Northern Ireland

[discoveringtheforest]

Any one interested on weekend and day trips away In IRE & UK.
From Derry/Donegal and Belfast area Contact me

Cheers

[mountain_necro_goat]

I to spend my time in the mournes, at present I have 3 count them 3 failed attempts at completing the mourne wall in one day. Anything that could go wrong has. A few weeks ago my mate was almost blown off the summit of Binnian. I regularly head up to donard wood for some over nighters. If you need some company on the hills I'm sure something could be arranged.

Goat.

[cruben]

Hi
I've been out and about a bit with some friends mostly in canoes.Let me know where and when your thinking of.
cruben
fermanagh

[jonnno]

I'm eager for walking and camping in the Mournes since the guys I used to go with are afraid of spiders and the wet now

Drop me a PM if anyone's interested.

[Belfastman1958]

Hi. Been up the Mournes a few times myself. Also like to use Cavehill as a place to wander from time to time.

[mountain_necro_goat]

I have be interested in gettin up cave hill. Is it possible to camp around it or a bivi on the top? Where is the best place to start?

Any Advice would be good.

[Belfastman1958]

Although officially not allowed as it's mostly private land, I've never had anyone chase me off it.

Best place to start depends on where you want to stay. Belfast Castle is a very good access point for the "front of the hill" with access to all parts of the forest. The "back of the hill" is more easily accessed from various carparks but is very open with no treeline whatsoever.

Hope this helps.

[discoveringtheforest]

Im going to be in belfast area tomorrow and may check out a few spots for possible weekend in june.

[jonnno]

I'm going to have a pop at Cave Hill the next time we get any semi decent weather. I've been walking around Black Mountain quite a bit recently and fancy a change of scenery. Bit wary though - it looks bloody steep..

[mountain_necro_goat]

So it looks like heading up via belfast castle is the way to go. I have just been on google maps and the area looks like an untapped resource. Don't worry jonnno they all look steep till your at the top. Good stuff 'bout time we got something together............. please keep us up to date on possible adventures.

goat.

[redneck]

There's a lot of guys use cavehill, I am one of the many, it is very steep with very little flat ground for camping or shelter building, beware of overnighters unless you fancy a run in with the numerous local chavs who use it as a drinking den and gathering point for other antisocial behaviour, I have come too close too many times to being in a very dangerous predicament with intoxicated teenagers in large groups..for daily walks it's great but you will compete with ramblers ,mountain bikers and the like, and remember you're on the edge of north Belfast, so don't expect an easy time of it if you want to go ahead, good luck and if you ever decide to go up the hill I'll be glad to accompany you.

[jonnno]

Maybe we should organise a wander up some weekend for a look. Would be good to meet up with some of the NI guys from the forum.

[mountain_necro_goat]

not a bad idea. Redneck I had no idea it was that bad but I think a fact finding mission is in order. As much as I love the the mournes I need pastures new and hailing for Portadown I know all about chavs.

Cheers
goat.

[Celt_Ginger]

Northern Ireland has massive potential for Bushcraft. Give some thought to what you want to do and I'm sure you will find solutions. There are already groups of us out there, and, hopefully very soon, we may be in a position to be able to invite you to join us.

[mountain_necro_goat]

Good man Ginger just had a look at your site (very nice by the way) hope your plans come to fruition its about time us Northern Irish got on with it. You have my support.

Good luck

[tweeders]

hi guys,
redneck is quite right the cavehill is full of chavs, i couldn't recommend staying up there, unless uoy were in a group.
it's not a bad wander and you can easily climb up the north side of 'napoleons nose', i've done it loads of times with a mountain bike on my back.
if you're looking for a change and some woodland, i'm lucky enough to live 3 minutes drive from a lovely forest that's mostly free from chavs.
it's at woodburn. between ballyclare and carrickfergus. about 15 mins outside belfast
look it up on google maps. it's the one with 3 dams in a row.
anyone for a wee overnighter?

[mountain_necro_goat]

Hi Tweeder and welcome... this thread has finally come to life looks like a lot if interest!!!
Looks like a bit of a get together is on the cards. I'm sure we can find a bit of common ground to get a meeting sorted. Any Ideas?

[tweeders]

hi mountain_necro_goat and thanks for the welcome.
as i say, woodburn is quite nice, plenty of places well out of the way to set up a nice wee camp.
i know all the farmers on the adjoining land, plenty of bunnies for the pot, if you're up for that sort of thing. it certainly is mine.

[Belfastman1958]

I grew up on the living beside the Cavehill and know it very very well. Yes, there are chavs there but mostly seem to stay near the carparks and public areas. There are also areas that are pretty solitary.

Wandered around Woodburn a coupla times but was advised not to leave my car there overnight. Is this true?

Another excellent little spot is between Ballyclare and Larne - Ballyboley Forest. Haven't done an overnighter there yet, but it looks good to try.

Count me in on anything you may want to try out lads.

Alan.

[madfaxman]

Anyone thought about Carins Wood in Craigantlet?

The rangers there are very knowledgeable and are bushcraft freindly.

Loads of woods to roam around in.

People tend to gather at the car park at night thou it isnt an issue as they are the back seat cuddle bunch.

Also try Redburn forest park on the other side of belfast (directly across the Lough from the cave hill)

Park at the nursing home is recommened, chavs do meet on the lower slopes to get drunk but not normally an issue.

[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.