Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more
Outdoor Activities => Northern Ireland Hiking, Walking, Running, Orienteering and Geocaching => Topic started by: andy1984 on January 29, 2010
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Hi all,
i've been reading this site for a while now and just decieded to join! Seems a great place and your trip last week seemed a laugh!
Myself and my girlfriend and just getting into the outdoors really. We enjoy hill walking, forests and camping ( havent done a wild camp yet but that will hopefully change this year!!)
I've been up in the mournes a few times but only in the summer.
I was planning on maybe climbing donnard tomorrow morning, the weather looks not to bad. We dont have any special gear as yet as money tight at the moment so would be heading up with:
Basic backpack
Map & Compass
Normal clothes with boots
Fleece
Cheap none breathable waterproof jacket
lunch
flask of tea
camera
I was just wanting any advice on if its sensible heading up in the winter? Is there any snow on donnard at the moment? what about ice?
Any advice welcome.
cheers
Andrew.
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Are you coming up from Bloody Bridge or Donard Car Park? There was ice up the steps to the Donard/Commedagh saddle on the Glen River side but it wasn't hard to get around. There was snow but only by the wall so you should be fine with a bit of care. Only thing I would say is don't walk in jeans unless you absolutely have to - it's bound to be moist up there and denim holds water like crazy. Other than that, the only other thing I would bring would be hat and gloves.
Have a great walk, the Mournes are awesome in winter and it's worth braving the cold to get up there. We'll likely be doing plenty of wild camping and walking so there'll be loads of opportunity for you to get an evening round the fire and a night under canvass :)
And welcome to the site!
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Hi J,
Thanks for the welcome and swift reply!
That was going to be my next question, what is the best route up donnard? Glen river or bloodly bridage? pros and cons of each?
I wont walk in jeans, i was thinking like combat type trousers? I forgot hat and gloves!!
I like the sound of plently of wild camping and evening round the fire... maybe a few beers!!
cheers
Andy
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I've actually never walked up from Bloody Bridge so I can't comment. I've been up from Donard car park a good few times and it's a straightforward walk (but obviously you do have to climb 850 odd meters so it's hard enough :)).
There's route information here:
http://www.ni-wild.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=758.msg5626
Hi J,
Thanks for the welcome and swift reply!
That was going to be my next question, what is the best route up donnard? Glen river or bloodly bridage? pros and cons of each?
I wont walk in jeans, i was thinking like combat type trousers? I forgot hat and gloves!!
I like the sound of plently of wild camping and evening round the fire... maybe a few beers!!
cheers
Andy
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Thanks J.
I was planning the glen river route from donnard car park, was just wondering if there was any advantage to the bloody bridge route.
I did climb slieve bernagh last year coming up from meelmore and then hares gap! that was in the summer though.
Can i expect donnard to be much harder because i'm by no means super fit!!
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Bearnagh is a hard climb too so if you've been up and over it then you'll be well prepared. We camped on the top of Bearnagh last year (awesome night!) and it was hard enough to get up carrying gear.
The only other thing I might throw in would be a small torch. Donard can be up to 6 hours round trip depending how fast you move and how often you stop and it still gets dark a little early these days.
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Bearnagh was defn a hard climb! ;D
awesome that you camped on the top! i thought that when i had climbed it that i wish i had brought the tent!! where abouts did u camp?
I take it there is no hassle wild camping in the mournes?
Good idea on the torch, will stick one in the pack.
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We just camped in the dip between the 2 tors. As far as I'm aware as long as you don't make a mess then you're all good anywhere above the treeline. If you want to light a fire or camp in a forest you need to be more choosy though.
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must have been amazing waking up on top of Bearnagh!! I'm defn goin to do something like that this year!
Thats good to know about wild camping above the tree line!
When you say you need to be more choosey about camping in a forest is there any particular places that are good? or places to avoid?
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We would use Donard Wood and Annalong Wood the most but they both get groups of drunken idiots in the summer. Not that we don't have the odd tipple but we always behave ourselves and leave no trace.
Waking up on the top or Bearnagh was a great experience but watching the sun go down the night before was even better. Plus in the morning we saw a fox in the heavy mist which was spooky. We also did a 3am summit of Donard in the summer on a warm, totally clear night. That was awesome (if bloody tiring!)
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Allright mate If your looking for a more interesting walk I would tackle donard from bloody bridge. Its pretty much the same level of difficulty but I find it a lot more enjoyable. Its usually a lot quiter on the route up and you can have a look at the old abandoned quarry on the way. You just head straight up to the saddle then staright up donnard. Once you clear the forest the other route I find it extremley monotonous walking through the boulders, then the flat then the steps!
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Hi Chris,
Thats interesting about bloodly bridge! i might give that a go then! is there a defned path up that way?
J,
sounds awesome watching the sun set and seeing a fox too.
The night hike sounds interesting! whats the view like at night?
would be amazing on a totally clear night seeing the stars!
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Andrew
Check your email, I've just sent you a message! ;D
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When we were on the top of Donard at night it was clear and we could see for miles. However, we did a night summit of Binnian when it was misty and we couldn't see a damn thing :)
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'we did a night summit of Binnian when it was misty and we couldn't see a damn thing'
opps!! ;D
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However, we did a night summit of Binnian when it was misty and we couldn't see a damn thing :)
I once did a day summit of Binnian when it was misty and nearly fell off! :o Hats off to you for doing it in the night
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It's a tough ol peak. The guys came over it to Donard Wood last week - rather them than me :)
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Hi Chris,
Thats interesting about bloodly bridge! i might give that a go then! is there a defned path up that way?
Yeah there's a path all the way up have a look at your map and you'll see what I mean, If you were feeling even more adventerous you could go over the little hill at the foot of donnard (Chimmney rock? dont have a map to hand) and up the back way!
http://www.discovernorthernireland.com/Slieve-Donard-from-Bloody-Bridge-P15768 (http://www.discovernorthernireland.com/Slieve-Donard-from-Bloody-Bridge-P15768)
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Hi all,
i've been reading this site for a while now and just decieded to join! Seems a great place and your trip last week seemed a laugh!
Myself and my girlfriend and just getting into the outdoors really. We enjoy hill walking, forests and camping ( havent done a wild camp yet but that will hopefully change this year!!)
I've been up in the mournes a few times but only in the summer.
I was planning on maybe climbing donnard tomorrow morning, the weather looks not to bad. We dont have any special gear as yet as money tight at the moment so would be heading up with:
Basic backpack
Map & Compass
Normal clothes with boots
Fleece
Cheap none breathable waterproof jacket
lunch
flask of tea
camera
I was just wanting any advice on if its sensible heading up in the winter? Is there any snow on donnard at the moment? what about ice?
Any advice welcome.
cheers
Andrew.
Hi andy, welcome to the forum ;D
The guys have you pretty sort on the route front the only thing I can add is IMHO The glen river trail is much handier than coming up from bloody bridge but once you reach the mourne wall and actually start to tackle Donard I found the Bloody bridge side to be less steep But then a bit longer.
As Jonno said there will be plenty more trips planned and hopefully a few more summit camps so your more than welcome to join us.
Heres the pics form the bearnagh trip.
http://www.ni-wild.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=513.0
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Hello mate and welcome.
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Hi all,
Well I made it up and back on saturday in one piece!! ;D
Took the bloody bridge route up. The weather was amazing, blue skys hardly a cloud!
We where sheltered from the wind most of the way up! At the peak it was bitter in the wind, bottoms of my trousers had got a little damp and while standing at the peak for pics they froze solid within 2- 3mins!
Amazing views, really good day... although sore yesterday and today!!
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Awesome. It's a great feeling when you get to the top of a peak. Never had my troosers freeze though :)
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yeah it is a amazing feeling alright!! totally clear, could see for miles.
it was just the bottoms of my trousers where they had been in the snow and got damp.
couldnt believe how quickly they had froze. must have been like -5 or -6 at peak because it was -2 or -3 at base on sat morning according to the car! then with the 25mph wind at the peak?
anyways... cant wait for the next time!! ;D
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anyways... cant wait for the next time!! ;D
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Welcome Andy.... I see you have caught the mountain bug ;)
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anyways... cant wait for the next time!! ;D
Could be as soon as this Sunday if you fancy doing the Brandy Pad? (http://www.ni-wild.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=800.0) :)
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Thanks for the offer suspectmonkey but i cant make it this Sunday! partner already got stuff planned >:(
I might however be heading down on Saturday!! ;D
Any recommendations on routes or walks? something of similar difficultly as my trip last week.
Cheers
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The beauty of the mournes is that its so compact but when your in it you do get that sense of isolation, anywere is good to head to. I like ben crom and doan myself. Doan may be small and a lot of people skip it out but its a proper little hill in my books! Binnian is an other one, park at carrick little an follow the wall straight up it. There's also a water works gate thing on the way round to carrick little you can park there and walk up thorugh the forest to Annalong valley and explore the caves and scramble up Up cove or have a look round hares castle.
The trassey track up bernagh is always an option if a bit touristy imo.
If any of that takes your fancy and you want specific grid refs feel free to ask
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cheers chris. I like the sound of all your suggestions!
Binnian was one i wanted to bag, however i heard it was one of the hardest / longest!?
would Binnian be harder than donnard?
Donnard from bloody bridge was about just enough for me, though i had much to heavy a pack!! lol
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binnian is a bit of a slog i'll admit! Its long and gets steep towards the summit but its a good hill once your up, the tor things make for interesting viewing and pictures.
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binnian is a bit of a slog i'll admit!
would you say it was harder than donnard or bernagh?
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binnian is a bit of a slog i'll admit!
would you say it was harder than donnard or bernagh?
I have only done the two Peaks Donnard & Bernagh, and I would say Bernagh is definatley harder, but far better
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binnian is a bit of a slog i'll admit!
would you say it was harder than donnard or bernagh?
Its hard to comapre to different hills, bernagh is steep but quick. I would say binnian is more in the donard catagory not that steep a gradient for the majority of it but its quite drawn out if you know what I mean. If think it might be to hard you can just walk up the path to the blue lough then break left and cut up binnian the back way.
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Was just studying the map last night as was wondering what this walk would be like,
Start at meelmore, up to hares gap, turnleft ,up slievenaglogh follow wall over slieve corragh, then up slieve commedagh. come down into the saddle between commedagh and donnard and down to brandy pad back to hares gap and down to meelmore!
how hard will this be? is it harder than donnard from bloody bridge? or bernagh from meelmore?
Thanks for the advice
Andy
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Start at meelmore, up to hares gap, turnleft ,up slievenaglogh follow wall over slieve corragh, then up slieve commedagh. come down into the saddle between commedagh and donnard and down to brandy pad back to hares gap and down to meelmore!
Andy, that is pretty much the walk that me and J did for the Donard Wood camp. Only difference is that after hitting the saddle we swung left following the Glen River to Donard Wood and went back up that way and onto the Brandy Pad the following day. Take a look at this link (http://www.ni-wild.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=781.0;attach=175), J plotted out the route using his mapping software. Its a good enough wee route, as you can see the total ascent isnt actually all that much and once you hit the saddle the route back on the Brandy Pad is pretty much flat until Hares' Gap again.
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cheers suspectmonkey.
What mapping software is that? Is there anything like that for free!? ;D
the weather looks like its going to cloudy tomorrow... hopefully the mournes wont be covered!!
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www.mapyx.com.
£45 or so for 1:50,000 for the whole of Northern Ireland, £15 or so for 1:25,000 of the Mournes.
Worth every penny in my book!
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thanks i'll have a look!