Aug 2006
June Album Back Online
Saturday August 2006 05:01 PM
I somehow
managed to trash all of the pictures taken June's
hike up Eagle Mountain while I was updating the site
late last week. That'll teach me to try to do web
stuff when I'm knackered 
But not to worry, I've got it
sorted and they're back where they
belong.
But not to worry, I've got it
sorted and they're back where they
belong.
November Event: Change of Plan
Saturday August 2006 04:53 PM
Well, it
looks like we won't be having out November meal out
in Café Milano after all, we got a call on Monday
21st telling us that they were closing down for good!
What a shame - I had a meal there last night and the
staff were friendly and chatty and the food was ace
as usual (I've got a craving for pizza at the moment
so I had their Pizza Bianca, very good).
Anyhoo, we'll let you know what our new plans are as soon as everything has been confirmed. Remember to let Neil know if you'd like to come along so we can reserve the correct number of seats!
Anyhoo, we'll let you know what our new plans are as soon as everything has been confirmed. Remember to let Neil know if you'd like to come along so we can reserve the correct number of seats!
Eagle Mountain - June Photos
Wednesday August 2006 11:05 PM
Oops - I
"broke" the June photo album. It's getting late so
I'll fix it another time. Sorry!
Glenarm August 2006 v2
Wednesday August 2006 10:00 PM
Thanks to Ken
for this alternative view of the August hike (I just
noticed I'd hadn't uploaded it - sorry Ken!):
"The forecast was to be cloudy, dull and a likelihood of showers… how wrong it was. Sunday morning was warm, dry and bright as we met in the car-park readying to head off up the North Antrim coast to Ballygally. It was good to have a new face and the return of one or two others including Steve who had come back from Chicago, whoops sorry he hasn't gone yet!! All in all fifteen of us (plus Rory the gorgeous Box Terrier) headed off, near enough on time, for Cairncastle to start the days walking.
A slight delay at the start, as we moved some cars to the finish point, got us started walking for just after mid-day. The initial part of the walk though not difficult was quite demanding as we gained several hundred meters in a fairly short distance but this soon leveled out onto easy grassland with fantastic panoramic views stretching 360º and taking in as far as Slemish, Kilroot and Island Magee, the Maidens and even as far as Scotland. The usual banter and craic accompanied us on the journey across the headland overlooking the North Atlantic and the views were stunning (and I'm not referring to the folk in front of me!)
We stopped off near the Trig point at Black's Hill and had a longish but very enjoyable lunch break, despite Colin’s best efforts to get us on the move. The next bit was punctuated with a rather ominous sign stating that we were to beware of a bull which may or may not have been in the next field. Walking warily we saw no sign of the bull which we decided meant that his lovely lady cows were perfectly safe from any amorous advances!! Marching on unperturbed we hit a rather dense patch of gorse which split the group with the more sensible lot taking a slight detour but getting to our required location unscathed and the remainder double hopping fences complete with barbed and electrified wire. Surely there was more sense in risking a scratched leg rather than losing or having things barbequed on the wire?
The remainder of the walk was straightforward as we headed on toward Glenarm, though the steep downhill gradient (19%) at the last and the oncoming traffic wasn’t without its excitement. Some of the guys managed to have a munch on the blackberries on the way to the finish and the rest of us just admired the fantastic views over the bay as we came into Glenarm. The day finished well with a welcome and very refreshing drink in one of the local hostelries before we picked up the cars and made our way homeward (where there was some concern that John might not be fit to cycle home having downed a shandy or two!!)
Thanks to David and Steve (who insists he won’t be around for the next walk!) for sorting out the walk and despite Ian’s threatened jinx we all enjoyed a beautiful day and great walk, and the first dry August walk in two years!!"
"The forecast was to be cloudy, dull and a likelihood of showers… how wrong it was. Sunday morning was warm, dry and bright as we met in the car-park readying to head off up the North Antrim coast to Ballygally. It was good to have a new face and the return of one or two others including Steve who had come back from Chicago, whoops sorry he hasn't gone yet!! All in all fifteen of us (plus Rory the gorgeous Box Terrier) headed off, near enough on time, for Cairncastle to start the days walking.
A slight delay at the start, as we moved some cars to the finish point, got us started walking for just after mid-day. The initial part of the walk though not difficult was quite demanding as we gained several hundred meters in a fairly short distance but this soon leveled out onto easy grassland with fantastic panoramic views stretching 360º and taking in as far as Slemish, Kilroot and Island Magee, the Maidens and even as far as Scotland. The usual banter and craic accompanied us on the journey across the headland overlooking the North Atlantic and the views were stunning (and I'm not referring to the folk in front of me!)
We stopped off near the Trig point at Black's Hill and had a longish but very enjoyable lunch break, despite Colin’s best efforts to get us on the move. The next bit was punctuated with a rather ominous sign stating that we were to beware of a bull which may or may not have been in the next field. Walking warily we saw no sign of the bull which we decided meant that his lovely lady cows were perfectly safe from any amorous advances!! Marching on unperturbed we hit a rather dense patch of gorse which split the group with the more sensible lot taking a slight detour but getting to our required location unscathed and the remainder double hopping fences complete with barbed and electrified wire. Surely there was more sense in risking a scratched leg rather than losing or having things barbequed on the wire?
The remainder of the walk was straightforward as we headed on toward Glenarm, though the steep downhill gradient (19%) at the last and the oncoming traffic wasn’t without its excitement. Some of the guys managed to have a munch on the blackberries on the way to the finish and the rest of us just admired the fantastic views over the bay as we came into Glenarm. The day finished well with a welcome and very refreshing drink in one of the local hostelries before we picked up the cars and made our way homeward (where there was some concern that John might not be fit to cycle home having downed a shandy or two!!)
Thanks to David and Steve (who insists he won’t be around for the next walk!) for sorting out the walk and despite Ian’s threatened jinx we all enjoyed a beautiful day and great walk, and the first dry August walk in two years!!"
Glenarm: August 2006
Wednesday August 2006 09:40 PM
Thanks to
Colin for the following walk report:
Sunday 20th August was a day beyond our expectations with pleasant conditions and, of course company. It was mostly sunny with a light cooling breeze and a light sprinkling of rain to refresh us as we entered Glenarm.
We met, 15 of us, at a Carpark above the village of Ballygalley. This was an easy walk, a contrast to the strenuous climbs in the Mournes, with beautiful views of the Antrim coastline towards Larne and beyond, and north to Garron Point with a faint sighting of the coast of Scotland across a very calm Irish Sea. We lunched sprawled out on a grassy bank taking in the sun and the views of the coastline far below us. It was so pleasant, sheltered and warm that no-one was in a hurry to move! This walk is a well marked section of the Ulster Way across a section of the gently undulating Antrim Plateau, and a good introduction to the 2 new walkers with us.
We walked to the top of Black Hill at 381m, our highest point that day, and descended through gorse to the short walk along the road following the side of the glen into the quaint village of Glenarm for our well earned drink at the foot of the village. We asked about food, but that was a lost cause as not one establishment caters for the Sunday traveller!
Our thanks to David and Steve (about to depart for a while to the States) [again? - ianP] for organising this most enjoyable walk, and as always, the company was great!
Sunday 20th August was a day beyond our expectations with pleasant conditions and, of course company. It was mostly sunny with a light cooling breeze and a light sprinkling of rain to refresh us as we entered Glenarm.
We met, 15 of us, at a Carpark above the village of Ballygalley. This was an easy walk, a contrast to the strenuous climbs in the Mournes, with beautiful views of the Antrim coastline towards Larne and beyond, and north to Garron Point with a faint sighting of the coast of Scotland across a very calm Irish Sea. We lunched sprawled out on a grassy bank taking in the sun and the views of the coastline far below us. It was so pleasant, sheltered and warm that no-one was in a hurry to move! This walk is a well marked section of the Ulster Way across a section of the gently undulating Antrim Plateau, and a good introduction to the 2 new walkers with us.
We walked to the top of Black Hill at 381m, our highest point that day, and descended through gorse to the short walk along the road following the side of the glen into the quaint village of Glenarm for our well earned drink at the foot of the village. We asked about food, but that was a lost cause as not one establishment caters for the Sunday traveller!
Our thanks to David and Steve (about to depart for a while to the States) [again? - ianP] for organising this most enjoyable walk, and as always, the company was great!
November 2006 Social Event
Wednesday August 2006 09:38 PM
We've settled
on the venue for our November Social Event - Café
Milano on the Lisburn Road in South Belfast. I'll
publish information about how to book a little closer
to the time.
Pride Hike: July 2006
Sunday August 2006 10:04 PM
Well, there
goes Pride for another year - I hope you all had a
good one! Sadly I had to work and missed both the
parade and the party in the square, I felt really
left out 
Hopefully some of you took some
photos you can share with me - I'll publish them
on the site if you like.
At least I was able to take part in the other annual Pride march, the Out & About dander to the top of Cavehill. As usual, we had a mix of familiar faces and a few newbies who were in town for the Pride festivities (nice to meet you all!), about 22 of us in total, I think. Sadly the weather let us down a little, but most of us were prepared for the rain... the first little shower when we were at the summit was bearable but only a taster for what was to come later.
The first shower came and went - it was actually quite exciting watching the black wall of rain rolling up from the Mournes towards Belfast (and us!). After the first shower passed we started our journey back down to the zoo car park. Although it was hot and sunny for a while, another thunderstorm quickly appeared from the south and came rumbling overhead as we descended into the forest. We got totally drenched this time - I wish I'd been able to take some photos but the rain would have ruined my camera. The rain was rushing down the path like a river and by the time we got to the cars we looked like we'd been swimming instead of hiking.
Everybody dashed for their cars and went home to change out of their wet clothes so there wasn't the usual after-walk social: I hope you all haven't been put off hiking for life! I have to admit I really enjoyed it - I don't mind getting a bit wet and I love thunder and lightning so I was as happy as a pig in s**t, although I know that a couple of people in the group are brontophobic (I love being a know-it-all) so they weren't as happy as I was.
Hopefully some of you took some
photos you can share with me - I'll publish them
on the site if you like.
At least I was able to take part in the other annual Pride march, the Out & About dander to the top of Cavehill. As usual, we had a mix of familiar faces and a few newbies who were in town for the Pride festivities (nice to meet you all!), about 22 of us in total, I think. Sadly the weather let us down a little, but most of us were prepared for the rain... the first little shower when we were at the summit was bearable but only a taster for what was to come later.
The first shower came and went - it was actually quite exciting watching the black wall of rain rolling up from the Mournes towards Belfast (and us!). After the first shower passed we started our journey back down to the zoo car park. Although it was hot and sunny for a while, another thunderstorm quickly appeared from the south and came rumbling overhead as we descended into the forest. We got totally drenched this time - I wish I'd been able to take some photos but the rain would have ruined my camera. The rain was rushing down the path like a river and by the time we got to the cars we looked like we'd been swimming instead of hiking.
Everybody dashed for their cars and went home to change out of their wet clothes so there wasn't the usual after-walk social: I hope you all haven't been put off hiking for life! I have to admit I really enjoyed it - I don't mind getting a bit wet and I love thunder and lightning so I was as happy as a pig in s**t, although I know that a couple of people in the group are brontophobic (I love being a know-it-all) so they weren't as happy as I was.