Mourne Mountains By Bike - The Brandy Pad

[mregan]

Some photos I found of a wee ride I had over the brandy pad and up and down Donard.
http://s147.photobucket.com/albums/r305/MREGAN80/Mourne%20Mountains/

[Al Fresco]

Did you wash your bike for the photos LOL so clean.
Nice pics dude.

[mregan]

Washed it at every waterfall!   

Thankfully it was a dry enough day and the bike was fairly new at that time.

[beau]

Nice pics looks like perfect weather for it.Me and a mate did loughshanagh from rostrevor down banns road,few weeks ago but weather was crap frozen wet.Was there much hike a bike on the route you took.roll on the summer

[mregan]

Surprisingly not. All depends on your riding ability too. Some parts I know not everyone could ride but I got over it ok. But it's definitely not a smooth day out on the bike. Coming down the steps on Donard was hairy enough in places. Trying to keep the speed to get over drops but trying to keep it controlled so you don't crash.

One tip at hares gap is continue up the miners track to near the mine then follow the track/sheep path across rather than continuing straight up the middle. Most of the climb is done out on the miners track and some of the sheep path is rideable.

[Mourneman]

Due to walk the Brandy pad on saturday,looking forward

[MG1]

Fair play mregan. Me and 666_pack tried the brandy pad on bikes nearly killed us, but we made it. We're not really hardcore  mtbers like your self. But we'll try anything!

[Mourneman]

Here's something interesting i found this evening in the Down recorder,Down council are looking for contractors to help build & maintain mountain bike trails in the Mournes,heres a link about the story
http://www.downdc.gov.uk/Your-Council/News-(1)/Tender---Mourne-Mountain-Bike-Trails-Notice-to-Con.aspx

[mregan]

MG1 it's all about enjoying it and sure if you have to walk a bit so what. At least you got out and done it good man. Loads of mountain bikers wouldn't even attempt it.

Mourneman the trails have been marked and plotted by GPS. Though the tender process hasn't been successful yet in finding a builder. It would be an amazing place if it ever gets built. We spend thousands a year going to Scotland because we don't have these type of trails here.

[Samm]

Here's something interesting i found this evening in the Down recorder,Down council are looking for contractors to help build & maintain mountain bike trails in the Mournes,heres a link about the story
http://www.downdc.gov.uk/Your-Council/News-(1)/Tender---Mourne-Mountain-Bike-Trails-Notice-to-Con.aspx

Ah, wondered when that was getting done. Seems like an age ago (at least a year or more) I had a meeting with the designer on top of the Rostrevor one. Designer seemed really good, internationally experienced. I imagine the trails will be great. Spare a thought for nature conservation though!

[mregan]

Mr davis that would have been. I think the harvesting of forests is going to have a bigger impact on nature conservation than building trails. At least I would hope so anyway.

The 7stanes in Scotland is a perfect example of how things can be done. They have created mountain bike trails, walking trails and nature walks side by side.

[beau]

Your right mregan D Davies is the designer and is known for his natural trails,which cause as little impact to nature as possable.will try your route in the summer although the steps at Donard sound a bit scary ,might walk down some of that lol..wee bit of a chicken

[mregan]

Why wait to summer!



This was 2010 during the big freeze.  I decided to head up that way after spending a morning in Tollymore.  Didnt get much further than the brandy pad after Hares gap as it was too Icy.  Snow was grand but in some parts of the brandy pad you have to land on rocks and with ice on them it was an accident waiting to happen.  Ended up spending most of the time in the quarry taking pics.







Some more pics on the album here http://s147.photobucket.com/albums/r305/MREGAN80/Mournes%20Snow/

[beau]

   Took this at red bog last week,might be the only snow we,ll get..This is me and Rudolph having fun in the snow lol.

[mregan]

That is brilliant.

I love that red bog trail. First on it doing one of Rowans 26extreme winter races. We done a loop last year out to leitrim lodge and across the mountain coming in at the Shepard's crossing above the ford. Ended up at the top of Slieve Martin after red bog.