Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more
General => General Chat => Topic started by: Mourneman on December 09, 2012
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Joined today by my daughter Shannon,big E & his cousin Matthew,I spent some time last night & again this morning looking over guide books looking for some inspiration for our trek today,we ended up planing a circular route taking in Eagle mountain.
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8065/8257922727_2fc9279b68_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8257922727/)
IMG_0263 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8257922727/) by paul surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/75601656@N07/), on Flickr
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8213/8257925223_b2f5bd97c6_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8257925223/)
IMG_0266 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8257925223/) by paul surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/75601656@N07/), on Flickr
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8502/8257923163_a61316380d_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8257923163/)
IMG_0273 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8257923163/) by paul surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/75601656@N07/), on Flickr
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8361/8257923747_b55e10ab2f_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8257923747/)
IMG_0286 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8257923747/) by paul surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/75601656@N07/), on Flickr
We left Letrim lodge carpark at 10 am crossing over the ford ( 226/253 ) ,leaving the Letrim lodge path we starting ascending along the Mourne way route.We took & followed a bearing for Rocky mountain summit,( 234/258 )
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8346/8258992398_0191d12b6c_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8258992398/)
IMG_0294 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8258992398/) by paul surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/75601656@N07/), on Flickr
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8350/8258993092_257664119c_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8258993092/)
IMG_0296 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8258993092/) by paul surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/75601656@N07/), on Flickr
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8483/8258992858_c272e6354a_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8258992858/)
IMG_0297 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8258992858/) by paul surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/75601656@N07/), on Flickr
Crossing again over the Mourne way we made our way up the easy ascend onto Tornamrock were we took the oppourtuniy to study some map features such as knolls & spurs that could be seen on Altataggart.
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8356/8258993724_e7ecb8b20a_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8258993724/)
IMG_0314 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8258993724/) by paul surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/75601656@N07/), on Flickr
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8338/8259003452_f97e977ce0_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8259003452/)
IMG_0330 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8259003452/) by paul surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/75601656@N07/), on Flickr
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8208/8259002904_026b00e5a8_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8259002904/)
IMG_0345 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8259002904/) by paul surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/75601656@N07/), on Flickr
From our vantage point on Tornamrock we decided to trek along the Rocky river ascending towards Windy gap ( 247/237 ) again we searched for features on the map relating to what we could see in front off us,we discussed how we would explain where we were if bad weather closed in& that the sharp bends in the river & how it split towards Windy gap,( 238/243 )
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8482/8257926269_f890f88cb4_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8257926269/)
IMG_0358 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8257926269/) by paul surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/75601656@N07/), on Flickr
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8350/8257934205_047fd23732_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8257934205/)
IMG_0349 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8257934205/) by paul surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/75601656@N07/), on Flickr
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8065/8257926857_00e00dee30_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8257926857/)
IMG_0380 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8257926857/) by paul surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/75601656@N07/), on Flickr
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8083/8257927207_939e5e3b24_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8257927207/)
IMG_0394 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8257927207/) by paul surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/75601656@N07/), on Flickr
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8060/8259001454_3e54f43550_c.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8259001454/)
IMG_0398 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8259001454/) by paul surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/75601656@N07/), on Flickr
Reaching Windy gap my flask of tea was calling,so it was time for a break,crossing over the boggy area beside the stile big E & Matthew opted to have their lunch within the comfort of a bothy while Shannon & myself took shelter behind the wall.
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8201/8259001202_c3bf34eac6_c.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8259001202/)
IMG_0402 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8259001202/) by paul surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/75601656@N07/), on Flickr
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8198/8257927619_a5df5508c1_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8257927619/)
IMG_0403 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8257927619/) by paul surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/75601656@N07/), on Flickr
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8219/8258996280_216474a84b_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8258996280/)
IMG_0407 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8258996280/) by paul surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/75601656@N07/), on Flickr
Looking up towards Eagles summit I watched as a lonesome hiker descended along Batts wall towards us,the hiker which was a man around 65 stopped & we exchanged our intended treks,glancing down at my daughter the man said,"women should be left behind as they only slow a group down & have no place in the mountains " what a gulp shit!, I told him she was as fast if not faster than most & was quite an experienced hiker,some people never learn.Anyway we ascended the steep climb towards Eagles summit.
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8080/8257927895_dd0394a089_c.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8257927895/)
IMG_0411 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8257927895/) by paul surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/75601656@N07/), on Flickr
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8481/8259000934_4143f482c2_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8259000934/)
IMG_0444 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8259000934/) by paul surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/75601656@N07/), on Flickr
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8353/8257931027_bff0e144f0_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8257931027/)
IMG_0458 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8257931027/) by paul surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/75601656@N07/), on Flickr
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8485/8257932631_cfc58cc1d6_c.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8257932631/)
IMG_0465 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8257932631/) by paul surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/75601656@N07/), on Flickr
The view from Eagles summit is quite special looking back towards Pigeon,Muck,Binnian,Bernagh to name a view.Big E took a wind reading using an anemometer,crossing over the stile we discovered Eagles summit geocache.
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8340/8258999744_56cd26bc93_c.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8258999744/)
Panorama509 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8258999744/) by paul surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/75601656@N07/), on Flickr
Now for the very steep descend into pierces bog,were we had to scramble along a fence,( 234/229 ) crossing Castle bog were were rewarded by an amazing sunset back towards the Cooley mountains in Co.Louth.Before long we found our selfs back on the Letrim lodge trek,nearing the carpark we noticed a glow on Crotlieve mountain, " it was Santa's cottage " for those of you not in the know,for many a year Santa has took up residence on the Sandbank road,Mourne mountains.,anyway it was a fitting end to a good day out.
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8220/8259535278_2c48a20ae9_c.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8259535278/)
Panorama510 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8259535278/) by paul surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/75601656@N07/), on Flickr
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8072/8257932007_9463e32c56_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8257932007/)
IMG_0492 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8257932007/) by paul surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/75601656@N07/), on Flickr
movie from today-
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Great pics mate!
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Your enthusiasm for getting out onto the hills makes me feel a bit lazy but more determined to make more of an effort to get out more often.
Enjoyed the write up and photos. You were rewarded by a beautiful day. I like that part of the Mournes as it's not so busy nor spoilt as the eastern side.
I see your daughter was using an OMM ruck. How'd it perform?
Thank you.
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I'm going to the mountains on the same day as you from now on, every time I go up I get rain, hail and snow. Even in the summer! Good pics and good day out by the looks of it.
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Can't believe what that old guy said! What a load of crap ::)
Anyway, looks like a brilliant winter hike. Really like the photo of the mossy plant with the water droplets, and the golden light in the one after it.
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sounds like you might have met my uncle, if so then he was only winding you up ;D
great pics as usual, saw santas cottage myself from tournamrock last week, impressive glow off it at night, hopefully visiting it this week, will bring my sunglasses 8)
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Great pics, don't think I've even been on Eagle Mountain yet.
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Fantastic photos and great write-up, looks like a beautiful day for it.
Really like the videos Mourneman, there should be an NI-Wild YouTube channel for all the various bits and pieces posted up.