Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more
General => Meets, places, trips and reviews => Topic started by: whoRya on February 10, 2014
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Just before Christmas a friend and I set ourselves a new route some of it covering ground we had yet to set foot on. Setting off from the car park at the end of Bann's Road on a chilly winter's day our circular route had Bann's Road as the centre point.
I just had my phone with me and I only learnt after this walk that these phones can actually focus on an image!
After a little while on Bann's Road and after the first style, we cut off right over the edge of Slievenagore, en route to Slievenaglogh, the first summit of the day.
Looking back down on the old quarry huts with the obvious quarry track which we followed to ascend Slievenaglogh.
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7406/11763222333_7acc24e0f8_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/76526252@N05/11763222333/)
From the summit we headed towards the cliff edge on the eastern flank of Slievenaglogh. There were many interesting rock stacks and features along the edge.
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3707/11762992175_acc44541e8_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/76526252@N05/11762992175/)
As we descended the side of the mountain the views up both the Silent Valley and Ben Crom Reservoirs were fantastic.
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3758/11763401144_2ee467d96e_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/76526252@N05/11763401144/)
There were a few interesting gullies that deserve a bit of further investigation.
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3681/11763294433_ba9e4afcf5_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/76526252@N05/11763294433/)
This staring match ended in stalemate!
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3753/12420802355_0126d95d31_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/76526252@N05/12420802355/)
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3694/11763409574_6cfcd2eaa4_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/76526252@N05/11763409574/)
We descended right down to the Silent Valley Reservoir and crossed the Miner's Hole River following a track until we met the Shannagh River. We then followed this river as it meandered up towards Lough Shannagh. A decent track followed the right hand side of the river.
There were a few interesting waterfalls with some good drops. It is difficult to get any idea of scale from photographs as to the height of waterfalls.
(http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5528/11763776486_f7fdce9f7a_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/76526252@N05/11763776486/)
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7402/12420958473_1e4b334e2b_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/76526252@N05/12420958473/)
Once within reach, we cut off for the track that contours around the west side of Doan.
We then climbed up to the Carn Mountain/Slieve Loughshannagh col were unfortunately the cloud came in. Staying high we followed the Mourne Wall up and over Carn Mountain before branching off towards Slieve Muck.
(http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5475/11763249493_eb8e13bb8f_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/76526252@N05/11763249493/)
We followed the length of Slieve Muck from North to South. On a better day this would have offered great views in all directions. Today wasn't that day.
Looking back up at Slieve Muck it seems obvious that the path of least resistance would be to come down to the left or right. We ended up scrambling down a route through the centre of the rocky section. Just the thing for those tired legs!
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3701/11763768696_5f734bee96_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/76526252@N05/11763768696/)
On the last section we made our way along the Moyad Road past Crocknafeola Wood, avoiding farm land south of Slieve Muck.
This was a fantastic walk with plenty of variation using paths and tracks, and a little bit of heather-bashing. It was a stiff test of the legs at times but with all the rewards of dramatic airy cliff-top trails, the best of the high ground and the best of the water features.
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7336/12421706073_b079ba02b1_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/76526252@N05/12421706073/)
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Those Slievenaglogh gulleys are very photogenic, must explore them some day.
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Those Slievenaglogh gulleys are very photogenic, must explore them some day.
Bet you say that to all the gulleys :P
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Those Slievenaglogh gulleys are very photogenic, must explore them some day.
Indeed, most 'peak-baggers' tend to go up and down by the shortest route, and Mourne Wall walkers of course stick to the wall. I think they miss this mountain's best face. In fact I've read several Mourne Wall walkers accounts mention that Slievenaglogh was their least favourite part. There certainly is more to it than a through-route.
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Looks like a great day out. It's an end of the Mournes I've scarcely been at but for occasional camps at Lough Shannagh or Doan but we've always come from Meelmore, never form the Banns Road end. I've never been on Muck either, might knock that one off this spring.
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This excellent writeup has been immortalized for all time in the NI-Wild Blog. You can see it here:
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These trip reviews give great info to future trips and give the taste buds a thirst .Great pics and review whoRya .Thanks