Topic: Madness in the Mournes (Read 7228 times)

Mourneman · « **on:** July 03, 2012 »

My good pal Lenny who has shown a keen interest in Hiking & has joined me on many a trek this season, asked me to do some basic navigation work with him,ie reading & understanding grid references & basic map,so with that in mind we started out from the trassey track with a mind to climb Spellack,Meelmore,Meelbeg,Loughshannon,Carn,Muck & back along the road back to Trassey,well thats not what happened!

IMG_0466 by anne1257, on Flickr

Checking out our route at the carpark,i've cut away all the unnessary parts of the OS125 & tailored it by adding all the lat & lon numbers for a quick referene

IMG_0467 by anne1257, on Flickr

our approch to Spellack,the Met office predicted some hill fog & a rain front closing in around 7pm,but at 9am we were feeling quite happy that we would have most of our walk done before this

IMG_0471 by anne1257, on Flickr

yes i know it looks like i'am praying & maybe i should have to the gods of weather

always time to get a few geocaches

IMG_0477 by anne1257, on Flickr

as we closed in on spellacks knife edge clif the fog got thicker,the wind got stronger & it began to piss out of the heavens

not been a stranger to been in the hills we quickly got the rain gear on & turned to climb the spur leading to Meelmore summit were we hoped to sit out this weather front by drinking tea & bovril

IMG_0479 by anne1257, on Flickr

after a while our shelter was in sight

IMG_0495 by anne1257, on Flickr

using a hiking pole we made a make-shift door to prevent the howling wind & rain from getting to us,now on average i'am on the hills at least two days a week,but the weather today was the worst i've experienced in years,the wind was about a force 6-7 gale with driving rain & hill fog this was indeed an ideal time to do some map reading!

IMG_0520 by anne1257, on Flickr

lenny reading the map with ease,the mourne wall really makes it easy

IMG_0486 by anne1257, on Flickr

IMG_0515 by anne1257, on Flickr

IMG_0503 by anne1257, on Flickr

IMG_0526 by anne1257, on Flickr

IMG_0528 by anne1257, on Flickr

now back at the carpark & out of the weather lenny was able to master taking a bearing with a compass,first rate lad!

Wolf_Larson · « **Reply #1 on:** July 03, 2012 »

Well done lenny for not getting lost, and very well done for getting thourgh that weather lads !!

Thanks for pictures.

Oisín · « **Reply #2 on:** July 03, 2012 »

Lenny did great, you can still retain your title then John or should I say Mr GetYaLost

Mourneman · « **Reply #3 on:** July 03, 2012 »

Will i ever hear the end of it

Fact 1. I never got anybody lost,I did start off on the wrong trail,which if truth be told,folk do all the time,but mistakes improve technique,my mistake was starting on trail in an mountain range without an OS map,lesson learned,some people lead,& some people follow

Rant over,but Lenny was a joy to teach

Oisín · « **Reply #4 on:** July 03, 2012 »

How much did you charge him for the lesson?

Have you got a waterproof map case or just use the map itself?

Mourneman · « **Reply #5 on:** July 04, 2012 »

I bought this 125 OS only a few weeks ago & there's nothing worse than a big map blowing all over the place,so i reduced it's size by half only keeping the inner Mournes,adding major grid references & Lat & Lon number along all lines,makes it really easy & quick,my friend owns a graphic shop so i got him to laminate it for me,so no need for a case,i even held it under a stream yesterday to test its waterproof,now it just a really good tool !

As for charging

for map reading, you're having a laugh! Nothing better that watching someone learn something new

Ed · « **Reply #6 on:** July 04, 2012 »

I suppose that makes me Mr gets you fat?

Weather looks like it was rough lads

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Author Topic: Madness in the Mournes (Read 7228 times)

Mourneman

Madness in the Mournes

Wolf_Larson

Re: Madness in the Mournes

Oisín

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Mourneman

Re: Madness in the Mournes

Oisín

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Mourneman

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Ed

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