Summit camping and camp fires

[13K]

Tim & MikeD I have my bag packed and really to rock, just looking at the weather myself at the minute and it doesn't look to good but I do like a challenge and sitting on top of bearnagh in the snow would be pretty cool. After all I did something Similar on Donnard's saddle a few years ago and I survived that!!!
Going to head down tomorrow after work and hope to be in the mornes ready to set off at about 14.00
Was planning to summit Commedagh and then down to the hare's gap and up again to Bearnagh. But I think I will give that a miss this time and go from Melmore Lodge car park up the trassy track to hare's gap and then onto the summit from there.
Thanks for the tips Dowser on the fire log, will go out to the garage now and get the firelighters in my bag.
So if anybody is mad enough to join me I will be at Melmore lodge car park around 14.00 on Friday.

[RedLeader]

Sounds like a great trip, I'm jealous. Let us know how you get on.

Tim & MikeD I have my bag packed and really to rock, just looking at the weather myself at the minute and it doesn't look to good but I do like a challenge and sitting on top of bearnagh in the snow would be pretty cool. After all I did something Similar on Donnard's saddle a few years ago and I survived that!!!
Going to head down tomorrow after work and hope to be in the mornes ready to set off at about 14.00
Was planning to summit Commedagh and then down to the hare's gap and up again to Bearnagh. But I think I will give that a miss this time and go from Melmore Lodge car park up the trassy track to hare's gap and then onto the summit from there.
Thanks for the tips Dowser on the fire log, will go out to the garage now and get the firelighters in my bag.
So if anybody is mad enough to join me I will be at Melmore lodge car park around 14.00 on Friday.

[Tim]

I have absolutely no idea how I'll get there as the car is away for it's mot. I'll most likely be getting the bus down to Newcastle then walking up to the saddle and along the wall. Hoping to test out a pair of boots I've borrowed which may destroy my feet so it'll most likely be slow progress. I'm hoping to make it up to bearnagh for around tea time. I'll pm you my number though just in case.

[LandyLiam]

talk of snow afoot

Forecast for The Mournes for Friday

A bright start then cloudy. Rain, sleet and hill snow will affect all parts this afternoon. Lighter southwesterly winds.

If so i'll be going for a drive in the hills later and may possibly even go for a wee walk up Bearnagh too if the weather is nice, although i'm sure i'll get as far as the saddle then turn back 

[13K]

Still going to go for it despite the weather.

[RedLeader]

For me, I can cope with the wet and cold, it's wind that is hard to cope. Are you bivvying?

[13K]

Bivvying with a tarp

Hopefully will get some shelter from the Torr's at the top.

Fingers crossed!!

[LandyLiam]

don't forget about the wee shelter on the north tor if the weather gets bad

[MikeD]

The weather report is really bad for tonight from what I've seen, wouldn't recommend it myself!

Also, anyway, somethings came up, so I won't be able to go tonight !! 

Sorry, have fun !

[LandyLiam]

Tonight:

Staying cloudy with further outbreaks of rain, sleet and snow, becoming lighter and patchy during the night with some drier spells developing. Winds will be light. Minimum temperature 0 °C.

I'd say that was damn near perfect weather, light winds 

[MikeD]

Sky news showed lots of rain and snow ... From the afternoon to alll night!

[LandyLiam]

the met office have just upgraded he warning for snow 

[RedLeader]

Always the way when you fancy a nice bivvy. Might not be the weekend for a first go at bivvying.

[Tim]

I had to turn back when I reached the Saddle. I was testing out a pair of B2 boots I'd borrowed from my brother-in-law for a trip to Scotland next week and they were destroying my feet. I had brought a pair of trainers with me as I suspected the boots wouldn't work out to well, but I wasn't warming to the idea of walking through heavy snow in flimsy trainers and risking frostbite. My raincoat was also leaking for some reason so I was getting pretty wet and I decided it wasn't the night to be sitting around a firelog with a dodgy waterproof. On the plus side I was also testing out some new gloves and a new rucksack, both of which worked excellently. It was pretty heavy rain until I got past the icehouse and then it turned into heavy snow, I wasn't able to see the summit of Donard or Commedagh but what I could see was very white. Conditions were perfect though if you like the snow as there was absolutely no wind, although maybe Bearnagh was different. I managed to get through to 13K to let him know I wasn't going to be able to make it and he was sounding surprisingly cheery, he'd just got his tarp setup and was about to get a brew on and said it was getting pretty slippy going up Bearnagh so it wasn't a bad idea me turning back and that he was happy to stay on solo, so fair play for a first time bivvy/solo trip.

I reluctantly turned around and headed back down to Newcastle and stopped at the edge of donard wood to switch into my trainers and lose the waterproof trousers/gaiters combination, and trudged up the main street to the bus stop, only to see the bus station closed and the next bus wasnt for another hour and a half. Luckily my girlfriend decided to come pick me up so I wandered around lidl to keep out of the rain for 30 minutes until she got there.

Once again, sincere apologies to 13K for dropping out

[RedLeader]

Nice one for reaching the summit 13k, hope it wasn't too uncomfy. Least you tried Tim, nothing wrong with bailing if your gears not working out.