Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more
General => General Chat => Topic started by: RedLeader on January 13, 2011
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What does "Pot of" mean when it comes to features in the Mournes, ie Pot of Legawherry, Pot of Pulgarve.
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Not sure but i've been looking to get a scramble up both pots.
I think theres a gully in one or both of them
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I think they are called pots as they are both huge "pot" like depressions.
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I think they are called pots as they are both huge "pot" like depressions.
That was my thinking... bit like the "Devil's Punchbowl" on Cavehill. Although despite noticing names like Pot of Legawherry on the map I can't recall ever standing in the Mournes, looking at an area and saying "Oh look, its the Pot of Legawherry" :D
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Good question - looks like a hanging valley, but more open. Both have very steep upper walls in a wide circle, level off somewhat, then dip again.
Probably very hard to see from the normal routes, and due to perspective not that noticeable a feature from Donard. Obvious when you are there though - i've seen photos from someone having camped in one of them.
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Just to add some more details:
From a description of the Pot of Legawherry I found:
Many millions of years ago our planet entered a time we call the Ice Age. In fact, in Ireland there were several Ice Ages, the most recent of which ended about 10,000 years ago. During these "cold snaps" temperatures dropped well below freezing point - in the mountains snow fell upon snow and accumulated to considerable depths. The weight of the upper layers of snow turned the lower layers into ice.
To cut a long story short the ice slowly started to slide downhill following the lines of former river valleys. These "rivers" of ice, called glaciers, picked up stones and other materials on their journey - together, ice and stones make a very powerful erosive force ( a bit like a giant rasp that cuts into and wears down the ground over which it travels).
The hollows from which the ice first began to move were deepened and enlarged to form "corries" (Scottish), "cwms" (Welsh) or "Pots" (Mournes).
In this way the Pot of Legawherry (meaning The Rocky Cauldron) was formed. Today, with the ice melted you can clearly see its handiwork - notice the steep back wall seamed with gullies and its flat, boggy floor where once there may have been a small lake or tarn.
Pic:
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fe/Glacial_Tarn_Formation_EN.svg/500px-Glacial_Tarn_Formation_EN.svg.png)
The Pot of Legawherry doesn't look like much on the map, but it's a very cool place. Damp ground in the pot itself, but a couple of excellent bivvy/tent spots (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcrobert/sets/72157624120317708/) as the river drops out of it...excellent echo in it as well :) (in the first pic the Pot of L is in the top right)
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4027/4632657721_959045133e_z.jpg)
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4057/4633132894_c03e411218_b.jpg)
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3364/4632908734_83e27ec3dc_z.jpg)
Pot of Pulgarve is much smaller version, very sloapy, but dry. Some pics here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcrobert/sets/72157624237318143/), but (as usual) camera phone doesn't do it justice.
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Good man Chuck. Now how do you pronounce "cwm" - is it "coom"?
Looks scramblishious MG. If I get a weekend day off I'd be up for a go... I'd try it at night too, but that'll not scare me ****less (I mean, I'll not get to enjoy the views)
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Now how do you pronounce "cwm" - is it "coom"?
I would go with that...the t'internet says "Typical cwms (valleys in Welsh; pronounced similarly to the English word coomb)...."
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Awesome Chuck, you should have been a teacher.
Where on the internet did you find that, I had a right rumble through Google but a word as simple as "Pot" is hard to search and I turned up nothing for Pulgarve or Legawherry.
So are there any other "Pots" except on Commedagh? You'd have thought if they were caused by glaciation there would be plenty of them.
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I had a quick look on the map even for similar features that might not be named, but didn't see any. Something for the campfire on Sat, if it isn't too windy to have maps out!
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You'll be able to read a map fine on Sat night as long as you've got a couple of people holding onto your ankles :)
I had a quick look on the map even for similar features that might not be named, but didn't see any. Something for the campfire on Sat, if it isn't too windy to have maps out!
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Good man Chuck. Now how do you pronounce "cwm" - is it "coom"?
Looks scramblishious MG. If I get a weekend day off I'd be up for a go... I'd try it at night too, but that'll not scare me ****less (I mean, I'll not get to enjoy the views)
I get a wed off mid week but can be flexible. See what way your fixed craig and we could sort something out on Sat night
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The hollows from which the ice first began to move were deepened and enlarged to form "corries" (Scottish), "cwms" (Welsh) or "Pots" (Mournes).
Very interesting Chuck, thanks! Whilst I've come across the word "corrie" many times I didn't realise it had the same meaning as "pot". So in Scotland our local pots would be called Legawherry Corrie? Cool :)