NB: IN THE INTEREST OF YOUR OWN SAFETY, TAKE STOCK OF YOUR EQUIPMENT MUST HAVE: - Walking Boots-Raincoat and Leggings - Adequate clothing (layers are the best option) - Hat-Gloves - Packed lunch and at least 1 litre water (The Leader can refuse to allow you on the walk if you do not have the basics) SHOULD HAVE: - Torch- Extra Batteries- Whistle - Bivvy Bag- Basic First Aid (at least plasters and bandages) COULD HAVE: - 1:25000 Mourne Country Map (For the Mournes) or Sheet No. 36 OSI 1:50000 (for the Cooley's) - Compass GOOD IDEAS: - Carry some emergency rations - Have a change of clothes in the car . Websites: www.weebinnians.com, www.ufrc-online.co.uk/ Email: weebinnians@eircom.net Weather Forecast BBC Weather , RTE Weather, Other: Walks Programme .
Sunday 8^th November 2009 – Wee Binnian. Meet at Bridge Street Car Park, Newry: 10.00am Silent Valley Car Park. Click Here for Google Map Directions Please Note: There is a charge of £4 per car so please share cars and the passengers can pay the fee. Only a suggestion. The Leaders who will be leading the this walk are: Grade A: Paul Fegan, Frank McAteer Grade B: Roger Connolly, Tom Kehoe, Peadar McDonald, Mick O’Driscoll Grade C: Angela Sloane, Samzle Hale, Eoghan Bailey.
10^th Anniversary Braveheart Walk – 22 November (click here for the full history of the Braveheart Walk) Premier! - The Tartan Trek (organised in honour of the 10th anniversary Braveheart Walk) For those participating in either event we hope you enjoy the challenge but please read carefully:
Arrangements – regardless of verbal arrangements already made please email as follows to confirm your place on either walk (we need this to know number of walkers) Braveheart Walk - email Des McConville at des@southernitec.co.uk Tartan Walk – email Thomas McKenna at thomas_mckenna@btinternet.com Duration – 12 hrs+. Fitness level – upper B or A standard Emergencies – if you need to come off the walk, the onus is on you to have organised someone on stand-by if this happens. They should be able to meet you at Deers Meadow or anywhere else in the Mournes. Recommendations - Refreshments and a change of clothes available for you at the end of the walk. Route – Newcastle to Rostrevor taking in 13 peaks in the Braveheart and the Tarten will walk around most of these peaks.. What we are doing this for? Northern Ireland Children Hospice. Roger has sponsorship cards so talk to him before or after the walk.
		Our Christmas Party: Just to let you know that our Christmas Party will be on 4^th Dec 2009 at 7.30pm in Killeavey Football Grounds. This is where we had our Festival Blister Ball. Tickets will be available this Sunday. Cost £25.00 and we would like members to buy them before the party as we need to have numbers for the caterers. Tickets will be available from Des McConville, Ann McArdle and David Sloan. Also for those in the Dundalk area, Jock will have then on Sale in Outdoor Xchange.
Walking Festivals and other Events: Place-name talk: Date: Thursday, 12th Nov, at 8pm. Location: Lecture Hall G06 of the Peter Froggatt Centre at Queen's University Belfast. (Accessible from University Square). Speaker: Dr. Nollaig Muraile, Senior Lecturer at NUI Galway, Lecture: 'John O Donovan, most able and judicious Irish scholar and topographer'. Cost: Free of charge Upperchurch Walking Festival: Programme of Events: Friday November 7th at 20.30hrs: *Reception and official opening in Upperchurch Hall *Talk by Ms Isabel Cambie of Tipperary Leader Group on the Walks Scheme. *Talk by Eamon Butler on Philippine Youth Project.. Telephone:+353 (0)50 45 4443. Email: info@upperchurch.ie. Website: www.upperchurch.ie Basic Navigation Course & GPS skills for the Hillwalker: Date: 14th November 2009 at 9.00am. There are one or two places still available so if you are interested ring George Acheson at 02893340642. (From ROI 04893340642) ....For more details of upcoming walking festival or events click here.
Donegal 2009 trip- An Amazing Experience: Yes, what a good and interesting time we had. With socializing and sightings of a Brocken Spectre. Click on picture to enlarge. Picture taken by Catherine McEnroe. Read on…. We all arrived on Friday at different times, got sorted in the Hostel and checked out the local area. Sat morning, we woke up to rain, rain and more rain. Everyone was up early and we had breakfast. With the hustle and bustle of getting lunches made and flasks and platypus filled, Mick gives us a briefing on the two walks. The “A” group were walking Muckish to Errigal and the “B” were starting from Lough Altan track and climbing Errigal. The buses took us to our starting points. The “A”s started at Muckish, climbing the hard scree until they got to the top. Then over to Aghla More and Aghla Beg and then to Altan Farm. It was hard going for some and the light was getting low, so some left Altan farm and followed the track back to the road and got back to the hostel. The rest of the “A”’s continued on to Errigal and down to the car park just as it was getting dark. This was the Glover Challenge walk which took place at the same time as our festival. As far as I am aware this event has not taken place in the last couple of years.
The “B” group walked to Altan Farm and admired the view of Altan Lough. Then we climbed Beaghy and Mackoght, had a lovely lunch below Errigal. Spectacular views as the weather began to improve. Errigal had a clear top. We have climbed Errigal before but it was always had cloud cover but not today. In fact, cloud was coming over and we thought, typical, when might get cloud cover, when we reach the top. As they got to the top, one of our members screamed with excitement and as we all look down, we saw what the excitement was about. It was a Brocken Spectre. It was like an apparition. Remember, it was Halloween which I thought was appropriate. It lasted for about 15 minutes. We took a lot photos. We got to the top without a cloud. After that great experience, we came of Errrigal, down the scree and the muddy terrain and back to the car park below and walked the 4 km back to the Hostel. It was the talk in the pub later that night. Great Day. We all got showered and ready for a well earned meal of Lasagna with plenty of salad and vegetable. After that we had a lovely desert and tea and coffee. Brilliant meal. Later that night, the main talk was the Brocken Spectre that the “B”’s saw on Errigal. Some of the “A”s were jealous. We even had a slideshow showing photos of our walk and particularly of the Brocken Spectre. We had a competition as to who took the best photo of the Brocken Spectre; the jury is still out on that one. The next day, a few hardy souls, braved the harsh weather and climbed Muskish starting from the shrine. Others went to Glenveagh National Park for a walk and / or cappuccino walk. I think everyone enjoyed the weekend. Brilliant Hostel and a big thanks to the brilliant staff. Definitely will be back. So well done to the organizing committee of this brilliant weekend To explain what is a Brocken Spectre, CLICK HERE
Calling all photographers. There were plenty of photos taken in Donegal so if you have any, email them to me at daithi2004@yahoo.com. Also thanks to everyone who have looked at the previous slideshows that I have on youtube. I will be compiling another slideshow which will be uploaded to youtube. So watch this space……………
	Lost Boots: A Brown pair of Brasher boots, size 7, with a green insole. They were left in the reception area of The Errigal Youth Hostel on Sunday evening after climbing Muckish. Contact us at weebinnians@eircom.net. The owner needs them for the Tartan Trek.
And finally …… On the radio. Our President, Veronica McCann, while being laid up after a recent operation on her foot, is still promoting walking on the radio. She was on BBC Radio Ulster’s “Your Place and Mine” on Sat 24^th October promoting The Ulster and Mourne Way and walking in general. I was going to put a link to the radio programme but the BBC has taken it off their website. PS Get well soon, Veronica and we hope to see you on the hills very soon from all your Wee Binnian Friends.
The last Newsletter: If you missed out on the last newsletter Click Here
Our Next walk: Sunday 22^nd November 2009 – Pierces Castle. Meet at Bridge Street Car Park, Newry: 10.00am Leitrim Lodge Car Park. Click Here for Google Map Directions The Leaders who will be leading the next walk are: Grade A: Paddy Brady, Eileen McKeever Grade B: Frank McCrory, Eithne Mc Nulty, Stephen Downey, David Sloan Grade C: Tom O’Rourke, Neil Lockington, Deirdre MacBride.
Feel free to send in any information that you wish to put into the Newsletter. Email the secretary at weebinnians@eircom.net a week before the next issue. Have an enjoyable day’s walk and remember to be sociable to everyone.