Feb 2014 - Ascent from Meelmore Lodge. Weather promising today and no cloud about as I started from Meelmore Lodge. Before long, I joined the Brandy Pad. The Brandy Pad is one of the defined paths through the Mournes. It was a route popular for smuggling in the nineteenth century. Goods that were smuggled included silks, coffee, tea and brandy. The contraband was carried through the mountains on the backs of small ponies which descended by the Hare's Gap to the valley of the Trassey River. The Hare's Gap dominated my view as I ascended. The Hare's Gap is the most dramatic mountain pass in the Mournes. Its sharply defined outline indicates that ice once passed this way. Upon reaching the gap, the views down into the opposite valley were excellent, with Slieve Binnian and Slieve Lamagan closest and Slieve Donard rising behind. From here, I followed the wall steeply up to the spectacular summit of Slieve Bearnagh, which is crowned by a number of massive rocky tors. Most sites state the summit's altitude at 727m, however the top of the highest tor is actually 739m. I decided to scramble up which was fairly easy although the drop to the east face was hideous! The views were fantastic, the Silent Valley reservoir the highlight. One thing that has become clear about the Mournes is the prominence of each mountain; there is a real down and up via the cols between them. The col leading to Slieve Meelmore and Slieve Meelbeg was no exception as I descended to 480m before it was up again. I decided to skirt Meelmore for the moment and ascend Meelbeg first where I saw the first human (apart from me) on my walk. On the summit I ate lunch as the cloud rolled in. From here I crossed to Meelmore (via another col, not so deep this time) and saw another one of the Mourne Wall towers on the summit. The changing cloudscapes kept me entertained on the descent.