Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more
General => Meets, places, trips and reviews => Topic started by: Big Dod on February 25, 2013
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Well,
I've been trying to make my mind up as theres so many to choose from and when I saw Typhoon's post about his Binian Summit Camp and that sealed it.
So yesterday off I went, sun shining, taking my time, many many (Photo opportunity ;) ) breaks along the way :)
By the time I got to the top the sun had buggered off and it was cold.
Colder than I have felt in a 'long' time.
Got the tent up (must remember to put inner back in next time I take it out to air + clean it - time consuming with numb fingers. Considered heading back down they were that cold.), took a few pics, made a coffee, had a sammidge and into the sleeping bag (first time with only base layer on and I was much warmer than last time on Commedagh with clothes - have a Mountain Hardwear Lamina 0) with a good book as the nice clear sky I had expected didnt happen . You should see the perfectly clear night tonight >:(
Disappointment of trip - realising that 1 pack of jaffa cakes is 'not' enough. Boost - realising that you packed 2 cream eggs and a couple of wagon wheels in the other bag :)
Wind started up at a bout 23:00 and I didnt think I'd get any sleep but woke at 5am and it was sooo quiet.
Couldnt get back to sleep so took a few more photos and started to pack my gear.
NB: a rock is handy to bang pegs into frozen ground but dont bang as far as I did as you'll never get them out again in the morning :) With icy ground, Rock pegs - excellent, others? - dont.
Both putting the tent up and taking it down again I could not feel my fingers but half way to the first wall below Binian I was sat on my butt taking in the view for 10 minutes and the weather was fine.
Did that (sat for 10-15mins) a few times on the way down. Spoke to one man from the mountain rescue team, going up with his dog (and, I'm so sorry I cant remember his name) who told me the wonderful result of the Ireland v Scotland rugby match the previous night >:( What was that all about?!?!?
Anyway, eventually got to the car park where I knew I'd have to wait for the other half to pick me up at an as yet undisclosed time as my phone battery died the previous night and I knew she was busy with work calls. So used the jetboil to warm up some chicken soup and had that with a few bread rolls.
Got bored waiting so thought I'd walk a bit down the road and meet her, lol, ended up in Glasdrummond where the footpath ends and sat there for an hour til she showed up :)
On the way I stopped at the quarter road filling station for a few munchies. One large woman had obviously fallen out with her friends in a car. I was sat on the white wall munching and waiting, she came and sat 2 feet from me on the wall. Eye contact but not a word spoken, thought I was waiting on a bus to Kilkeel, then proceeded to tell the occupants of the car to go and (you know what) themselves... Swiftly lifted the rucksack and did a tactical munch a bit further on down the road :)
And as I sat there waiting it was just opposite the house that has eggs etc for sale. Theres a million chickens in a field beside the house, a horse and a donkey - hence the last pic.
All in all a good night.
I think I broke my feet though...
All photos are at the link below...
Took many more but it was hard to focus manually at night and there was a bit of wind so a good few long exposures didnt :-\
Next Time...
http://s1135.beta.photobucket.com/user/Big_Dod69/library/Binian%20Summit%20Camp%20-%2024th%20Feb%202013 (http://s1135.beta.photobucket.com/user/Big_Dod69/library/Binian%20Summit%20Camp%20-%2024th%20Feb%202013)
Couple for here...
(http://sphotos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/285763_10151474554173407_1345139874_n.jpg)
(http://sphotos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/14052_10151474554068407_2071964356_n.jpg)
(http://sphotos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/487284_10151474556258407_428051356_n.jpg)
(http://sphotos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/64171_10151474556818407_1979291720_n.jpg)
(http://sphotos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/225376_10151474560533407_262911998_n.jpg)
(http://sphotos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/533220_10151474561663407_478330984_n.jpg)
(http://sphotos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/549823_10151474565073407_320713542_n.jpg)
(http://sphotos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/533055_10151474556643407_213560225_n.jpg)
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Well done get that one off the list eh. Great write up I'm sure the Big Girl on the wall was a funny situation to be in lol. Can't get your pics on my phone so will have to wait till tomorrow morning when I finish work to get a squint at them.
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Aye.
I thought she was going to ask me something then sat 'just a wee bit too close' without saying a word :)
Strange...
Friend of mine steers cruise ships (God help them :) ) and when he's back end of March we're gonna get a few other summits ticked off so Typo-0n's post just put me in the mood for a trip up Binian.
I'm a blow in from Co. Antrim so I've still got all of the Mournes to explore...
And starting to meet a lot of locals up there too who all take the time to stop for a chat which is cool.
Cant beat local knowledge...
Didnt put it in my writeup but was talking to a couple who said they'd just come back from doing Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania/Kenya..
I work with a big lad from Sunderland who did it and he says it just about finished him off...
Definitely one for the future - Maybe :D
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Good job in getting out there, nice pics, looked a good trip!
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Excellent :) you may have used the very rock I had to go hunting for, that wee area was surprisingly sparse on rocks.
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I was thinking exactly the same thing when I lifted it :)
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Despite the cloud cover it looks like you had an excellent time and the photos are well worth it, karma.
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great job enjoyed looking at your photos. Well Done :)
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well done Big Dod,great write-up & photos.Glad you stuck with it & camped on the summit,Binnian camp is a real classic,karma pal
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excellent pics, slightly jealous, but then i went outside and felt the chill, my bags only rated to minus 3 :)
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Aye.
I thought she was going to ask me something then sat 'just a wee bit too close' without saying a word :)
Strange...
Friend of mine steers cruise ships (God help them :) ) and when he's back end of March we're gonna get a few other summits ticked off so Typo-0n's post just put me in the mood for a trip up Binian.
I'm a blow in from Co. Antrim so I've still got all of the Mournes to explore...
And starting to meet a lot of locals up there too who all take the time to stop for a chat which is cool.
Cant beat local knowledge...
Didnt put it in my writeup but was talking to a couple who said they'd just come back from doing Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania/Kenya..
I work with a big lad from Sunderland who did it and he says it just about finished him off...
Definitely one for the future - Maybe :D
Those cruise ships are being steered to the highest standards!!! ;D
You should try the Columbia snowboarding gloves that I used on the Commedagh. That was about -10 and my hands stayed and toastie and you can still use your fingers! (Also work on a iPhone screen!)
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Really enjoyed reading that. Respect to you. And many thanks for selflessly ;) taking photo-breaks, you have really captured the mountains beautifully in those pictures. If anyone hasn't already, I'd recommend clicking on the link above.