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All at the Gap O’ the North Hill Walking Club would  like to take this opportunity to wish our Members and friends a very Happy and Peaceful Christmas and Best Wishes for an active 2017. 

We would like to extend a welcome to everyone to come join us on Wednesday 28th of December for our Annual Festive Family Ramble. This is open to Members, their family and friends as well as Non -members. So if you’re tired of the festivities and want to stretch your legs come along and join us, registration is from 11.30 am at the Gap O’ the North Pub, Jonesborough we will be setting out at 12 noon and will be out for 3/3.5 hours.

 Our route is a leisurely 10 km walk on forest trails and roads. But please note it is not suitable for pushchairs or very young children and no dogs allowed. Children must be accompanied by an adult whose responsibility they remain. 

Bring a packed lunch and a waterproof jacket, comfortable footwear a necessity!!

If you’re very good Santa himself might join us in the forest for some mulled wine/ hot chocolate before he returns to the North Pole for some well deserved rest.

Afterwards we’re all back to the Gap for a bite to eat and entertainment, with a magician for the kids around 4 pm and then Kevin Kearney playing from 8 pm until late.

No cover charge, raffle tickets and an honesty bucket on the day to cover costs, so come join us for some festive fitness and fun!

Our walk this Sunday 11th of December is our last walk before Christmas and we are staying local, Feede and Faughil Mountains. Whilst there is no great height gain if the weather is good the views are fabulous. Please note there are no paths on this walk, we will be on rough and open hillside and at times there is a fair amount of “scrambling” (see photo above). All walkers must be wearing boots and have a waterproof jacket. Bring a packed lunch we expect to be out for 3/3.5 hours. Meet at the Gap O’ the North for registration at 10 am.

Our Annual Family Christmas Walk is Wednesday 28th of December leaving the Gap at 12 and returning for 3/3.30 pm. Please note this is not suitable for very young children or pushchairs. There will be entertainment back at The Gap until the wee small hours.

This Sunday, 13th of November we have a great local walk lined up… Tiffcrum Mountain, believe it or not it’s been 3 years since we last walked it.

We plan to start out as one Group, taking in Forkhill Village, Urney Graveyard and then following the road up and onto forest paths before hitting the open hillside. The Group will split at the ruins of the turret shown above, with one group led by our very own local historian and teller of grand tales, Seamus. This Group will take the easier option and keep mostly to forestry paths.

A second Group, (only for the experienced hill walker and those who are physically fit), will take to the open hillside and climb every one of its many peaks, and believe me there are quite a few! This route is over extremely rough ground, there are no paths and many obstacles to clamber over or slide under, in places it will be a scramble, so expect a tough and physically demanding walk, but one which will reward your efforts with spectacular views.

If time allows both Groups may take in the old army helicopter landing pad with its fine views over Forkhill Village and the surrounding countryside.

All walkers should meet at the Gap O’ the North Pub, Jonesborough at 10 am for registration and a  briefing from walk’s leaders. Walkers must have walking boots, a waterproof jacket, hat and gloves, bring a packed lunch. Expect to be out for around 4/4.5 hours.

We are walking this Sunday 16th of October, starting and finishing in Ravensdale village our route will take us along the Cadger’s pad….This was the route by which the herring girls of Omeath carried their fish to market 200 years ago, each with a creel on her back with two stone of herrings wrapped in seaweed. It was still an important route after the fish stocks disappeared in the late 19th century: within living memory an Omeath woman told folklore collectors that she “thought nothing of putting a bag of (live) hens on my back and heading over the Cadger’s Pad to the Fair Green in Dundalk”. The word cadger took on the meaning of begging in Victorian times but in its original meaning dating at least to the 14th century it meant pedlar or dealer. There are songs and recitations about the fish cadger around the Mournes and in West Donegal.

All walkers meet at the Gap O’the North Pub Jonesborough at 10 am. Walkers must be wearing walking boots and have a water proof jacket. Bring a packed lunch. This walk will take around 4 hours and is suitable for newcomers.

We are not walking on Sunday 30th of October instead we have a night walk on Saturday 29th of October. Head torches will be needed!!! Then back to the Gap for a hoolie.

We are in the Mournes this Sunday, 2nd of October. The Spelga Skyline walk is one of the toughest we do taking in 6 peaks and covering around 12 km. We will have 2 Groups out a B and C both groups will be following the same route but B Group will be at a much quicker pace.

All walkers should meet at the Gap O’ the North Pub Jonesboro’ at 10 am for registration. We will be driving and parking at Spelga Dam. All walkers must have a waterproof jacket, walking boots and a packed lunch. We would not recommend this walk for beginners.

The weekend of 7-9th of October we have our Annual Away Trip, this year we are heading to the Slieve Liag Cliffs in Donegal, the highest sea cliffs in Ireland if not Europe at around 600 m.

Watch out for information about our “Night Walk”on Saturday 29th of  October, ending back in the Gap for a bit of a Hooley with a ghostly theme!!