Brandy and Ice
Spud, John and Eamonn enjoyed a fantastic walk in the snow and ice along the historic Brandy Pad in the Mournes
Follow the leader
Spud, Eamonn, Rusty and Oisin took on the Mourne Mountain Marathon together. Spud shares his thoughts on the experience.
Doan Go Changing
The reservoir filled the floor of the valley below, the water like a huge sheet of beaten metal in the grey of the morning. It lay like the blade of a vast jagged dagger, snapped off at the hilt in some long forgotten giants battle, and cast down in the shadow of the mountains. Above […]
Heavy rain with a chance of drizzle
The luxurious green carpet of moss covered the forest floor as far as the eye could see, which to be honest, wasn’t that far, due to the limited visibility. The thick green moss covered the bases of the dark conifers, jammed tightly together into this small patch of hill, silently sucking at their rain sodden […]
Off the beaten track
Spud's writeup of a beautiful day of hiking in the Mournes, heading to Slieve Commedagh via Shanslieve. Clear skies, sweeping vistas and the welcome sight of much needed repairs on the iconic Commedagh summit shelter.
The North Sperrins Way
The heather in front of me suddenly exploded in a fat blur of feathers, the grouse whirring away from the intruder who had disturbed it from its heathery roost. I uttered a breathless expletive, but it was lost on the hard wind blowing across the seemingly barren heathland. I watched the bird glide away quickly […]
The Newcastle Challenge Trail
We had stepped onto the verge to allow a car to pass on the narrow lane, and as we hopped back onto the dark road to continue our journey, there was a loud rustling in the hedgerow, and dark shapes made their way up the road ahead of us. “DEER!!” John exclaimed, and sure enough […]
Mourne Way in a day
The view of the track in front of me blurred, as one or more of the rivulets of sweat streaming down my face, mixed with what was left of the factor 30, found its way into my eyes. The stinging necessitated a quick pit stop and a fumble for something, anything, to wipe my face, […]
Hi-Tec V-LITE ALTITUDE ULTRA LUXE ION-MASK – Gear Review
At a glance Value – 10/10 Comfort – 10/10 Waterproofness – 10/10 Grip – 9/10 Video Report Field test On a rain sodden day in the Mourne Mountains a few months back, a massive test for my old “waterproof” boots, proved that their race was run, and that they were no longer waterproof. The soaking […]
Water, Water, Everywhere
As we made our way up the path to the Lamagan/Binnian col, the rain started to get heavy again, the stinging droplets working their way through my already sodden jacket, wicking its way through the layers beneath, til its cold touch found bare skin. Apart from the odd cold spot though, the hike up the […]
