Mourne 7

I climbed this mountain yesterday as part of the Mourne 7'7's. Started in Donard car park at 7am and headed up toward the saddle between Donard and Commedagh. Leaving the rucksack at the Mourne wall, I tackled Donard first - always good to get the tallest out the way early on. Thereafter I retraced my steps and headed toward Commedagh; which despite being higher than Bernagh, I think is easier to climb. So, staying with the Mourne wall, I traversed over Slieve Corragh and Slievenaglogh and eventually came to the Hares Gap, to start the ascent of Bernagh. With the possible exceptions of Lamagan from Binnian/Lamagan colony and Donard from the Glen River, I think this is probably the hardest ascent of the entire walk. Clouds cleared at the summit to give decent views toward the Silent Valley and Lough Shannagh. Upon summiting Bernagh, I descended toward Pollaphuca, to begin the ascent of Meelmore. Meelmore is probably the easiest summit of the seven. Thereafter, I headed toward Meelbeg. Thick clouds had settled in by this stage to limit visibility to a few metres. Thankfully, upon descending Meelbeg, the clouds cleared to afford decent visibility toward Binnian, Lamagan, Ben Crom and Doan. The traverse between Meelbeg to the half way point of Ben Crom Dam is probably the most difficult terrain to walk upon of the entire walk. This is because there is no clear path and much of terrain is damp and marshy. Upon reaching the dam, the highlight of the walk appeared - Ben Crom mountain was reflected in the waters beneath the reservoir. Upon reaching the colony I commenced what I think the probably the most scenic part of the walk - the back castles of Binnian. Clear skies afforded views toward Slieve Foye on the Carlingford Hills. Upon reaching the South Tor, I retraced my steps toward the colony to begin the ascent of Lamagan. This marks the final ascent of the entire walk. The point at which the crest gives way to the summit affords nice views towards Donard/Commedagh/Beg/Cove. Upon summiting Lamagan, the real challenge of the walk begins. It may be tempting to think that with all mountains climbed the remainder of the walk is easy. This is not the case. The traverse over Cove, Beg, followed by the Brandy pad past the castles of Commedagh toward the saddle is probably the most difficult part of the walk. This is when fatigue and tiredness set in. Upon reaching the saddle simply follow the Glen river path toward Donard car park which marks the finish. This route took me 10 hours 47 minutes. The route I took last year - Donard, Commedagh, Lamagan, Binnian, Meelbeg, Meelmore, Bernagh - took me 12 hours 17 minutes. The difference in time is the valley between Doan and Ben Crom. Going from Meelbeg to Ben Crom dam means you are going in the same direction of the river. Going from the dam to Meelbeg means you are going against the river. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/83/comment/6468/

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Bleck Cra on Slieve Bearnagh

You fall down a manhole: a bad day. You awake to a broken heart: another bad day. Your children are eaten by alligators: also a bad day. So when polemicists assert that there are no bad days it is clear they have never drawn their own blood. Slieve Bearnagh, Diva of the Mourne Mountains is flame to the moth that was, at least last Saturday, a mountain dragnet performed by squillions of be-woggled pubescents. Led by fat sweaty men and bounding healthy women, they poured into every one of Bearnagh's mountain tracks like the Blackwater up rabbit holes. A bad day is also one that starts with the zip coming off your jacket, your boots left at home and the torpor of a damp Ulster morning; the kind with the trick rain that doesnt fall but soaks you to your soul. Bearnagh breaks the rolling Mournes skyline with 2 ragged tors; and the silence of the Trassey valley with a siren call to action. Her northern flank is cracked and torn by a thousand feet over more gravel than granite; her southern is worse and with little stupidity you can ski down it to your demise. Out of every corner they came like Gengis shagging Khan. And so every route-off-route had to be devised, to avoid being deafened, flattened and trodden on. So deny yourself Trassey or the Pad and approach her from Corragh; juke round the Poluphuca to the col twixt More and herself; shin up the first 5 mins right of the wall and slabs and then go left of them and hold that left unto the summit and down. The sky became sun, the din became song and the damp became diamonds. OK, so bad days ..? Toggly go boggly go woggly. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/83/comment/4216/

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sbender on Slieve Bearnagh

I did a horseshoe walk in the Mournes last week, but wasn't sure at first under which mountain I would write about my experience. finally decided on Slieve Bearnagh for the simple reason that it was a tough nut to crack. I started at 9.00 after parking at the Crocknafeola Wood, and 'entered' into Mournes area at point Crkfeola (J276 226) up Slieve Muck. It was a hard start, especially with 15kg on your back (I had the bright idea to camp out one night). After that onto Carr Mountain, via Slieve Loughshannagh and Slieve Meelbeg to Slieve Meelmore following the wall. after a steep descent, you guessed it........ Slieve Bearnagh. I thought my legs were going to turn to jelly. Could not climb the Tor as at this stage there was blowing a galeforce wind and I was on my own. Had a bit of lunch on the other side of this mountain. Unfortunately the weather started to deteriorate at this point, sleet and hail, interspersed with some rain at galeforce speed (the word sand blasting sprung to mind). After that simply following the wall, Slievenaglogh, SlieveCorragh, Slieve Commedagh, and finally Slieve Donard. After descending I had wanted to climb Chimney Rock Mountain, but it was already 17.15. I would have to do my final descent in the dark, so decided against that. I followed the wall for another bit untill point E (J353 262) and descended just north-west of Rocky Mountain, keeping the Hares Castle (the hares were not home) to the right. Do not....I repeat, do not use this route. It was a total disaster. Very overgrown uneaven and bouldery (hidden) flank of this mountain. I must have fallen over about a dozen times (no joke). Finally reached the Annalong Valley at 18.30. In time to pitch my tent before dark at point F (J342 243) at the weir and cook some pasta out of a bag (Which tasted like honey at this stage). Next day great weather, I looked up at Slieve Binnian but my legs were protesting in such a way that I had to leave that for another holiday. Ended up with a 13km road walk instead. I stayed in Newcastle in the Avoca Hotel which has nice sea front rooms. If you decide to do the Mournes, Have dinner in Villa Vinci, you'll be well looked afgter by Bennie, the owner, and the food is fantastic, just what you need after a long walk. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/83/comment/3408/

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rowanseymour on Slieve Bearnagh

Definitely my favourite mountain in the Mournes because of the impressive rock formations on both Tors. Photograph is from end of Febuary - looking towards the North Tor - having climbed from Hares Gap, from Trassey car park. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/83/comment/887/

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Bleck Cra on Slieve Bearnagh

“ It isn’t that gully.” “Yes it is.” “No it’s not.” “Yes it is.” I lapped them on the Brandy Pad this Saturday. Da-v-Og. 65-v-40. You just knew they’d been at this for years. Westerly?! Commercial explosives couldn’t have blown you off Bearnagh more effectively. It dropped me into rocks twice, to language unheard of outside of Marseille. Bearnagh is arguably the matriarch of the Mourne Mountains - more dramatic in craggy outline than the other big girls and dodgy enough in the best conditions, let alone this relentless, swirling, mischievous maelstrom. This is because the main routes in the other Mournes 700ms+ tops avoid danger: the track off the Meelmore col positively encourages it, kissing the crags on Bearnagh Slabs and testing it from evaporating footholds in powder-soft granite. Stir in the white stuff in drifts of a foot deep and you have an irresistible cocktail of exposure, danger and bravado. Can I commend Bearnagh: black, sunless and bad in winter? Probably not, but come at her from Meelmore and that experience will so mesmerise you as to dull the pain until you emerge on to her lush Eastern slopes. Meelmore is magical in winter. Is it the scramble over dagger-sharp rocks and mutant icicles? Is it the vistas across the whole range and farther? Is it the sun-soaked summit – white witch to Bearnagh’s black? Perhaps it is the lone, deep canine footprints seen above the Poluphuca - bigger than a fox, bigger than a dog, some say bigger than a wolf. Even he can’t resist a run up Meelmore on a day like this. A loop off Commedagh to pick up the Trassey track, lasso-ed Da and Og again - “It wasn’t that gully.” “Yes it was.” “No it wasn’t.” “Yes it was.” Saturday - v.windy day. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/83/comment/2939/

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