Michael McA on Slieve Muck

I Followed the Banns Road from the small car park at the start of this track, which is just past the Crocknafeola Wood on the Hilltown – Kilkeel road ( Gmkeep (J284 214)). This leads into the mountains as far as Lough Shannagh. The Lough is an ideal spot to stop for a while to take in the surrounding mountains. At the north end of the Lough I headed towards the col between Slieve Loughshannagh and Carn Mountain. I then followed the Mourne Wall south over Carn to Slieve Muck. From the trig pillar at the top of Slieve Muck I went south along the ridge of the mountain to a small cairn near the end of the ridge before returning north again looking for a place to go down the steep escarpment that runs along the east side of the mountain. I found a place approx 100 m from the wall. The descent down S Muck is very steep and needs to taken extremely carefully; this is the only tricky part of the route. When it’s safe to do so head back towards the Mourne Wall and follow it down to the Banns Road track to return to the car park. This route took me around 6 hours but that was taking my time to with plenty of stops to take in the scenery. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/151/comment/1033/

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wicklore on Slieve Muck

I headed up Slieve Muck from the summit of Carn. It was simply a case of following the Mourne Wall, which was just as well due to dense cloud. I made the mistake of following the wall on the southern side from the summit of Carn, because when it went down into the col it soon came to a dead end at a wall of rock at C (J284 260). Clambering over the wall I was then able to skirt the rocky bluff and continued to follow the wall on its western side as it turned and headed up to the summit. It is less than a 100 metre climb over nearly 1km, but it was tiring after a long days walking. Sadly the cloud prevented any view from the summit, but I was impressed with the two stiles crossing the junction of the walls at the summit. Slieve Muck was to be the final summit of the day and so I descended NW across its steep slopes to meet the road at point D (J274 261). The going was slippy and boggy and required care. The clouds eventually gave way to views of Spelga dam and Butter Mountain. I was relieved to reach the road and a 2km calorie-burning march brought me back to the car at the Blue Quarry/Ott car park. The end of a long 7 hour hike, or was it? After Ott, Slieve Loughshannagh, Ben Crom, Doan, Carn and Muck I was tired, hot and footsore. Yet Butter Mountain beckoned, and I remembered an MV post suggesting it would only take 10 minutes…so I yielded to the temptation of this quick peak-bag. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/151/comment/3386/

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It's all physiological

Muck and myself have a history. Our first encounter came as part of a very enjoyable circuit of Spelga Dam, following Batts Wall to it's meeting point with the Mourne Wall. We had got on well that day, event taking some time to enjoy the views of the high Mournes and Spelga Dam.


Our second encounter came at the end of an ultimately doomed 2-day stint at walking the Mourne Wall, the day starting out in baking sunshine but ending up in a heavy mist stirred around Muck's slopes by a storm-force wind. Muck wasn't in a good mood and it was taking it out on us! Climbing muck as evening turned into night on that occassion, we had literally hit the wall... totally 'blown-up', our stuffed packs pulling us back one step for every two steps we took forward. At one stage, we even considered the possibility of pitching tents on a rock on the side of a relentlessly steep section of ground that just kept coming.

I had the second encounter in mind as I dropped off Slievenaglogh on a recent attempt at walking the Mourne Wall. Crossing Banns road, I could clearly see the sections on which we had struggled. This time however, Muck didn't put up anywhere near the same fight. Without the mist to hide it's tricky sections, it was a different beast altogether and taking a bit of time to pick a route away from the parts where the Wall gives way to crags, it's possible to have a relatively straightforward walk to the top. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/151/comment/4715/

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Bleck Cra on Slieve Muck

And so he broke the horizon with his jolly red face, less jolly but enthusiastic white legs and his effusive delight. “What about ye” I fished for a more sophisticated southern response. “Sure are the Mourne Mountains not great?” he beamed. Indeed “sure” they are: you would be addressing an evangelist of course. “And where have you come from today?” I enquired rather dully. “We came from Muckish and here we are now”. Indeed? From Muckish? “How long did that take you?”. “Oh it would be and hour and a half. An hour and a half now.” An hour and a half from Muckish. In County Donegal. And here you are at the top of Slieve Bearnagh, County Down. “Ah ye oul sausage and did you leave the Harrier parked or just hovering?” Well y’know I didn’t actually say it. Muck is in the Mournes and seemingly less dirty than Errigal’s neighbour which is only Muck-ish. I’ll leave it to a droid to fix my Irish, but we know all or some of it is to do with pigs. Muck is odd and final, careering in a lollop on to the Silent Valley Road and as such, ending the sway of the Eastern and more ostentatious Mournes. Momentum takes you up on to Pigeon and other fairly shameful indulgences. But stay a while on the Hill of the Pig and soak in the completely breathtaking panoramas it punts. From Slemish in Co Antrim across Lough Neagh to the confident tableau that is Meelbeg through Donard and back to Binnian. Yes all of them in one lash. Loughshannagh dessicating below and routes off at every point, to untrod tracks to be trod. I expect a tent and a primus would be a very good thing. Muckish as a dustbin lid. Enjoy. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/151/comment/2411/

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csd on Slieve Muck

We came up to the summit by following the wall from Carn Mountain. Today (19.06.2005) it was possible to see both Dublin and Belfast from the summit of Slieve Muck. The way down to Slievenaman Rd (to the west) is quite steep, so take care! Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/151/comment/1771/

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