Wild Camping Mournes | Slieve Bearnagh

A walk of 28km and 2,000m ascent through the Mournes to a bivy on the summit of Slieve Bearnagh. This is a place I have intended to wild camp on a number of occasions though it has never happened with weather and time constraints. It was worth waiting for as I had pretty much perfect weather and even a good nights sleep💤
Slieve Bearnagh
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[@BoomBoom7621]

A great advert for the Mournes and Slieve Bearnagh summit in particular. the shots of the mist/ clouds rolling up the mountain at sundown were something special. Hope the ginger nut rationing worked out.

[@gerrymcveigh]

It was so cool to be up on Slieve Bearnagh with that mist rolling up over the summit with the sun behind☀😊 The rationing worked well enough though I think I might up it to 10 ginger nuts next time😊 Thank you for watching👍

[@irishlens85]

Great video, Gerry. The birds are juvenile House Martins, adults have already left for Africa and these wee guys need to build up their flight muscles for the long journey. The rocks are the only tall structures to keep them safe up off the ground away from ground predators when they need a rest. The rocks also get very hot and will hold onto some of that heat through the night to keep the birds warm as they roost overnight.

[@gerrymcveigh]

Appreciate the expertise👍 It was fascinating to watch them so high up in the Mournes. Always good to build your bird knowledge😊

[@nigelmcardle4112]

Amazing footage Gerry, thanks for sharing

[@gerrymcveigh]

Cheers Nigel👍 The weather was great☀ (for a change) and the Mournes were looking well😊

[@patrickobrien8902]

Brilliant amount of nature captured again Gerry fair play. That's a very late tadpole!

[@gerrymcveigh]

Cheers Patrick👍 There is always plenty of nature there if you take the time to notice it😊 There were a few tadpoles in that pool and I haver read that they can stay as tadpoles for a year or more, especially in the hills where the stages all sort of slow down. Was surprised to see it myself though.

[@DroningaboutIreland]

Awesome as always Gerry, you should be on UTV or BBCNI showing this off to the masses, but then again say naffin we don't want it getting spoiled.

[@gerrymcveigh]

Thank You👍 KZbin is the place to be I think😊

[@ChrisColette]

Lovely video. Thanks Gerry, you pick a very nice spot for sunset👍🏻

[@gerrymcveigh]

Chris, thank you for coming along👍 It was a fantastic couple of days in the Mournes and a perfect camp spot to enjoy the evening and the morning ☀

[@stiofandundealgan1280]

Ireland has lots of magnificent sceneries ! Thanks a lot for this video !

[@gerrymcveigh]

Ireland has a lifetime of magnificent sceneries😊 Thank you for taking the time to watch👍👍

[@richardjohnson3463]

Another spectacular video of another of your adventures Gerry. What a wonderful place we have in the Mournes. You have a great eye for the small micro images as well as the big views of landscapes, clouds and skies. Thank you

[@gerrymcveigh]

Cheers Richard👍 I found it hard to focus on the small stuff this time as there was so much of the big stuff😊 The Mournes are superb and each visit just reaffirms that.

[@WyeExplorer]

A real treat of a Waterfall on the way up gerry. A fairly decent volume for high up too. The tops must still be wet. Bit what a day. I don't blame you for taking 5 or taking your time at all. The Mourns were looking epic today. A superb pitch there bro - the perfect evening for the master of the bivvy. And the mountain gave you few people and a grand morning too. This was a result. Yeah, lovely one gerry. All the best out there. Mark

[@gerrymcveigh]

Cheers Mark, I have eyed that waterfall up on few occasions and had it marked for exploration and it didn't disappoint👍 We have had so much rain over the past couple of months and then one good week and back to the more unsettled stuff again so the loughs and the big reservoirs in the Mournes are well replenished going into the autumn/winter. The summit of Slieve Bearnagh is a place I have been wanting to camp for a long time through the weather has always been against me for a high camp, apart from this time😊 As you know it is always good to be out there to destress, clear the mind and just be present👍

[@WyeExplorer]

@@gerrymcveigh A pleasure as always gerry. Great to see you finally check that waterfall and in decent spate too. Good to hear of the reservoirs being full. Re-the summit of Slieve Bearnagh that's awesome to get the conditions right. The mountains were looking epic bro. Well, have a cool weekend ahead.

[@peterrafferty9838]

Thanks Gerry, great video. The Mournes never disappoint ❤

[@gerrymcveigh]

Cheers Peter👍 I would agree that they never disappoint and often surprise😊

[@MiriamKennedy]

Your resting spot for the night looked idyllic beneath the Tor Gerry! 😎 Such expansive views throughout, always exciting to see the Mournes - especially in such great conditions! Bearnagh seems to always deliver, whether it’s admiring it from another mountain, trekking up its slopes or basking in the glory of sitting/sleeping on top! You did it proud 😊🎉

[@gerrymcveigh]

Cheers Miriam👍 It was a spot that shouted out at me as I looked around for a spot to lay myself down for the night😊 It was cool to look up vertically along its length and then to the stars above as I was in the bivy. I agree that Bearnagh draws the eye no matter where you are in the Mournes. Always exciting to be in the Mournes as you know😊

[@WalkTalkBrew]

You make the Mournes look very pretty. The times i've been down that way it's only been rain!! Great video Gerry. 🙂

[@gerrymcveigh]

Mike, it was one of the rare weather windows over the past couple of months with 2 good days together. It was too good an opportunity to miss out on that summit camp on Slieve Bearnagh which worked out well👍 I have had plenty of days without rain though not many without wind, which is okay for walking and not for camping.

[@robertmccrea1957]

Hi Geoff. Another great vid. If that’s a Nalgen bottle you’re using it’ll take boiling or near boiling water. Fill it, wrap it in a sock, chuck it in your sleep set. Toasty toes. My wife swears by it instead of just swearing about the cold. JK. Keep up the stunning work n maybe see you on a hill. Take care.

[@gerrymcveigh]

Cheers👍 Thanks for the idea - probably one of the few things I haven't tried to keep my toes warm😊

[@robertmccrea1957]

Apologies. *Gerry*

[@gerrymcveigh]

I have been called much worse😊

[@robertmccrea1957]

Sorry to bust yer chops Gerry. Slightly unrelated comment…. Have you ever walked The Gobbins Cliff Path in Islandmagee? Not mountains but a stunning 2.5 3 hour guided walk. Be right up your street.

[@gerrymcveigh]

I have - before Covid and it was a fantastic experience👍 They had plans to extend the walk further though not sure if they have done any work on it.

[@paulpayton8238]

I know exactly we're you are I've been up all around there lot's of times thanks for sharing memories ❤

[@gerrymcveigh]

Cheers Paul👍 It is a place to visit time and again as it changes with every visit.

[@paulpayton8238]

It's fantastic up there I lived just at the bottom of sleeve croob mountain, you've done very well my mountain friend stay safe 👍 I miss living in Northern Ireland 😊

[@gerrymcveigh]

Slieve Croob is a lovely mountain and a superb viewpoint to the Mournes👍 I had a fantastic couple of days in the Mournes and it just takes any worries or stresses away for another day😊 Where are you now?

[@EireRider.motorcycle.adventure]

Beautiful view at the start! Wow

[@gerrymcveigh]

Cheers Ben, it was a great trip with just about perfect weather conditions☀😊

[@JenniferLupine]

Great trip Gerry! Must feel wonderful to wake up and have the mountain and all those views to yourself! I love seeing the weather, as the light moves and the fog/clouds roll by late in the afternoon. Great to have so much water available that you can filter and don't really need to carry any. A hot tea out in the mountains sounds perfect!! :) 👍👍

[@gerrymcveigh]

Cheers Jennifer👍 It is an amazing feeling having a mountain all to yourself😊 There is plenty of weather of all types here at the moment - we need those blue skies you have been getting over there☀ I am more than happy to take water from those mountain streams high up to drink direct or boil for tea☕😊

[@nialloutdoors]

Beautiful Gerry 😍 I'd say after the Summer we've had that you were more than ready for that trip ☀ 👌

[@gerrymcveigh]

Cheers Niall👍 It was great to have some settled weather to take in the summit of Slieve Bearnagh. The wind would rattle around those tors so finding a sheltered spot in windy conditions would be tricky enough, much better to chill with just a light breeze😊 It was a great trip👍

[@NorwayHikesTrails]

Great video Gerry. Beautiful area, nicely filmed. Thank you for sharing 😊

[@gerrymcveigh]

Cheers👍 The conditions came together for me for a change☀😊

[@ashleyjarnold]

Fantastic video Gerry, loved it all. Andrea came in when you were setting up the bivet. She couldn't believe your setup, no tent etc!! The picture of the Brocken Spectre was such a special moment. I love the way you just wander where you want and show us new angles of familiar places. Last time I was up Bearnagh we got a bit lost in heavy mist and got no views, your sunset was spectacular. Regards, ashley

[@gerrymcveigh]

Cheers Ashley👍 It is great up there in the mist with all those tors looming out at you, though on this occasion I was happy for the mist to clear and leave those clear skies☀😊 Always good to explore and there is plenty of ground that I haven't walking in the Mournes (I think😊)

[@maholy89]

Hey Gerry, wonderful video. Glorious sunset, I love how the clouds were moving over the mountain. Made a great lighting effect. I hope we'll get a few more of those sunny summer days here in Ireland.

[@gerrymcveigh]

Cheers Christian👍 It was fantastic to have the summit of Slieve Bearnagh all to myself as it can be a busy spot. I was a glorious evening and the mist coming and going was pretty cool. I has taken me a few years to get that wild camp and it was worth the wait😊 I am hoping too☀

[@walkwatchers]

Aw Gerry, thats a beautiful video. You captured some stunning moments there. I would even say you caught the change from summer to autumn. That scene of the sunlit cloud billowing over the top of Bearnagh is just cinegraphic. Great video pal. Just great

[@gerrymcveigh]

Cheers Alyn👍 I had to go back for some better weather☀ after our trip🌨 It was a cool trip for many reasons and catching that last bit of Summer was one of them👍 It was really cool to be on top of Bearnagh all by myself and to finally get a wild camp up there😊

[@EireRider.motorcycle.adventure]

You find some great places to hike through Gerry... Gorgeous

[@gerrymcveigh]

I'll say it again Ben, you find some great places to ride a motorcycle through😊

[@EireRider.motorcycle.adventure]

@@gerrymcveigh 😂😎

[@Kev_Russ]

Cracking spot Gerry. Good looking wee Mountain too. Wouldn't look out of place on the Isle of Arran.

[@gerrymcveigh]

Cheers Kev👍 It is a good looking wee mountain👍 Arran is a place I would like to visit as it looks pretty awesome.

[@Andrew.........]

Hi Gerry, lovely views from the Mournes, especially the latter half of your video, where the low cloud and mist rolls in. It made it look very atmospheric and must have been a joy to witness. You may bulk buy the ginger nuts 😅, it's not the sort of dilemma you need when on the mountains. All the best 👍

[@gerrymcveigh]

Cheers Andrew👍 It was lovely to be up there with the mist appearing and disappearing and to be scrambling up through the tors and get sight of the Brocken Spectre - very other wordly. I always have a good supply of ginger nuts, I just need to bring more with me😊

[@roydonaldson3946]

Brilliant Video Gerry on my favourite mountain. My uncle used to put hives into The Mournes to get the heather blossom flavoured honey many years ago.

[@gerrymcveigh]

Cheers Roy👍 It is fascinating that there are beehives up in the Mournes though it makes sense - the heather was alive with bees and butterflies. Heather blossom honey sounds delicious👍

[@goldenappel]

Going by plumage and tail shape I think the birds you filmed were house martins. Swallows and swifts have longer forked tails. They mostly nest in urban areas but cliff faces were their natural nesting sites and the cracks in the tor would be ideal spots. In both clips they're flying towards the sunny side of the tor so my guess would be that it's a popular spot for insects to rest and warm up. These little birds are so agile they can easily pluck insects off the cliff without crashing into it.

[@gerrymcveigh]

Brilliant information👍 Have never seen this in the Mournes before and it was great to see this behaviour.

[@Sparky-ov1ot]

No joking, this is the best camping video I have seen on KZbin, no click bait titles, no advertising freebie products and no staring at a frying pan for half an hour, class stuff and enjoyable just as it should be!

[@gerrymcveigh]

Appreciate your very kind comments👍 I keep those half hour frying pan videos all to myself😊

[@graememccullough8922]

Another great video. My favourite mountain to camp on. Whenever I can't get up to mountains I just stick a Gerry Video on. 😊

[@gerrymcveigh]

Cheers Graeme👍 It has taken me many a year to finally get a camp up there - so you are way ahead of me😊

[@graememccullough8922]

@gerrymcveigh there's a nice little ledge on the east side of that tor I've been planning on a bivvy for years. Just never get the weather 😒 😄

[@gerrymcveigh]

Sounds like we are both in the same boat in taking our time😊

[@carolc7363]

I am so enjoying your videos, watching with my morning coffee from landlocked Colorado - - such great photography and appreciation of the micro and macro nature of this fine Earth. Uncredited character of this video was obviously the mist...so glorious.

[@gerrymcveigh]

Thank you Carol👍 Landlocked and beautiful Colorado👍 The mist blowing over the mountain top giving ever changing views was pretty cool and even cooler that it then cleared for the sun setting☀😊

[@RamblingOn]

I think you might have to pack extra ginger nuts for the next one, especially on the longer winter nights ☕️ It looked like a perfect spot, and what a day for it. Class as always 👌

[@gerrymcveigh]

Cheers Jason👍 I had to make tea to get some liquid in that hot weather so 8 biscuits was definitely short of the mark😊 Not sure if I am looking forward to 16/17 hours of darkness in a tent, I might need a wheelbarrow for the ginger nuts😊 It was the spot that was speaking to me and I think it might have been nearly level😊

[@RamblingOn]

@@gerrymcveigh levelish is good enough 👍

[@coloradoinmyeyesandtravel4904]

Fantastic video! Very beautiful views ❤ New subscriber Have a nice week!

[@gerrymcveigh]

Thank you👍 New subscriber too😊

[@caddycommercials8570]

❤

[@gerrymcveigh]

❤❤

[@pikeontheflyguide]

Another brilliant video Gerry, spectacular views all round, Bearnagh is definitely in my top 3....... ATB Stuart

[@gerrymcveigh]

Cheers👍 It would be in my top 3 I think . What are your other 2??😊

[@pikeontheflyguide]

@gerrymcveigh The other 2 would be, Eagle because you can get a great view of all the other popular summits and its very quiet as in humans lol. And Hen just because of the views for such a small mountain, it has a bit of character....

[@gerrymcveigh]

Now if I say I was thinking of these 2 as well you mightn't believe it😊 Though Slieve Binnian has to be in the mix.

[@pikeontheflyguide]

@gerrymcveigh 2 great minds and all that haha, i would agree with you regarding Binnian, beautiful looking mountain. Roll on autumn/winter for some proper camping. 👌

[@stefenmangtun3036]

Great sharing Have a wonderful day

[@gerrymcveigh]

Thank you👍😊

[@eddieforde]

I’ve never been to the Mournes, but after watching this vid in particular I may have to consider it, they looked fantastic. Got a Brocken Spectre down south I reckon the same weekend, although in my case it was followed by two hours in cloud. 👍🏻

[@gerrymcveigh]

Cheers Eddie👍 Good to connect with you and subscribe to your channel and look forward to some viewing😊 The Mournes have to be one of the best mountain ranges in all of Ireland for their size and all that they fit in👍 Well worth a visit. Brocken spectres don't come along that often in my experience and are to be valued. I am glad I got mine and then clear weather after😊

[@eddieforde]

@@gerrymcveighthanks very much Gerry, I’m only at a few vids compared to your treasure trove. I’ve watched your Brandon hike a few times.😊 Surprised to hear the spectres are rare enough, you’d think with the amount of clouds we get they’d be a bit more common.

[@gerrymcveigh]

I've only seen a handful myself, though others may be more blessed😊

[@frosty_soda]

Gerry, you've a knack for this content. I love it. Inspires me to get out there

[@gerrymcveigh]

Cheers👍 That was a lovely trip with great weather - hard to come by for a good part of this year🌨😊

[@inkedgermanexplorer]

Beautiful 😍 some incredible footage Gerry 🧡 makes me wanna go back to the Mournes asap. Thank you for sharing 🙏

[@gerrymcveigh]

Cheers👍 They are definitely worth going back to 😊

[@damianconnolly3618]

Great video Gerry.

[@gerrymcveigh]

Cheers Damien👍 One of theses rare trips when it all comes together just about perfectly😊

[@TomMcClean]

You got a grand day Gerry! I haven't been in the Mournes for oh so long and I can see them from our road! I haven't seen a frog or indeed frogspawn in ages. Ah Gerry! Only 8 ginger nuts!!!!!!! Not good! Boy, you got some terrific long distance views! I'm really surprised about the swallow activity you saw. I wouldn't ever have thought they would group together so high up like this. I've seen them do the same on roofs up here on the Middle Braniel road. They would gather together in the sun and sit there. But this doesn't go anyway near explaining why they are so high up in the Mournes. Very strange. I've just looked closer and I think these are house martins and they are going into the crevices. I'm still very surprised. What are they after? I'm looking down the comments and I think Irishlens might have the answer. Good to hear about the abundance of bees and butterflies. You take care!

[@gerrymcveigh]

Tom, it was good to be educated about the House Martins as I was super surprised to see all those birds so high up in the Mournes👍 The heather was alive with bees and butterflies and it was definitely late in the summer for them to get busy. I had super weather for the 2 days and I am sure it rained either side of them🌨😊

[@darrennugent6721]

Hey Tom, we were camping right on the castles of Binnian a month ago and I was very surprised to see bats flying higher than Binnian itself, we were able to watch them with our head torches. Was lovely to see.

[@TomMcClean]

Hi Darren. Great to hear from you on this. I suppose bats like most other creatures will go to anywhere that offers them a warm, safe, roost, protected from predators and where there is going to be a nearby abundant food supply, in this case midgies! I'm thinking that these crevices, even though they are high up, offer just that. And the house martins are there too for the same reasons. What creatures do is often surprising but there is usually a good reason for their choices. What a welcome surprise! lol Best wishes from the Belfast Castlereagh hills.

[@edpikestone6800]

Gerry, another great video thanks for it and my daughter and really enjoyed it. I want to take her for her first wild camp in the Mournes. Any suggestions (she is 8, but has climbed Donard aged 6). Probably a tent camp.

[@goldenappel]

If she's climbed Donard she can handle any Mournes hike! One I enjoy is from the small car park on the road that runs past Spelga dam. There's a clear track up to the Mourne wall that's an easy walk. From there you can climb Doan, which is a short and sometimes exciting ascent with some great views from the summit. The summit area is really tiny so for younger ones it really feels like you're on top of a mountain. Ben Crom is also nearby and an easy walk with some amazing cliff views over the reservoirs. You can see Gerry on it at 23:17. For camping Lough Shannagh is nearby and a great place to end the day. It's quite shallow and safe to swim/paddle in and there's even a slightly grainy beach on the southern end.

[@gerrymcveigh]

Great suggestions which would be on my list👍👍 I can give you a grid ref for my campsite at the river just down from Ben Crom summit😊 though a summit camp on Ben Crom is beyond cool in the right weather. I would also maybe add in Pigeon which is a short climb from the Deer's Meadow, or Hen Mountain for camping. Even just noticing places when you are out walking as there are so many possibilities in the Mournes - low down or high up. I went camping with my 10 year old nephew last year (there is a video!) and we had a blast along the Kilkeel River just up from Ben Crom Reservoir.

[@darrennugent6721]

Great video Gerry, I am the beekeeper in the video and would love for you to try the honey but when I post my contact details the comments get taken down. I only live a few minutes from Attical and have an honesty box. Keep up the good work Darren

[@gerrymcveigh]

Darren, that is so cool to hear from you👍 It was also really cool that you gave a lift to that fellow walker who was talking to me and pointed out the hives, otherwise I would never have been aware of them. The heather was literally alive with bees and butterflies that day, not sure how many where yours though🐝😊 Feel free to send me a message on twitter or FB with your address as I would love to visit that honesty box at some stage👍 You keep up the good work too👍

[@jj2536]

great scenery and camerawork - have subscribed to your channel after seeing that. would like to walk some of the mournes next summer - are there any issues with wild camping there? id heard it can be slightly tricky in northern ireland as there aren't as we dont have the right to roam laws that scotland has. also - bit surprised you werent using a tent, would have thought that was a necessity for keeping the wind and mist off you during the night. do you use a bivvy bag or is that just a normal sleeping bag? will have a dander through your other videos, the answers probably there already!

[@gerrymcveigh]

Cheers👍 There are no issues at all with walking or wild camping in the Mournes (obviously fitting in with the Leave No Trace principles of setting up late/leaving early and taking all rubbish out). There have been some issues around dogs not being on leads as directed by landowners. I was using a bivy bag which is wind and water proof - great if the weather is right for being more in touch with the surroundings. Thank you for watching and subscribing👍

[@paddyarmstrong1066]

Where's that waterfall gerry?

[@gerrymcveigh]

It flows out of Binninan Lough and then down between Blue Lough and Annalong Wood

[@paddyarmstrong1066]

@@gerrymcveigh good man gerry. I'll try to find it at the weekend. Keep up the good work mate. Get lioads of ideas and inspiration from watching your videos. Cheers lad👍

[@gerrymcveigh]

Worth looking out and Binnian Lough is a cool spot after the climb👍