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Saturday 4th October 2014Meelbeg, Mournes
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Saturday 30th August 2014Mournes
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August Bank Holiday
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July Trip, 12-19th July 2014
Letterfrack, Connemara
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Saturday 31st May, 2014Craigamaddy Circuit, Sperrins.
Spartans met at Glenelly Centre and ascended Dart from south. Great views over to Derry; Lough Foyle and Donegal. We crossed the saddle to Sawel and descended south again to reach the road and the walk back to the centre. Glorious weather throughout. |
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May Bank Holiday Trip
Ten club members arrived at the Guest House at Magheramore - just outside Clonmany on the Inishowen Peninsula in Donegal. The weather looked reasonable for the weekend.
On the Saturday we drove to Butler's Bridge, just west of Clonmany village. We followed the path up the glen to the east of Raghtin More and lunched at the saddle with Mamore Hill to the west. We climbed Mamore Hill and looked over to the Urris Hills and Lough Swilly beyond and beyond that - the Knockalla Ridge to the beach at Port Salon. The club had completed the Knocksalla walk last year. We returned from Mamore Hill and ascended the southern rise of Crockmann and Raghtin More and to the col with Raghtin Beg before descending north east back to the glen where we took in the view of the waterfall and headed home for a rest, a shower and a meal. The following day was mush greyer, cloudier and misty. Our plan was to park off the R244 and take the series of paths (made for the peat cutters there) and then we ascended the northern ridge of Slieve Snaght Beg and then Slieve Snaght itself. |
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Saturday 17th May 2014Cushendun to Ballycastle
The weather on the north Antrim coast didn't quite turn out as wet as forecast - so we enjoyed a dry if overcast day walking from Cushendun to Ballycastle. The cloud was high enough for us to see Knocklayd above our destination and to see the Paps of Jura beyond Islay and later to spot the high peaks on Aran Island behind Kintyre. Always a pleasure to reach our destination and enjoy a fish supper there and contemplate a long day .... and a good day's walking. Thanks Jack. |
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Mayday holiday weekend Thirteen Spartans met up in Newport, Co Mayo to enjoy the Bank Holiday.
The weekend weather was unsettled with low cloud and a threat of rain. On Saturday we had a great walk which began at Treenlaur Youth Hostel beside Lough Furnace and included parts of The Western Way and The Letterkeen Loop Walk - about 22kms in total. On Sunday most of the group decided to cycle on the Cycle Greenway from Newport to Mulranny. The Greenway traverses Ireland’s Atlantic coast between Westport town and Achill Island and visits the picturesque villages of Newport and Mulranny (Mallaranny). It passes by some of the West of Ireland’s most dramatic mountains and offers magnificent views of |
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Saturday 26th April 2014Slievelamagan and Cove
Peter Young had promised that his walk on April 26 would not be the annual "stroll" to Ben Crom so it was with a certain amount of trepidation that five Spartans met at Meelmore Lodge at more or less the appointed hour of 10.15am. It emerged that our target was Slievelamagan, reached by an interesting route of Hare's Gap and the Ben Crom reservoir. The Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme was in full cry in this, the final weekend of the Easter holidays. Tents had been pitched at Meelmore Lodge and in the hills and we encountered several groups of enthusiastic and disturbingly fit youngsters following their maps with great care. All seemed to be enjoying the challenge. The leaders of the DoE scheme informed us that it had been raining heavily from 4am until around 9am, and there was evidence of this as we made our ascent to Hare's Gap. The skies had cleared but there was a bit of an easterly breeze. The streams were however full to overflowing and despite our best efforts boots were immersed in the water as we forded the waterways. At Hare's Gap there was a welcome pause. We watched in admiration as the leading runners in the Commedagh Challenge fell running race bounded up the gradient and through the gate at the wall as they strode manfully up towards Slievenaglogh. This explained why there had been such an |
overflow of cars at the Trassey Track parking area - which was the starting point for this gruelling event - and why the Mourne Mountain Rescue vehicles were strategically placed adjacent to Trassey Track.
We managed to squeeze in a short coffee break at the head of Ben Crom Reservoir. Then it was down the well established track along the eastern shoreline of the reservoir, from where we had lovely views down along the water and up towards Ben Crom mountain. This was all too easy but Peter then signalled a left turn and we faced the challenging ascent up to the col between Binnian and Slievelamagan before turning left again and on up to the peak of Slievelamagan. As we ascended the slope, we paused to admire the sensational views across to Bearnagh and back to Slieve Binnian. At the top we encountered, to mutual surprise, the lone figure of SRS member Ed Johnston, getting in some practice for the Seven Sevens in August. He was heading in the opposite direction, having come from Donard Park via Commedagh but unfortunately it was too windy to have a joint lunch stop. Instead, we headed north to Cove Mountain, but the wind had strengthened and blown in some low cloud, the result being that we made our descent from Slievelamagan in rather misty conditions. We halted just beyond the coll in what passed for a sheltered spot for some refreshment, and took stock of the next challenge - the track up and round the western |
flank of Cove. Gloves were donned and anoraks put on as a skiff of rain passed through and then, all too soon, it was time for the off.
We completed the walk around Cove in misty conditions, a pity because we missed the views but by the time we were ascending Slieve Beg, the sky had brightened. We surprised a walker who had just completed a solo ascent of the Devil's Coachroad and were able to take a picture for him of his moment of triumph. Then it was on and over Beg (how come this is Irish for small, some mistake surely) and across to the familiar terrain of the Brandy Pad. We managed to get out of the breze for another refreshment stop and then, with the wind on our backs and the sun shining brightly, we made for the Hare's Gap. Another short pause was called here before we descended the Trassey Track before cutting left across to Meelmore Lodge where, to our delight, the cafe was still open (summer closing time 6pm) and still serving refreshing coffee, rhubarb pie and ice cream. Yum. We were back at base at 5.15pm which means we had spent almost six hours in the hills - a sound test of walkers and equipment. Thanks to Peter for coming up with such an original route and for guiding his flock around with such aplomb. The chat was good and the exercise excellent. All in all, an absorbing day, and no doubt Peter will already be planning his next "stroll". |
Easter Trip
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Saturday 19th April 2014Spellack - Mourne Mountains
With the senior squad fulfilling an important away fixture in Wales on April 19, there was a gap in the local Spartan calendar. This was ably filled by Marie Doran and so it was that five Red Sox mustered at Meelmore Lodge in glorious sunshine for a walk up the seldom visited but impressive summit of Spellack. From there we proceeded up the distinctive track to Meelmore, pausing now and then both to catch our breath and admire the sensational views. More sun cream was applied as we took a break at the peak. The Mournes were unusually busy, with a number if family groups some of which were accompanied, somewhat worryingly, by dogs which were off the lead - in contravention of the guidelines. Still, at least there was no sign of any sheep on the slopes. From Meelmore we descended the slightly easier left side of the wall down to Windy Gap, |
where we regrouped and watched in awe the rock climbers abseiling down a rock face as we prepared for the ascent of Bearnagh. We skirted round the mountain and the too a sudden left up a steep heather-covered slope to the summit. We were glad when the lunch gong sounded and found a spot where we were protected from the brisk breeze. We could then sit back to admire the unusual rock formations and the views across Silent Valley and over to Carlingford Lough. Mesmerising!
The descent to Hare's Gap was eased greatly by the exceptionally good footing, thanks to the recent spell of dry weather. The mist cleared from distant Donard and we were able to take in the full majesty of the Mournes bathed in sunshine. At Hare's Gap we found a little sun trap just over the wall where a snack was par taken of. Again, it was noticeable how many people were taking advantage of the beautiful weather for a hike up the Trassey Track. |
All too soon it was time to go up the first section of Slievenaglogh to the stile, which took us to the top of the Green Road, a gentle and pleasantly quiet descent to Trassey Track. On the way down we had a great view of the route we had taken, feeling a gentle glow of pride!
Then it was across Trassey Track and round the base df Spellack, homing in on the stile leading to the path to Meelmore Lodge. Despite the number of holiday weekend tents in the campsite the cafe was uncrowded, so there was time for a restorative coffee and apple pie or fruit loaf before we hit the road. The stats: mileage: 6.1, average moving speed, 1.7mph. Time on the move, 3 hrs 37 minutes. Time on hills....5.5 hours. Thanks again to Marie for stepping into the breach. Robin Morton |
Saturday
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Saturday 22nd March 2014 With a favourable change in the weather forecast on Saturday morning, a high level traverse from Meelmore Lodge to Donard Park via the brandypad became the route for the walk. We met at Donard Park and took some cars to Meelmore Lodge. We made our way to the Hares Gap via the Trassey Track. After a short break, we walked along the Brandypad. The early morning mist lifted to give great views of Slievebeg, Upper Cove, Lamagan, Binnian, Bernagh, Slievenaglogh, Slieve Corragh and Ben Crom Reservoir. As we came near the castles of Commedagh, we went off the beaten track and headed toward the Mourne Wall in the direction of Commedagh. At the wall, we were greeted with a thick band of cloud and a hail shower. A classic case of Sod's law - you get bad weather in the exact place where you don't want it! Thankfully, it was a passing shower and after lunch at the Donard/Commedagh saddle, we made a leisurely descent to Donard Park via the Glen River track. The total distance walked was just under 13km. We drove back to Meelmore Lodge for coffee.
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St Patricks Weekend
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