Soggy Trip

Travelling up from the car park on the Slievenaman road is a doddle until you turn of the track that encircles Meelbeg and leads up to Bearnagh. After this the land that looked so easy to cross is quite peaty and holds water and ‘muck’ for a bit longer than most of the surroundings, making it that little bit harder to cross than you might otherwise imagine. Once through this however and out the other site you can begin tackling the relatively short upward slope. On the day we were there the wind was extremely high, which meant peering over the top nearly took our heads off. It all was worth it though as once at the top the commanding view from right in the heart of the inner Mournes made it all worthwhile. Not the most challenging in the Mournes, and a little awkward for the marsh that you have to traverse, but still good. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/404/comment/6367/

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kernowclimber on Ben Crom

We set out from a parking spot at TrsyCP (J311 315) for the Hare’s Gap via the Trassey Track under powdery blue skies with a slight spring chill in the air. The light reflected luridly off the towering wet cliffs below Slievenaglogh as we wove a route up over the boggy and rocky slope to gain the Hare’s Gap. Here the fine spring weather had brought out a number of people who swarmed around the Mourne Wall like gnats!

We beat a hasty retreat from shrieking children and barking dogs to the relative calm of the valley opposite, descending towards Ben Crom Reservoir. The path was unclear in places and periodically boggy underfoot but we soon reached the spot where the Kilkeel River tumbles down into the reservoir over a series of small waterfalls. We picked our way across the river on the tops of granite boulders, pausing awhile to enjoy the sight of the water which in places cascaded chaotically downwards in a rush of whiteness, showering thousands of glistening droplets into deep and secretive lime green pools beneath, or flowed languidly over smooth granite in large scallop-shell patterns.

The pathway skirting the reservoir looked deceptively level from higher up but involved climbing over boulders, clambering upwards to avoid eroded areas and dropping in and out of small gullies conveying the last of the run-off from the recent snows. Boulders fringed the reservoir in a gleaming white ring; opposite towered Ben Crom, eastern slopes stretching wickedly upwards to a shattered granite face containing several deep gashes, the far left of which cast an ominous shadow but looked climbable. We traversed the wall of the dam and turned right to scramble up and over a tumbled mass of angular granite boulders to draw level with the beginning of the gully (route upwards described separately), enjoying the croaky cries of ravens that were soaring high above the indigo waters of the dam.

The gully delivered us close to the summit that offers striking vistas of Slieve Binnian, Doan and Slieve Bearnagh, granite sentinels guarding a fairytale kingdom of wild bog and moorland fringed by the sea. We progressed north via a maze of peat hags amid very squelchy bog to join a path skirting the lower slopes of Slieve Meelbeg. Passing above Blue Lough we spied a rising moon, rich and full as clotted cream, casting its mysterious, elemental reflection in brackish water. Beyond, Slieve Bearnagh’s jagged tors were etched majestically against a purpling sky.

From the saddle at B (J309 282) between Slieve Meelmore and Slieve Bearnagh the rocky route past Pollaphuca to the Trassey Track absolutely tortures tired feet. The air was still, broken only by the soft hooting of an owl and perfumed with wood smoke as we neared our car 9 hours and 18kms later, prompting thoughts of home, a welcoming fire and single malt. The Mournes are truly magical and never fail to delight. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/404/comment/4553/

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Bleck Cra on Ben Crom

Ta me ag foghlaim na Gaeilge. Cen fa? Who knows. A tutor advises, without a word of invitation, that the word “skitter” derives direct from the Irish. Au contraire, “skitter” slews up the trail to us from Scandinavia via the Ulster Scots infinitive: “fur ‘til skite”. Coconut to the him or her who can descend either Slieve Carn or Meal Beag in present conditions without skiting upon their respective “A”s. Down go the apples; up go the underskirts. Both small, dour lumps huff summer-long in the shadow of their more illustrious peers but now, in an annual fest of self-assertion, up-end every rider astride their oiled, dull backs. Skite marks from summit to saddle: and each themselves marked by derision until one’s own fein ends up on one’s own. And so the chiropractor is denied another session. Crack, rattle, click. B’stard! Whoosh, whooph, thump. Effer! And on and on endlessly until you emerge barely conscious at the other side. The price…. ? Free, because the bold adventurer is elligle to enter this skite-pond by Crom. Ahh Crom: like a favourite, dodgy aunt. “watch the china; Crom is coming today.” Not high by any standards, but if you come to her by Bearnagh and her tiresome bog, a reasonably tough ask and an enormous reward. Don’t be flash when you’re up there on your own, the vertigo can kill you before the rocks below will. This is one of the most serious drops in the Mournes. Amid primeaval environs with white water surging through bog culverts to spurt head-height into the void, Crom trips and stumbles amongst broken castles, in weak, wounded founds; like a foot wrong would bring the entire effort down on top of us. How a wise man comes at her is for another wise man to know. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/404/comment/2049/

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Alex92 on Ben Crom

Crom! What a mountain! It only sits 300-odd feet above the valley between it and Bearnagh, this NE approach to the summit being the easiest. Approaching from this side, I would advise you to wear gaiters as it's more boggy than the Mississippi floodplain! However, when viewed from the East (at the Ben Crom reservoir, or from the slopes of Binnian) it looks a lot more menacing! The Eastern slopes of Ben Crom presents some of the steepest ground in all of Mourne, just look at how close the contours are on the map! Start at the Blue Quarry/Ott carpark and follow the track past Ott, over the stile and between Carn and Slieve Loughshannagh. Curve around the edge of Loughshannagh to join the path which skirts Doan and heads towards 'Crom. An alternative route would be to start from the Carrick Little carpark and to follow the track past Binnian and the Annalong Wood, then take the path which forks left and follow it past the Blue Lough to Lamagan. Zig-zag down Lamagan to the path above the Ben Crom Reservoir, cross the dam and begin the strenuous climb to the summit of 'Crom! The latter of the suggested routes would be my favourite. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/404/comment/2891/

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ghmcbride on Ben Crom

Ben Crom by Gee & Phil
Calling all walkers/scramblers. I have just spent the most enjoyable 7 hours of my life in the company of a small but fiesty lady, her name is Ben Crom.
Start from the car park at Annalong and head for the saddle at the northern end of Binnian. As you know, you are looking down upon Ben Crom Resovior, standing behind which you'll see the lady herself.
Make you way down to the dam, cross and rest for a while. Turn right and then go (which ever way is easiest for you) up the bouldours ( or grave as someone once described them from the photos). The first gully you'll come accross is NOT to be attempted, you will know this place as it casts an obvious shadow on the mountain and is damp even on dry days.
Head round another 10 mins to discover the great gully. You cannot miss it close up.
Time to scramble up one if not the steepest gradients in the mournes. Don't worry about the right hand bend at the top, it's very steep but short (remember 3 points of contact) and pretty short.
Welcome to the best view in the mournes, not via boggy marse or crappy path, you have justed begun to ..............climb.
View all the peaks and enjoy all the resoviours.
If you stuck in Annalong carpark then there is a path to take down is via the Silent Valley side of Crom and then home by same route.
If possible arrrange to get picked up by someone at splega or newcastle. Then, as a pair of gents we meet on Crom said "the world's your oster"
We then went on to a pleasent hike up Doan and then over to spelga.
Total trip 6 to 7 hours max.
P S I have to mention the pigieon which i have affectionately dubbed Penelopy. Found at the top of doan she sat and looked at us, bet she thought "what the hell are humans doing here" Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/404/comment/1615/

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