Bleck Cra on Slieve Corragh

Slieve Corragh - “rough mountain”: ignored or derided by horny-hooved height-sprites: just letters to climb over, en route to somewhere else. But ahh, the Pot of Legawherry and the castles over Spinkwee - grandstand seats to view soul-healing panoramas of South Down. The shortest route between Commedagh and Bearnagh. Seaward of the wall - the Blue Lough Bog (… and bog) Crom and “Doan forget me”; leeward of the wall, the lushest of lowlands. And so I was clambering over the letters C-O-R-R-A-G-H when at a stone’s throw, stood “Nanny of the North” and my first glimpse of wild goat aux Mournes. These Celtic moutons are the whole heap - fabulous mythical-like creatures in piebald, skewbald, blond, jet black …… in some airts in Scotland you can entice them with fag packets, wheels trims and bits of brick - which they eat enthusiastically. In the high hills there and here, they are spirits of the mist and snort at human contact unless that human smells of cheese and pickle sandwich. “A goat, it was a goat”, I enthused to this bloke approaching in the opposite lane. And he started - the sheep versus the Water board, the Water Board versus the sheep, and himself versus civilisation itself. Of course this was only a preamble for the goats, who got it very badly in the neck: air-borne bugs, water borne parasites, something to do with them and sheep and a forward Spring; then they all got it: cats, dogs, ponies, chickens. Sure Noah might as well have just pulled out the plug. En route home I spied a sign outside a Newcastle pub - “live-in baa”. My favourite however, would be Super Valu Newcastle 2003: “Breakfast Muffs only 50p” illustrated by a small sausage sticking out of a bun. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/212/comment/1455/

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ricky k on Slieve Corragh

photo shows good scrambling territory on the NE of slieve corragh for the more technically minded mountain walker. approach from the drinns in tollymore forest park. about 40 mins from the forest boundary. avoid in the wet as it can get very greasy and doesn't dry quickly due to the northerly aspect. experienced mountaineers would enjoy themselves here in a hard winter. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/212/comment/1165/

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Commedagh-Corragh walk

Last saturday, at 6am, we started off from Donard Car Park and headed toward the saddle between Donard and Commedagh. It was one of the best days I've ever experienced in the mountains. After negotiating the tricky part coming up to the saddle, fine views opened up of the Annalong Valley, Lower Cove, Lamagan and Binnian. Then the walk really got exciting. As we approached the summit of Commedagh, excellent views were to be had of Bernagh, Meelbeg, Doan, Slieve Muck, Ben Crom, Slieve Loughshannagh and Carn. From the summit of Commedagh, we enjoyed an amazing panorama towards Lough Island Reavy Reservoir. Thereafter we started the descent towards Corragh, which is quite steep in places. Spectacular views were offered of Ben Crom Reservoir with Slievenaglogh in the background - for me, this is one of the best beauty areas in the Mournes. Continuing to follow the Mourne wall, we came to a stile. After climbing the stile we followed the path beside Luke's mountain, which eventually brought us to the Trassey Track. The walk finished at Meelmore Lodge - 8.2 miles in total. I have also completed this walk in an anti-clockwise direction. I think there is more scrambling this way coming up to Hare's Gap and beyond towards Commedagh, whereas from Donard park, apart from the saddle, the ascent is less challenging. Either way, this is an excellent walk with very impressive views of Eastern and Central Mournes Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/212/comment/5835/

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Best view in the Mournes?

I have been wondering recently what is the best viewpoint in the mountains of Ireland.

A recent walk of the Mourne Wall reminded me that The Mournes lay claim to what are possibly three of the finest views in Ireland, namely the view down to Silent Valley from Binnian, the view from the summit of Bearnagh and the expansive view from the summit of Corragh.

Corragh is a pretty humble top with a very humble summit cairn but it is a wonderful platform from which to view the High Mournes. It is also probably one of the lesser visited tops in the Mournes given that it can be easily by-passed by using the Brandy Pad. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/212/comment/14809/

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ricky k on Slieve Corragh

is this a summit? seriously, slieve corragh is only ever trod on as part of one the horseshoe routes in the northern mournes whilst following the ubiquitous wall. the photo shows the hares gap, corragh, commedagh, slieve beg etc in late august 04 from the top of spellack. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/212/comment/1156/

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