Slieve Binnian, GI/MM-003 - 747m ASL - J 320 234 - OSNI Discoverer 29 - 8 SOTA points            

Friday 30th May 2014 came around, with three Mournes summits yet to be activated. So the plan was to activate Slieve Binnian GI/MM-003, leaving the pairing of Slievemoughanmore GI/MM-009 and Eagle Mountain GI/MM-008 for the Saturday. Jimmy directed me through the town centre of Newcastle and on the A2 coast road towards Annalong, before turning right up to the car park indicated on the map at J345219. However, we did not park here; an adjacent sign pointed up the farm track saying "Car park £3". Yep, that sounded good, and we found that this meant that we could get the car a further half kilometre than otherwise. Fortunately a farm worker was up and about despite us arriving there at 6am, so we could pay and get walking.

A walk a further 500m up the track brought us to its end, and reunited with the Mourne Wall, which we would now follow to the summit. The first kilometre or so by the Mourne Wall was good going and rather pleasant, being along a path well made from carefully placed boulders. After passing the first wall crossing the path, the route quickly got steeper, and some work was required.

Jimmy and I were ascending quickly with a good rhythm going, and we soon reached the point where the Mourne Wall disappeared steeply uphill into some crags. The path weaved away and made for a gap in the rocks, which we passed through and around to the summit.  After exploring around the area, we settled on a patch of flat grass, sheltered by surrounding rocks, as a place to set up. Jimmy was set up first, and was immediately in S2S contact with Mike GW0HIO/P on Cadair Berwyn GW/NW-012. I tail-ended that one for myself, and then concentrated on getting my 12m Challenge multiplier. George GI4SRQ was worked to achieve this, but nothing else was heard on the band.

Jimmy went on to record nine QSOs, all on 2m FM. I added eight on 40m CW to my one each on 12m and 2m, and this included S2S with Michael DL3VTA/P and Tom DL1DVE/P, both on Kahleberg DM/SX-003. An early lunch of Baxters Chicken Broth was enjoyed from the flask, before we packed up and descended. We were back at the cottages around lunchtime, and spent the afternoon with Marianne and Liam, again doing the cafes and arcades in Newcastle.

Jimmy senior was not up to seventh consecutive night at the pub, so it was just young(er) Jimmy and myself for Guinness and Jamesons at the Thierfurth Inn in Kilcoo. Avoiding Britian's Got Talent was the main objective, but we had to be back for Coronation Street!  Some packing and car loading was done prior to the following morning, when we would commence our long journey home with activations of the final two Mourne Mountains, starting with Slievemoughanmore GI/MM-009.