Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more
General => Meets, places, trips and reviews => Topic started by: twentyclicks on July 25, 2011
-
I got a Saturday off work! so Mike and I made last minute arrangements to try the Mourne Wall in a day as training for the GR20 in September. Due to the early start, we decided to camp the night before in Annalong wood, then ditch the gear back in the car at Carricklittle before starting.
It was 11pm before we sat down at the bivvy spot. Repellant on, pipe out, emergency chocolate rations and various tipples consumed as we chatted about broccoli until about 1 :D
A fox visited camp shortly after we sat down, so bags were placed by our heads and covered with branches to slow any iPlod style night attacks.
Going to sleep so late, we sort of didn't wake up so early, but at 6.30 the sun and an itchy head finally opened my eyes to a backlit cloud of the midges. The repellent seems to stop them biting but the crawling was irritating. I shook them off and employed my sleeping bag's midge net, then saw the time and tried to rouse Mike. We cleared camp in record time and ate breakfast back in the carpark.
Started about 8.15 but passed the wall to visit the woods again (ask a bear), then continued up Binnian the long way. After that, we stuck to the route (and touching all the real summits) and generally took our time and had a nice day of it: being passed early on by an old boy, telling us he ran the wall once in 4.5 hrs (?), knocked any notion of trying to rush it out the window. Silent Valley coffee shop was a nice break before careful negotiation of boggy sections as Mike tried to break the record for the 1st person to complete the Wall in mesh shoes with dry feet ;)
It was a scorching day and fresh water is a bit scarce in sections, but what we failed to drink we made up for with eating. After a nice wee scramble to the top of Muck we ran down and over Carn, then just on the downhills until Meelmore. Resting on top of Binnian Bernagh we were really needing water and started to worry we could get back in time to find a chippy still open :o Thankfully, the pipe on Commedagh came to the rescue with abundant refreshment. We started up Donard at nearly 8pm and were at the bloody bridge saddle less than an hour later, at which point we hit the express travelator of the wall-top and flew back to Annalong wood enjoying awesome evening light and some mind bending visuals due to the parallax between the wall and the ground. In the growing darkness we then slowed down again in slippy grass, tall spiky things and deep mud, following the wall down to the river and back up a steep field to the car park trail. 14hrs, a few aches, some sunburn, but we got a sit-in chippy before the tired drive home.
No records or bones broken, but a quality, long day in the hills experiencing great views, variety of terrain, watching climbers do crazy things, and discussing our trip preparations. No more days off; it'll be urban training from now on in!
-
Great effort lads
-
especially in that heat :o well done
-
Nice write up, short and sweet.
One question. The water pipe at Commedagh is it on the inside or the outside of the wall?
-
It was a scorching day and fresh water is a bit scarce in sections, but what we failed to drink we made up for with eating. After a nice wee scramble to the top of Muck we ran down and over Carn, then just on the downhills until Meelmore. Resting on top of Binnian [Edit: Bearnagh?] we were really needing water and started to worry we could get back in time to find a chippy still open :o Thankfully, the pipe on Commedagh came to the rescue with abundant refreshment. We started up Donard at nearly 8pm and were at the bloody bridge saddle less than an hour later, at which point we hit the express travelator of the wall-top and flew back to Annalong wood enjoying awesome evening light and some mind bending visuals due to the parallax between the wall and the ground. In the growing darkness we then slowed down again in slippy grass, tall spiky things and deep mud, following the wall down to the river and back up a steep field to the car park trail. 14hrs, a few aches, some sunburn, but we got a sit-in chippy before the tired drive home.
Great effort and report, you've inspired me to try it some time. Also was pleased to hear the foxes are still paying their night-time visits in Annalong Wood! Last time we camped there (twice in Jan/Feb) there was no sign of any. Maybe they get used to tents/campfires again in the summer months or maybe it's the young animals that are more inquisitive.
You talk about water being in short supply, do you usually just drink it straight from the streams?
One other thing, I think you meant Bearnagh in the paragraph above? Confused me for a bit.
-
This is brilliant guys, really well done. I can't imagine doing the whole route in a day, it's just mind boggling.... Good to see Mike out, he's been very quiet of late, thought he might have hung up his boots!
Resting on top of Binnian we were really needing water
Do you mean Bearnagh?
Here is a map and some info incase anyones interested (route starts at Hares Gap going anti-clockwise):
(http://i.imgur.com/bxivw.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/SXkCE.jpg)
-
Woops - well spotted all: I did of course mean Bernagh! Corrected.
To answer queries:
Lenny: the pipe is inside the wall on the Western flank of Commedagh. We spotted it from Bernagh due to the bright green patch around its little oasis.
SJH: yes, I'm always happy to drink moving water in the Mournes unless there are obvious weird signs like foam, scum, rubbish, dead sheep /camping spot just upstream (people tend to just wash things in the river rather than take water out a distance). There are plenty of boggy areas but I did not bring my MSR filter.
Starting full at Carrick Little/Annalong River, the possible water points on this route are Silent Valley, a little stream head across Bann's Rd on the way to Muck, a pipe on the last flank of Commedagh, then Annalong river again at the end. You could drop down but generally don't feel so inclined!
Redleader: Only 19miles! Technology is selling us short :)
Mike has been busy at work, but has been training up Cave Hill to keep the mountains in the legs.
-
Mapyx says it's 18.45 miles but Wikipedia says 22 miles. There is probably both some inaccuracy in the software and the route plotted.
-
One question. The water pipe at Commedagh is it on the inside or the outside of the wall?
you should know, you were there when i took a pic ;D or where you off playing with your kite then ::)
(http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd496/landyliam/2011/pipe.jpg)
-
We started up Donard at nearly 8pm and were at the bloody bridge saddle less than an hour later, at which point we hit the express travelator of the wall-top and flew back to Annalong wood enjoying awesome evening light and some mind bending visuals due to the parallax between the wall and the ground.
I recently walked on the wall from the same col down (and up) to Rocky Mountain and it messed with my head. I'm relieved it wasn't only me. Any time I looked up from the wall it took ages for my eyes to adjust. You really have to concentrate, there's a few wobbly stones too.
Good going guys. I read a wee bit about the GR20 recently, it's a beast.
-
Well done, great effort.
Back in the day there was a yearly 1 day Mourne Wall Walk organized by YHANI I think it started about 1958 and continued into the 80's. It became very popular and had up to 4,000 entries at its height, but due to the damage that this was causing to the area it was stopped. On completion you would have received one of these :-
(http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm263/yrreg_2003/IMG_0228a.jpg)
(http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm263/yrreg_2003/IMG_0230a.jpg)
Gerry
-
SJH: yes, I'm always happy to drink moving water in the Mournes unless there are obvious weird signs like foam, scum, rubbish, dead sheep /camping spot just upstream (people tend to just wash things in the river rather than take water out a distance). There are plenty of boggy areas but I did not bring my MSR filter.
Starting full at Carrick Little/Annalong River, the possible water points on this route are Silent Valley, a little stream head across Bann's Rd on the way to Muck, a pipe on the last flank of Commedagh, then Annalong river again at the end. You could drop down but generally don't feel so inclined!
Thanks for this. I recently got the Travel Tap bottle and straw recommended on here so have been using them. Good to know that the water's OK without them but will usually have them with me anyway.
-
One question. The water pipe at Commedagh is it on the inside or the outside of the wall?
you should know, you were there when i took a pic ;D or where you off playing with your kite then ::)
(http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd496/landyliam/2011/pipe.jpg)
I do believe you were the one flying the kite. and if my memory serves you were enjoying it ;)
-
I'd still love to know more about this pipe. Who put it there and where does the water come from.
-
Well done, great effort.
Back in the day there was a yearly 1 day Mourne Wall Walk organized by YHANI I think it started about 1958 and continued into the 80's. It became very popular and had up to 4,000 entries at it's height
Gerry
That must have been some sight, thousands walking the wall! How did u get on on Saturday, your walking partner looked full of beans anyway!
-
[/quote]
That must have been some sight, thousands walking the wall! How did u get on on Saturday, your walking partner looked full of beans anyway!
[/quote]
Yep it was an awesome sight. The wee man did great we went along the Brandy pad to the castles and back.
(http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm263/yrreg_2003/IMG_0210a.jpg)
-
Great stuff, you got some day for it!
-
Fair play. Done it last year (having been beaten by it the previous year). Fantastic walk and a superb challenge.
Blogged it here: http://climbingirelandsmountains.blogspot.com/2010_05_01_archive.html
Had hoped to try and beat my time this year but knee problems have kept my walking to a minimum. Hopefully I'll get round again next year!
-
Well five of us walked the full wall yesterday. Started at Annalong Wood and went round clockwise. Started at 6.45am and it took us about 15 hours :D. We did it but, and that was our first attempt. I loved it, legs were physically sore on some of the later ascents but not feeling too bad now. Ate so much food and got a Chinese in Annalong after.
Didn't find that water pipe on Commedagh (didn't look) but it would have been great at that stage. Mid-scramble up a grassy/rocky slope on Slieve Muck (think at the first gap in the wall) there was a wee stream/trickle where I refilled a bottle.
Edit: Apart from lack of water the only downside was the midgies, they were absolutely horrific in Annalong Wood. Ended up looking like we had measles. And no show from the fox(es).
-
Wow, loads more great replies here.
Well done SJH and Paul (great write up BTW).
Gerry, those patches look great, and seeing your wee man reminds me of myself back in the day - cap, trainers and little backpack. I'm sure he'll remember these times as fondly as I do 8)
-
Agree about the badges - would absolutely love one of them! I believe finishers were presented with a certificate as well.
I remember reading somewhere that some runners done the wall in 3 or 4 hours which is pretty amazing.
-
That's a whole world of pain I just can't imagine :o