People climb Bearnagh, walk Commedagh and "do" Donard - y'know, the way you "do" Shakespeare or Yeats. Although the views into Dundrum Bay on hot summer days are singularly sweet, she is simply not the most exciting (if tallest) of the Mourne tops.
So how do you "do" Donard and make it interesting. Simple - come off her. Exit South through the back door towards the brown bog of the same name. The descent will give you completely mindblowing vistas over the strange Annalong river to the tops Binnian to Beg. By negotiating the Buttress (you have to go looking for the track made by a one legged sheep, above the Buttress face) you get that strange sensation of almost touching the other side if only the glen weren’t between you and the target.
There’s lots to see and do - as say the brochures - Hare’s Castles, old quarry works, hints of olde worlde humans, a fascinating (well for the moraine hunters) dunno what it is - some kind of glacial oxbow, beautiful flora and fungi, in the summer buzzy bees and perfumed bell heather, ravens swimming the air - the whole heap.
Drop down to the river - if you can tear yourself away, you have the choice of coming back up the main Annalong track West of the water and in the lee of the terrifying Lamagan slabs, and spooky gullies of Cove and Beg.
Or you can follow a wall up to Binnian’s Back Castles and top-hop back to Donard.
To “do” Donard, leave her - and I promise you, she’ll call you back.
(See pic of Binnian en route.)
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