ADVENTURES AROUND THE WORLD

© Christopher Earls Brennen

Hike F6. Mourne Mountains

Preamble

In the summer of 1956 at the age of fifteen I joined a group of eight boys and two teachers from my high school, the Rainey Endowed School in Magherafelt, Northern Ireland, for a hiking adventure in the local Mourne Mountains of County Down. The two brave supervisors were the principal organizer, a geography teacher named Raymond Purdy and a history teacher, Arthur Arnold. The idea was a week-long adventure in the Mournes hiking from one youth hostel to another. Youth hostelling was a popular and relatively inexpensive holiday in the days shortly after WWII. Most of the hostels we used in the mountains have now disappeared having been superceded by camping private hostels.

Though my memories of those days have now largely evaporated I have reconstructed an outline of that adventure based largely of an account of one of the other boys, a friend and fellow student by the name of Peter Burton (regretfully now deceased). In what follows I have included (in italics) excerpts from the account that the Peter wrote of the trip that was published in the 1957 annual magazine of the Rainey Endowed School.

The Hike

We spent the night prior to the hike in the Newcastle Youth Hostel.

Slieve Donard from Newcastle

When morning came, after a hearty breakfast of porridge, scrambled eggs and/or corned beef and luncheon meat, bread and butter, we made sandwiches for dinner and shouldered our rucksacks. We met at the harbour and then set off together up a steep and thickly wooded slope climbing to the summit of Slieve Donard (54.18229oN 5.92204oW and 2796ft). During this journey we often passed slabs of stone. The insets were the places where wedges had been knocked in to split the stone. The split part was then used as a gravestone.

When we were almost at the top of Slieve Donard we sat down and had dinner. This consisted of sandwiches, hard boiled eggs and pop After this we all raced or tried to race to the top. The view from the top was unbelievable. To the east the sea stretched out and in the far distance we could faintly see Scotland and the Isle of Man. To the west the Mournes undulated away ending in the green shades of the neighbouring valley.

At the top we left our names in a bottle on the cairn and then climbed the Water Commissioners tower even though it said "Trespssers Prosecuted". From the summit we descended south to the Brandy Path, a trail used by smugglers to bring brandy on donkeys backs up the B1oody Bridge river from the sea. Mr. Purdy seemed to know this part of the country very wel1. It was even suggested that this was inherited from his smuggler ancesters.

We followed the Brandy Path eastwards past the Cast1es to Hare's Gap; to the 1eft of this Slieve Bearnagh rises steeply (54.18583oN 5.98915oW, 2425ft) . Except for Mr. Arnold, who stayed behind to tend tend to his aching blistered feet, the rest set off to reach the top. The top was most unusual because it was topped with jagged rocks. From the top these there was a marvellous view across the Valley beneath the Castles with the Valley in the the background.

From the Hare's Gap, we followed a valley with a cart track and arrived at the Slievenaman Youth Hoste1. This is a very comfortable hoste1 surrounded by beech and fir trees. After we had eaten we bathed in the nearby stream. That night Mr. Purdy showed us 15 blisters on his £eet that he said were caused by his insoles deteriorating.

Slievenaman Youth Hostel with Hare's Gap in the distance

In the morning, after we had packed up we walked a1ong the road to the reservoir. From here we struck across Deer•s Meadow which is little more than a marsh and very tiring to walk across. Once the Spe1ga Dam is filled the Deer•s Meadow will be £looded. After this we walked round the side of Rocky Mountain to the Rostrevor Road. Soon we arrived at Rostrevor Valley, sat down, bathed our feet and ate lunch. This was fo11owed by a mudfight. About two miles down the Rostrevor Road we reached the Knockbarragh Hostel (54.13576oN 6.19622oW). This is the most modern hostel we had met with yet, being equipped among other things with hearthrings.

Spelga Dam in winter

Knockbarragh Youth Hostel c.1958

In the morning we had breakfast and 1eft (the warden of the hoste1 was an artist and no mean salesman either - £or he persuaded one the masters to part with a lot of money £or a painting.) This was to be a free day for us to do as we liked. So we walked to Rostrevor and caught the bus to Kilkeel where the main attractions were the juke boxes and the slot machines.

Our next hostel was the Silent Valley hostel. This was de£inite1y the worst hostel we had been in. The lighting was very poor and a11 the primus stoves were broken. In the morning we skirted the catchment area of the Silent Valley Reservoir. It is not called the "Silent Valley" because of the absence of birds as some people suppose. It was however ironically given this title by the inhabitants of the area because of the terrific amount of blasting going on whilst the Silent Valley dam was under construction.

Silent Valley Dam

From here we cut off over the moors and round the side of Slieve Binnian (54.14276oN 5.98019oW, 2449ft) to the Blue Lough (54.15896oN 5.96886oW), 1500ft). We stopped here and, after a few of the hardy ones bathed, ate lunch. When this was finished we started again and here we had our second casualty. Mr. Arnold sprained his ankle in a rabbit hole but fortunately the distance to the next hostel was not very great although it was over rough ground. He did, however, just reach the Bloody Bridge Hostel (54.1743oN 5.8739oW) where he recuperated. This hostel was one of the first built in N. Ireland but in spite of this it is in excellent condition and well situated on the hillside.

Bloody Bridge Youth Hostel

The next morning we walked down the cart-track on to the Newcastle Road and thumbed lifts into Newcastle.

Last updated 3/21/16.
Christopher E. Brennen

>

Notes, Coordinates and elevations:

THE SCHOOL TRIP OVER THE MOURNES. Summer, 1956

Old partial transcript fro 1956 Rainey Endowded School Magazine:

The were ten of us in the party, two masters, Mr.Purdy and Mr. Arnold and eight boys.

Our starting point was from the Newcastle Youth Hostel. Here after the fond farewells of mothers and fathers (who had secretly tipped Mr. Purdy off not to bring us back), we entered the hostel. As this was our first acquaintance with a youth hostel, we looked around with interest. Upstairs was the Men's Dormitory. Here we left our rucksacks and made the beds. These were "double deckers" consisting of canvas stretched between the sides of the bed. Blankets were obtained from a cupboard in the passage.

On going downstairs we found a large dining room and a kitchen well equipped with all kinds of kitchen utensils. This hostel was provided writh gas rings to cook with instead of the usual primus stoves.

When morning came, the few of us who had managed to get to sleep woke up. After a hearty breakfast of porridge, scrambled eggs and/or corned beef and luncheon meat, bread and butter, we made sandwiches for dinner and shouldered our rucksacks.

We met at the harbour and then set off together up a steep and thickly wooded slope climbing to the summit of Slieve Donard. During this journey we often passed slabs of stone. The insets were the places where wedges had been knocked in to split the stone. The split part was then used as a gravestone.

When we were almost at the top of Slieve Donard we sat down and had dinner. This consisted of sandwiches, hard boiled eggs and pop.

After this we all raced or tried to race to the top. The view from the top was unbelievable. To the east the sea stretched out and in the far distance we could faintly see Scotland and the Isle of Man. To the west the Mournes undulated away ending in the green shades of the neighbouring valley.

At the top we left our names in a bottle on te cairn and then climbed the Water Commissioners tower even though it said "Trespssers Prosecuted".

:ie::ri ?e cle.s=- eridecl <>xi tc:> the:: :13r.3Lx:i dy- • 'a.cl? rr:1-ii.s :is. art arc::ie:oi.t path used by smugglers to bring brandy on donkeys backs up the B1oody Bridge river - t<=> It ::i:-,;;{',e:"QQ'"castle:. ::t-v1 Mr. Purdy seemed to know this part of the country very wel1. It was even suggested that this was inherited from his smuggler ancesters.

We followed this Brandy Path past the Cast1es to Hare's Gap; to the 1eft of this Slieve Bearnagh rises steeply (54.18583oN 5.98915oW, 2425ft) :1--:1:ec:re: everybody except Mr. Arnold, who stayed behind to tend tend to his aching blistered feet. The rest set off reach the top. The top was most unusual because it was covered with jagged rocks :iC11.Gte:a.cl e>r being the :re>? From the ::E-:Ca..re ?s C:ra.p ?-e. -vv-e::o.t cl<>? :i=:t:c::,. the valley we followed:>""l;>ri y cart track and arrived at the Slievenaman Youth Hoste1. This is a very comfortable hoste1 situated .tecl m a.ri e=cc:e: lle:::ta.t pe>s:iti<>r:a.,. being .surrounded by beech and fir trees. After we had eaten ar>.. e:zi<:>.r::a::i?.s cl:ix:u::ier- v,;we bathed in the nearby stream. ?t ::n..:ight 'QV"he:::r:t. ?e: -..::,,;.re::re:: t"'-3..r 11.Lr1g :i:c:Jl.> ?- ::E>-l.ix-dy showed us c:>"O'<;re:cl. -...:,s sc:>m-- eric:>x·,cric:>,;:15 blisters on his £eet that he said were caused by his insoles deteriorating. In the morning, after we had packed up we walked a1ong the road to the reservoir. From here we struck across ..ip e>-v-e::r Slieve "I.Te:::r:1.a.m-..::,,-c:k: ?e>:r.,. str,.ict:i e>ri cl. :i s .......very spectacular :x- :1ricl d_ Fc:>r?:2::1. a. t:e:1 he:XJt. th :is ar1cl cle>""OV'r':l to the :J:=> e: e::x-•.s ?e:a..clo--.;;;o.r ::E--£e:x-e the Spe1ga Dam is filled the: :i:=:>eer•s ?ea.dC>"'QV" -.;;;,will be £looded once .a.?e: this is little more than a marsh and very tiring to walk "Q'i.Ta.1 c::>-...rer :it. Soon we arrived at Rostrevor Valley, sat down, bathed our feet and ate lunch. This was fo11owed by a mudfight. After this we walked round the side of Rocky Mountain to the Rostrevor Road _ ?e. re>llc:>""7ecl t:h.:is f'c::> :x-a.b<>-.:.it ewe> mi1es beside a pleasant tic::>'r.1..-,. c::.._.t oye::rla:.:r:al a.rid :x- reached the Knockbarragh Hostel (54.13576oN 6.19622oW). This is the most modern hostel we had met with yet, being equipped among other things with e: r t:h:i:rigs ?th she> we:rs- "The: se c::a."l..2secl a great se:r:acsa.tie>:ri whi1st everybody washed severa1 1ayers of mud and sweat off themselves.

In the morning we had breakfast and 1eft (the warden of the hoste1 was an artist and no mean salesman either - £or he persuaded one the masters to part with a lot of money £or a painting.). This was to be a free day for us to do as we liked. So we walked to Rostrevor and caught the bus to Kilkeel where the main attractions were the juke boxes and the slot machines a.mc:>"Ll.?t e>f mc::>riey s_pe::i::a.t b e: _j"IJ.st :im a.g.i::o.ed.

Our next hostel was the Silent Valley hostel. This was de£inite1y the worst hostel we had been in. The lighting was very poor c,.,.r a.rid .alca.c:>s.t a11 the primus stoves were broken :r.a.. .l:-:1:C>"QV"e-v-e::r, we: s?:i-v-e::cl a.rid the :r1e::x.t mc,::r:ri:i?g we: .s.ta.:rtecl "1..2,P the:. :rc:>a.cl that skirted the catchment area of the reservoir.rvoir. Unfortunately we only saw the Silent Valley Reservoir from a distance. This valley is not called the "Silent Valley" because of the absence of birds as some people suppose. It wa& however ironically given this title by the inhabitants of the area because of the terrific amount of blasting going on whilst the dam was under construction.

From here we cut off over the moors and round the side of Slieve Binnian (54.14276oN 5.98019oW, 2449ft) to the Blue Lough (54.15896oN 5.96886oW), 1500ft). We stopped here and, after a few of the hardy ones bathed, ate lunch. When this was finished we started again and here we had our second casualty. Mr. Arnold sprained his ankle in a rabbit hole but fortunately the distance to the next hostel was not very great although it was over rough ground. He did, however, just reach the Bloody Bridge Hostel (54.1743oN 5.8739oW) where he recuperated. This hostel was one of the first built in N. Ireland but in spite of this it is in excellent condition and well situated on the hillside.

The next morning we walked down the cart-track on to the Newcastle Road and thumbed lifts into Newcastle. From here unwilling parents received us and brought us back home.

Everybody thoroughly enjoyed this new type of holiday and are looking forward to this year's trip which is round the Antrim Coast. We are however combining with a party from Portadown College to which school Mr. Purdy is going this summer.

PETER BURTON, SU.