Chimney Rock and Slieve Donard

  Click on an image for a larger view.  All images copyright Leslie Ashe

The day's aim, apart from several hours in the mountains, was to visit the disused mineral railway on the side of Chimney Rock below Carr's Face as part of our ongoing project to visit old granite quarry workings in different parts of the Mourne Mountains. 

Starting from Bloody Bridge 45 minutes before sunrise we had the benefit of a good sky over the Irish Sea as the sun came up.

Looking back down the remains of the mineral railway

Note that this is a 3 rail system

The top of a passing loop

Illustration of how a 3 rail system operates.  1 wagon going down brings one up.  To enable them to pass a passing loop is built which operates as in the illustration below.

By Cmglee at English Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10546565

Remains of the operating machinery

Overview of Carr's Face with the quarry at Crannoge in the shadow of Chimney Rock on the side of Slieve Donard in the background.

Rocky Mountain with Slieve Binnian in profile in the background

After leaving Chimney Rock we decided to climb Slieve Donard (just for fun!). The following images were taken on the way up.

4 image stitch panorama with the Bog of Donard in the foreground

Slieve Beg (and the Devil's Coachroad) with Slieve Bearnagh in the background