Donegal
Post by: whoRya on November 29, 2010
Muckish to Errigal is a good test then across the road to Dunlewey, up the Poison Glen and climb Slieve Snaght & Bingorms.  You could have an epic adventure up there.  Apart from getting there and home again a car can be a bit of a nuisance.
Title: Re: Donegal
Post by: chris on December 02, 2010
Had an awesome couple of days in Donegal, I'd definitely be interested in getting another trip over while there is some snow about. Errigal had to be the highlight, Snowy, Icy and rocky I'd have believed it if some had told me I was in the alps!!
 
Some Pictures
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5210/5226486754_ee2985176c.jpg)
Choosing our route up Muckish, We ended up going up that steep gully!

(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5202/5225888073_6cbcc43625.jpg)
The summit plateau of Muckish

(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5008/5226481408_534e869240.jpg)
The view of Muckish from our campsite

(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5010/5225878121_b5c57acf3b.jpg)
Don't think he knew how to use a jetboil!

(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5043/5226473094_00386d119a_z.jpg)
The View from the summit of Mt Errigal, cloud closed in soon after and we had a mini Blizzard!
 
The rest are here http://www.flickr.com/photos/45310786@N02/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/45310786@N02/)
or here http://www.flickr.com/groups/1363300@N23/?added=2 (http://www.flickr.com/groups/1363300@N23/?added=2)
Title: Re: Donegal
Post by: RedLeader on December 02, 2010
Looks fantastic. How did the Jetboil perform in the cold?
Title: Re: Donegal
Post by: chris on December 02, 2010
Looks fantastic. How did the Jetboil perform in the cold?

Really badly!
Admittedly I had a 70:30 butane propane mix on it. Butane is supposed to have a lower condensing/freezing (?) temp than propane so I think a higher propane ratio is supposed to be better. Have to see if I can find one this year. The little feet were invaluable though as they raised the cart off the ground enough to stop it freezing into the snow, the others found that if they used the stove with the cartridge on the ice it not only produced a crap flame (struggled to get a boil on an msr superfly with a brand new cart!) but it also froze to the ground so you couldn't lift it!
I tried holding the jetboil but that just made it all spluttery and I actually got my hand pretty badly burnt!   
Title: Re: Donegal
Post by: Tim on December 02, 2010
Those pictures look really awesome. I'm hoping to get a trip to Donegal late December/early January, definitely have to go now from looking at those pics.

Are the Mournes that snowy as well at the minute?
Title: Re: Donegal
Post by: chris on December 02, 2010
Are the Mournes that snowy as well at the minute?

Aint been down to the Mournes yet. I was planning on heading down tomorrow think there's to be a bit of snow tonight.
Title: Re: Donegal
Post by: Scribble on December 02, 2010
That looks awesome while down that area did you go to downings for a pint in the harbour bar ?

As for snow on the mournes I see them every morning and they are White and I see they predict -10 tonight with more snow on it's way
Title: Re: Donegal
Post by: Tim on December 02, 2010
As for snow on the mournes I see them every morning and they are White and I see they predict -10 tonight with more snow on it's way

Let's hope it stays that way for another few weeks, I want a snowy summit camp :D
Title: Re: Donegal
Post by: whoRya on December 03, 2010
Kwality.  You lucky sod, I seen naff all up there.
Title: Re: Donegal
Post by: 666_pack on December 03, 2010
nice one chris.
Title: Re: Donegal
Post by: MG1 on December 03, 2010
Errigal looks class we'll have to get a trip there in the snow.
Title: Re: Donegal
Post by: chris on December 03, 2010
Errigal looks class we'll have to get a trip there in the snow.

Indeed! I'm well up for heading back. Its a perfect wee campsite aswell, you could prob camp closer though as its about a 30min drive (in normal conditions!)
Title: Re: Donegal
Post by: suspectmonkey on December 03, 2010
That looks awesome Chris!  So did you base yourself out of a campsite and just do day walks from a fixed site?  What campsite was it?
Title: Re: Donegal
Post by: chris on December 03, 2010
That looks awesome Chris!  So did you base yourself out of a campsite and just do day walks from a fixed site?  What campsite was it?

It was just a wild campsite outside dunfanaghy. Yeah up in the the morning and out to the hills.
Title: Re: Donegal
Post by: twentyclicks on December 07, 2010
Very nice!  I saw your photos on Flickr and got the envy  ;)

The Primus Powermix gas is meant to be rather good 4-season, although I have used the green Coleman canisters at -12 / 3000m and they were ok, if a bit slow.