I visited the Mourne Mountains at the weekend to get some practise in for a challenge hike I'm doing next month. The Blackstairs Challenge is a 31km route over the Blackstairs range in Ireland's southeast. The Mournes are an ideal training ground, with their steep ascents and descents and endless options for longer walks. Top … Continue reading Back in the Mournes: Meelmore, Commedagh and the Brandy Pad
Each of my two most recent hikes brought a sense of closure, as both involved a hill that had defeated me on a previous visit. These were Cairngaver, a lowly transmitter-topped hill near Belfast, and the much more famous Slieve League in County Donegal, home to some of Europe's highest sea cliffs. Top image: Looking beyond the town … Continue reading Unfinished Business Part 1: Cairngaver
I paid a rare visit to the Mourne Mountains in County Down at the weekend for a hike that ended up being a lot longer and more challenging than expected. We opted for the lesser visited, and boggier, western Mournes with the aim of tackling three mountains in a loop. Top image: Finlieve summit cairn overlooking Carlingford Lough … Continue reading Mournes Hike: Eagle, Shanlieve and Finlieve
Hike Cycle Ireland 