Ryan’s Mournes snap voted best mountain photo in UK

Ryan’s Mournes snap voted best mountain photo in UK

7 December 2016

A STUNNING image captured in the Mournes has won Trail Magazine’s UK Mountain Photo of the Year 2016.

Ryan Simpson’s superb shot of Pierce’s Castle beat hundreds of entrants in Trail magazine’s annual competition and won him over £2,000 of Nikon camera equipment.

The Warrenpoint man explained his Pierce’s Castle photo was taken in August just as the purple heather began to fully blossom across the Mournes. 

“There had been a thin haze across the hills for most of the day and I knew the potential existed for something atmospheric shortly after sunset,” said the winner.

“With barely a breeze in the air it would become undoubtedly one of my more memorable moments in the Mournes. Whilst I enjoy shooting for myself, I take pleasure also in being inspired by the work of other mountain photographers from around the UK and that’s why winning ‘Trail UK Mountain Photo of the Year’ for me is a particularly great honour.”

Kicking off in May 2016, the initial competition entries were whittled down to a final shortlist of 25 by a panel of expert judges, including record-breaking mountaineer Alan Hinkes OBE, mountain filmmaker Terry Abraham and editor of Practical Photography magazine Ben Hawkins. The shortlist was then put to a public vote via the www.livefortheoutdoors.com website.

Trail editor Simon Ingram said Ryan’s image captured people’s imaginations because of its “evocative, unfamiliar location.” 

He added: “For walkers who might focus a lot on the mountains of Wales, Scotland and England this picture will hopefully inspire more to explore the mountains over the Irish Sea.”