The Bird Mountains

Today we hiked with our hiking & photography group. It was a really nice mixture of people, lots of interesting chat about biking, kayaking, birding, architecture, photography, our high schools, etc. David is not much for conversation so I go crazy when I’m around people who enjoy a good chat.

The bird Mountains are made up of Hen Mountain (below), Cock Mountain, Pigeon Rock, and Eagle Rock. We did the first three. Here’s meself on Hen Mountain.

I love the patchwork fields in the background. This one is on the way up Hen:

It wasn’t that cold, except when we stood still at the peak. I think it’s wonderful to be able to go for a seven-mile hike in January. I used to get cabin fever in America, due to harsh winters. Next is a view of Hen Mountain from Cock Mountain (source of many jokes from the men on the hike):

This one is on the top of Pigeon Rock (not high enough to be a mountain):

A woman named Siobhan brought two dogs on the hike and they were off leash much of the time. At the beginning of the hike there was a sign that said: No dogs: Private land. A second sign said: Due to recent sheep worrying, no dogs allowed, even on leash.
Now, if I were the walk organiser, I would have told Siobhan she couldn’t join the walk. No one said anything to her and her dogs ran all over the Mournes, twice “worrying” sheep. Any farmer would be completely within his rights to shoot her dogs on sight. I found this terribly stressful. I kept trying to keep an eye on the dogs. When one started chasing sheep, we all called him to get him back with the group. I’d say this situation worried me no end (never mind worrying the sheep) for the first two thirds of the walk. I think for the final third, I was tired of trying to keep an eye on them and resigned to the idea it was her problem. I just did not like being part of a group that was, by association, clearly breaking the rules. And thereby endangering her dogs, who could not read the signs. Bad dog owner! Bad hike leader! I guess I should have said something but, unlike my co-hikers, I hadn’t been on a hike with this woman before and been put in this very same situation.
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