Feb 2014 - Ascent from Newcastle, County Down. I was up early, ridiculously excited about my first foray into the mountains of Mourne. The weather was grim but promised to improve with sun by the afternoon. So I was resigned to waiting and I was really straining at the leash! Eventually, I parked in the Donard Park car park in the town of Newcastle, County Down. From here, I headed southwards towards the mountain and followed the Glen River uphill through old woodland of Scots Pine, Oak and Birch. The path eventually comes out onto the open mountain where I was greeted with a strange sight. Perched on the opposite bank of the river was an igloo-like stone structure. This was an 'ice house' and functioned as a primitive refrigerator! The path continues and climbs to join the col between Slieve Donard and Slieve Commedagh. By now, I was in the snow and the wind had really picked up. Here I was glad to see the Mourne Wall.The Mourne Wall is a wall constructed to enclose a reservoir's catchment area in the Mourne Mountains, Northern Ireland. It was built between 1904 and 1922. It provided an excellent wind break as the going got tough and steep. I arrived at the summit of Slieve Donard, Northern Ireland’s highest mountain, in cloud. On the summit are the remains of two prehistoric cairns. The Great Cairn measures 36.5 metres from north to south, 43m from east to west, and 1m high. It appears to have been a Neolithic passage tomb, dating to 3300–3000 BCE. It is the highest known passage tomb in Britain and Ireland. Irish mythology identifies the Great Cairn as being the tomb or abode of mythical figures, and an entrance to the Otherworld. It was terrifically windy on the summit and cold. The gusts were capable of lifting me off my feet so I hunched by the wall, only rising for the occasional photo. I then descended once more to the col before climbing up to Slieve Commedagh with its excellent summit tower shelter. The views down to Newcastle and across to the rocky Slieve Bearnagh were excellent. From the summit, I descended over Shan Slieve before rejoining the path down through the forest once more. A great walk!