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Author Topic: Mourne Wall (again)  (Read 9925 times)

sjh1

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Mourne Wall (again)
« on: August 31, 2014 »
I walked the Mourne Wall yesterday starting and finishing at Carrick Little car park and going round clockwise with Binnian the first peak and Donard the last. This was the fourth time I’ve done it but the first time by myself. I wanted to do it in under 12 hours and did it in 11 hours 49 mins exactly.

For food I brought five Alpen bars, two Snickers, two apples, two bananas and two mandarin oranges. Could have done with some more! I initially brought 1 litre of water. This worked well as I then bought two 500ml bottles at Silent Valley, downed one and kept the other. I still had a good bit of water left when I reached the pipe on Commedagh.

It is such a great walk and something we should be proud of. Is there as challenging a one-day walk anywhere in the British Isles? I’ve limited experience of elsewhere so would be interested in opinions. A gentleman from Galway who we met doing the wall last year said that there is nothing as challenging down south.

I suspect the Wall was a bit of a white elephant when built, probably just to provide employment, but now the tremendous effort of the men who built it provides for a wonderful walk. If it is ever used for what I believe was its intended purpose (keeping sheep out?), it could also allow the regeneration of natural vegetation in the high Mournes and make the Mournes a fantastic example of upland rewilding for the rest of the UK and RoI to follow.
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What would the world be, once bereft
Of wet and of wildness? Let them be left,
O let them be left, wildness and wet;
Long live the weeds and the wilderness yet.

... from 'Inversnaid' by Gerard Manley Hopkins.

Rich.H

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Re: Mourne Wall (again)
« Reply #1 on: August 31, 2014 »
Congrats on a sub 12 hour circuit of the wall and extra for doing it solo. It does sound like you did leave yourself a little underfed perhaps, I don't know what kind of gear you had or were carrying etc I am going to take a wild guess you were wearing typical outdoor hill gear such as boots, walking clothing etc and had carried a bag with the needed waterproofs etc for emergency. If that was the case you most likely burned around 3000+ calories on that walk. You snack and chocolate bars would of supplied closed to that amount of calorific intake but perhaps not in the best form for your body's need during the day. This was perhaps the cause of you feeling like you needed more food, also seems like you had little salt in your food intake which could of left you feeling a little drained after salt loss through sweat.

I fully agree that the Mournes would be spectacular if allowed to start to revert to a natural condition however I cannot ever see that happening. It would require kicking the farmers out of the area entirely and I have no doubt that at least some of them would become bitter and obstructive to walkers who then would need the use of farmland as access. Perhaps in the next generation of farmland owners we might get lucky and begin to get folks who see the land for how much is has to offer everyone rather than a source of cash strip mining.
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sjh1

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Re: Mourne Wall (again)
« Reply #2 on: September 04, 2014 »
Quote from: Rich.H on August 31, 2014
Congrats on a sub 12 hour circuit of the wall and extra for doing it solo. It does sound like you did leave yourself a little underfed perhaps, I don't know what kind of gear you had or were carrying etc I am going to take a wild guess you were wearing typical outdoor hill gear such as boots, walking clothing etc and had carried a bag with the needed waterproofs etc for emergency. If that was the case you most likely burned around 3000+ calories on that walk. You snack and chocolate bars would of supplied closed to that amount of calorific intake but perhaps not in the best form for your body's need during the day. This was perhaps the cause of you feeling like you needed more food, also seems like you had little salt in your food intake which could of left you feeling a little drained after salt loss through sweat.

It didn't help that the only breakfast bars I could get were Alpen Light! I usually bring trail mix but don't really like it so didn't bring any this time. I also usually bring Mr. Porky's Pork Scratchings (excellent and salty!) but can't get them anywhere at the minute. If anybody knows a local dealer let me know...

Oh, and when I got home my sister made me some fajita wraps (or something like that, very nice) and then I got a sliced chicken supper with half chips, half noodles, peas, onions and gravy. So I didn't starve!
« Last Edit: September 04, 2014 by sjh1 »
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What would the world be, once bereft
Of wet and of wildness? Let them be left,
O let them be left, wildness and wet;
Long live the weeds and the wilderness yet.

... from 'Inversnaid' by Gerard Manley Hopkins.

Rich.H

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Re: Mourne Wall (again)
« Reply #3 on: September 04, 2014 »
Try making your own bars for snack food, pretty basic ingredients. Most of them have a base of oats, dried fruit, nuts, mostly bound with something like honey etc. You can also add things like peanut butter or a dash of salt so they work well for calorie intake and salts. In addition you will make about 4 times the amount for the same cost as the store bought ones, and they won't contain any of the rubbish most prepacked things have for you.
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sjh1

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Re: Mourne Wall (again)
« Reply #4 on: September 04, 2014 »
Quote from: Rich.H on September 04, 2014
Try making your own bars for snack food, pretty basic ingredients. Most of them have a base of oats, dried fruit, nuts, mostly bound with something like honey etc. You can also add things like peanut butter or a dash of salt so they work well for calorie intake and salts. In addition you will make about 4 times the amount for the same cost as the store bought ones, and they won't contain any of the rubbish most prepacked things have for you.

Hmm, sounds good! Only problem is any cooking I do usually involves a microwave and shaking to separate. Peanut butter sarnies maybe a good idea next time though ... and Mr. Porky's Prime Cut Pork Scratchings.
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What would the world be, once bereft
Of wet and of wildness? Let them be left,
O let them be left, wildness and wet;
Long live the weeds and the wilderness yet.

... from 'Inversnaid' by Gerard Manley Hopkins.

Rich.H

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Re: Mourne Wall (again)
« Reply #5 on: September 04, 2014 »
You can make some bars with zero actual cooking involved. The ones I use with peanut butter and salt replacements are just mixed, then place in a press in the fridge overnight. Come the morning just cut into bars etc and eat them raw.
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clairebear

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Re: Mourne Wall (again)
« Reply #6 on: September 04, 2014 »
Peanut butter and jam sandwiches for me, ready salted crisps and a few snickers and mars bars are what I munch on. Pork scratchings are something I haven't tried because they look like the insides if ears. But I'm sure they taste good.
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sjh1

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Re: Mourne Wall (again)
« Reply #7 on: September 05, 2014 »
Quote from: clairebear on September 04, 2014
Peanut butter and jam sandwiches for me, ready salted crisps and a few snickers and mars bars are what I munch on. Pork scratchings are something I haven't tried because they look like the insides if ears. But I'm sure they taste good.

Ha! Pork Scratchings are great, Mr. Porky's the best brand though, some others aren't as nice. And packets vary, so sometimes you get a really nice packet and other times not so good. Apparently they actually aren't that bad for you and the explorer David Hempleman-Adams eats them on expeditions.

I think peanut butter and jam sandwiches are a def for me on the next Wall attempt. Even so, not sure if I can shave much off that time but I did stop and talk to a good few people so maybe next time I should keep the head down and plough on.

Rich H. should set up a wee business selling them snack bars of his ... I'd buy them sooner than make them!

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What would the world be, once bereft
Of wet and of wildness? Let them be left,
O let them be left, wildness and wet;
Long live the weeds and the wilderness yet.

... from 'Inversnaid' by Gerard Manley Hopkins.
 

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