From Lough and Shore to Mountain Summit

Before setting off on our travels I'd looked at places we might visit from our base in the Mourne Mountains and spotted that a National Trust Property, Mount Stewart was within driving distance and that we could combine at visit with an exploration of the Ards Peninsula, the narrow strip of land that sits between the Irish Sea and Strangford Lough. On a cloudy but very warm morning we set off, driving around the northern tip of Strangford Lough and then coming down the eastern shore with the road hugging the waters edge as we neared Mount Stewart.

Mount Stewart house is a 19th century house set on the side of Strangford Lough in extensive grounds. It was one of the homes of the Marquesses of Londonderry, who played leading roles in the government of Ireland and in the social and political life of the United Kingdom but was gifted to the National Trust in 1977 . The main attraction is the award winning garden and extensive grounds that were created in the 1920's by the 7th Marchioness of Londonderry, Edith Chaplin.

First view of Mount Stewart House

We arrived before the main house opened so headed off to look at the formal gardens which were full of curiosities and different themed areas. We first entered the Shamrock garden, then the Sunken garden, Italian and Spanish gardens before finishing on the Dodo Terrace. Throughout there were quirky garden sculptures and each area was distinctly different in character. 

The formal gardens at Mount Stewart

After walking through the formal gardens we made our way to the house for a self guided tour. Access was limited to only a few rooms because of Covid, but we got a glimpse into the life of the aristocratic owners, but not of the army of servants and estate workers that must have been needed to have maintained such a large house and estate. 

Interiors at Mount Stewart House

After a quick tour we carried on exploring the grounds, taking a path around a lake and detouring off to a red squirrel viewing hide that yielded precisely zero sightings of squirrels. Then another detour to a place called Tír na nÓg, which turned out not to be the Celtic other world but the Londonderry family's private burial ground. Continuing on we found a statue of a white stag, a semi derelict walled garden and a rose garden being restored and maintained by two volunteers. The path continued around the lake, through a fern garden and onto a small duck island before returning to the main house.

Oh deer!

The lake in Mount Stewart Gardens

A last stop before we left Mount Stewart was a walk to another feature away from the main house. The 'Temple of the Winds' is an octagonal building that sits on a small rise overlooking Strangford Lough and dates back to 1783. It designed as a private dining space for the 1st Marquess of Londonderry and is similar to ones at Shugborough and West Wycombe. It was obviously the 'must have' architectural 'accessory' for the well to do gentry in the 18th century.

Mount Stewart's Temple of the Winds

We left Mount Stewart and although I found it interesting as a place to visit and it has some lovely parts, it is not somewhere I would feel the need to return to. It was somehow too formal and I was disappointed that all the information and focus seemed to be on the aristocrats who had used their considerable wealth to build the property and commission the gardens but there was limited if any information on the designers and ordinary working people who actually did the work. The gardens (and house) seemed to be a an expression of the desire of the occupants to showcase their power, wealth and influence in a similar way to how some oligarchs are behaving today.  

Our next brief stop of the day was only a short distance away. We stopped for a short time to wander around Grey Abbey. This is a small village that has the impressive ruin of a former Cistercian monastic settlement that dates back to 1193. Unlike Mount Stewart, Grey Abbey was devoid of other visitors so we could walk around the ruins with the place all to ourselves. Information boards provided detail on the different parts of the building and gave insight into the lives of the monks and lay people who lived there almost 1000 years ago. It had a tranquility and despite it being a rather grey afternoon, we enjoyed a peaceful interlude wandering around the ruins.

Grey Abbey

Our penultimate detour was to the eastern side of the Ards peninsula to a small settlement called Kearney, a former fishing village of 19th century whitewashed cottages set on a rocky shore. Its tucked away down a network of narrow country lanes but was worth the visit as a short walk along the coastal path brought us too a beautiful rocky shoreline, made even more attractive by the appearance of late afternoon sun.

The rocky shoreline at Kearney

To avoid a long drive back we took a shortcut, catching the small car ferry from Portaferry to Strangford but before boarding we stumbled across a hill overlooking the town with the remains of an old windmill. It was a superb vantage point from which to take in extensive view of Strangford Lough.

The old windmill at Portaferry 

We arrived at the ferry moments before it departed and 10 minutes later we were driving off heading back towards our cottage leaving the Ards peninsula behind.

Leaving Portaferry

We arrived back in warm sunshine and the forecast for the next day was promising, so it was agreed with Mrs B. that I'd take a solo adventure and head off into the mountains.

I woke up early the next morning and looked out the window in anticipation of a bright warm sunny day but the view (or lack of view) from the windows was anything but promising. Thick fog blanketed the surrounding fields and visibility was poor. Not the best conditions to hike to the summit of Slieve Binnian (747 metres). Thirty minutes later and after a coffee the mist had disappeared, so I sorted out my rucksack for a day hike, showered, had breakfast but by this time thick fog had descended again. Undeterred, and promising Mrs B. I'd be sensible, I set off to a small car park 2 miles away from where I intended to start my walk.

The thick fog still blanketed the surrounding fields so I could see very little of the landscape as I started up a track lined by dry stone walls other than the unexpected sight of two alpacas in the mist. 

A misty start to a walk...

The path climbed gently uphill so was easy on the legs and lungs at first, but started to get steeper as I reached a junction of paths and started to climb in earnest, keeping close to the Mourne Wall. With just the sound of the occasional raven in the mist and no sign of any other walkers I was starting to wonder whether this hike was going to be a good idea, but after about a mile I started to see blue sky. I'd climbed above the cloud. Mountain summits appeared and trails of cloud streamed below. Looking back the clouds filled the valley so I couldn't see out to the coast but the imposing peaks were bathed in sunlight and it was suddenly rather warm. I came across a cinnabar moth caterpillar sunning itself on the path.

I steadily climbed up a path now bathed in sunlight and getting rather warm.

The summit in sight - I just had to follow the Mourne Wall

Just below the summit I met the first other walkers of the day, two ladies from Banbridge, a town 30 minutes drive away. This was their first visit to Slieve Binnian for over 20 years. We chatted for a few minutes and I then pressed on to the summit scrambling over the rocks at the top. Views out to the coast were still obscured by cloud but just below the summit I got a birds eye view of the Silent Valley, Ben Crom reservoir both still partly obscured by cloud, and some glorious views of mountain scenery.

Views from the top of Slieve Binnian

From the summit I dropped down, found a rock to sit on an had a drink of water and banana to restore a bit of energy before carrying on towards the north top of Slieve Binnian, passing several rocky tors. The north top provided a glorious spot for a lunch break, I found a sunny rock with panoramic views and sat quietly eating my food and taking in the mountain air. It felt good to be in the mountains again after a long gap. Covid restrictions have limited my hikes over the past 18 months to the Shropshire hills and surrounding countryside and whilst I feel fortunate to live in an area of natural beauty there's something special for me about mountain landscapes.

Revived after my break I carried on down on a rocky and stony path. Route finding was straight forward for the most part, but on small section was less easy to navigate. An well made track vanished and as mist had come in it was hard to see a route down through rock faces but I eventually managed to pick my way down and regain the main track, stopping to capture views of Ben Crom after the mist had cleared.

Ben Crom reservoir

The path reached a col between Slieve Binnian and Slieve Lamagan and I took a return route along a stony path down towards a small lake called the Blue Lough, a scenic spot popular with those who want a short hike. By this time I was passing other walkers - making their way in the opposite direction - and it was a fairly undemanding couple of miles back downhill by Annalong Forest passing the occasional disinterested sheep.

The Blue Lough

I returned to the car, which was still shrouded in thick mist, tired, but pleased I'd been able to get in at least one mountain walk during the trip. I returned to the cottage where Mrs B made me a reviving cup of tea. After a quick shower we drove to Newcastle for a stroll along a sunny but slightly misty sea front, and to look to see if there were any dining options. 

Newcastle sea front on a misty September late afternoon

Nothing caught our fancy so we grabbed some supplies from a supermarket and returned to our cottage for home cooked food and an early night. I was quite tired by the end of that day!