Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more

General => Meets, places, trips and reviews => Topic started by: Glenn B on February 25, 2013

Title: Annalong Wood or Sprinkwee River camp?
Post by: Glenn B on February 25, 2013
As the forcast is looking good all week the son and i are planning another wee overnighter,  either a ruturn to Annalong Wood where we had our first wild camp a few weeks ago which we both really enjoyed (son has me tourtured "when are we going out again") or maybe up to the Sprinkwee River camp spot to give it a go. Any tips or info on the Sprinkwee would be good. if anyone would like to maybe stop by or indeed join us you would be more than welcome...

Glenn,

Oh aye this would be handy,  thinking about heading up this Sat night March 2nd and back out on Sunday at some stage ;)
Title: Re: Annalong Wood or Sprinkwee River camp?
Post by: Matthew on February 25, 2013
The Cascade river is a lovely spot, well out of the way of people. It's a bit more open but its a cracking place.
Title: Re: Annalong Wood or Sprinkwee River camp?
Post by: Mourneman on February 25, 2013
Sprinkwee is a real good camping spot,we camped there last year- http://www.ni-wild.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=3662.msg39342#msg39342
Title: Re: Annalong Wood or Sprinkwee River camp?
Post by: Glenn B on February 25, 2013
Hi Mourneman, read your  write up on your Sprinkwee camp a while ago and it does look like a great spot. Just want to ask though is that wee spot where you camped close to the forest ie close enough to gather fire wood or is it a bit further away?
Title: Re: Annalong Wood or Sprinkwee River camp?
Post by: Mourneman on February 25, 2013
Its about a ten minute walk to tollymore forest line but there's loads of trees all around as well.i'll post up a route tomorrow
Title: Re: Annalong Wood or Sprinkwee River camp?
Post by: Glenn B on February 25, 2013
That would be a great help hoping to leave the car at Meelmore lodge. Thanks!!
Title: Re: Annalong Wood or Sprinkwee River camp?
Post by: Mourneman on February 26, 2013
does tis help at all,do you know the route through Tollymore itself

(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8229/8509589587_34f97e2e18_b.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8509589587/)
sprinkwee campsite (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8509589587/) by paul surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/75601656@N07/), on Flickr
Title: Re: Annalong Wood or Sprinkwee River camp?
Post by: Glenn B on February 26, 2013
does tis help at all,do you know the route through Tollymore itself

(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8229/8509589587_34f97e2e18_b.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8509589587/)
sprinkwee campsite (http://www.flickr.com/photos/75601656@N07/8509589587/) by paul surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/75601656@N07/), on Flickr
Thats spot on Mourneman thanks for your help.
Cheers Glenn. karma mate.
Title: Re: Annalong Wood or Sprinkwee River camp?
Post by: Glenn B on February 26, 2013
The son was picked for a Tag rugby compititon on Friday so it now looks like we will be heading up on Saturday instead, so i have changed the original post to show this so if your up for a wee camp out give us a shout...
Title: Re: Annalong Wood or Sprinkwee River camp?
Post by: sjh1 on February 27, 2013
Its about a ten minute walk to tollymore forest line but there's loads of trees all around as well.i'll post up a route tomorrow

Last spring I counted about forty small birch saplings on the slope across the river from the camp-site. Also several small rowan, willow and oak saplings.

There are mature oak trees there and some dead wood good for fires. So anyone camping please bear in mind the regenerating woodland, although I'm sure no-one on here would cut down saplings. There are very few places in the Mournes where self-seeded trees escape the sheep so I think it's a great wee spot.

Also there were Grey Wagtails nesting on the river bank there last year, bit early for them now but keep an eye out. Note these aren't the usual Pied ('Willie') Wagtails. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey_Wagtail (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey_Wagtail)
Title: Re: Annalong Wood or Sprinkwee River camp?
Post by: Glenn B on February 27, 2013
Ok im sorry for keeping banging on, on my own thread but up untill half an hour ago we were still undecided as to which spot we were heading for so a quick view of Mournemans video on the Sprinkwee river by the 'BOSS' and it was a double thumbs up   Sprinkwee here we come..  ;D ;D ;D ;D
Really hope this wee spell of good weather holds out for the weekend as it would be nice to laze away a few hours on Sunday morning without a mad dash back to the car soaked to the skin a bit like Annalong a few weeks back. Roll on Saturday cant come quick enough as its already been one of 'THOSE WEEKS' in work and its only Wednesday >:(
Title: Re: Annalong Wood or Sprinkwee River camp?
Post by: Glenn B on February 27, 2013
Its about a ten minute walk to tollymore forest line but there's loads of trees all around as well.i'll post up a route tomorrow

Last spring I counted about forty small birch saplings on the slope across the river from the camp-site. Also several small rowan, willow and oak saplings.

There are mature oak trees there and some dead wood good for fires. So anyone camping please bear in mind the regenerating woodland, although I'm sure no-one on here would cut down saplings. There are very few places in the Mournes where self-seeded trees escape the sheep so I think it's a great wee spot.

Also there were Grey Wagtails nesting on the river bank there last year, bit early for them now but keep an eye out. Note these aren't the usual Pied ('Willie') Wagtails. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey_Wagtail (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey_Wagtail)
Ah yes saplings they are handy cut  ;D ;D  only joking!! ;)
Title: Re: Annalong Wood or Sprinkwee River camp?
Post by: sjh1 on February 28, 2013
Its about a ten minute walk to tollymore forest line but there's loads of trees all around as well.i'll post up a route tomorrow

Last spring I counted about forty small birch saplings on the slope across the river from the camp-site. Also several small rowan, willow and oak saplings.

There are mature oak trees there and some dead wood good for fires. So anyone camping please bear in mind the regenerating woodland, although I'm sure no-one on here would cut down saplings. There are very few places in the Mournes where self-seeded trees escape the sheep so I think it's a great wee spot.

Also there were Grey Wagtails nesting on the river bank there last year, bit early for them now but keep an eye out. Note these aren't the usual Pied ('Willie') Wagtails. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey_Wagtail (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey_Wagtail)
Ah yes saplings they are handy cut  ;D ;D  only joking!! ;)

 :) Serious, it's a nice spot, you'll like it. I learned about it on here too, so thanks to niwild for introducing me to it. I always like a fire when camping which is why I usually go to Annalong Forest but we found enough dead branches and old gorse at Spinkwee for two good fires last year. Just a heads up that it's a delicate wee spot and there's not many places left in the Mournes where the vegetation is regenerating like that.

... P.S. Don't tell any conservation or agricultural organisations or they'll probably send a "scrub clearance" team in. They don't like natural vegetation for some reason.
Title: Re: Annalong Wood or Sprinkwee River camp?
Post by: Glenn B on February 28, 2013
No worries mate it will be left as we find it and we always try to bring back more rubbish-litter than we create. It does look an outstanding wee spot and your right these wee areas should be looked after as they are few and far between in the mountains.
Title: Re: Annalong Wood or Sprinkwee River camp?
Post by: specimanYak on March 04, 2013
That was a great camp on saturday Glenn, your map and navigation skills got us there safely and it was a great hike through Tollymore Forest, we couldn't of asked for better weather. The Sprinkwee River site was calm as it's protected on three sides and there wasn't an iota of wind about and there was more than an abundance of dead wood around for the fire. I'm really impressed with the little Gelert Solo, lightweight and its small size meant i could pitch it anywhere, it's going to be my main tent from now on. :)
Title: Re: Annalong Wood or Sprinkwee River camp?
Post by: Glenn B on March 04, 2013
A great camp spot totally agree the weather was fantastic couldnt have got it any nicer. A fantastic night around the campfire Tom had a ball really enjoyed it. Legs a bit stiff this morning but thats to be expected carrying far to much stuff as you saw yourself so thanks for the load lighting tips its deffo something im gonna have to get on top of!!
That was a great camp on saturday Glenn, your map and navigation skills got us there safely and it was a great hike through Tollymore Forest, we couldn't of asked for better weather. The Sprinkwee River site was calm as it's protected on three sides and there wasn't an iota of wind about and there was more than an abundance of dead wood around for the fire. I'm really impressed with the little Gelert Solo, lightweight and its small size meant i could pitch it anywhere, it's going to be my main tent from now on. :)