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[Typo-On]

Sort of the wrong place for this but not really sure where the best bit is so...

Being an almost total western mournes virgin having only swiftly skipped through a little bit of it and never camping in it I need some info as Im looking at doing the Mourne Way over two days. As Im the impatient type it will most likey be soon during our short days and an 11 mile day seems a realistic prospect aiming to camp on Spelga 'summit'

Is Spelga ok to camp on? I say Spelga as its slap bang in the middle of the route.

[Mourneman]

I know you were thinking of camping on Spelga but i think there a better campsite near the Rocky river ,under Hen mountain GR 24/1 -27/2 as this is the start of the next section ,here's a route card mate.
http://www.walkni.com/d/walks/194/Mourne_Way_Section_4_and_5.pdf
would only be another 30 mins walk

[Mourneman]

here's the view from Hen looking down on the path and Rocky river

DSCN6739 by surginor, on Flickr

[twentyclicks]

Spelga/Spatha are always pretty windy when I'm up them, as they are open to the prevailing SW/W winds. Large areas on top, but as John says there are a few nicer spots around the base of Hen near rivers, both the one in his photo, and NE of the summit (it's around the top right grid intersection in that linked map, where the path turns W/SE & crosses the stream).

[surfnscenic]

Dave, further to my PM.

I'm looking at a leaflet I gathered up somewhere titled; "Mourne Way:- An Illustrated Guide to Walking the Mourne Way."  It's published by Newry and Mourne District Council.  I think I got it from the Tourist Office in Newcastle.

It covers the route and breaks it down into 6 sections:-

1 Newcastle to T'More Forest Park,
2 T'More Pk to Happy Valley
3 Happy Valley to Spelga Pass
4 Spelga Pass to Leitrim Lodge
5 Leitrim Lodge to Yellow Water Picnic Area and finally
6 Yellow Water Picnic Area to Kilbroney Park.

Each section has a map with the route marked on it.  The leaflet also contains a description of the route.

Perhaps if you contact Newry & Mourne Council and/or the Tourist Office in Newcastle they might still have the leaflet and post it to you?

Anyway this has generated some interest in me and will give me something to start planning over the next couple of weeks.

I'll keep an eye to the topic to see how things are going.  Might even be a reason to have a meeting over a beer/coffee for a chat about this and other outdoors things in general. 

Better than having to endure the continous Big Fat Celebrity Gypsy Wife Swap Dancing  on Ice in The Jungle on Holiday from Hell with X Factor and Has (NOT) Got Talent Show.

[LandyLiam]

the intersection of the rowan tree & rocky rivers is a good camping spot with a few more good sppots down stream

of course you could also use the official spelga campsite 

[whoRya]

You'll find these threads useful.

Mourne Way trip review

Mourne Way plans

Some of the guys on the forum have already done it.

[RedLeader]

I'd quite fancy doing the Mourne Way if you had any dates in mind.

[RedLeader]

A Jan Fri/Sat sounds great fun. Night hike Friday, finish on Sat, sofa on Sunday. Although I wonder is there any benefit to walking it in reverse. The guys that did it the last time hated the last 5 miles through Rostrevor Forest, maybe getting it out of the way first might make for a more fun trip.

I've no dates in mind, I had thought during christmas but daylight and xmas stuff sort of made me think no.

I was then thinking Jan sometime and I liked Surf's idea of Fri/Sat combo with the Sunday to recover before work on Monday.

[Spud]

A Jan Fri/Sat sounds great fun. Night hike Friday, finish on Sat, sofa on Sunday.

I've no dates in mind, I had thought during christmas but daylight and xmas stuff sort of made me think no.

I was then thinking Jan sometime and I liked Surf's idea of Fri/Sat combo with the Sunday to recover before work on Monday.

I would be up for tagging along on this if thats OK? (work permitting as always!  )

[RedLeader]

Pray for snow 

A Jan Fri/Sat sounds great fun. Night hike Friday, finish on Sat, sofa on Sunday. Although I wonder is there any benefit to walking it in reverse. The guys that did it the last time hated the last 5 miles through Rostrevor Forest, maybe getting it out of the way first might make for a more fun trip.

That sounds just about perfect

[Oisín]

Sounds like a new tv show..  "NI Wild take on the Mourne Way "

[Matthew]

Sounds like a new tv show..  "NI Wild take on the Mourne Way "

I will give it a go again, last time was not particularly fun but now i am carrying way less kit it could be entertaining. It also gives me a chance to get the new GPS out.

[LandyLiam]

ok, enough of all this name changing, do us a favour and put your old names in your signature 

[RedLeader]

Hold on, until you have another Landrover you can't be pointing fingers

ok, enough of all this name changing, do us a favour and put your old names in your signature 

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