New to hiking

Maggity

Hi I love walking and do 2-3 hr walks but mostly on flat river walks (Co. Carlow) and occasionally up Mt Leinster. Fitness not the best. I'm doing a walk on Carrauntoohil New Years day with my husband and am looking for advice about how to train for the next 8 weeks. Guided walk so not in need of navigation training but I don't want to struggle so much I have to give up cos once up there that's that! I walk for an hour 3-4 times per week, ride my horse once a week and do occasional 60 length swims when I can but that is very sporadic. Any suggestions welcome as I'd like to do the climb with some enjoyment and not be worrying if I am going to collapse!!! I'm 40 with years of activity behind me in spurts between babies etc not great the past year however. Thanks.

macd

Hi Maggity,

Think its a great challenge you have set yourself but think that its very challenging and a very cold time of year to climb Ireland mountain - Carrauntoohil. While I note you will be in a guided group a fair amount of expereince, fitness and equipment is required for an enjoyable and safe day out.

I think it would be a good idea to work up to the Carrauntoohil climb, maybe in Spring or early summer 2011. in the mean time, suggest building on your base so far with more longer walks involving some hills. Mount Leinster and the Blackstairs are ideal for this. Suggest also doing a few day walks on some of the developed / waymarked trails in the region, maybe taking on a section or two of the Wicklow Way etc

Also, might be worth getting involved with a walking / hillwalking club in the region and also going along to one of the walking festivals going on around the country over the next few weeks/ months as these events usually offer a range of walks over a weekend.

Some useful websites are www.mountaineering.ie , www.kilkennytrails.ie , www.irishtrails.ie , www.discoverireland.ie

Maggity

Thanks for reply. The guide is providing boots and poles. He knows what stage we are at and will bring us where is suitable on the day weather dependent...are we mad to do this?? !!!

Donny5

Maggity wrote: »

Thanks for reply. The guide is providing boots and poles. He knows what stage we are at and will bring us where is suitable on the day weather dependent...are we mad to do this?? !!!

Not mad, no. Irish Mountains are all very doable, even if Carrauntoohil is one of the tougher ones and you'll be in middle of winter. I'd say you are mad to be doing it in borrowed boots, though, unless you're going to be getting them in advance to break them in.

L31mr0d

Yeah I'd recommend NOT borrowing boots on the day. If you can, get your own boots and break them in.

Apart from that, just exercise your legs. If you have access to a gym then just work on strengthening your leg muscles.

Also, I personally have a daily stretching routine to stay limber. I've found my muscles burn a lot less on ascents if I keep the muscles stretched. If I stop stretching them for even a week I find they start tightening up again.

Look up videos on youtube and the like on different stretching routines.

Stretching the IT band is also very important, don't neglect it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9aJtO0VCqw

Mac2010

Maggity wrote: »

are we mad to do this?? !!!

not at all. be confident! but at the same time extreme caution needed.Id say it will be cold and wet around new year so make sure to bring warm and waterproof clothes.and more importantly buy a right sized boots.a proper decent walkin boots helps A LOT. Im not Pro walker and havent done much walking under Irish weather.so i think its much different than i used to.but Im sure there are many experienced walkers here who can give you good advice. Do some walking in advance. PROPER BOOTS and a FLASK ofhOT TEA !!

PS: Enjoy!

macd

Def buy your own boots, jackets etc. If you dont have your own gear, you shouldn`t be even thinking about walking the Barrow track never mind the highest mountain in Ireland.

Climbing Currauntuathail is a touch hike, will take between 6/8 hours and will involve steep climbing... especially on the section know as the Devils Ladder

In Winter its dark at 4pm in the afternoon and as you climb up in the mountains it gets very cold and the wind chill can result in fairly extreme and hazardous conditions. (Not nice to be out in..especially if you havn`t the right gear!) During winter months your generally better hiking in lower ground and in Kerry, there are great otions for this be it on any section of the Kerry Way, in the Black Valley or in other areas..your guide will be able to advise.

My advice is to buy your own gear, keep it simple to start, build up your fitness, distance and level of difficulty and aim for knockin off Irelands biggest mountain later in 2011 ..ideally during a warm summers day where you can really enjoy the great views..

Donny5

That's a bit melodramatic, macd. Carrauntoohill may be Ireland's highest mountain, but that's like being the heaviest bantamweight. The whole thing can be done up and down in five hours at a good pace. With eight hours, you could could stop every twenty minutes for a break on the way up. There is a good few paths up, but their guide will take them up one of the easier routes.

As long as their guide is the real deal, they should be fine. The big concern on any mountain in Winter is being able to navigate down if the weather closes in, which their guide will be able to do. As for borrowing gear, that's fine, too. The only kit that needs to be broken in are boots. Walking in someone else's boots will be an experience best avoided.

Yeah, think people may be overemphasising the dangers, the fitness needed etc.

On the other hand, have been lost in a snowstorm on the Reeks and it wasn't pleasant at the time so wouldn't knock approaching it with some caution.

So would preach common sense, warm clothes, good boots, reasonable fitness levels etc. But after that think you may be worrying too much.

Pplsgod

Carrauntoohil is an excellent climb but have to agree with some of the other comments about getting and breaking in your own boots first. They need not be too expensive and breaking them in wont take too long.

Aside from that common sense on the rest of your gear will suffice. I dont know what route you are taking but all of them have a few tricky spots but on the whole its a very enjoyable walk and not as tough as you might first be thinking.

I would honestly recommend spending the time (if you can) in the gym on the stair-master. It is super for mountain training aside from actually climbing mountains that is

Personally I think you are going up at the best time of the year for hiking, the weather is cooler making it easier to climb and if its particularly chilly you wont want to be hanging around for too long resting, can be good motivation.

I went up in the middle of the summer this year and could see nothing from the summit so it really is pot luck. Hope it goes well and post again and let us know how it went

macd

My main point is if your new to hiking, as Magitte has indicated, why take on a very tough challenge like Currauntuhail in the middle of winter at the start. The country is full of great hikes and you can build up to it.

For info, Kerry Mountain Rescue have a good website thats worth checking out for anyone visiting Kerry to hike in the mountains. It gives details on a few routes, links to a few weather forcast sites and also some good tips on gear/ safety etc. It also gives a lot of info on the number of call outs they are forced to deal with each year which is growing all the time..!!
www.kerrymountainrescue.ie

Play safe out there......

macd

macd wrote: »

My main point is if your new to hiking, as Magitte has indicated, why take on a very tough challenge like Currauntuhail in the middle of winter at the start. The country is full of great hikes and you can build up to it.

That is true alright. Know of a few too who took up walking, went up Carrauntoohil...and then pretty much gave up, as if they had done all there was to do and forgetting that the country possesses limitless numbers of hikes and challenges, some tougher than Carrauntoohil, some more dangerous, some with better scenery, some that take longer etc. etc.

Maggity

Thanks everybody for all the advice. I do have my own Meindl walking boots husband's are decent too can't remember the brand though. As I was explaining earlier we both run a bit and walk he plays a lot of soccer and i swim and ride too so we have a moderate level of fitness but not competitive level.

Many of our friends are really into serious running Iron Man, Beast of Ballyhoura etc so in comparison to them I feel like a couch potato, but we are pretty active overall. We walk up Mount Leinster maybe once a month and what I meant was that we don't climb mountains every weekend!!

We will be increasing our fitness over the next 8 weeks but it was if there was anything specific that we should do it would be great to hear. The stair climber was something I didn't think of at all so thanks for that. Every winter there are stories of people heading up mountains on their own without an experienced guide and getting stuck, so since we are in Killarney for New Year thought it would be good to go for a hike for the day but safely with a good guide. Got in touch with Con Moriarty of Hidden Ireland Adventures so I just have to judge what is a good plan for what we are able for.

Maggity

Forgot to mention that Con suggested using his boots since there would be snow etc at that time and our boots might not be up for it...

macd

Good stuff... Con Moriorty is a very experience guide/ mountaineer ...your in good hands..

Sungodbr

my tuppence worth= ask him about cahir route which is the safest for beginners on CT, takin in the cahir ridge which is even freaky enough, avoid binker ridge and devils ladder route at that time of year especially!

Maggity

Ok that's great thanks will request the Cahir route, I'm a firm believer of under-estimating rather than over-estimating ability when it comes to something like this. Appreciate all the advice.

Sungodbr

Id say u will be good if u just make sure u have all the correct gear, hat, gloves etc and even fresh gear in case of rain which is often is a certainty for at least a spell, as regards the best trainin for climbin imo is to run as much as possible for as long as ye can, this will also make ur climb more enjoyable, enjoy it though as its a great achievement when done!

Sungodbr

Sungodbr wrote: »

my tuppence worth= ask him about cahir route which is the safest for beginners on CT

What about the zig zags? Have to take in Cnoc na Toinne as well, but very straightforward stuff. Haven't done them in snow and ice mind.

NathanKingerlee

Hi Maggity, You could give Con Moriarty a ring with your fitness questions also, as I'm sure these are questions he deals with on nearly a daily basis? Regarding borrowing hiking boots, with the right kind of hiking boots being borrowed, I don't see any problem. We lend boots to people and very rarely do they get blisters, etc. Enjoy your climb!

Avoca Tours

Hi,
To get on to the walking trail try this. A treasure hunt will take two to three hours at a family pace! It will include forest paths in Tinakilly Wood and riverbank paths on the Sean Linehan Walk. This event is suitable for families with younger children and parents pushing buggies.

This team based - up to 4 team members - walking treasure hunt is suitable for all ages and abilities. Points are awarded for each solved clue plus bonus points for special clues.
1. The treasure hunt takes on Sunday 1st May at 12 noon:
2. There will be prizes for 1st and 2nd place
3. Bottles of water and snack supplied
4. €20 per family group (two adults and two children – extra €5 per person)
5. Meet at The Pavilion, Rednagh Road, Aughrim, Co. Wicklow

To get more information on the treasure hunt or to book your place email Avoca Tours at tours@avoca.com

Avoca Tours - the activity break company, is also hosting a range of other walks and activities including guided walks for adults, storytelling nights and activity breaks with accommodation. For those interested in additional guided walks here some choices:

• "Avoca Vale, mines and Mottee Stone Walk - Combining forest paths and panoramic views with one of the high points the Mars like landscape of the long abandoned Avoca Mines - €25 per person.
• For those more energetic a guided ascent to Lugnaquillia, Co. Wicklow
is an option - one day tour on Saturdays - €69 per perso

n.

duckysauce

Avoca Tours wrote: »

Hi,
To get on to the walking trail try this. A treasure hunt will take two to three hours at a family pace! It will include forest paths in Tinakilly Wood and riverbank paths on the Sean Linehan Walk. This event is suitable for families with younger children and parents pushing buggies.

This team based - up to 4 team members - walking treasure hunt is suitable for all ages and abilities. Points are awarded for each solved clue plus bonus points for special clues.
1. The treasure hunt takes on Sunday 1st May at 12 noon:
2. There will be prizes for 1st and 2nd place
3. Bottles of water and snack supplied
4. €20 per family group (two adults and two children – extra €5 per person)
5. Meet at The Pavilion, Rednagh Road, Aughrim, Co. Wicklow

To get more information on the treasure hunt or to book your place email Avoca Tours at tours@avoca.com

Avoca Tours - the activity break company, is also hosting a range of other walks and activities including guided walks for adults, storytelling nights and activity breaks with accommodation. For those interested in additional guided walks here some choices:

• "Avoca Vale, mines and Mottee Stone Walk - Combining forest paths and panoramic views with one of the high points the Mars like landscape of the long abandoned Avoca Mines - €25 per person.
• For those more energetic a guided ascent to Lugnaquillia, Co. Wicklow
is an option - one day tour on Saturdays - €69 per perso

n.

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ipodrocker

not to hi-jack the thread.

what would be the main items people would need for a day hike?

boots
fleece
jacket
rucksack with water/flask & food
gaiters?
trousers - craighoppers seem to be a good brand
first aid kit
map
compass

anything else?

Donny5

For a day-hike, all you need is enough to get you off the mountain safely in inclement weather and poor conditions. The actual gear you need to carry depends on the mountain, route, level of fitness and weather forecast. That said, most Irish mountains are fairly tame by global standards. My personal rule is don't be an eejit!

Chris O Donoghue

Getting off the mountain is one thing but if you sprain an ankle or worse you might have to stay put for a few hours, so you should also bring:

extra food (chocolate etc)
a whistle (6 long blasts is the distress signal)
a bivvy bag: these are light body-sized bags that keep you warm and dry if you're immobilised.
a torch (head torch ideally, available in Dunnes)
Spare gloves, spare wooly hat
Sun cream

NathanKingerlee

2/3 spare fleeces, for those 'What If?' senarios, plus a waterproof backpack liner, like a thick plastic bin-bag as there's no point having all this spare gear if it's damp when you come to use it.

jusmeig

Might I point out that wearing "someone elses" boots will most likely result in crippling blisters. I made the mistake of doing a day hike in boots I rented, I had golf-ball size blisters on my feet, worst mistake i ever made.

Boots really are something you break in and get used to.
What type of boots you got?