Week 12 on the Lough.... Monday 19th March 2012

Pierece's Castle, Co Down...

Up at 6am and off to the hills... I decide to stay on the Co Down side of the Lough and head for Kilbroney Forest Park... to find it closed...So I turn and drive to one of my favorite spots Leitrim Lodge on the road to Hilltown/Spelga Dam... I took two cameras today the Pentax K5 with the Pentax SMC DA* 60-250mm f/4 ED [IF] SDM and the Pentax K10 with the Sigma AF 8-16mm f/4.5-5.6 DC HSM... I also took with me both tripods... not a good idea!!

Any semblance of fitness I thought I had are now sadly a distant memory!! I'm pushing myself a wee bit as I'm behind schedule and the sun is starting to rise above the horizon... but my legs are hollow!!! and my lungs are filled with gunk!! As I start the ascent it's getting bright and I know I'm not going to make it to Pierce’s Castle, a tor which stands proud above the surrounding upland bog just below Eagles Rock Mountain.... so I content myself with grabbing a few frames of the mornings first rays.

Despite arriving around 30mins late (by the way when did arriving at the summit of a mountain at 07:45 constitute LATE) I set myself up on the rocks and shelves across the tor. The wind has really picked up and it's cutting through my fleece with a gusto!!  This make me work faster and find shelter behind every rock and stone. Despite the wind and my late arrival I still manage to get some beautiful shots this morning....

Hen Mountain from Pierces Castle

Hen Mountain from Pierces Castle 

Rocky Mountain and Tornamrock from the slopes of Pierces Castle 

Rocky Mountain and Tornamrock from the slopes of Pierces Castle 

Rocky Mountain and Tornamrock from the slopes of Pierces Castle 

Rocky Mountain and Tornamrock from the slopes of Pierces Castle 

A loan boulder on the bog at Pierces Castle 

The Rocky River Valley from Pierces Castle

The Rocky River Valley from Pierces Castle 

The Rocky River Valley from Pierces Castle 

Over all a very enjoyable morning.... On my way back down the hill I diverted along Batt's Wall as I wanted to capture the early morning light around the stands of Scots Pine trees along the slopes of Altnataggart Mountain and the Yellowwater River Valley... Beautiful 

I head home around 10:00 feeling fantastically rewarded and craving a bacon soda... which my beautiful wife    had ready... brown sauce and everything!!