THE HEBRIDES - CARRICKFERGUS TO ISLE OF ARRAN

 THE HEBRIDES  -   CARRICKFERGUS TO ISLE OF ARRAN

Well it was a decent day so it was time to make are break...yes away from our home shores again. Belfast lough again not a problem well marked but just watch for the shipping lots of fast moving ferries. We head across the North Channel without any drama and aim for loch Ryan and down into Stranraer. It was a great day for it. Loch Ryan is ok stay in the channel watch the ferries again also watch out for a place on the charts known as the Spit up might hit the bottom. The marina in here was ok but I’d say it would get bumpy in the wrong conditions. We didn’t hang about long here we just ran in got food and away early the next morning. We planned to stop at Alsa Craig....so do we stop? The end goal was to the Isle of Arran we anchored in Lamlash before heading round into Brodick bay where we could climb the biggest mount on Arran Goat Fell. Anyway guys hope you enjoy this video ..I’m sure you will get a laugh at a very silly mistake I make .....enjoy

MOURNE MOUNTAINS - BEN CROM - & RESEVOIR

 MOURNE MOUNTAINS - BEN CROM

Ok get the boots on again and let’s keep exploring the ground from Carrick little car park into the great kingdom of Mourne. Now keep in mind the last 4 latest mountain videos is giving you a great understanding of the ground in this area up past Annalong wood and in around the valley and surrounding mountains this gives a beginning a great start and look at the area before even setting foot on it.. So this episode I have a guy with me this isn’t really his normal thing and had no experience in this kind of stuff but he is up anyway. We head up to a small saddle between Slievelamagan and the route up to Slieve Binnian were we get a nice eyes on the beautiful Ben Crom reservoir. Now keep in mind were you have been with me on the last videos ..you are now on the opposite side of Slievelamagan and opening up the scope. So wee head down to the reservoir and move up to the camp at the very end of it. The ground here is a perfect pitch .. and you always sure to get a pitch plenty of room. We got set up then pushed a little deeper and headed to the good old slieve Bearnagh this can be a hard old climb but well worth it on a good day...tho you won’t see much in this video. When we descend Bearneagh we head down into Hares Gap then across some open ground to get into a beautiful big crack in the ground and follow the river back down to the camp. It was a beautiful walk down her. When we get back we get a quick bite to eat then it was time for some cold water fun. So remember in these series of videos I’m bringing you from Carrick little carpark all the time and I’m expanding the area so you build a picture and get familiar with the area ... I think personally it is a great eyes on and could help a beginner starting out here. Anyway I hope you enjoy the videos and have a great Sunday.....
 

SAFETY & HELP TO KEEP THE SIGMA 33 GOING

 SAFETY & HELP TO KEEP THE  SIGMA 33 GOING

Well you know what I do and how dangerous it can be. I’m trying to get my life raft serviced and a new set of flares as all is out of date. I will be straight to the point I’m trying to raise 400 Pounds to get this moving. I’d appreciate any help. Maybe you service life rafts? Maybe you sell flares maybe your a small business that would like to help if your on the business side of things I can give mentions in videos I can give recommendations to you. To all you that follow these adventures even a tiny donation will go a long way and with so many following we could do this pretty fast.. so please help me raise 400pounds to service essential safety equipment that could save my life in a life and death situation. I’m not always about taking I try to give back to others in the winter months when I’m not sailing by doing crazy hikes in dangerous conditions for some charities. I also try to get people out on the ocean with me from time to time some being cancer surviving patients that’s got a little down to others that have their own additions to the likes of drugs ..I try hard to pull others out of holes even when I fight my own demons. Anyway guys thank you for reading and I hope you considers helping me on my way again. I’m not like any other channel you see the real me I’m not fake are trying to keep an image like many other bigger channels ... it’s real adventure from a real guy from the street . Check the comments below and find the links to either the PayPal are the go fund me link. Thanks again folks.

 PayPal  Donation Link

A Big Thank You to Paul Fenwick, Paul Smith ,  "Feliz The Centaur" , 

MOURNE MOUNTAINS - DOUGLAS CRAG pt 2

 MOURNE MOUNTAINS  -  DOUGLAS CRAG pt 2

This is part two of my two day hiking and camping part one was Hares Castle. Well after a great nights sleep at Hares castle I woke to a beautiful morning. It was time for coffee and a wash then get all packed up. I was really excited as I was heading for a new camp over at Douglas Crag just below Slieve Binnian. Douglas Crag is an old quarry and I can assure you it has stunning views and you can watch a great sunrise from here. I’m sure now these two camps are out there that you may find a few more people here now but hey if I got to enjoy it why shouldn’t others. If you do try these camps please let me know what you though. Please just be careful at Douglas Crag. The walk across to this new camp I really enjoyed it was warm dry the sky was beautiful and the sound of birds ...I was just in another world and very happy just nice having time to think clearly and look back on some great memories I was feeling alive. When I got to the base of the camp I had a look up and I thought it’s time to see if I can push my body like the old days ..so I push up that hill as hard as I could with all the kit at a slow jog pace...by god it was hard but I was buzzing. Anyway I got the camp set up and I’m sure you will appreciate the view. I set of after a little break up to Binnian lough then on up to Slieve Binnian...taking you onto the summit then across to the back castles followed by the north tor... so these are the main things up there and there is some stunning views of silent valley reservoir and surrounding area...Once I got to the north tor I walked down the back of it to Blue lough Buttress (not a normal route) the views here was awesome you could see blue lough and was very clear to see how bombed it had been round here during practice times in ww2. Just above it was the good old mountain known as Slievelamagan then to its left you just see a glimpse of Ben Crom reservoir. Now in the next video you will see this ground a bit different again...you should be very familiar with this ground after the last few camps and next few videos. So I come down the blue lough buttress and head back towards the camp at Douglas Crag. This was a very enjoyable day I was feeling human again. Now if you watch my winter solo camp followed by Hares castle then this video you will really get a feel for the ground ...also the next two videos are going to compliment those videos really well indeed. Now in a couple of months I will stick a play list together of these videos and it’s going to become a massive help to you to research the ground. Enough waffling from me so get your boots on and let’s go hiking. Hope you enjoy

MOURNE MOUNTAINS - HARES CASTLE PT 1

 MOURNE MOUNTAINS - HARES CASTLE PT 1

So again of I go into the mountains solo hiking.I leave from Carricklittle car park and aim for my pitch at Hares castle just on the side of Annalong valley. This is part one of a set of two. So the reason I’m setting of from here again is to give you are an inexperienced hiker/Walker a good look at the ground round this area and if it’s your first time heading up here you can look at this and a few previous videos and you will get an eyes on something you can’t get from a map. One thing I will ask people is learn to read a map and compass and carry one.. when your out test yourself it’s great fun and your learning new skills I promise it’s rewarding. Don’t be fooled thinking weather will never change in the mountains as it can go from beautiful to angry and life threatening very fast. Another good skill to learn in the outdoors world is weather ..watching it,reading it and learning it. I’ve become pretty good at reading things due to having to be very weather wise in my offshore sailing and big adventures to things like this ..so weather is important. So even if you can’t get to the mountains there is so much you can learn and do from home to prep yourself for your adventure ..your fitness,learning weather and reading maps and compass. Ok so my pitch at Hares castle was decided because of the wind direction not only that it was nicely out of the way with stunning views of Annalong valley and in nice striking distance for chimney rock mountain. The wind was a lot less than forecast so no worries the temperature was good and no frozen boots this time. I set off to hit chimney rock mountain the site of a crashed world war 2 American bomber in search of the engine which can still be seen sticking out of the ground. Do I find it tho? The weather was great and I enjoyed this little hike. No laughing at my little survival tips as it could save your life someday. Anyway I hope you enjoy coming on this little hike with me taking in the beautiful mountains of Mourne in Northern Ireland it’s great for your fitness and your mental health. Hope you all have a great week.

"The Hares Castle in the Annalong Valley, well known to shepherd and stone man, gets its name from its resemblance to the animal, but the better known Hare's Gap is called  after the O'Hare family who used to farm the land in Clonachullion...'"

From Mourne Country by Estyn Evans, p84

Engine Location

Irish: geotagged! J 36266 25560 [1m precision]

WGS84: 54:9.6598N 5:54.8774W

SOLO WINTER CAMP MOURNE MOUNTAINS NORTHERN IRELAND

SOLO WINTER CAMP MOURNE MOUNTAINS NORTHERN IRELAND





Well I finally get time to bring the new tent out for a nice cold winter camp in the kingdom of Mourne Northern Ireland. The tent is a geertop 4 season 2 man tent and I’m rather pleased with it. I enter the mountains from Annalong a beautiful little place by the Irish Sea. I set of into the hills and aim for a place known as Annalong valley ..pretty scenic spot. I find a nice sheltered spot close to water and on nice high ground out of the soggy ground. The temperature was about minus 1 all day dropping to minus 4 at night you will get a laugh when you see what happens. Camping like this you need the right gear because it’s real out here and when your on your own it adds to the danger. Few things I say on the video .. we always need to stay well hydrated up here even in the cold as our body is working hard keeping warm ,stay well fuelled with food. As for clothes we need to use a layer system many different layers rather than something heavy. The reasons for this it will keep you warmer but when your walking you can strip layers off so you don’t end up sweating and using fluid plus you don’t want damp clothes close to the skin in freezing conditions. A very important thing also is stay dry as possible and bring a full set of dry clothes just incase.. Anyway this is just me going on an adventure taking you with me as I wouldn’t dream of leaving you all behind. I hope you appreciate the videos and my madness and all my videoing isn’t going to waste. Some just don’t believe the effort I go to the dam camera is never out of my hand...between this and my sailing I video a lot more than most and you see the majority of everyday life in adventure mode. Things like this is so important for me personally as it keeps me in a good place even tho sometimes well a lot my hands hurt and where you believe it are not I have to push myself to get out there but once I’m out and away from the whole rat race I start to feel alive. Nature is an amazing place . If there is anything you want to know please don’t be afraid to shout out in the comments and I will get back to you ASAP . Check out my Instagram were you can find live updates on adventures insta... skipper_jamess_33

Crag features

Hare's Castle is a prominent, quarried knoll with clean, sound rock. It gives sheltered climbing in a sunny location, dries quickly and has a shorter approach than many Mourne crags.

RIVER CUSHER

 RIVER CUSHER

Well it’s winter and it was time to take my beach loot board on a mission. In this one we are in a local inland water way close to my home. We go down the the river Cusher from a little town called Tandragee to my home town of Portadown. The river is nicely flooded and made for easy going when you got the hang of standing on the board. This stretch of river that we done was about the only passable bit for a paddle board so pleased with that little run. The river itself has a mass of wildlife from great wild trout fishing,kingfisher birds,buzzards,mink,ducks geese aww just so much. My friend Jamie came along for this one and he really had a great time. There is a couple of videos I’ve done previously which will kind of compliment each other. The videos are call The Newry canal and Where it all began. It’s just amazing even when it’s cold and damp nature and the outdoors are an awesome place to get your head showered and where you can come to life. I advise anyone and everyone to get out there and start living you can always find adventures close to home are you can always find someone that will take you on adventures ...don’t let this life pass you by get out there explore more adventure more just start living

 

The Point of Whitecoat is where three waterways meet: the Bann, the Cusher River and the Newry Canal, the first inland canal in the Brittish Isles

EXTREME COLD WEATHER IN THE MOURNES

 EXTREME COLD WEATHER  IN THE MOURNES

So come take a look at another hobby of mine which has been in my blood from about the age of 12. The mountains is a place I love to escape to when I’m not sailing you can create that same feeling that your away from the rat race it’s back to you against nature no room for messing up are the consequences are serious. I bring an old lifelong friend with me on this one to get his first winter camp in during these conditions. So showing Tam around and taking it easy we went first to Percy Byshee Cave then up to Blue Lough at the base of Slieve Lamagan. There is a little American history from around here during ww2 the Americans practiced bombing up here on Blue lough and Slievelamagan in the Mourne mountains and not far from this spot over on Chimney Rock Mountain a bomber crashed in bad weather ...so if your from over the pond and like that kind of history get onto the web.. ..anyway here is something different for you before the next sailing video is out ..Hope you enjoy.

Percy Byshee Cave

The 'PERCY BYSSHE' rock outcrop in the Mournes is named after the English poet Percy Bysshe Shelley who is believed to have visited the area around 1812. It is near the Blue Lough on the Binnian side of Slieve Lamagan. The left hand side has a narrow, deep cave used by Mourne smugglers in past centuries.

Chimney Rock Mountain Crash

Chimney Rock B26 Bomber Crash 10th April 1944

Read the full story of five crew members of B26 41-18150 ("Winnie Dee") who lost their lives on Chimney Rock Mountain on the 10th April 1944 in the service of the their Country RIP

Avoid Hypothermia and Frostbite

When exposed to cold temperatures, your body begins to lose heat faster than it can be produced. Prolonged exposure to cold will eventually use up your body’s stored energy. The result is hypothermia, or abnormally low body temperature. Body temperature that is too low affects the brain, making the victim unable to think clearly or move well. This makes hypothermia particularly dangerous because a person may not know it is happening, therefore won’t be able to do anything about it.

Hypothermia is most likely to be a danger at very cold temperatures, but it can also occur even at cool temperatures (above 40°F) if a person becomes chilled from rain, sweat, or submersion in cold water.

Frostbite is an injury to the body that is caused by freezing. Frostbite causes a loss of feeling and color in affected areas. It most often affects the nose, ears, cheeks, chin, fingers, or toes. Frostbite can permanently damage the body, and severe cases can lead to amputation. The risk of frostbite is increased in people with reduced blood circulation and among those who are not dressed properly for extremely cold temperatures.

NEW YEARS DAY - GREETINGS FROM THE MOURNE MOUNTAINS - NORTHERN IRELAND

 NEW YEARS DAY - GREETINGS FROM THE MOURNE MOUNTAINS

Just a normal guy taking on new adventures from the oceans to the mountains

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL - FROM SKIPPER JAMES

 MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL.

Just like to wish you all a very merry Christmas and a wonderful productive new year. It’s been great having you all there with me while I adventure it’s been great meeting people on my travels and connecting with so many through the channel also Instagram and my Facebook. I’d just like to thank you all from family,followers,friends along with Van Spares Ltd a local business and everyone that’s donated on the go fund me page to help me keep the adventures going it’s very much appreciated so again I wish you all a very MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR 

Check Out the Round Britain Stages Done before the Mourne Venture and gradually being uploaded in date order as we circumnavigated the UK in Style 2020