Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more
General => Meets, places, trips and reviews => Topic started by: RedLeader on July 25, 2011
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We camped at Meelmore Lodge and watched this air display from Slieve Commedagh last year and it was a top day out. Anyone fancy doing something this year? A summit camp is tickling my fancy at the mo!
The display is on Sat 6th but there's stuff on all weekend.
http://www.downnews.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Festivalof-of-Flight-programme1.pdf (http://www.downnews.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Festivalof-of-Flight-programme1.pdf)
Updated:
Okay seems we're going to hit Commedagh again this year. Plan is either to hike up Commedagh on the day or park at Meelmore Lodge on Friday night and walk up by Slievenaglogh and Corragh and camp on the summit. They actual Red Arrows display kicks off at 130pm and is about 30 minutes long.
Apologies for the short notice but somethings come up and I'll not be able to make the Arrows this year.
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Is the display on the 6th or the 7th?
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What day do they fly is it the sunday?
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Saturday the 6th. I'll amend the post.
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I had been thinking about staying on the 5th to watch on the 6th then home (bushcraft with NIBA on 7th)
I will probably be in the same boat, so either stay overnight the 5th or just pop up on the 6th for the day. I was toying with the idea of staying on the campsite at Carnfunnock on the Saturday night so all depends whether or not I do that. No shortage of trips and events happening at the moment anyway :)
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So who's all going to the red arrows this year then? Hopefully Oisin will be able to get off work for this.
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I've updated the first post with a plan to watch this from Commedagh.
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This coincides with the Seven Sevens - if all goes to plan and I am fit to do it then I'll wave as I run past you on Commedagh :)
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i'm awaiting a confirmed time for the red arrows but i was thinking on leaving commedagh til the end of the 7s then stopping to watch the planes, assuming i'm fast enough to get back in time ???
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You're doing the Sevens too? Cool :) I haven't got anywhere near enough training in, but what the 'ell.
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well its not like we're going to win anything ;D
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Nothing to gain, a lot to lose ... how's that for arse about face :D
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(http://i.imgur.com/UYmeU.jpg)
Picture taken from Commedagh last year of the Red Arrows
Definitely worth a walk up guys and girls :o
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(http://i.imgur.com/UYmeU.jpg)
Picture taken from Commedagh last year of the Red Arrows
Definitely worth a walk up guys and girls :o
thats a cool pic dowser! :)
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thats a cool pic dowser! :)
Thanks Redspud... Hard to believe it's a full year ago... Doesn't time fly the older you get :(
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thats a cool pic dowser! :)
Thanks Redspud... Hard to believe it's a full year ago... Doesn't time fly the older you get :(
Sure does! I missed this last year, am really gonna try and get up to watch them this year, have always been a fan of them!
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For any of those who were up commedagh last year for this, were there many watching from up there?
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Maybe 20. Most people headed for Donard I think.
For any of those who were up commedagh last year for this, were there many watching from up there?
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Maybe 20. Most people headed for Donard I think.
For any of those who were up commedagh last year for this, were there many watching from up there?
great stuff, let's hope the weather is good on sat!
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exact times now announced here http://www.raf.mod.uk/reds/teamnews/index.cfm?storyid=937A93AF-5056-A318-A8FCF57B9740C0B9
1156 - Reds arrive ALDERGROVE
1405 - Reds depart ALDERGROVE
1415 - Reds display NEWCASTLE (NI)
1451 - Reds flypast CUSHENDALL
1454 - Reds recover ALDERGROVE
1639 - Reds depart ALDERGROVE
so there may be a Newcastle flypast approx 1145 on there way to Aldergrove
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That's annoying. The event flyer said 130pm?
exact times now announced here http://www.raf.mod.uk/reds/teamnews/index.cfm?storyid=937A93AF-5056-A318-A8FCF57B9740C0B9
1156 - Reds arrive ALDERGROVE
1405 - Reds depart ALDERGROVE
1415 - Reds display NEWCASTLE (NI)
1451 - Reds flypast CUSHENDALL
1454 - Reds recover ALDERGROVE
1639 - Reds depart ALDERGROVE
so there may be a Newcastle flypast approx 1145 on there way to Aldergrove
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That's annoying. The event flyer said 130pm?
It is quite a bit of hanging about if your planning on camping on Commedagh the night before. Last year I did Binnian and bivvied on Lamagan, then got up in the morning and did Cove and Beg before hitting Commedagh for the Arrows. Even then I was hanging around for a good couple of hours before they did their fly by and Commedagh really doesn't have any interesting features on the summit.
Take a football and a few kites with you... It's nice and flat for a bit of footy. Get enough of you you could have the first game of football on Commedagh (I think) :D
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Hi Guys,
Just thought I would let you know. My company are doing the pics tomorrow for the Council and we have been told that there is to be cloud cover over the mountains tomorrow, so the arrows will be flying at "Level 1" which is the lowest level they do. Last year they flew at " level 3" which was why the pics up high were the best. I was planning to walk up to Commedagh in the morning, but not sure now incase I can't see them and miss the picture.
They also told us that although it is scheduled for 1:30 it's not likely, as some planes are leaving Ards and some from Aldergrove with one more coming straight in from across the water.
I might wander up to the wall from the car park in the morning anyway just for a walk then be back down for 1:30.
Kirth
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Something has come up and Me/Matt/SuspectMonkey can't make this tonight/tomorrow now. Gutted but such is life.
If you're heading up Commedagh anyway it's a nice walk, well worth a wander up.
Hi Guys,
Just thought I would let you know. My company are doing the pics tomorrow for the Council and we have been told that there is to be cloud cover over the mountains tomorrow, so the arrows will be flying at "Level 1" which is the lowest level they do. Last year they flew at " level 3" which was why the pics up high were the best. I was planning to walk up to Commedagh in the morning, but not sure now incase I can't see them and miss the picture.
They also told us that although it is scheduled for 1:30 it's not likely, as some planes are leaving Ards and some from Aldergrove with one more coming straight in from across the water.
I might wander up to the wall from the car park in the morning anyway just for a walk then be back down for 1:30.
Kirth
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Something has come up and Me/Matt/SuspectMonkey can't make this tonight/tomorrow now. Gutted but such is life.
If you're heading up Commedagh anyway it's a nice walk, well worth a wander up.
Hi Guys,
Just thought I would let you know. My company are doing the pics tomorrow for the Council and we have been told that there is to be cloud cover over the mountains tomorrow, so the arrows will be flying at "Level 1" which is the lowest level they do. Last year they flew at " level 3" which was why the pics up high were the best. I was planning to walk up to Commedagh in the morning, but not sure now incase I can't see them and miss the picture.
They also told us that although it is scheduled for 1:30 it's not likely, as some planes are leaving Ards and some from Aldergrove with one more coming straight in from across the water.
I might wander up to the wall from the car park in the morning anyway just for a walk then be back down for 1:30.
Kirth
Must be something big to take you 3 all away. whats the craic?
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Not sure about Matt/Suspect. I just wasn't fussed on the weather and wanted to save the brownie points for another weekend :)
Something has come up and Me/Matt/SuspectMonkey can't make this tonight/tomorrow now. Gutted but such is life.
If you're heading up Commedagh anyway it's a nice walk, well worth a wander up.
Hi Guys,
Just thought I would let you know. My company are doing the pics tomorrow for the Council and we have been told that there is to be cloud cover over the mountains tomorrow, so the arrows will be flying at "Level 1" which is the lowest level they do. Last year they flew at " level 3" which was why the pics up high were the best. I was planning to walk up to Commedagh in the morning, but not sure now incase I can't see them and miss the picture.
They also told us that although it is scheduled for 1:30 it's not likely, as some planes are leaving Ards and some from Aldergrove with one more coming straight in from across the water.
I might wander up to the wall from the car park in the morning anyway just for a walk then be back down for 1:30.
Kirth
Must be something big to take you 3 all away. whats the craic?
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My plan B for watching the red arrows is to go to the quarry on donard (marked at lindsay leap on the map) where i watched it from last year, its about 220m high so if thats clouded out i don't think there'll be any flying done :o
another option is to go to shan slieve / slievenamaddy (where i placed the ni-wild geocache ;) http://www.ni-wild.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=2222.0 ) which is about 400m highan easy walk down for those already on Commedagh
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I am in the same boat as Jonno, I did not fancy sitting in a tent all night in potential pouring rain to have to wait there for the arrows all day then walk down to the car in potential miserable conditions.
Matthew
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Oops, looks like camping might have been good after all, rain was never far away today but never saw any cloud on commedagh, did anyone watch from up there? I saw some action from the town and I think ultimately that's the best place to view from as the noise impact is much better with less sound delay and much louder. I was running through donard forest for a good part of the display and while I couldn't see anything the noise was awesome, it sounded like there was a battle going on overhead.