Northern Ireland

[Celt_Ginger]

Woodburn is ok during the week, but now that the warmer months are upon us, it will turn into "Boozeburn" at the weekends. A group of us had to leave Woodburn last year because of drunken yobs chucking bottles at our camp. Go during the week though and you shouldn't have any trouble. If it's only a day outing though, you will be fine.

 

[tweeders]

woodburn can get a bid boozed up kids at times, but there's quite a lot of forest and the idiots only go to the nearest to carick bits.
if you want, you can park at my house ant tab up. it's only a half hour walk, at worst.
for reference for those who've been there, as you come up the hill from carrick, keep going past the church and the crossroads and head into the forest on the right hand side of the road. that bit is really quiet, only used by a few people, idiot free.
ballyboley is nice too. too far out of the way for yobs
hope that helps

 

[tweeders]

oh, and there's also the forests up by the orra scenic route. up at the vanishing lough, near newtown crumlin

 

[Belfastman1958]

ok. So we all now have a few places to recommend to each other for where to go for an overnighter.

Who is gonna be the first to suggest a time and place to have a day trip and cook some food?

I'm heading out this evening for a wander around Crawfordsburn Country Park with a mate and cook some food and try out some new equipment while we're out .

Will keep you posted.

Alan.

 

[redneck]

I have to admit, it's really good to see so many people from NI showing an interest in meeting up and I think it's something that should be encouraged, good job lads , and here's to a big gathering very soon!

 

[jonnno]

I'm game for a day or overnighter but I'd rather do a day first to meet up and see how it all goes. Should warn everyone I'm pretty new to the bushcraft thing tho.

 

[mountain_necro_goat]

Well you can count me in. Tweeders your offer does sound very good some wild cookery
and a few nights in the wood sis just what the docter ordered haven't been able to get out for about a month and I fell a bit stir crazy............... I think we should all get our fingers out and get a bit of a meet.

 

[tweeders]

spot on mounain goat.
just let me know when you're free.

 

[Belfastman1958]

I have to admit, it's really good to see so many people from NI showing an interest in meeting up and I think it's something that should be encouraged, good job lads , and here's to a big gathering very soon!

Hi Redneck.

Many thanks for your vote of support and confidence in us, but to be honest it's not a new thing here.

I'll not give away my age, but lets just say that for the 2nd time in my life my waist measurement is the same as my age.

I have been doing "extreme camping" since I first learned it through the Army Cadet Force in the early 1970's - and have been practising it ever since. In all my years of extreme/wild camping I have never been anywhere near the "bush". Bush always equated to the African Bush or the Australian Bush. It's only recently with the advent of Ray Mears' excellent programs on TV that some people have decided to call themselves "bushcrafters". As for extreme/wild camping in woods, forests and mountains, then I have 30+ yrs of experience at that.

Hopefully, when some meets do finally get organised you can jump onto the handiest form of transport and join us. You'll taste Soda Bread and Potato bread in it's most delicious form - around a campfire with some juicy bacon inside it. Manna from Heaven.

Alan.

 

[combatblade1]

Hi Redneck.

Many thanks for your vote of support and confidence in us, but to be honest it's not a new thing here.

I'll not give away my age, but lets just say that for the 2nd time in my life my waist measurement is the same as my age.

I have been doing "extreme camping" since I first learned it through the Army Cadet Force in the early 1970's - and have been practising it ever since. In all my years of extreme/wild camping I have never been anywhere near the "bush". Bush always equated to the African Bush or the Australian Bush. It's only recently with the advent of Ray Mears' excellent programs on TV that some people have decided to call themselves "bushcrafters". As for extreme/wild camping in woods, forests and mountains, then I have 30+ yrs of experience at that.

Hopefully, when some meets do finally get organised you can jump onto the handiest form of transport and join us. You'll taste Soda Bread and Potato bread in it's most delicious form - around a campfire with some juicy bacon inside it. Manna from Heaven.

Alan.

I see exactly where your coming from Alan i didnt know i was a bushcrafter ( and to be honest i dont really consider my self to be one) until about 5 years ago. I was brought up in the country with a family who were all into hunting trapping fishing. I wouldnt call it extreme camping i didnt even refer to it as camping as that to me meant you had a tent, which i didnt. We called it going over the feilds and making a hut. It is good that there is a term, although over here we could change it to woodcrafters or forestcrafters, which would make more sense.

 

[jonnno]

I took a trip up Cave Hill on Saturday morning when the weather was foul but supposed to clear - it bloody didn't and I got totally drenched . I walked the green 5 mile path and it was bloody hard (and I mean thought I might have a stroke kind of hard ) I'm pretty unfit but at one point I was stopping every few minutes to get my breath back and it made me wonder - if you went far enough up how many chavs could possibly make it that far carrying 4 litres of cider each.

Amusingly on the way down theres a point where they forgot to add a green arrow and having not done the walk before I got very confused about where I was and ended up walking part of it twice which made me a little sweary

Some (damp) photos here
http://www.ni-wild.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=mgallery;sa=album;id=3

 

[Belfastman1958]

Thanks for your reply, Combat. I didn;t mean to be definitive, or pernickity with my opinions on wild camping - was just having a rant. Maybe we could get together for a wander over the summer sometime and compare rants and moans over some tea.

Yeah Jonno.....the chavs seem to stay near the bottom end near the carparks. I prefer it up above the treeline. Cavehill at midnight is an awesome place to be on a clear night. Excellent for practising or learning "starcraft" (I made that word up).

I'll be heading up tomorrow evening for a coupla hours again. Hopefully the weather will be clear.

Alan.

 

[rapidboy]

Im just thinking i have never been up cave hill in my life and that's an absolute disgrace.
Where do you park to do that green walk ?, sounds like a good a starting point to explore it.

 

[rapidboy]

Anyone thought about Carins Wood in Craigantlet?

Have you spent the night there ?, any problems ?
I pass it every week and the car park is usually empty, seems nice and quiet.

 

[deepforest2501]

Hey guys, did the meeting go ahead? Im new to the site and live near Newry, I spend a lot of time on the Mournes hillwalking but am new to the area still. 1 year actually. Looking for a group to hook up with for some overnight trips into the mountains. Im afraid my firebow technique is poor so any experts would be most welcome.

 

[jonnno]

Hey guys, did the meeting go ahead? Im new to the site and live near Newry, I spend a lot of time on the Mournes hillwalking but am new to the area still. 1 year actually. Looking for a group to hook up with for some overnight trips into the mountains. Im afraid my firebow technique is poor so any experts would be most welcome.

I'm keen to walk and camp in the mournes if you're organising anything.

 

[mountain_necro_goat]

Hi Deepforest, I should be having a hiking trip in the mournes in the next few weeks.... the plan is to hike from Sleive Bernagh coming from thr Trassey Track/hares Gap the follow the Mourne Wall over Meelmore, Meelbeg a few of the low Mournes the summit Binnain and finish @ Carrick little.

I'll Let you Know

By the we Tweeders we still on? I was thinking about the end of the month?start of June I have alot on this month with work and stuff but have cleared it with the "boss" and the action is go.

Goat

 

[tweeders]

sounds good goat.
i'm off weekends for a few weeks now, so that sounds good. looking forward to getting my hammock used "in anger"

 

[Ricky369]

Just joined this site, im from tyrone myself, only another 4 months or so left in nothern ireland untill i head to liverpool. Have been talking to my friends about getting out in the summer a good few times.

Where is the places to go, and what is the rules to going there (fire light/fishing etc.)

 

[jonnno]

Just joined this site, im from tyrone myself, only another 4 months or so left in nothern ireland untill i head to liverpool. Have been talking to my friends about getting out in the summer a good few times.

Where is the places to go, and what is the rules to going there (fire light/fishing etc.)

Fires are always a problem. Higher up in the Mournes you would be fine but all forests owned by the Northern Ireland Forestry Service would be no fire zones.