Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more
General => General Chat => Topic started by: Mourneman on January 13, 2013
-
It was Spud that first suggested the Lecale way to me on one of our Annalong valley camps & With so many days in mountains it was time for a multi day road & trek adventure.last weekends coastal trek was over a section of the Lecale way.
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8188/8375782365_ab35bd77bc_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8375782365/)
1 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8375782365/) by paul surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/75601656@N07/), on Flickr
The Lecale way extends over 40 miles of the county Down coast taking in beaches,roads,country parks & rugged coast line.With the objective of walking at least twenty miles each day we discussed our options about all the kit we would need over two days,ie food,tents,stoves etc.As neither Spud,ed or myself have never trekked that distance before we quickly rested with the desicion to spend our overnight at my brothers beach house which he allowed me to use near Kilief,which is just over the halfway point.This also meant we could arrange any gear we needed could be there when we arrived after our first day on our trek.
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8055/8375783841_d8db6a8676_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8375783841/)
2 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8375783841/) by paul surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/75601656@N07/), on Flickr
Now I know the true romantics out there will be saying that's cheating not carrying all our kit & not spending the night under canvas but those of that have followed our previous adventures will know we're no strangers to spending the night under the stairs & roughing it.This also allowed us to walk with only the essentials which we could easily carry in a day sac.Again having never done such a long walk before
I reckon we made the right desicion over hauling our gear. According to the official guide on the Lecale way the route begins in Newcastle & finishes in Downpatrick but we decided it made more sense for us to walk home along the coast to Downpatrick.
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8475/8376856944_24a648d0c2_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8376856944/)
3 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8376856944/) by
Our journey began at Newcastle library located on the main street beside the Shimna river,from here we made our onto the promenade with spectacular views along Newcastles golden sands,passing the award winning slieve donard hotel we ventured into the darkness with the sound of crashing waves to remind us where we were.these first few miles would be along the shoreline of Murlough bay which is a popular walking spot for families.most of the ground here is cared for by the natural trust,leaving the shore weventured inland towards the Downshire bridge leading us towards the sleeping village of Dundrum or in Irish ,Dun Droma which means ridge fort after its circular keep,walking through the village i began to wonder about what adventures lay ahead.I was hoping as a group we could walk at 3 KL an hour this pace would allow time for breaks & should get us to our halfway point around tea time .
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8223/8375782991_14509ec154_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8375782991/)
4 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8375782991/) by paul surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/75601656@N07/), on Flickr
Leaving dundrum we turned on coastal path & took the oppourtuniy to
Leaving dundrum we turned on coastal path & took the oppourtuniy to have some coffee,this part of the Lecale way is on the old Newcastle railway line which made an interesting part of the walk,nearing our turn off for ballykinlar there was lots of black thorn bushes which ideal for walking sticks.back on the road now we were nearing ballykinlar & i cramping up big style,stopping at local & only garage,shop we bought a few provisions & i took the chance to take some Ibrobrufen which I would not normally take, but with at least 12 miles ahead of us I was anticipating been in a world of pain. Spud took the lead & increased the pace to about 6 kph which really helped us get some distance behind us.finally reaching st Johns point we rested in the ruins of an old church .
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8506/8375783177_2e465b223b_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8375783177/)
5 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8375783177/) by paul surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/75601656@N07/), on Flickr
Next we covered the ground between st Johns lighthouse & kill lough,from here we followed the costal road round to Ardglass were we stopped at Doc's chippy for,wait for fish & chips which was one of the most welcoming meals we've ever had,nearing the point of being totally exchaused we more or less collapsed into our seats,when the food arrived it was nearly an emotional moment for us,with the first mouthful we glanced at each other & gave back " that look " of thank you god.
Turning onto the sheep land section we followed the trek along the headland in failing light we could hear the crashing waves as they bashed the rocks below..It took about an hour to trek this section with increasing wind & rain we reached Ballyhoran beach we could see the white horses pounding down on the sands,having walked through some rough weather & cover over twenty two miles we dam well deserved a pint,entering the Cable bar all the local turned to glance at these tired strangers in their bar,but nothing was going to stop us ‘ three pints of cider & ice please,’really felt like such a goal for us,too sum it up the best I can,it was bloody great!
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8097/8376858428_a8e517900e_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8376858428/)
6 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8376858428/) by paul surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/75601656@N07/), on Flickr
Now at my brotheirs house we met up with spuds good wife who kindly dropped off our kit,we quickly lit the wood burning stove then took it in turn to shower,never smelled as bad in my life,with fresh rags on & the house warm it was time to eat again, sirloin steak with chips & pepper sauce washed down with tea & a bottle of Belfast finest ale.after this we sat around chatting about our day & planing tomorrow,soon after the sandman was calling us,so we retired for the night. We needed an early start on Saturday morning in order to put some kilometres under our belts,so after a quick breakfast we were back on the Tarmac heading towards the shore road,just a few hundred metres off Ballyhoran is Guns island which can waded over to on a Summers low tide.Walking on Tarmac for hours on end really is hard on the feet and by this stage I had at least three blisters,thoughts came to mind of typoons TGO & how well he did considering his injuries,also he was carrying all his kit.
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8086/8375785183_4624b9bb92_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8375785183/)
7 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8375785183/) by paul surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/75601656@N07/), on Flickr
Most of all I was looking forward to the Castleward section of the Lecale way,it was at Castleward nearly twenty years ago that I had my first job as a general " dogs body " my duties included gardening ,forestry,litter picking,basically anything asked of me,most of all I enjoyed assisting the gamekeeper in raising the young pheasants.Castlewards jewel in the Crown is its 18th century mansion set in a 820 acre estate,also within the estate can be found Audleys castle,a 15th tower house & more recently the film set of, A game of thrones " . As children my parents would often take us to Castleward were we would let our adventures run wild building huts & playing Robin hood,now as an adult i'am back on the same treks
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8326/8376856640_9ec346bc72_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8376856640/)
10 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8376856640/) by paul surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/75601656@N07/), on Flickr
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8518/8375788493_b24b5640c9_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8375788493/)
8 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8375788493/) by
Coming away from the coast we ventured into the ancient place named Raholp
With its round tower church & home of Ireland's largest St Patrick statue on slieve Patrick which marks
Commentates the 1500 th anniversary of St Patricks landing in Ireland.The Lecale way now borders around lough Money before ascending up slieve Patrick.when we finally reached the top we got our first glimpse of Downpatrick,by this stage as long I kept going then the discomfort was not to bad,but when I stopped & reachstarted I was reminded me of every blister I had.We had the old Downshire hospital wall & the glow of the towns street lights were now drawing us in,walking down the Gallows hill we could also smell the finish,i'am sure we were a strange sight to behold,we were walking like John Wayne into a saloon.
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8323/8375787561_990bc752f7_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8375787561/)
IMG_0119 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8375787561/) by paul surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/75601656@N07/), on Flickr
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8213/8376861476_4b71bffd9e_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8376861476/)
10 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8376861476/) by paul surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/75601656@N07/), on Flickr
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8212/8375788113_2ccfcd91cd_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8375788113/)
IMG_0308 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8375788113/) by paul surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/75601656@N07/), on Flickr
In my youth I was involved in any adventures going,firstly as a scout then with the Down youth council were I was involved in many different exchanges,camps,kayaking courses & of course days in the Mournes,now as an adult I belief it was my sense of adventure as a child that inspires me still to sling my backpack on & head off into the great outdoors.I've always really enjoyed looked forward to outings,wondering what mysteries laid just around the next corner & the Lecale way was indeed a great adventure with a super bunch of lads.
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8368/8375790025_14e41ae63e_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8375790025/)
IMG_0347 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8375790025/) by paul surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/75601656@N07/), on Flickr
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8093/8376862166_101d374e43_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8376862166/)
IMG_0342 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8376862166/) by
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8089/8375784371_4acf088931_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8375784371/)
IMG_0312 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8375784371/) by
some of the many photos i have & here's the movie ;D ;D ;D
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8504/8375786187_ef5937f4e5_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8375786187/)
9 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8375786187/) by paul surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/75601656@N07/), on Flickr
-
Great write up and video, great trip, really enjoyed it, and amazingly, I'm not too sore today! ;D
-
Great photos as usual Mourneman and an informative write-up, kudos to all three of you. :)
"we're no strangers to spending the night under the stairs & roughing it."
I think they made a film about that: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105121/
-
Top notch.
Keep it up, you've got a talent for trip reviews
Karma to all 3 of you
-
Well done lads, looks like a great trip and nice write up. Did you get good weather for it? Also if you we're to do it again, would you go boots again or trail shoes
-
Well done lads, looks like a great trip and nice write up. Did you get good weather for it? Also if you we're to do it again, would you go boots again or trail shoes
If I was doing it again I would do it in the summer, some of the off road sections were really boggy, liquid mud and had to wade through ankle deep water at one stage! :o I would bring trainers to change into for the longer road sections, as the roads were hard on the feet in boots, weather was decent enough, was very wet on sat night, apart from that was cloudy and cold, windy most of the time but calm and cold for the end last night!
-
Looked excellent :)
Some very nice pictures, but my favorite has to be the fish supper :) ( says the guy who didnt have enough for dinner )
-
I was considering the question of boots being needed myself.
If someone was to do it in summer, giving the longer days, do you think it could be done in 1 day instead of two?
-
I was considering the question of boots being needed myself.
If someone was to do it in summer, giving the longer days, do you think it could be done in 1 day instead of two?
I'm sure a mega fit person could do it, but 46 miles in one day would be some challenge! We walked for 12 hours both days, so I would say you would have to run some of it to make the distance, even with a long summer day
-
Flip me, 46 miles in one day.. Good luck to you Oisin! Lol
Well done guys, great write up and fab pics. Wouldn't mind doing this myself, although I will maybe wait till the Summer.
-
That's one hell of a dander. I'm sure the pints of cider were the best you've ever had. Fantastic trip report and photos. Well done guys.
-
great report, know many of the spots well, you would have passed 2 of my previous homes too, definitely hope to do the walk this summer over 2 days, but not consectutive ones
-
Cheers for sharing .really enjoyed the photos and write up .makes me want to get up off my ass and get out more
-
Well done lads and thanks for info and pictures
-
Aw, great write up and a massive achievement! You will have great stories to share in the future :) Brilliant, well done, karma :)
Oh! and.. how's your feet?
-
What's the terrain like for cycling?
-
Road sections obviously would be grand, would be hard going on some of the off road bits, the mud was very deep, in the summer it would be doable I'd say
-
Only seeing the thread now as I've spent most of the day hobbling around the house like a geriatric.
Great writeup John and you're not kidding about the fish supper. It brought us back to life.
It took me 35 minutes to wash my boots today. You could drink from them now tho.
Knackered!
Feet are generally sore but the blister situation is very minor. A case to be made for silk liner socks perhaps
-
I'd be interested in what shoe/sock combination each of you wore, obviously some big differences in the blister department.
-
I'd be interested in what shoe/sock combination each of you wore, obviously some big differences in the blister department.
I just wore normal thin cotton socks under thick woollen ones.
-
Just what I was thinking Liam
I'd be interested in what shoe/sock combination each of you wore, obviously some big differences in the blister department.
I'm not saying your shoe combinations were wrong, but I'm amazed you lost toenails and everything, I just want to make sure if I go and try something like this I'm not going to come back in a wheelchair.
I imagine the road sections were probably a nightmare so do you think the boots were maybe overkill?
-
Just what I was thinking Liam
I'd be interested in what shoe/sock combination each of you wore, obviously some big differences in the blister department.
I'm not saying your shoe combinations were wrong, but I'm amazed you lost toenails and everything, I just want to make sure if I go and try something like this I'm not going to come back in a wheelchair.
I imagine the road sections were probably a nightmare so do you think the boots were maybe overkill?
I didn't lose any toenails, I didn't even have a blister! ;D The boots were necessary for the off road parts, trainers just wouldn't have stuck it I don't think, for the longer road sections I think a change into trainers would have helped.
-
Just what I was thinking Liam
I'd be interested in what shoe/sock combination each of you wore, obviously some big differences in the blister department.
I'm not saying your shoe combinations were wrong, but I'm amazed you lost toenails and everything, I just want to make sure if I go and try something like this I'm not going to come back in a wheelchair.
I imagine the road sections were probably a nightmare so do you think the boots were maybe overkill?
Well the toenails issue was sorta self-inflicted,ie the nails that came off were to long,so I should have trimmed them before such a long walk,large sections of the Lecale way are on roads but there's also beaches,rocks,fields,floods to trek through, I in my case the water proofing on my boots just had enough.
-
when will people ever listen to my most important bit of advice "cut yer toenails" ;D
my favourite sock for long hikes are a pair of 1000mile ones that have a sewn in inner sock which acts as a wicking layers and also guarantees no blisters, so far so good, although i haven't really done an exceptionally long walk like that yet.
-
Too much feet talk.. :'(
-
when will people ever listen to my most important bit of advice "cut yer toenails" ;D
my favourite sock for long hikes are a pair of 1000mile ones that have a sewn in inner sock which acts as a wicking layers and also guarantees no blisters, so far so good, although i haven't really done an exceptionally long walk like that yet.
Hi Liam, there's a walk called the Mourne 7 7's, you should have a go at that, oh hang on, wait a minute! ;D ;D :) ;)
Sorry mate, I just couldn't help myself lol.
-
I'd be inclined to think that bashed toes would mean too much room in the boot, meaning the foot is sliding forward.
I had my boots fitted in blacks while they were still about, and they fit me like a glove.
The superfeet insoles keep my knees from getting shredded by my overpronated feet too.
The one mistake I do make footwear wise is not wearing a liner sock, so the wool compacts eventually and becomes quite abrasive. The two minor blisters I have at the moment though dont hurt at all, and have been left alone until they run their course.
-
I think with the amount of innovation that goes into good quality hiking socks these days I'd not trust putting a cotton sock underneath. Surely the hiking socks are designed entirely with the foot alone as the only consideration.
I stick with Bridgedales, apart from suppporting a local company, they perform well for me. They seem to have the elasticated sections in all the right places to hold the socks in place and they never feel very damp at the end of a walk.
Heavy weight in winter and medium weight the rest of the year. I now have my first pair of goretex lined boots so perhaps I'll need to go lighter again for summer.
Nice trip lads by the way, enjoyed reading that :)
-
Great stuff guys, it's a hell of a distance to do in 2 days. Sounds brilliant to get a 2 day walk but without the hassle of having to carry a full 2 days gear plus a proper bed in the middle!
I did the Down Way - the coastal walk from Holywood to Donaghadee a couple of times which is about 18 miles and it was a real killer on the feet. Great fun and brilliant views though, we should do that one of these days.
-
Great stuff guys, it's a hell of a distance to do in 2 days. Sounds brilliant to get a 2 day walk but without the hassle of having to carry a full 2 days gear plus a proper bed in the middle!
I did the Down Way - the coastal walk from Holywood to Donaghadee a couple of times which is about 18 miles and it was a real killer on the feet. Great fun and brilliant views though, we should do that one of these days.
I jumped off the train on the way home from work a few times at Holywood pre-TGO and walked home that way it was just over ten miles to the house its a nice walk.
I think with the amount of innovation that goes into good quality hiking socks these days I'd not trust putting a cotton sock underneath. Surely the hiking socks are designed entirely with the foot alone as the only consideration.
I stick with Bridgedales, apart from suppporting a local company, they perform well for me. They seem to have the elasticated sections in all the right places to hold the socks in place and they never feel very damp at the end of a walk.
Heavy weight in winter and medium weight the rest of the year. I now have my first pair of goretex lined boots so perhaps I'll need to go lighter again for summer.
Nice trip lads by the way, enjoyed reading that :)
I wear bridgedales for the very same reasons. Ive only had blisters once and it was defo due to boots that filled with water two minutes after being poured and dried out.
-
Great stuff guys, it's a hell of a distance to do in 2 days. Sounds brilliant to get a 2 day walk but without the hassle of having to carry a full 2 days gear plus a proper bed in the middle!
I did the Down Way - the coastal walk from Holywood to Donaghadee a couple of times which is about 18 miles and it was a real killer on the feet. Great fun and brilliant views though, we should do that one of these days.
I like the sound of that walk, never walked that before
-
It's a lovely dander following the coast, perfect for a day wander, especially when the weather's nice. The halfway point is also Bangor so you can stop for chips too, it's win all round :) Now I'm itching to do it again, might give it a rattle in February if anyone fancies.
Great stuff guys, it's a hell of a distance to do in 2 days. Sounds brilliant to get a 2 day walk but without the hassle of having to carry a full 2 days gear plus a proper bed in the middle!
I did the Down Way - the coastal walk from Holywood to Donaghadee a couple of times which is about 18 miles and it was a real killer on the feet. Great fun and brilliant views though, we should do that one of these days.
I like the sound of that walk, never walked that before
-
It's a lovely dander following the coast, perfect for a day wander, especially when the weather's nice. The halfway point is also Bangor so you can stop for chips too, it's win all round :) Now I'm itching to do it again, might give it a rattle in February if anyone fancies.
Great stuff guys, it's a hell of a distance to do in 2 days. Sounds brilliant to get a 2 day walk but without the hassle of having to carry a full 2 days gear plus a proper bed in the middle!
I did the Down Way - the coastal walk from Holywood to Donaghadee a couple of times which is about 18 miles and it was a real killer on the feet. Great fun and brilliant views though, we should do that one of these days.
I like the sound of that walk, never walked that before
Im in, keep me posted!
-
This is a great writeup. We've archived it in the Blog. You can see it here:
http://www.ni-wild.co.uk/blog/2013/01/lecale-way-walk/ (http://www.ni-wild.co.uk/blog/2013/01/lecale-way-walk/)
-
I made a "Garmin adventure" of the second day of the walk here:
http://adventures.garmin.com/en-US/by/eddiebenton/lecale-way-day-2/#.UPVwkSf47Xo (http://adventures.garmin.com/en-US/by/eddiebenton/lecale-way-day-2/#.UPVwkSf47Xo)
-
I made a "Garmin adventure" of the second day of the walk here:
http://adventures.garmin.com/en-US/by/eddiebenton/lecale-way-day-2/#.UPVwkSf47Xo (http://adventures.garmin.com/en-US/by/eddiebenton/lecale-way-day-2/#.UPVwkSf47Xo)
That's brilliant, put's it into perspective the distance travelled.
-
when will people ever listen to my most important bit of advice "cut yer toenails" ;D
my favourite sock for long hikes are a pair of 1000mile ones that have a sewn in inner sock which acts as a wicking layers and also guarantees no blisters, so far so good, although i haven't really done an exceptionally long walk like that yet.
Hi Liam, there's a walk called the Mourne 7 7's, you should have a go at that, oh hang on, wait a minute! ;D ;D :) ;)
Sorry mate, I just couldn't help myself lol.
Oh no, not another one of rumblebums "I did the 7 7's you know" stories? ;D ;)
-
when will people ever listen to my most important bit of advice "cut yer toenails" ;D
my favourite sock for long hikes are a pair of 1000mile ones that have a sewn in inner sock which acts as a wicking layers and also guarantees no blisters, so far so good, although i haven't really done an exceptionally long walk like that yet.
Hi Liam, there's a walk called the Mourne 7 7's, you should have a go at that, oh hang on, wait a minute! ;D ;D :) ;)
Sorry mate, I just couldn't help myself lol.
Oh no, not another one of rumblebums "I did the 7 7's you know" stories? ;D ;)
I hate you. ;D
-
when will people ever listen to my most important bit of advice "cut yer toenails" ;D
my favourite sock for long hikes are a pair of 1000mile ones that have a sewn in inner sock which acts as a wicking layers and also guarantees no blisters, so far so good, although i haven't really done an exceptionally long walk like that yet.
Hi Liam, there's a walk called the Mourne 7 7's, you should have a go at that, oh hang on, wait a minute! ;D ;D :) ;)
Sorry mate, I just couldn't help myself lol.
Oh no, not another one of rumblebums "I did the 7 7's you know" stories? ;D ;)
I hate you. ;D
;D ;D
-
when will people ever listen to my most important bit of advice "cut yer toenails" ;D
my favourite sock for long hikes are a pair of 1000mile ones that have a sewn in inner sock which acts as a wicking layers and also guarantees no blisters, so far so good, although i haven't really done an exceptionally long walk like that yet.
Hi Liam, there's a walk called the Mourne 7 7's, you should have a go at that, oh hang on, wait a minute! ;D ;D :) ;)
Sorry mate, I just couldn't help myself lol.
Oh no, not another one of rumblebums "I did the 7 7's you know" stories? ;D ;)
I hate you. ;D
;D ;D
Hey Rumblebum, you may need a new profile pic since you have been well and truly knocked off your perch :P
-
Spud you can also do the Clandeboye way which starts at the lead mines and cuts over to Helen's bay and then walk the coastal path to Hollywood which is quite a nice walk.
-
I've written up the walk in the beginnings of our fledgling blog here:
http://www.hikersblog.co.uk/lecale-way/
-
when will people ever listen to my most important bit of advice "cut yer toenails" ;D
my favourite sock for long hikes are a pair of 1000mile ones that have a sewn in inner sock which acts as a wicking layers and also guarantees no blisters, so far so good, although i haven't really done an exceptionally long walk like that yet.
Hi Liam, there's a walk called the Mourne 7 7's, you should have a go at that, oh hang on, wait a minute! ;D ;D :) ;)
Sorry mate, I just couldn't help myself lol.
What are these magnificent sevens you speak of, oh wait, that a film isn't it? I never did see the end of it ::)