Wild Camping in the Mournes

Morning everyone and hope you have all had a good weekend?

Capturing great photographs sometimes means having to get out and about especially if you are shooting landscapes.

Landscape photography is all about the lighting. Unfortunately for many of us this means lots of early mornings and late evenings.Otherwise known as the golden hours. The results though can be stunning. The winter season does make it a bit easier!

We see many great sunsets and sunrises but sometimes that hour before sunrise and sunset can be every bit as exciting and rewarding.

So, to get the best of both worlds a wild camp is the way to go.

Wild camping especially in the Mournes is not just about turning up and pitching a tent. First and foremost you need to be aware of the weather conditions for your stay. You get a big sway in temperature between sea level and approx 2000 feet up as we where recently. So be prepared, do your research and be prepared to change your plans at the last minute due to a change in weather.

So what are the lessons learnt from the last few trips;

• Travel light! Only bring the gear you need and invest in a light weight sturdy tripod.
• Get a good light tent! First trip was a heavy 4 man lol!
• Invest in a light weight warm sleeping bag! 
• A sleeping mat that protects you from the cold ground below. Amazon have plenty at reasonable cost.
• Lesson from this trip was  get a good rucksack! Again light and sturdy.
• A head torch....it can be dark up there and dangerous so a good head torch is useful.
• Don't bring a stove to cook sausages. As much as this sounds like fun its too much weight!
• Bring plenty of warm light clothing. Gloves and a hat.
• Get a good feed before you go up and bring some sandwiches energy bars and water.
• Compass and map.
• Know where you are going and how to get there. The conditions can change dramatically.

As with anything it continues to be a learning process but please feel to drop me a message.

Even if you don't get a great photograph the experience and views are every bit rewarding.