MOURNE RAMBLERS NEWSLETTER
July 2011
A message from the Editor
Welcome to the latest edition of the Mourne Rambling Group newsletter. In this issue I hope you will find articles and items of interest to you including:
· NEW MEMBER UPDATE
· A WORD OF THANKS
· THE COMERAGHS A/B GROUP
· THE COMERAGHS C GROUP
· WIND, RAIN, SNOW AND BILLY CONNOLLY
· STAR TREK
· SPONSORED WALKS
· SPERRINS 14 AUGUST
· WINTER WALKING 2012
· NOTICEBOARD
· TAG TEMPLATE
Vincent
Welcome to the following new members since the last newsletter (Feb 2011)
(up-to-date as at 22 Jul 2011)
Victor Cirefice, Minetta Howard, Helen Templeton, Keith Watson.
Please note: Mourne Ramblers get a discount on car parking (£3 instead of £4 per car) when our walks start at Meelmore Lodge. Simply pay inside the café rather than at the machine.
A WORD OF THANKS
Since the last newsletter, there have been quite a few events organised by members for the group. I would like to offer our thanks on behalf of everyone for the following:
· Slide Show (06 March). It has become a show of digital images and is one of the highlights of the year. Thank you to Harry Goodman for organising it so well and to all the members who showed the wonderful results of their photographic skill.
· Garron Plateau (08 May). Thank you to David Oldfield for organising one of the few Sunday walks outside the Mournes. Thanks in advance to Gordon McCreery for the planned walk in the Sperrins on 14 August (details later in the newsletter).
· Scottish Trip (19 – 23 May). Thank you to Andrew McKibbin for organising what has become an annual trip to the Scottish Highlands. Thanks to Peter Allister for writing a report for us of the experience.
· Comeraghs Trip (28 – 30 May). Thanks to David Oldfield for being Leader/Organiser for the B group and to Harry Goodman for being Leader/Organiser for the C group. Although she was unable to be there, thanks to Irene Cauley for organising the accommodation. We are deeply grateful to Joan Hulme and Trevor Russell for writing up reports on what was a marvellous weekend.
· Annual Picnic (12 June). What a day for a picnic! It was a dies horribilis! But what a venue! Santa’s Cottage proved the value of having an indoor alternative when the rain teems down. Sincere thanks to Carmel Quinn and Toni Taylor for their super efforts once again in providing those who were there with a memorable occasion. Some photos that were taken are now available to view in the photo gallery on the Mourne Ramblers website.
· Bring a Bag Day (17 July). It is hard to believe it is possible but this was an even worse day weather wise than the day of the picnic. Well done to all the hardy souls who braved the rain, wind and fog at Ott Lay-by and beyond. A special word of thanks to Seamus Gilmore who organised the bringing of bags and carried a heavy load back to the car.
The Mourne Ramblers trip to the Comeragh Mountains
28th to 30th May 2011
A/B Group
All the participants on this trip arrived on Friday 27th at Raheen House Hotel in Clonmel where we had our base for the weekend. This accommodation was an excellent choice, as the rooms and food were first class. Packed lunches, provided by the hotel were very good.
On the Saturday, we started early at 9 o’clock, and walked the Comeragh Horseshoe. In the centre is a very deep tarn, Lake Coumshingaun, which is a corrie lake like several others in this range, all gouged out by ice in the last Ice Age. It has a sheer cliff above it, 393 metres high at one point. Above the lake is Fanscoum, the highest peak in the Comeraghs at 792 metres. This circuit is a ‘glacial cirque’, and is regarded as one of the finest of its kind in the British Isles. These Old Red Sandstone mountains are well indicated by the purple and brown rocks of the moraine below. The weather was excellent, and the scenery spectacular with rhododendrons in bloom.
The B group covered 16.5 k, with a total ascent of 820 metres.
Sunday was another fine day, and after a short drive, we reached the Knockmealdown range.
These Old Red Sandstone mountains may have been less scenic in themselves, but made for an interesting and enjoyable walk nevertheless with fine views. At one point, three ladies, who were obviously, like Wordsworth when contemplating his daffodils, allowing their minds to wander, got separated from the rest of the party, but were rescued by the gallant Ian Stuart, before anything untoward occurred. The walk was completed by crossing Sugarloaf mountain.
The length of this walk was 12 k, with 590 metres of ascent.
It was decided that Monday’s walk would finish around lunchtime, so that everyone could drive home that day without too much pressure. A conical hill, Slievenamon, 7 miles NE of Clonmel was convenient, and a straight up and down to its top (722 metres) allowed us to finish by one o’clock. Slievenamon (the mountain of the women) is named after the fable that Finn McCool sat on the summit waiting for a number of women to race to the top to claim him as a husband. Grainne, daughter of Cormac, King of Ireland, was the winner.
Our thanks must go to David Oldfield who helped plan the trip and led the B walks. We would like to compliment him on his patience, and his knowledge and exposition of the mountain scenery added a lot to the enjoyment of the walks.
Joan Hulme
The Mourne Ramblers trip to the Comeragh Mountains
28th to 30th May 2011
C Group
The expedition to the Galtees last October had sparked interest in the mountains of South East Ireland so we converged on Clonmel on the Friday eager to explore the Comeraghs. Joan, Wilf , Aileen and Doreen took the five-star route, Harry and Trevor availed of Rodney’s in-depth knowledge of Irish motorway service stations while Tony and Jan followed in the wake of the O’Bamas through Moneyglass (not highly recommended).
The hotel proved to be a real gem and our thanks to Egon Oldfield and Irene Ronay for their advance field-work. We were surprised at the advert for a Fawlty Towers weekend in June but the moose antlers hung opposite reception should have given it away. Excellent food, rambler friendly rooms and the atmosphere of “big house” Irish ascendancy.
Friday evening - Harry, Rodney and Trevor took a quick reccie up the nearby and rather unprepossessing Laghtnafranke (“mountain of the rat”)(520m) which afforded a panorama of the range in the setting sun and loosened the limbs.
DAY 1 - THE COUMFEA PLATEAU
From the Nire Valley car-park we crossed the river and headed for the Coumfeas – wooded valley below, dense spread of bluebells, larks ascending and spirits high. The ascent to Coumfea West Top was steep in places but soon we were looking down on the corrie loughs which are so much a feature of this range. The rim of the plateau is knife-edge for the most part and not recommended in poor visibility but although conditions were now murky we continued to move over and take views of the assorted little loughs as we skirted the edge. The surface of the plateau itself is boggy with streaks of white sand and runs of peat hags.
Passing Coumfea summit (744m) we stopped for lunch at Coumfea North Top (730m). Out of the murk appeared a lone figure in bright red gear and a substantial back pack. On closer examination he turned out to be a member of the South East Mountain Rescue Team who was out for a training walk and keen to share his local knowledge. On his recommendation we altered the planned route slightly to descend by “sean bhean ag caitheabh tobac” or “the old woman who smokes”. This is a much-photographed feature at the top of a waterfall which spills into the Spilloge Loughs where the updraught blows the water back to resemble a plume of smoke. A memorable descent looking back to the waterfall and the tracery of streams which link the chain of little loughs.
Returning to the car-park we looked up the valley to “ The Gap” which separates the Coumfeas from Knockanaffrin Ridge. Interesting standing stones for anyone who can read Ogham.
Pre-prandial drinks were taken in the sun-lounge extension of Tony and Jan’s room which overlooked a blackbird’s nest working at full stretch.
DAY 2 KNOCKANAFFRIN RIDGE
Described in Mountainviews as “one of the finest ridge walks in Ireland” our biggest challenge was in finding the right track for access but Harry’s micro map reading skill stood up to the test and having dodged the local church-bound traffic on a road walk from the Nire Valley car park (again) we soon emerged onto the open slopes.
Our first goal was Knocksheegowna (678m) approached by a series of gullies and then open ground towards the summit. We could now get the full impact of the ridge. To the North were views of the Suir valley with the farmland of Tipperary and the Galtees, to the West the Knockmealdowns (where the other group was walking) and to the South the amphitheatre of the Coumfeas. The ridge summit has not been glaciated and there is a track across spectacular little tors and crags reminiscent of Bernagh and Bignian.
The rock surface of Knockanaffrin (755m) has been described as boiler-plated because of the conglomerate (Christmas pudding) rock outcrops. Traversing the ridge we looked down on forestry coming high up the slopes and more corrie loughs of which Coumduala was the most scenic. Descent to the car park was by a well marked fence and track.
DAY 3 SEEFIN
This starting point took us South towards Dungarvan and well off the beaten track and we were very glad to have Jan keeping an eye on the cars. Our numbers had thinned and now it was Harry, Rodney, Trevor, Tony, Joan and Aileen. Doreen and Wilf took the more civilised option of morning coffee in Dungarvan.
No-one was too disappointed that it was a fairly gradual ascent up a forest track for most of the way. The summit (726m) is despoiled by the ugliest edifice in Ireland – a square blockhouse with graffiti referring to microwave radiation from telecom masts and threats to all and sundry that they will be the first to fry. Paradoxically there is an ancient wide stone cairn nearby and a standing stone on its side to mark the summit. The views down to the coast are spectacular and one last chance to take in the Knockanaffrin ridge to the North.
All in all a most successful expedition to the Comeraghs which will be remembered for the distinctive corrie lough features, the wooded valleys in full summer foliage and the panoramic views across the South East of Ireland. Not forgetting the usual banter, incessant discussion of food and vigilant leadership of Harry.
So where next?
Trevor Russell
Wind, rain, snow and Billy Connolly
Trip organiser & leader: Andrew McKibbin
Driver: Wilf Green
Also: Seamus Gilmore, Peter Allister
First, I would like to thank Andrew for organizing the trip to Crianlarich, Wilf for doing all the driving and the Doreen Green car hire company for lending us a car at a very reasonable rate.
For those that are not aware, Andrew was due to drive until he lost his nuts on the Antrim Road – that are the nuts on one of the wheels of his car!
The trip started well on Thursday 19th May with the HSS leaving Belfast on time and the drive to Crianlarich went very smoothly, with only the occasional wrong turn.
We arrived at the Ben More Lodge and were shown to our own personal wooden cabins, en-suite and with their own verandas to enjoy the evening sunshine. At seven, we dined in the lodge, where we were served tasty 2 course meals, except Andrew, who had 3 courses. We retreated to the lounge for coffee, where we met a local with a goaty beard and a Scottish accent, the spitting image of Billy Connelly. Billy was providing the evening entertainment. He played his guitar and sang several songs before Wilf had a special request for the Fields of Athenry. In return for this request, Billy handed Wilf a Scottish kilt and asked him to do a Scottish jig on one of the tables. Unfortunately this mad Dutchman stepped forward and offered to do the jig. I don’t know how much Wilf paid him, so Doreen, it may be worth checking your bank account.
When walking to the lodge for breakfast the next morning we got quite a shock. The top half of Ben More mountain was completely white, and the plan was to climb Ben More that day. After breakfast, not put off by the snow, we drove to the foot of Ben More and began the walk. It was very pleasant to start with. There were good views over Loch Lubhair and across to Ben Challum (the next day’s walk), but then as we approached the snow line the wind began to pick up. Then the rain started, and the rain turned to sleet, and the sleet turned to hail and the wind got even stronger. Soon we were really battling against the elements. We stopped for a rest behind a rock to put on another layer of clothing, and then pushed on. The sleet stopped, but we were still fighting against the strong winds. Eventually we reached the summit and found a reasonably sheltered spot for lunch. As Wilf went to sit down, his mat was whipped from under him and within seconds disappeared out of sight. During lunch there was then a shout from Seamus, “my snickers” as the wrapper flew off. Andrew misheard him and looked round with a puzzled expression on his face.
After lunch we started to descend the other side, having to steady ourselves as we were blasted by the wind, often having to take cover as strong gusts hit us. We dropped down to the col between Ben More and Stob Binnein. Andrew was keen to climb Stob Binnein, but he had mutiny on his hands, and the mutiny won. The wind greatly eased as we descended down into the valley and back to the car.