Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more

General => General Chat => Topic started by: basloan82 on April 20, 2011

Title: Gunns Island Co Down
Post by: basloan82 on April 20, 2011
Hi folks,

has anyone ever ventured over to gunns island off ballyhornan beach in co. dow? just looking at it on google earth and it looks interesting.
wondering who owns it and would they mind? would you be able to wade over at low tide or is it for a wee boat?
Title: Re: cunns island co down
Post by: basloan82 on April 20, 2011
sorry that should be gunns island in the subject box  :-[
Title: Re: Gunns Island Co Down
Post by: suspectmonkey on April 20, 2011
sorry that should be gunns island in the subject box  :-[

Fixed :)

Never been though!
Title: Re: Gunns Island Co Down
Post by: basloan82 on April 20, 2011
cheers! ;D
Title: Re: Gunns Island Co Down
Post by: spartan00117 on April 20, 2011
Couldnt find much on tinternet but this link refers to walking across at low tide.  Could be worth a visit though.  

http://www.loughcuan.com/Pages/guns%20island.htm
Title: Re: Gunns Island Co Down
Post by: basloan82 on April 20, 2011
was looking at it on google earth for work (im and archaeologist) and there seems to be a crop mark/ intriguing clump of trees about the middle of the island. i was going to try and mingle a site visit with a camp/fish  ;D
Title: Re: Gunns Island Co Down
Post by: RedLeader on April 20, 2011
I'm not sure about Gunn Island. Personally in the absence of signs or fences I tend to assume land is public for walking but I wouldn't camp unless I'd at least checked it out in advance.

What do you do in archaeology? I've always been really interested in archaeology in Northern Ireland. I've spent manys a pleasant afternoon at stone circles and tombs (or "rocks" as the wife likes to call them).

Edit:
On searching further Wikipedia names it as a popular fishing spot suggesting it's public:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballyhornan#Guns_Island

Gun Island on OS 50k
(http://i.imgur.com/wzyJo.jpg)
Title: Re: Gunns Island Co Down
Post by: LandyLiam on April 20, 2011
In one of my previous jobs we had to patrol Gunn's Island with a speed boat to stop people walking across at low tide as there were some rare birds nesting there, that was a fun summer  ;D  no idea if these birds still nest there though, it was over 20 years ago.
Title: Re: Gunns Island Co Down
Post by: basloan82 on April 20, 2011
would hate to be moved on at high tide....more reading up methinks!

Im an archy working for queens for the last few years. i like it as i get to go round and see a bit of the countryside - hope to break in a bit of camping as well. Of course they have me in the office when its nice and sunny.... spent the entire winter up in swatragh freezing my nuts off and digging through the snow - now the suns out and i have to write up the excavation! WHERES THE JUSTICE?!  ;D
Title: Re: Gunns Island Co Down
Post by: RedLeader on April 20, 2011
You'll get no sympathy from those of us riding a desk 12 months a year  ::)
Just like LandyLiam gets no sympathy for having to spend his days tearing around the Mournes in his monster truck :P


would hate to be moved on at high tide....more reading up methinks!

Im an archy working for queens for the last few years. i like it as i get to go round and see a bit of the countryside - hope to break in a bit of camping as well. Of course they have me in the office when its nice and sunny.... spent the entire winter up in swatragh freezing my nuts off and digging through the snow - now the suns out and i have to write up the excavation! WHERES THE JUSTICE?!  ;D
Title: Re: Gunns Island Co Down
Post by: basloan82 on April 20, 2011
hehe spose not when you put it like that

sure we do whatever to pay the bills! sounds like a great job u've got there landylaim!!!!
Title: Re: Gunns Island Co Down
Post by: LandyLiam on April 20, 2011
Quote
Just like LandyLiam gets no sympathy for having to spend his days tearing around the Mournes in his monster truck

tis only only a weekend fun thing, not a job unfortunately, and with the price of diesel it doesn't happen too much lately  :'(
Title: Re: Gunns Island Co Down
Post by: Spud on April 20, 2011
Hi folks,

has anyone ever ventured over to gunns island off ballyhornan beach in co. dow? just looking at it on google earth and it looks interesting.
wondering who owns it and would they mind? would you be able to wade over at low tide or is it for a wee boat?

my mum lives just up the road from ballyhornan, you can wade across at a very low tide but the currents can be tricky,  and to be honest there isnt much to see! I think its privately owned,  farmers used to swim cows across to it to graze.  For a wild camp in the area, theres plenty of spots along the coastal path towards ardglass, or up the other direction towards killard/kilclief direction (these are on the ulster way, the wee beach "benderg bay" in the map is a great wee spot)
Title: Re: Gunns Island Co Down
Post by: Spud on April 20, 2011
thats gunns island in the middle on the coast, took this from a hill in my local area
Title: Re: Gunns Island Co Down
Post by: Spud on April 20, 2011
bit off topic, but heres a pic of the mournes from the same spot!