Learmount Mountain

Climbed Learmount Mountain on 13 April 2010, parking at one of the pull in places A (H58957 97010) near the cattle grid at the crest of the Tamnagh Road from Cranagh to Park. I followed the fence going W up the slopes of Learmount Mtn South Top to a fence junction on the flat top where I turned right and followed the new fence N to the equally flat top of Learmount Mountain. As the map shows the top is marked as central within the 480m ring contour and should lie some 50/60 metres SSE of a stout post which marks the high point and change in direction of the fence at C (H58062 98278) .As so frequently applies in the Sperrins one is faced with a very flat top and a number of peaty hummocks a number of which could well be the high point. This said the top is not in my view 50/60 metres away from the high point of the fence and is more likely some 10/15 metres away at C (H58061 98272) . However a short walk about soon covers all likely contenders and you can leave safe in the knowledge that you have crossed the high point ! The top is an excellent spot to have lunch. There were views NE over Mullaghash to Benbradgh and N to Inishowen while just across the valley to the SE was the fine ridge from Sawel to Dart. Instead of returning by the outward route I opted to follow the fence back down SE for about 450m and then leave it and continue on across and down the open hillside to my start point. On the way down I could see what looked like three parallel lines of snow filled cuttings in the peaty ground going in my direction. When I reached them I followed the middle one down to a junction with a small stream at D (H58721 97619) which I crossed and then continued up along the cutting to its high point on the hill at E (H58824 97363) and then went steeply down to the car crossing over a couple of small but steep ridges just before reaching the road. A short but satisfying walk of some 3.75k easily covered without stops in about an hour and a half Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/490/comment/4619/

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Best Done With S Top

My last summit of the day on Sunday after Dart and Learmount Mtn S Top. I was parked near the highest point on the Park/Tamnagh Road, and after Learmount Mtn S Top, it was a short walk to Learmount, although there was an area of torturous peat hags to get through on S Top. I avoided this area on the return leg by sticking to the eastern flanks of both, although there was tussocky grass and rushes instead, and some quite steep slopes. It was such a short distance however, that I didn't mind. The best of the views from the summit are in an arc from the northwest to the northeast over most of Co. Derry. Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/490/comment/17876/

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