Aug 2007
Fancy Going Skiing?
Friday August 2007 06:00 PM
You might
have noticed that there's a new link at the bottom of
the Navigation Bar. I'm trying to find out how many
people would be interested in coming skiing early
next year. Check out the Ski Trip page for more
details!
Breaking News: Ian Pulls Finger Out!
Wednesday August 2007 10:47 PM
Well, I've
been busy, TV adverts don't make themselves you know.
If you have a look at the photo album you'll find
I've added two new photo sets for July, courtesy of
Colin, Jack and Andrew. Thanks guys, sorry it took so
long to get them online! And if you couldn't make it
on the August hike, there's a little breakdown
(below) of how it went, courtesy of Colin.
Oh, and if you're wondering what's happening hike-wise in September, well so am I! If you don't send me the details of September's hike soon, David, I'll set Colin on you!
Oh, and if you're wondering what's happening hike-wise in September, well so am I! If you don't send me the details of September's hike soon, David, I'll set Colin on you!
August 19th in the Mournes with the Dubliners
Wednesday August 2007 10:09 PM
Once again I
can't take credit for writing the walk report as I
couldn't make it on this one… thanks to Colin
for keeping us up-to-date!
Sunday 19th August dawned dry and bright with the forecast of a strong cold northwesterly breeze and later sunshine. 40 keen walkers from our own and the Dublin groups met at Meelmore Lodge to climb Slieve Bearnagh and other mountains on the northern side of the range. John Bergin had warned me in advance that the walks I had planned might not be long enough for some of the Dublin walkers. And so it was that Dermot and 11 others set off to climb Slieve Meelmore via a steep climb up Spellack. For the rest of us, we crossed a swollen Trassey River to climb up to the col between Meelmore and Bearnagh.
Dermot and his posse had reached the col just before us. He had enjoyed his climb and was full of enthusiam for the next mountain. So full of this boyish enthusiam that he and 8 others now set off ahead of the rest of us to climb Bearnagh. Among his party was the cookie maker! Oh dear, I thought the cookies had gone up the slope with them, but no, he had generously left them behind for the rest of us to share! We had sheltered behind the Mourne Wall for our lunch.
The wind was not as bad as we thought it would be, and once we reached the summit of Bearnagh, a steep and challenging climb, it had abated sufficiently for us to linger and take in the great vistas all around us. This is one of the most interesting and characterful mountains in the range, a great favourite among local walkers. Dermot and Co set off ahead of us and we saw them climbing the North Torr below us as we set off down to the Hare's Gap and another short break. Some of the walkers made their way back to the Lodge while the rest of us, including Dermot and Co, went on up the Wall to climb to the summit of Slievenaglogh for a further photo shoot and the chance to admire the spectacular views down to Ben Crom with its reservoir tucked in below in the Kilkeel Valley, formed from the glacial flow some 10000 years ago.
Time now to make our way back to the Lodge via the stile on the flank of Slievenaglogh and an abandoned granite quarry with its discarded stones. We continued back across the ford on the Trassey River to the Lodge to join the others, now sitting at the picnic tables in warm bright sunshine. Dessie Patterson proudly gave some of us a conducted tour of his new hostel prior to about 20 of us ending up the day at the Downshire Arms in Hilltown, the end to a great days walking
Sunday 19th August dawned dry and bright with the forecast of a strong cold northwesterly breeze and later sunshine. 40 keen walkers from our own and the Dublin groups met at Meelmore Lodge to climb Slieve Bearnagh and other mountains on the northern side of the range. John Bergin had warned me in advance that the walks I had planned might not be long enough for some of the Dublin walkers. And so it was that Dermot and 11 others set off to climb Slieve Meelmore via a steep climb up Spellack. For the rest of us, we crossed a swollen Trassey River to climb up to the col between Meelmore and Bearnagh.
Dermot and his posse had reached the col just before us. He had enjoyed his climb and was full of enthusiam for the next mountain. So full of this boyish enthusiam that he and 8 others now set off ahead of the rest of us to climb Bearnagh. Among his party was the cookie maker! Oh dear, I thought the cookies had gone up the slope with them, but no, he had generously left them behind for the rest of us to share! We had sheltered behind the Mourne Wall for our lunch.
The wind was not as bad as we thought it would be, and once we reached the summit of Bearnagh, a steep and challenging climb, it had abated sufficiently for us to linger and take in the great vistas all around us. This is one of the most interesting and characterful mountains in the range, a great favourite among local walkers. Dermot and Co set off ahead of us and we saw them climbing the North Torr below us as we set off down to the Hare's Gap and another short break. Some of the walkers made their way back to the Lodge while the rest of us, including Dermot and Co, went on up the Wall to climb to the summit of Slievenaglogh for a further photo shoot and the chance to admire the spectacular views down to Ben Crom with its reservoir tucked in below in the Kilkeel Valley, formed from the glacial flow some 10000 years ago.
Time now to make our way back to the Lodge via the stile on the flank of Slievenaglogh and an abandoned granite quarry with its discarded stones. We continued back across the ford on the Trassey River to the Lodge to join the others, now sitting at the picnic tables in warm bright sunshine. Dessie Patterson proudly gave some of us a conducted tour of his new hostel prior to about 20 of us ending up the day at the Downshire Arms in Hilltown, the end to a great days walking
Pride Walk 29th July 2007
Sunday August 2007 07:25 PM
Thanks to
Colin for the following walk report:
Breaking with tradition this year, Outnabout for its annual Pride walk took to the Belfast Hills rather than our “traditional route” up Cavehill. There are great views on this walk, taking in everything from Lough Neagh round to the Mournes, and of course, Belfast.
Twenty-two of us, with some new participants, started off from the National Trust car park, skirting the lower slopes of Divis Mountain. It wasn't long before the rain came down, mostly short, sharp showers. As we walked though the sunshine and bright spells, we could look into the distance, first, Lough Neagh, the Sperrins and the Antrim Hills and Patrick’s mountain, Slemish, and later, the coast of Scotland and the Isle of Man. As the city came into view, various walkers were able even to identify their houses or the schools they had attended many years before. We could see showers in the distance descending on landmarks like Scrabo Tower and Stormont.
The first part of the walk was over bogland and when we hit one of the roads over the mountain constructed to service the various communication masts, our feet were able to dry out! David had chosen a lovely spot for our late lunch overlooking the city, Belfast Lough, and the Mournes. The sun came out, and we were in no rush to leave as the company was good, and David kept on passing round a selection of chocolate biscuits!
As we left our perch on the side of Black Mountain, the rain started, getting heavier all the time, only easing as we reached the carpark. Everyone seemed to have enjoyed the walk; our thanks go to David for organising it, and of course, for sharing his chocolate biscuits!
Breaking with tradition this year, Outnabout for its annual Pride walk took to the Belfast Hills rather than our “traditional route” up Cavehill. There are great views on this walk, taking in everything from Lough Neagh round to the Mournes, and of course, Belfast.
Twenty-two of us, with some new participants, started off from the National Trust car park, skirting the lower slopes of Divis Mountain. It wasn't long before the rain came down, mostly short, sharp showers. As we walked though the sunshine and bright spells, we could look into the distance, first, Lough Neagh, the Sperrins and the Antrim Hills and Patrick’s mountain, Slemish, and later, the coast of Scotland and the Isle of Man. As the city came into view, various walkers were able even to identify their houses or the schools they had attended many years before. We could see showers in the distance descending on landmarks like Scrabo Tower and Stormont.
The first part of the walk was over bogland and when we hit one of the roads over the mountain constructed to service the various communication masts, our feet were able to dry out! David had chosen a lovely spot for our late lunch overlooking the city, Belfast Lough, and the Mournes. The sun came out, and we were in no rush to leave as the company was good, and David kept on passing round a selection of chocolate biscuits!
As we left our perch on the side of Black Mountain, the rain started, getting heavier all the time, only easing as we reached the carpark. Everyone seemed to have enjoyed the walk; our thanks go to David for organising it, and of course, for sharing his chocolate biscuits!