Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more

General => Meets, places, trips and reviews => Topic started by: LandyLiam on July 19, 2011

Title: my first trip to Doan
Post by: LandyLiam on July 19, 2011
I was driving through the Mournes today on the way home from work and thought i'd take that trip up Doan i'd been meaning to do for a long time now. Parked at the Ott/BlueQuarry car park and headed off along the Ott Track to the Mourne Wall. Remember to turn right at the fork in the path (i didn't  ::) )

(http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd496/landyliam/2011/20110719%20doan/P1050850Small.jpg)
great view of fofanny dam


(http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd496/landyliam/2011/20110719%20doan/P1050853Small.jpg)
As you reach the stile Doan appears, with Binnion to the right. A majestic sight.


Then i headed to the left a bit along a track before turning right to the the easy way up Doan, gets a bit boggy for a while this way but you can't really get lost. (still not a route i would like to do in the dark or mist though)


(http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd496/landyliam/2011/20110719%20doan/P1050862Small.jpg)
half way there i find a perfect picnic spot with a natural granite bench to sit on, very comfy indeed  :)


(http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd496/landyliam/2011/20110719%20doan/P1050864Small.jpg)


(http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd496/landyliam/2011/20110719%20doan/P1050857Small.jpg)
Lough Shannagh


(http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd496/landyliam/2011/20110719%20doan/P1050869Small.jpg)
at the top of Doan the views are spectacular, even on this dull overcast day. Knochchree in the distance.


(http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd496/landyliam/2011/20110719%20doan/P1050868Small.jpg)
Lough Shannagh again.


(http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd496/landyliam/2011/20110719%20doan/P1050871Small.jpg)
Ben Crom reservoir

(http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd496/landyliam/2011/20110719%20doan/P1050889Small.jpg)


(http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd496/landyliam/2011/20110719%20doan/P1050874Small.jpg)
and of course i took the opportunity to bag a geocache  :)


(http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd496/landyliam/2011/20110719%20doan/P1050894Small.jpg)
I then headed down to have a look at Lough Shannagh, took a few attempts to find a safe path down (i was on my own and taking no chances).



(http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd496/landyliam/2011/20110719%20doan/P1050905Small.jpg)
found this old hut, i have often thought there should be more of these shelters around the mournes for the weary traveller to shelter in bad weather


(http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd496/landyliam/2011/20110719%20doan/P1050906Small.jpg)
but when you see the rubbish left inside maybe we are better off without them  :'(


(http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd496/landyliam/2011/20110719%20doan/P1050912Small.jpg)
i can never resist the classic stile and wall pic  ;D


So a grand day out, 2.5 hrs in total (1 hr up at a brisk walking pace), Doan is described as the jewel in the crown of the mournes, i couldn't agree more and its certainley on my top 5 list of the mournes.




Title: Re: my first trip to Doan
Post by: LennyJ1 on July 19, 2011
wearing jeans on the mountain. bet you glad it didn't rain.
Title: Re: my first trip to Doan
Post by: simon on July 19, 2011
I've taken refuge from some stinking weather in that hut ... I almost preferred the stinking weather to the stinking rubbish ... but on a brighter note, isn't Doan a cracking viewpoint over the Mournes? It's not a bad spot for a bivvy either.
Title: Re: my first trip to Doan
Post by: RedLeader on July 19, 2011
We had a quick bivvy on Doan a few months back. Was an great night and we woke to an awesome sunrise.
http://www.ni-wild.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=1790
Title: Re: my first trip to Doan
Post by: suspectmonkey on July 19, 2011
Quote from: RedLeader on July 19, 2011
We had a quick bivvy on Doan a few months back. Was an great night and we woke to an awesome sunrise.
http://www.ni-wild.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=1790

That was actually the perfect night hike, even with a new moon :)

Love that wee summit!
Title: Re: my first trip to Doan
Post by: Spud on July 19, 2011
Lovely walk and great pics thanks for sharing Liam, I love doan and I'm off all weekend, think a summit camp might be a plan!
Title: Re: my first trip to Doan
Post by: Rumblebum on July 19, 2011
Hi Redspud, ive been keeping an eye on the weather and im hoping to go up to Doan on friday night for an overnighter, btl of wine and a steak. Whorya's in england at the mo and i hope to make him jelous. The more the merrier. Alan.
Title: Re: my first trip to Doan
Post by: Spud on July 19, 2011
Quote from: Rumblebum on July 19, 2011
Hi Redspud, ive been keeping an eye on the weather and im hoping to go up to Doan on friday night for an overnighter, btl of wine and a steak. Whorya's in england at the mo and i hope to make him jelous. The more the merrier. Alan.
could be a goer man, I will keep you posted!
Title: Re: my first trip to Doan
Post by: Rumblebum on July 19, 2011
No worries man, can you carry my rucksack haha
Title: Re: my first trip to Doan
Post by: Spud on July 20, 2011
Quote from: Rumblebum on July 19, 2011
No worries man, can you carry my rucksack haha
I'll have enough bother carrying myself! I'm deffo on for this now can't wait to get out there!  ;D
Title: Re: my first trip to Doan
Post by: Spud on July 20, 2011
Liam yer a lucky man to be able to just call in and do some mountains on your way home from work, sure beats the hell out of the bus home from Belfast! :)
Title: Re: my first trip to Doan
Post by: LandyLiam on July 20, 2011
Well i normally have a 1hr15min drive from Antrim to Downpatrick   :( , but yesterday I happened to be working in South Down  :) , doesn't happen to often though, but when it does i like to make the most of it.
Title: Re: my first trip to Doan
Post by: LandyLiam on July 21, 2011
Quote from: LennyJ1 on July 19, 2011
wearing jeans on the mountain. bet you glad it didn't rain.

don't knock the jeans, they handle the granite well where my expensive walking trousers (£3 in a charity shop) might have ripped!

i was wet to my knees anyway with all the bog i walked through   ;D