Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more
General => Meets, places, trips and reviews => Topic started by: Glenn B on January 06, 2013
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Had a great day out yesterday with my son who at 11yo put this auld boy through his paces.
Started off at Donard park car park with the thoughts of having a look at the Donard park campsite for a few future camping trips always good to have a wee look first then maybe go on up to the the wall at the saddle depending on how we felt. Ran this by the boss and he made the call to head for the wall, by this stage we were in pea soup thick cloud no views bad times.
Made the wall in about 2hrs i was banjo'd all those steps nearly finished me so was glad to stop for lunch and a bit of a rest, by this stage it was still pea soup and blowing a gale and really cooled down he'll want go back i thought how wrong was i no "lets go to the top dad" he say's i could have choked him, so off we went onwards and upwards through the wind and cloud the only view was the back of my wee lad who led the way to the summit after more stops than i care to mention all for me of course. After a few photos and more haribo's we began to make our way back down i was glad we were now all down hill back to the car so after loads more photos we were back, boy was i glad i was busted but you know what it was worth every step so proud of the wee lad no complaining or moaning "that was class" he say,s no xbox talk of killing zombies or blowing things up or mind numbing tv. Sitting in the car i mentioned that i was wrecked "im dead on he say's" i think the haribo's are the answer. Only home and straight on the phone granda guess where i was today? Donard. yeah. easy. think were going again next week!!!!!!
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Brilliant, well done, wish my kids would drag me up the hills too :)
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Nice one. Think the last time I did Donard with kids it was 3 hours up and 3 hours down.
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It was murder. The last time i was up Donard was the last time i was in the Mournes and that was 91 yes i know a long time ago. Only getting back into the whole mountains and wild camping lark just before christmas when i stumbled across this wee gathering of like minded folk. So we only have a few hikes under our belts. Our first was Trassey and a bit of the Brandy pad then our first summit Doan from the Banns rd and we thought here this is handy enough lets maybe try Donard.
So we did and i've spent the last two days walking about like metal mickey lol but you know what it cant get any harder and its gave me a few goals too aim for this year.
1 Fitness I thought i wasn't too bad but that proved too be wrong.
2 Weight Carrying too much and i dont mean in my pack. Need too shed a couple of stone!!
3 Map + Compass work Pea soup the other day and my map reading skills are beyond rusty.
4 Camps Try and get too and stay at some of the great spots mentioned on the forum.
5 Just get out as much as possible no excuses as the wee lad is all up for it.
And lastly 6 Back up DONARD next January as it wont be the slog it was this time ;)