|
 
|
Our Club news is divided up into three sections, click a title to be taken to a section...
Recent Outings
Sunday 6th November 2011:
Thirty two walkers walked the forest road and climbed Ardloughnabrackbaddy, Aghla Beg, and Aghla More on this beautiful sunny High Pressure day in early November 2011. There were about five splinter groups eventually. Some came back by the forest road: Others came back via Crocknalaragagh. Everybody made it back safely and the fantastic weather contributed big-time to the enjoyment of the day. A Great Day enjoyed by all!
Sunday 31st July 2011:
Twenty two people ventured to Fanad Co Donegal, for a road, track and beach walk. The weather was warm though overcast with one light shower.
The first part of the walk was to Murren Hill, with it's large radio mast, a significant local land mark.
The views from here are brilliant, some of the best in Donegal. To the north lies Malin Head. The east Inisowen and the Urris Hills. Portsalon to the south with Loch Swilly stretching into the distance. To the west lies Melmore, Tory, Horn Head and Bloody Foreland fine on the horizon. To the south west lies Muckish, Dooish and Errigal.
After photos, we headed for Kinny Lough, lunch beside the lake, then to Rinmore, N.E. along the coast to Pollacheeney Point for second lunch. Two brave people ventured a swim. Returning towards Rinmore we had to circumvent a bull, if it had attacked we would all have been in the swim.
We continued, viewing seals in Glasagh Bay, then around Rinmore point to Ballyhiernan Bay and the Whiteshore Strand. More swimming. Then returning via Fanavolty to the start point.
The day was rounded off with refreshments and a Bar B Q, and after some very dodgy singing, poetry and dancing.
Sunday July 24th 2011: 23 walkers, club members and visitors from Yorkshire, enjoyed the Bluestacks horseshoe from Glascairns Hill to Lavagh Bag on on Sunday 24 July 2011. Despite forecasts to the contrary the weather was glorious requiring plenty of stops to enjoy the sunshine, apply more sun tan cream, chat to the Bluestack Ramblers etc. It would have been criminal to rush on such a sunny day so we were out for about seven hours.
Sunday May 8th 2011: Lough Barra to Slieve Snaght via Crockfadda. A really great walking day. Dry, sunny and warm though a stiff breeze was blowing at the top of Slieve Snaght. There were 26 souls out, all appeared to be in good humour with much slagging and joking. On Crockfadda the smell from the recent fires burning so much of Donegal's highlands was very evident. The way up to the summit of Slieve Snaght was the usual lung busting scramble through the boulder field, but once at the top the views all around were fabulous. After waiting around for ten minutes, four of the ' A Team ' rushed off to explore the top of the Poison Glen and surrounds. The rest of us on the return leg, via Slieve Snaght Loch and Scardangal Burn, stopped for second lunch beside a beautiful cascade, a place to contemplate life and relax. Many photos were taken. We returned to Lough Barra quite early in the day. On route some future walks were being planned up dangerous looking gullys, along tops of cliffs..... Wild life seen on the walk: a dipper, a wheatear, a grouse, a half white hare --- winter coat.
On 6 March 2011, 14 people climbed Mullaghsturakeem and Mullaclogha in the Sperrins, starting from Badoney Church in the Glenelly Valley. A good number considering that many club members were on a first aid course that day. Low cloud and drizzle meant that views were very limited. However, we can be assured that the weather was a whole lot better in 2011 than on the same date 66 years earlier, when an RAF Aircraft crashed into Mullaghclogha in the early hours of the morning, killing 4 of its crew and leaving one survivor to be found by local shepherds.
Aghla Mountain and Scraigs Feb 13th 2011: All 22 walkers climbed Aghla and Scraigs and walked back by Loch Finn. A good day with no rain, a little mist on Aghla and some sunshine. Cool breeze, but not strong. Good colouring and a very relfective lake. Overall, the troops were quite pleased with the leader who finished last. Oh, and some walkers discovered a new waterfall hidden behind a bunch of silver birch trees. Two grouse were also seen. The pace was quite nifty, but in a relaxed way. A castle with no hassle.
Butler's Glen to the Isle of Doagh Jan 30th 2011: Having spent many days in the area, researching and negotiating a possible off-road route, from Butler’s Glen to the Isle of Doagh, as part of the proposed Inishowen Way (www.inishowenway.com), the appointed Sunday for the walk finally arrived. I was shaken to see the centre of Clonmany thronged by hoards of people with rucsacks. As well as NWMC and Muff Scouts, (who were on last month’s leg), we were joined by Carndonagh Scouts, members of Magee Hillwalking Club, Crana Ramblers, and many interested locals, including the Inishowen Wildlife Warden. Unfortunately, there were also three dogs, (despite the website notice)! Two owners were happy to keep their mutts on a lead, and the third promised to do so. The party of 60 – 70 made their way, in fine sunshine, along the lanes to Binion, ascending by a grassy rake, to enjoy fine views from the top. Lunch was had, and descent made to Pollan Strand, thence to Carrickabracky castle, and the famine Village on the Isle of Doagh, where return transport had been left. Sincere thanks to all who turned up to support this event. Regards, Alan Tees.
Glover Walk
The North West Mountaineering Club held the Glover Walk on Sat Sept 11th 2010, as part of the Club’s 55th anniversary. What a great success. 230 walkers. Well done Josephine!
Benaughlin June 20th 2010
Enjoyed a spot of sun bathing in heather on top of Benaughlin while watching a bird of prey? eagle soar. Onwards through a few brambles, meadows filled with orchids and flag irises to limestone crag en route to Trien top. Views over Upper Lough Erne, Knockninny hill, Slieve Rushen, Belmore mountain, Cuilcagh and Florencecourt.
Back on part of the Ulster way through swallow holes and past fairy hawthorn bushes, under fallen majestic trunks to meadow. Followed overgrown path past abandoned big house back to and through forest to rejoin forest path. A fantastic sunny day enjoyed by all ten walkers.
Sunday 18th April, 2010 - Crocknafarragh
Twenty walkers out today. Enjoying good weather : cloudy in the morning, sunny in afternoon, with cool northerly breeze.
An eagle, four grouse, a buzzard and a plover seen, also three herds of deer (about 40 head in total), two hares and a lizard.
Lovely views of the Donegal coast and Aranmore Island, Mt. Errigal, the mountains around the Poison Glen and the lakes around Dunlewy.
Excellent walking, especially for ‘OFs’.
Sunday 31 Jan 2010 – Tievealehid: Getting to the start of the walk, near to the hotel at Gweedore, was a bit dicey thanks to a layer of snow on the Termom to Dunlewy road. The walk started on a north west direction over rough ground, the conditions improving with deepening snow the closer we got to the top of Carntreena. The 22 souls who ventured out were rewarded with a snow covered panoramic view that included all of the Glover walk, the Poisoned Glen and Slieve Snaght. After lunch the walk turned on to a north easterly bearing towards Tievealehid, the stronger walkers making life easier for the rest by cutting steps in the soft snow. The walk continued by contouring south around the top of the ridge to the wind turbines on Cronalaght where a pair of walkers from the locality regaled all about the old custom of the coffin trails across Tievealehid. It was then decided to descend to the cars via the wind turbine access road.
Connemara Trip Jan 22-24, 2010: A group of ten people stayed at the Sleepzone hostel, on the shores of Killary harbour, near Leenane. The weather was excellent, dry and crisp, and the walking exhilerating, taking in the Glencoaghan Horseshoe on the Saturday, and Diamond Hill on Sunday. Great coffee served at Kylemore Abbey, to set us all off on the road home!
Muckish from Muckish Gap Jan 17th 2010: After the heavy snow of the previous week, the hike to the cairn at the top of Muckish was fairly uneventful. There was a good turnout of 22 walkers, and after parking at the car park at the forest entrance, the group started out at a fairly brisk pace. The ground underfoot was still very hard from the frost of the previous three weeks so this, followed by a strong tail wind made the way up easier than normal. We met up with 4 other club members on the top for lunch and braved a very chilly wind for the descent via the gully. We encountered our only deep snow of the day in the gully and some of the group lay on their backs and slid down the first incline. Then the hard work on the steep lower rocky slopes started and everyone was glad to reach the quarry below for a rest. Some of the group then set off across the road for Crocknalaragagh while the rest headed back to the cars. It was almost dark by the time everyone checked in after a good day out
2010:Muckish - Jan 10th - Arctic Conditions. On this day, ten intrepid mountaineers made their dogged way up the snowy, icy nose of Muckish and down the sweeping snows of the Miners Track. Six other sturdy walkers took various routes thro' the snowy icefields looking for the Abominable Snowman. On this day, these sixteen bravehearts put the word mountain into mountaineering! Briefly - we climbed Muckish under dodgy snow conditions.
2009: On Sunday Dec 20th, eight walkers braved the Rinboy coastal walk to Fanad Head, turning back before the lighthouse. Magnificent seas.
Sunday 6th December 2009 – Loughsalt Mountain:
Even though another bad-weather day bestowed on us from powers as yet beyond our control, the skies remained quite clear, granting us clear views from top of Loughsalt. After lunch overlooking Lough Donnell, the gale force 8 (ish) winds quickly dispersed the 19 force hikers in different directions, mainly towards their cars, leaving about 6 hardliners to continue the traditional route towards Crockalaght and Crockaleahan, circuiting backwards towards the road and arriving at our cars just in time before an almighty downpour.
A Short walk on Ben Whiskin Nov 22nd 2009.
13 hardy members braved the most atrocious conditions to gain- the coffee shop at Drumcliffe. Base camp was enthusiastically established, and members proved reluctant to leave their lattes, capuchinos, Danish pastries and appletarts, and head back out into the maelstrom, but leave they did (finally)!Conditions had improved somewhat, and the lucky 13 put on layer after layer (on top of their bullet proof vests, you understand), and headed up through the Coillte ground to the land of the Bull. A steep traverse along the top of a cliff led to the ridge. The ascent was steep, and members had to keep back from the edge due to the strong gusting wind, but the group reached the top to be met with a welcoming shower (mercifully of hail, not buckshot!) . An almost immediate descent was made down the fence, into shelter, and lunch was had lower down. No sign of the Bull, probably too wet for him! Some of the group made for Mullaghmore for a drink, and some did not.
Walk Leader Don O'Donnell's Report: We had a big turn out for Sunday's - Nov 15th 2009 - Introductory walk in Glenveagh - All in all we had about 36 walkers on the hike. There were about 12 first timers in the group. We couldn't have picked a better day for the hike with blue skies, mild temperatures and a very light breeze. Views over the lake and back up the valley from Farscallop were excellent. Experienced walkers in the group enjoyed a few extra miles on the day out, while the newcomers braved the very wet ground to make a cautious decent back to the lakeside trail and on to the car park.
Nineteen walkers climbed the Bluestack Horseshoe on Sun Nov 8th 2009 - a sunny rain-free day, everyone finishing in daylight. Hare, snipe, jack-snipe, and eagle.
On Sun Oct 18th, 2009 Sliabh Sneacht Inishowen was climbed from the Pollen Dam side - a lake that is surprisingly still not on the Discovery Series maps.
There was a big turnout for the Introductory Walk on Sun Oct 11th, 2009. Thirty-three walkers braved the long heather on Knockalla.
MI Weekend Oct 2009: Alan, Margaret, Finbar and Dennis G attended the MI Weekend in Dingle Oct 9th-11th.
[Back to Top]
Environmental News
Leave No Trace -
The Seven Principles of Leave No Trace are:
1. Plan Ahead and Prepare
2. Be Considerate of Others
3. Respect Farm Animals and Wildlife
4. Travel and Camp on Durable Ground
5. Leave What You Find
6. Dispose of Waste Properly
7. Minimise the Effects of Fire
For more information see the website:
www.leavenotraceireland.org
Tree-planting will take place at Burntollet Wood, a glorious wildflower meadow near Ness Country Park, on Sat Nov 7th, mid-day to 4.00 p.m. Will some NWMC members be there? Maybe. Watch this space.
[Back to Top]
Training
Seamus Doohan is now the NWMC VTO.
[Back to Top]
|
