Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more
Information => Outdoor News and Events => Topic started by: admin on September 09, 2013
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The pair got into trouble at around 10.15pm on Saturday on the Mourne Wallwalk, near Annalong Forest in Co Down, and contacted police to help guide them down.
Officers tried using the sirens and lights on their parked vehicles attempt to give the men something to head to - however this was to no avail.
Mourne Rescue Team and the PSNI helicopter then became involved in the rescue bid.
A police vehicle used its siren in the Quarter Road area and one of the men confirmed by phone he could hear it, allowing teams to locate the pair shortly after 1am.
Chief Inspector Davy Beck said: "The safe rescue of the two men was made possible by the close working relationship between police and the rescue organisations.
"I am in no doubt that the excellent local knowledge and initiative of the officers involved was a key part in the successful rescue operation and I am pleased that they were able to assist in this incident resulting in the two men being found safe and well."
http://www.u.tv/news/Two-men-lost-in-Mournes-are-rescued/e35c4e6f-362a-454a-b948-8335542a9924
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Good work by MMRT again.
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Wonder what happened. The Mourne Wall is mostly straighttforward to follow even in low visibility. Maybe they got separated from the wall and weren't able to find it again.
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I'd say they were probably quite exhausted. I remember feeling quite ropey by that stage in the walk myself.
glad they're ok
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Did you do the Mourne Wall Walk yourself?
I'd say they were probably quite exhausted. I remember feeling quite ropey by that stage in the walk myself.
glad they're ok
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Me Oisin and RustyMadra did it a couple of months back.
It was tough, especially with boots on - but I was glad of the support from the boots when my legs got tired later on in the walk.
We started a bit too late in the day, so it got dark while we were on Donard. So the crossing of the bog of donard in the dark (even with my lighthouse beacon headtorch) added some time.
I distinctly remember the feeling of weakness in my legs between the end of the bog of donard and carrick little. and the mental weariness too, every step required concentration.
A challenge, but worth it.
I'd just advise anyone else doing it to at least do some prep, we just dived in head first - and I was still stiff from my four day camp / walk about the mournes from 2 days prior.
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The Dunnywater section is notoriously deceptive, even in daylight, so just imagine what its like in darkness. Here's an extract from a report (http://rockandrideoutdoors.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/lessons-learned-mourne-wall-run.html?spref=fb) by an experienced mourne man to give you an idea.
I've been telling groups about how the Mourne Wall is a marvel of craftsmanship for years, TRUE. I've also been telling them that it's a continuous 22 miles all about 7 feet high and easy to follow, FALSE. When I hit Long Seefin I took the wall to the right, down to the forest and proceeded to spend 45 minutes of dragging through trees, brambles, the river, fields full of foot deep cows footprints (filled with cow crap) and was a slightly less motivated man when I finally reached the bottom of Slieve Binnian 30 mins off schedule. Most people apparently start and finish their walk in Carrick Little car park and totally avoid this section by taking the access road out of the forest and taking a simple stroll round the road back to their cars. I didn't have this option and frankly if I was going to run the wall then I was definitely following it the whole way round like a big granite handrail. This approach definitely took the momentum and the fun out of my attempt!
That Saturday was very very wet, they must have been completely worn out by that time. Importantly they were well prepared with torch, whistle and emergency bivvy bag, otherwise who knows how it might have ended.
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The Dunnywater section is notoriously deceptive, even in daylight, so just imagine what its like in darkness. Here's an extract from a report (http://rockandrideoutdoors.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/lessons-learned-mourne-wall-run.html?spref=fb) by an experienced mourne man to give you an idea.
I've been telling groups about how the Mourne Wall is a marvel of craftsmanship for years, TRUE. I've also been telling them that it's a continuous 22 miles all about 7 feet high and easy to follow, FALSE. When I hit Long Seefin I took the wall to the right, down to the forest and proceeded to spend 45 minutes of dragging through trees, brambles, the river, fields full of foot deep cows footprints (filled with cow crap) and was a slightly less motivated man when I finally reached the bottom of Slieve Binnian 30 mins off schedule. Most people apparently start and finish their walk in Carrick Little car park and totally avoid this section by taking the access road out of the forest and taking a simple stroll round the road back to their cars. I didn't have this option and frankly if I was going to run the wall then I was definitely following it the whole way round like a big granite handrail. This approach definitely took the momentum and the fun out of my attempt!
That Saturday was very very wet, they must have been completely worn out by that time. Importantly they were well prepared with torch, whistle and emergency bivvy bag, otherwise who knows how it might have ended.
Written with the tact and insight I'd expect of an MMRT man.
I refuse to judge any person for mishaps in the mountains for the simple reason that when you're in a comfortable chair, rested and fed sitting at a keyboard, you're just not in the frame of mind the individual was in. A written report however detailed never truly conveys the desperation of their situation.
Another fine job by the MMRT.
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I have read a number of accounts of people walking the Mourne Wall, but have never done it myself, and the section through Annalong Wood always seems to come up as a discussion point.
Just a thought though, is there an 'official' route that qualifies as completion i.e. would a purist say that the wall ought to be followed through the forest? What was the route of the walk back in the days of the official event? What was the route in the event this year?
That said I don't think following the track (down to Rourke's Park) would change anything substantially about the walk, to do it any way gets my respect 8)
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I've been watching this thread with interest,well sayed whorya,aragorn,Liam that terrain around dunnywater is hard to navigate over for anybody,it's one thing strolling along a trail on a nice summers day compared to trekking across open ground in darkness & poor weather.Well done to the MMRT again on providing an excellent service.