02/08/2026
With the Dolomites fast approaching, four members of the Mid Ulster Mountaineers – Alan, Yvonne, Sarah and Marie – headed to the Mournes for a serious training hike. Setting off from Carrick Little at 7.00 am, the route took in the beautiful Annalong Valley, Slieve Beg, Cove Mountain, Lamaghan and the magnificent Slieve Binnian. The weather couldn’t have been much better, with warm, dry conditions and just enough humidity to remind us we were working hard to earn our views. Better still, the early start meant we had much of the mountain to ourselves.
The Hike
Before we’d even reached the first gate, the day’s first talking point had emerged when Alan and Yvonne appeared in matching hiking boots. Whether this was a carefully coordinated fashion statement or pure coincidence remains a mystery. Sarah then joined the gear discussion with a review of her La Sportiva boots, which certainly looked the part. She also revealed the recent arrival of her microspikes, they may be required in the Dolomites at the end of September—just in case Alpine conditions decide to make an appearance.
The day’s biggest adventure, however, belonged to Marie and what will surely go down as The Great Hat Incident. Somewhere along the route her treasured Australian hat, complete with its Aboriginal design, made an unscheduled departure. Despite gentle encouragement to accept its fate, Marie embarked on a determined recovery mission, retracing her steps and adding around 2 kilometres to her day while missing the ascent of Slieve Beg. During the search, Alan questioned the hat’s value, practicality and, most brutally, its fashion credentials. Marie remained unmoved, insisting that a hat bought in Australia simply could not be replaced. Persistence eventually paid off, the hat was recovered, and she rejoined the group just before Lamaghan—much to everyone’s relief, although Alan still wasn’t entirely convinced the rescue operation represented good value for effort.
Adding to the day’s entertainment, Alan once again had his drone in action, deploying this highly technical piece of kit to capture some impressive aerial shots of the group and the surrounding Mournes. Meanwhile, the team was joined by Lola, who demonstrated that four legs are indeed better than two, moving effortlessly across the terrain and showing no signs of fatigue. Snacks, however, remain her true motivation, and it is fair to say that posing for photographs is still a work in progress.
On the summit of Slieve Binnian, Yvonne once again showed her mountain experience by helping a mother and daughter capture the perfect summit photograph—a lovely example of the friendliness so often found on the hills. By the end of the day, the group had covered around 17 kilometres with approximately 1,100 metres of ascent, while Marie’s hat retrieval extended her own total to 19 kilometres. It was an excellent day’s training for the Dolomites, with plenty of climbing, spectacular scenery, good company and, as always with the Hallions, enough laughs to ensure the stories will last almost as long as the aching legs. And one thing is certain—the famous Australian hat will be getting clipped securely to a rucksack on every hike from now on… whether its owner likes it or not!
Marie
