Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more

General => Meets, places, trips and reviews => Topic started by: Scribble on May 22, 2011

Title: Newcastle way
Post by: Scribble on May 22, 2011
I done the newcasle way a couple of weeks ago and thought I'd share my photos , got to do a childhood dream and sleep on slievenaslat , first big mountain I climbed when youngster  ;D. Hopefully get to do a blog on it when I finally get a day to myself

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dougiewilson/
Title: Re: Newcastle way
Post by: Oisín on May 23, 2011
Whats it like sleeping ontop of a mountian? Never tried it and would be interested.

What was your set up? Bivy bag? Tarp?

Sorry if you can see what your set up was in the photos, can't get on flickr due to the lovely proxy server.
Title: Re: Newcastle way
Post by: Scribble on May 23, 2011
Slievenaslat ain't really a mountain just a hill  ;D it's in castewellan forest park with great views towards Newcastle and the mournes , you really have to get a night on a mountain , I'm new to all this really but the info you can get from guys on here will keep you right ,

I have a DD tarp but I never brought it I just used my Rab ranger bivi , was trying to keep it as miminal as possible no sleeping bag but I did bring a alpikit mat , I set up beside the roots of a fallen tree and went all bushcrafty building a wee shelter for me and dog . I got up and made my brekkie and watched the sun come up while sitting looking out towards the Irish sea . I loved it  :)
Title: Re: Newcastle way
Post by: Oisín on May 23, 2011
Sounds great. How much was that bivy bag?

That wasnt the hill in castlewellan with the old watch tower on top of it?
Title: Re: Newcastle way
Post by: Scribble on May 23, 2011
Sounds great. How much was that bivy bag?

That wasnt the hill in castlewellan with the old watch tower on top of it?

I got my bag giving to me by my best mate , he works for the oil industry so he is always doing dodgy deals  ;D

Not sure about a watch tower but there is the ordance thingy ontop of it , the tower I think your are on about is the moorish tower at the back of  lake , slievenaslat is up behind the castle
Title: Re: Newcastle way
Post by: Gerry on May 23, 2011
Great set of photo's.
Title: Re: Newcastle way
Post by: Oisín on May 23, 2011
Ah i see.

Yes, thats the one I'm on about. climbed it in torrential rain, not much of a view to say the least.
Title: Re: Newcastle way
Post by: suspectmonkey on May 23, 2011
Well done Andy!  Great to see your photos as well, I had a laugh at them because mine are very similar, looks like we were photographing the same landmarks all the way around :)

How'd the Alpkit sleeping mat fair for you?
Title: Re: Newcastle way
Post by: Scribble on May 23, 2011
Cheers Gerry  ;D

Thanks suspect the mat was great again I'm still toiling with what to do with the mat place it in the bivi bag or have it outside think while on a mountain it will prob have to stay inside bag due to experience of losing one on Binnian

Had a load more photos I reckon I could of knocked an hor off if I had not of been stopping so much to try and get some fancy shot , was a bit disappointed at cow lane due to no cows but I did get to see some and I thought of you when I took the close up   ;) . Think I will try to do it in a day next but it would have to be a better day than today  ;)
Title: Re: Newcastle way
Post by: Kayakgirl on May 23, 2011
Really enjoyed looking at the photo's too. Been on many a night walk up to Slievenaslat with a group of kids. Great view from it.. How long did it take you to do?
Title: Re: Newcastle way
Post by: Scribble on May 23, 2011
Really enjoyed looking at the photo's too. Been on many a night walk up to Slievenaslat with a group of kids. Great view from it.. How long did it take you to do?

Cheers done it over 2 days with plenty of dandering about and exploring as I walked , I reckon it took me 13hrs total walking but I could cut a couple if hours of it if not more
Title: Re: Newcastle way
Post by: MG1 on May 24, 2011
Nice pics dude.
Looks like a good trail.