Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more
General => Meets, places, trips and reviews => Topic started by: Oisín on June 08, 2011
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Anyone fancy an overnighter somewhere in the Larne area?
I know there is a few of you Harbour Rats out there.
Me and Grace were planning on having our first bivy night sometime this weekend. Either friday night or saturday night.
Anyone fancy tagging along?
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Very interested.
Been working up in Larne the last 8 months (live in Lisburn), went along Sallagh Braes about a month ago after work....but I'm itching to a find a way to get up and bivvy on Knockore or Lurigthan.
I've got a half day off tomorrow and have to head into Belfast for a while, but will throw my kit in the back of the car and drive back out if you're up for it. Otherwise, just shout if you are thinking about a bivvy or even just an evening hike.
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Billy backpack has been on about quick hikes / bivvies in the Larne area. I'd hope we'd be doing one soon but I'm pretty tied up between now and mid-bloody-July >:(
Here's one to think about:
http://www.ni-wild.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=940.0
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I could be up for this if I can get free.
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Billy backpack has been on about quick hikes / bivvies in the Larne area. I'd hope we'd be doing one soon but I'm pretty tied up between now and mid-bloody-July >:(
Here's one to think about:
http://www.ni-wild.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=940.0
You guys should give the Mournes rest and head up this way ;D
Your Antrim Hills adventure would be something I'd love to do. Don't have anything in the way of bivvy though :-\
There is a spot near Ballyboley forest where the farmer allows groups to camp at; would it be worth looking into such an event ???
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Billy backpack has been on about quick hikes / bivvies in the Larne area. I'd hope we'd be doing one soon but I'm pretty tied up between now and mid-bloody-July >:(
Here's one to think about:
http://www.ni-wild.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=940.0
You guys should give the Mournes rest and head up this way ;D
Your Antrim Hills adventure would be something I'd love to do. Don't have anything in the way of bivvy though :-\
There is a spot near Ballyboley forest where the farmer allows groups to camp at; would it be worth looking into such an event ???
Get the credit card out!!! (http://www.alpkit.com/shop/cart.php?target=product&product_id=16312&category_id=253)
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Okay guys, since the late replies we had thought about giving it a go out my end of the woods (Lough Shore Randalstown etc.)
But if you want to we can get down for a Saturday night overnighter.
cerbera dont worry about a bivy, Grace doesnt have one either. Tbh this will be testing my wee £17 tk max Trekmate one out. Also first time putting up a Tarp. And as of this morning I have found the hobo stove/strainer in the larger poundstretcher in B/mena.
So Saturday night? Antrim hills? Mountians at the coast?
Give me your ideas.
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Saturday night fine with me.
Just pick a spot you are comfortable/familar with..we'll tag along :)
If it's your first time out with a tarp give yourself plenty of time to find a good spot and set up. If it's windy and the ground uneven, it's nothing like putting it up in the back garden.
I'll be driving out from Lisburn passing through Belfast....shout if anyone needs a lift. Will just need to figure out where to dump the car.
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Righteo.
First thing, we havent picked a spot yet, open to ideas. ???
Second, what timeish you be arriving though, we're either going to a surplus shop in toome to buy grace an ex army issue bivy bag first, OR if needs be we can grab one in TK MAXX on our way through. What would you guys recommend?
Third, I know you can park your car in the car park at the sea's edge 100m from Carnfunnock. Not sure if you can park your car overnight in Carnfunnock itself. (You might be able to but you may have to pay a fee)
Fourth, looking forward to it :)
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I've no problem dropping a couple of quid to park the car. Also may be able to my wife to drop off and pick up the next day. Likewise I'm flexible with time.
As you say just a question of where. :)
The TK Maxx Trek Mates bags are great, have used them on all my bivvys, only started to let me down in very cold/windy weather. The *real* ex Army ones are excellent as well, massive in size, super tough, but a bit bulkier/heavier. If one of the pair of you already have the Trek Mates one, get the ex-army one and take it turn about to see which one you prefer...I'm sure someone on here will buy it. If you get stuck or run out of time, I've got a new Trek Mates bag that's not been used, you can always borrow.
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Where are you going to be at ? let me know and i will come up for a dander to get out of the house!
GF
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If you get stuck or run out of time, I've got a new Trek Mates bag that's not been used, you can always borrow.
If we're stuck for time I'l tell you on here sure? Shouldnt be but on the off chance that we are.
Greyfox - We're not quite sure yet, any suggestions? I was thinking somewhere tucked away buy not too far from civilisation
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Wouldn't mind a trip out myself but this weekend is out for me. perhaps next time.
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Where are you going to be at ? let me know and i will come up for a dander to get out of the house!
GF
Same here, I'll not be staying the night but I'll call in to say hi :)
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Where are you going to be at ? let me know and i will come up for a dander to get out of the house!
GF
Same here, I'll not be staying the night but I'll call in to say hi :)
You can bring your tent if you don't have a bivi.
We need somewhere to shelter when our tarp blows away :P
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I was chatting to Billy backpack and he made a very good suggestion of shilnavogy wood. Close for the cars if anything goes wrong.
GF
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Or Capanagh Wood ..... I've bivvied there before.
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Check out this older thread
http://www.ni-wild.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=940.msg7786#msg7786
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Names so far for overnight:
Chuck
Oisin
Grace
Possibly
Cerbera
Greyfox
MatthewBlack
Come on the rest of ye's come out for the night for abit of craic! :P
Probably will get dinner at home though need to sort out were to stay asap so we can organise meeting point. Im happy enough with
Capanagh Wood but no idea where shilnavogy wood is.
Try to confirm as soon as possible.
Oisin & Grace
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Im happy enough with Capanagh Wood but no idea where shilnavogy wood is.
Does this help?
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2634/5820564292_814410632e_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcrobert/5820564292/sizes/o/in/photostream/)
(click for bigger)
Capanagh Wood is in the centre, Shillanavogy Wood just to the west of it.
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I see it now.
Up to you on this one, I wouldnt mind either of the two.
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Both look fine, just trying to work out where to put the car:
Street View is a bit patchy around Capanagh Wood, there does seem to be a road running through the forest (http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&q=capanagh+wood,+larne&ie=UTF8&ll=54.877496,-5.987549&spn=0.069627,0.222988&z=13&layer=c&cbll=54.876402,-5.98651&panoid=-sV7yOT3sfZs8tODEnGsAA&cbp=12,195.45,,0,7.83)but it seems to be locked up.
I'm seeing this wee road into Shillanavogy Wood (http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&q=shillanavogy+wood,+larne&ie=UTF8&ll=54.851333,-6.051235&spn=0.017319,0.055747&z=15&layer=c&cbll=54.851333,-6.051235&panoid=Sb-YX9GSeXOBtVpGZqwRcg&cbp=12,237.14,,0,0.97) with what looks like a disused farmhouse, not sure if that's somewhere to park.
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Parking does pose a problem,
The wee lane to the run down house at Shillanavogy is now blocked (I was there just last week).
If you are innovative enough there is always somewhere to dump a car close by.
Capanagh wood does indeed have a gravel path but you can't drive up, also remember Shillanavogy has no paths and it is quite a young plantation so there is little or no dead wood so a firelog or 2 may be helpful. Theres more dead wood and fallen trees at Capanagh as they seem to be clearing some of it back but you would need to walk back from your bivy spot to collect.
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Well I'd go wherever. But I like the idea of having deadfall, for fire etc.
Billy are you coming?
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Just back from Charlie Keenan's. No bivy bags in our price range, the army ones are still in the process of being ordered. The only one he had was a highlander bivy bag and it think it was this one:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B003BBTX8U/ref=asc_df_B003BBTX8U3163509?smid=A20UFIL7MHKG1J&tag=googlecouk06-21&linkCode=asn&creative=22218&creativeASIN=B003BBTX8U
He was lookin £70 for it and thats a bit steep.
So no bivy bag for Grace.
Thin we'l head into ballymena before coming down to larne and have a look about. If we dont have any luck we'll let yous know.
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I think most of his stuff is overpriced like most brick & mortar shops :-\
At least you get to see the product in person but still a large price to pay.
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Yeah cool shop all together though :)
You coming to stay tonight?
Bring the tent we need more people.
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Not sure at the minute.
BTW it's just start to rain in Larne ::) Not heavy just constant.
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Aslong as Grace as hot food at the end of the night I'm sure we will be grand. A Little rain hurts no one :)
Will PM you our moblie number to keep in touch as are heading into ballymena now.
Let us know your plans.
Hope you can come along.
Grace & oisin
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Have you all decided where you will be tonight?
GF
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I think its between Shilnavogey and Capanagh.
Not a problem for us we're just getting dropped off anyhow.
You going to join us Greyfox?
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I will b coming up with Billy backpack. It will be later on we need to know where u will be. If you have a gps on your phone send me a grid ref.
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Think Grace likes the idea of Capanagh. So that's our location.
We'll probably head up round 7/8? Need time to work out how to pitch this tarp.
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Havent a clue about grid references.
I'm imagining i'l just pick a spot when i get there.
Are yous staying the night?
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Ok we will head up when bbp gets home from work. I'm sure we will find u. Will u have a car with u??
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No car no. I wish i had. :D
What time yous expect to be there?
Anyone else wanting to tag along feel free. I'l try throw up a rough grid reference if Grace Blackberry has signal.
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Where on the map of cappadagh are you thinking of going?
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I'm not sure to be exact. Sorry not much help. we'll probably be in a fire beark in the trees, so if you have a whistle or soething? I dont, dont have my full kit with me in Larne, its at home.
But like i said i'l try putting or a Grid Ref from Graces BB.
Sorry for not knowin.
Having to go now, I'm being rushed by this woman. Hope to see yous there!
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Everyone. We are moving from here to down coast getting ate a live with midges. Sorry we have to plan a better organised overnight soon though. Sorry
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Everyone. We are moving from here to down coast getting ate a live with midges. Sorry we have to plan a better organised overnight soon though. Sorry
Whereabouts Oisin? Was going to drop in ;D
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Shame it didn't work. I liked my wee spot last week - sheltered by the rocks at Hightown (between Shane's and Agnew's hills) Wouldn't have been much good for a crowd, but I didn't take up much space.
It was my first bivvy though, so I don't have anything to compare it with.
Most people do seem to pick a bivvy site among the trees. why is that?
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Added shelter from the tree's maybe?
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Shame it didn't work. I liked my wee spot last week - sheltered by the rocks at Hightown (between Shane's and Agnew's hills) Wouldn't have been much good for a crowd, but I didn't take up much space.
Where did you park DB? Did you bivy overlooking Ballyboley?
Any time I have been up there I've either parked on a layby on the Larne side of Ballyboley Forest and walked up the lane from where it meets the road or parked further up the road in the car park and followed the Ulster Way through the forest. Agnew's Hill itself has always seemed very wet to me, I haven't noticed too many places that would suit an overnight. Hilltown seems to be better drained.
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Think the trees scenario is so people can have their tarp up a bit higher and strung out? As opposed to being proped up by walking sticks.
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Trees have a number of benefits. Shelter from wind and rain, more privacy, lots of tarp configuration options and, possibly most importantly, firewood :)
If you want my bivvying tuppence, it is this! I bivvyed loads over the last 18 months and my basic opinion is when the weather isn't bad, it's by far the nicest way to spend a night outdoors. You get a real and true feeling of sleeping under the stars and you're much less noticeable. However, when it's windy and wet it's a pain in the nuts if you're exposed. Sliding around in the mud trying to keep things clean can be a pain and it's nice to have a tent to keep all your stuff in... However, tents in a decent wind can present their own problems too assuming you don't have something heavy and expensive.
Shame it didn't work. I liked my wee spot last week - sheltered by the rocks at Hightown (between Shane's and Agnew's hills) Wouldn't have been much good for a crowd, but I didn't take up much space.
It was my first bivvy though, so I don't have anything to compare it with.
Most people do seem to pick a bivvy site among the trees. why is that?
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where did I park? under the tarp! I was using the handlebars to hold it up lol! ;D
I was overlooking Ballyboley forest.
After hearing everybody say it's great to sleep under the stars I was keen to try it, but I was asleep by 1130 and only woke up at 5:30, so I never saw any stars. it's unbelievable how much daylight there is at this time of year when you're away from the light pollution.
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Ah yes, this was the doctor's orders trip. How did you get on riding over them hills, tough going I reckon. Perhaps you have already put a post elsewhere on the forum?
Edit: Just read that you were going to do an update on the blog. Hurry up with that ;)