Bullseye Bivvy Trip Jan 18th 2014

[fourman]

Dowsers arrived at the bivvy site no one around yet (Billy no mates !)
says he is dropping down to the stile at the saddle between Donard and Commeadagh, better site for the over night.

[clairebear]

Few pics from the bivvy last night, was a wet walk in, chilled bivvy and a lovely walk back on the brandy pad with the sun on out backs.

Snow covered bernagh



Milky stuff

[clairebear]

[LandyLiam]

I can't do an overnighter due to work commitents but I hope to pop up and say hello, might even bring some dinner up. Do you think a well wrapped chinese would stay warm for an hour 

There's lies, damn lies, and LandyLies 

Once again I spent the evening in a lovely warm house being served a particularly lovely dinner by my particularly lovely wife thinking I really could just stay here all night. Then she mentioned she would like an early night! So I quickly packed the rucksack at 9pm and headed off to Newcastle for an overnighter  well I did have to test out the bivvy bag she bought me for Christmas  hit the saddle at 11:15pm and found the party in full swing. Then the clouds parted and we were blessed with a bright moon and many stars (some say I bring the good weather, others say I wait for the good weather  ) best of all there was no wind, what a crackin night. I had a pretty awful sleep in the bivvy, but that's par for the course with me, however the second half of the night was better once I found my buff to keep the freezing cold air off my nose. Woke to some frost on the tarp and a snow capped donard in front of me, just perfect. Then joined whorya and rumblybum for a hike home over donard a summit and down to newcastle via millstone, photos coming soon.

[whoRya]

Once again I spent the evening in a lovely warm house being served a particularly lovely dinner by my particularly lovely wife thinking I really could just stay here all night. Then she mentioned she would like an early night! So I quickly packed the rucksack at 9pm and headed off to Newcastle for an overnighter  well I did have to test out the bivvy bag she bought me for Christmas 

I'd say you read that comment spectacularly correct or spectacularly wrong 

[Rumblebum]

Another great camp guys (and gal)!
Thankfully we didn't get the weather I was expecting and I had a great night round the fire ,eating, drinking, and then drinking everyone else's drink. 
I woke up with a bit of a sore but it was well worth it, looking forward to our next trip.

RB!

[LandyLiam]

I'd say you read that comment spectacularly correct or spectacularly wrong

Either way i was getting outta there 

Here's the pics































these 2 guys show there true love (for the mountains)

[phil_b]

Good work guys, well done for getting out there and getting on with it despite the weather on Saturday. I'm glad it dried up for you later on and I know Sunday was a much better day.
Nice to meet Claire at Hares Gap as she was heading home on Sunday morning too.

[Fred]

Im glad that you folks had a good night  and that conditions were better than expected. Clearly is was worth persevering, in spite of the poor forecast.
I dropped out due to the weather. I just couldn't face a long walk in the rain followed by a damp bivvi.
Hopefully I will join you next time.

Fred

[RedLeader]

A brilliant night guys. Enjoyable walk across even if it was moist. Dried up nicely later and a bit of standing around soon dried everything off. Surprisingly comfy night considering how bleak it looked when we got there at first and a beautiful clear, dry Mournes day on Sunday, perfect for the dander back.

Cheers to all concerned for another blinder, prepare the magical dart of mystery for round 3 - up to the ockey Jockey!

[Spud]

Nice one guys, looks like a great night was had!

[whoRya]

It was a great wee trip.  So pleased the weather cleared up like it did.  Sunday morning was a corker.  It was interesting to hear the experiences on different routes.

Thanks for sharing the photos.  I was relieved to find I had left my camera in the car and not somewhere along the mountainside.

Did the rest of you guys go the high route on the way back or opt for the Brandy Pad?

[Dowser]

That was a brilliant night NI Wilders... Thank you for another memorable night 

This Bullseye Bivvy was quite a challenge and was definitely not one for the Glampers.  I set off from a small forest at the bottom of Spences River, as I was keen to explore new territory, and I'm so glad I did as it has opened up a whole new area of the Mournes for me.  Unfortunately it was chucking it down the whole way up to the Bivvy spot on Saturday so I didn't risk getting my camera out but on Sunday the weather was fine and the camera came out to capture some images of what I now call Spences Valley, which runs past Spences Mountain and runs up between Rocky Mountain on the left and Chimney Rock on the right.

Near the top of this valley is a small quarry and a number of crofter cottage remains which would be ideal for a quick overnighter.

So, after packing my ruck, and my belly with a hearty high calorie breakfast, I set off to find somewhere to dump the car for the night.







Where I parked my car was quite soft and when I returned on Sunday morning the wheels were bogged down and spinning in the mud.  I had to collect a few branches from the nearby forest to stick under the back wheels to get traction.  For a while I thought I was going to need to find a tractor to pull me out 

Here's a few pics from the Bivvy and my dander back to the car:





Haggis...One of my favourite hill foods:


The final concoction, Haggis, Potato Wedges, Polish Meat Dumplings and Blue Cheese Sauce:






Rumblebum and Redleader watching their favourite TV show "The Voice" on their iPhone


Happy Campers
















Donard at 2am




The Orion


Ardglass from the Saddle


























I walked this wall the whole way through the Bog of Donard:




Spences Valley:




Perfect Bivvy Spot near top of Spences Valley:






Spences River Meandering through the Valley:










Energy Replacement when I got home... Deep Fried Haggis and Mushrooms with Chips 

[admin]

Here's a trip report and pictures.

http://www.ni-wild.co.uk/blog/2014/01/bullseye-bivvy-round-2-slieve-donard-saddle/

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