Attempted my first summit camp last Thursday on Binian since the weather was so good. Got the bus up to Annalong with a friend and began walking to Carrick little from Annalong, had never realised what a walk that was btw, 5 minutes in the car yet it took us an hour in blistering heat. All was going well and we stopped to have a quick two minute rest once we got to the car park. Started heading up the track and met a couple of other people on their way down before we'd came to the gate, who happened to be the only people we saw the whole day, which was great. When we got to the Blue Lough we decided to have another quick stop and apply some sun cream, as it must have been around 22°C. After being attacked by hordes of midges we pressed on, turning round every so often to admire the view down Annalong Valley. We started the descent on Binian and made good time thanks to my new walking poles, which were an excellent purchase. Didn't have any cardiovascular pain at all, when normally after climbing Binian my legs would be killing me.
After making it to the top, John decided not to bother with the tent and we'd both sleep under my tarp which was plenty big enough for the two of us and all our bags under it, and still with enough space to cook in the front of it and admire the view over towards Lough Shannagh. At about 7.30 I got my stove out and starting cooking myself some rice and chicken which was the nicest meal I've ever made myself in the Mournes.
At around 8 John started complaining of stomach pains, and having had pancreatitus in February and being hospitalized for a month with it, this was slightly worrying. He figured it was the exercise that brought it on, so he decided the best thing for it was to try and get some sleep and trying to walk down might just make it worse, so without eating or anything, he went to bed. I sat for a while listening to some music and admiring the scenery when an hour later he woke up saying it was much worse, and we had to get off the mountain. I hastily began to pack up, trying to keep him busy to take his mind of the pain, and we began the descent. It was now close to 11, and getting pretty dark although luckily it was a clear night and we could still see the path ok. He started to get worse so by 11.30 I was on the phone to the mountain rescue, explaining the situation and our location. We managed to make it off Binian and back onto the path up to the col between Binian and Lamagan when the mountain rescue rang back saying they were on their way and to stay put. As it was starting to get colder I got John into the sleeping bag and bivvy bag, where he nodded off while I sat and waited for any sign of the mountain rescue. About an hour later, a flare went off near Annalong forest and I got a phone call asking if I'd seen the flare and if possible, to start walking towards it. I woke John up who now seemed in much better form and able to walk, so off we went slowly but surely until we met the rescue team around about Blue Lough. They sat him down, took his pulse rate etc and asked him a couple of questions, and then we set off for the Landrover which they'd managed to get almost up to Percy Bysshe. We got in, had an extremely bumpy ride down to the carpark where we sat waiting for an ambulance, which then took us to Newry hospital, completely the opposite direction from we live, and this was happening at around 3am. Got to the hospital where they did some tests etc while I sat in the waiting room, trying to get some sleep but failing badly. By 7 they said we were free to go, and John was seeming in much better form although both of us were completely shattered. So a phonecall to our parents asking them to come and pick us up, another hour and a half wait for them to get there and we were on our way home, and our dramatic ordeal was over.
Hopefully we'll get up again and conquer the summit camp eventually! Although John has been advised to stay off the mountains for a while which really sucks, but its not worth the risk.
Some more pictures for anyone interested;
http://s816.photobucket.com/albums/zz86/orcryst01/Binian%20Summit%20Camp/
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