Thaistil cnocadóirí Phobal ar a'n Iúl (grúpa atá lonnaithe san Ómaigh) ó thuaidh go Binn Fhoibhne i gContae Dhoire ar na mallaibh. Dhreap naonúr againn an sliabh Dé Domhnaigh. Lá breá grianmhar a bhí ann agus tonn teasa coicíse ag teacht chun deiridh. Thosaíomar ó gheata foraoise ar Bhóthar Leighery (
C (C7030 3173)) agus dhreapamar suas go dtí iomaire an mhullaigh, ag siúl siar ó dheas. Bhí lón againn ag an bpointe is airde ar bhruach na haille, áit a raibh radhairc mhaithe ar Loch Feabhail, go Inis Eoghain agus ó dheas i dtreo Bhinn Bhradach agus Sliabh Speirín. Ina dhiaidh sin leanamar ar aghaidh go dtí an lochán agus ansin go dtí an mullach (de réir na léarscáile, 385 méadar in airde). Bhí an tuiscint láidir againn go bhféadfadh an cnocán atá suite soir ó thuaidh den loch a bheith níos airde. N’fheadar an ndearna duine ar bith é seo a fhíorú le hionstraimí cruinne le déanaí. Chuamar ó dheas ag deireadh na n-aillte agus ansin thrasnaigh muid ó thuaidh faoi bhun na bhfiacal. Tá Binn Fhoibhne an-suimiúil mar gheall ar an dúlra. I measc na mbuaicphointí bhí fiacha ag grágáil, spléachadh gairid ar éan creiche, b’fhéidir fabhcún; fraocháin aibí, saileach reatha ar ardchlár an mhullaigh, go leor méaracáin gorma, tím chreige, odhrach bhallach agus boladh cnis; síológa aitinn ag pléascadh; agus leamhain (cinnabar nó burnet, níl mé cinnte) ag tuirlingt ar mhéaracáin gorma agus ar bhuachalán buí. Thóg an tsiúlóid 4 uair an chloig ar an iomlán mar thógamar go bog é. Chuaigh cuid againn ag snámh ag Trá Bhun Abhann ina dhiaidh sin chun fuarú.
For their latest outing, the walkers of Pobal ar a'n Iúl (based in Omagh) travelled north to Binevenagh in Co. Derry. Nine of us tackled the mountain on a warm, sunny Sunday as a two-week long heatwave was coming to an end. We started from a forest gate on Leighery Road and climbed up to the summit ridge, walking from north to south. We had lunch at the highest point on the cliff-edge, where there were good views across Lough Foyle to Inishowen and south towards Benbradagh and the Sperrins. Afterwards we continued to the lake and then to the 385m summit, according to the map. We had the strong impression that the knoll north-east of the lake might be higher. I wonder whether anybody has verified this with accurate instruments lately. We the descended south-west at the end of the cliffs and then traversed northwards below the fangs. Some of the nature highlights included ravens croaking, a brief glimpse of a bird of prey, possibly a falcon; ripe bilberries, creeping willow on the summit plateau, lots of harebells, thyme, devil's bit scabious and lady's bedstraw; gorse seedpods popping; and moths (cinnabar or burnet, not sure) alighting on harebells and ragwort. The whole walk took 4 hours as we took it a fairly leisurely pace. Some of us went for a dip at Benone Strand afterwards to cool off.
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