Newbie hiking in Ireland

MungBean

Hey guys, I'm looking to do some hiking or hill walking but I've never done it before. I'm looking for a nice location with a cheap B&B or hotel or something where I can go wandering about if anyone knows of somewhere.

Also if anyone can gimme any newbie tips about what I should bring or shouldnt bring.

I'll be travelling on my own and although not the fittest creature alive I'll be up for a medium type of adventure.

I decided today that I need a bit of a holiday and being rather broke I thought wandering around hills lookin at stuff might be the way to go.

Chris O Donoghue

Take a look at this site, it might give you some ideas. It's on the northern side of the Galtee Mountains, there are some great walks there, including corrie lakes, woodland, and Galtymore, which is over 3,000 feet.

The area is just off the M7 motorway so can be reached very quickly from Cork, Dublin, Limeric etc.

As for what to bring: boots are the key thing, make sure they are broken in before you take off.

You'll also need waterproof jacket and pants
wooly/warm hat and gloves

breathable layers: a base layer (t-shirt) and some mid layer micro fleeces.
From this time of the year onwards you might also need anti-midge spray unfortunately.

Most people also bring spare food, a bivvy bag (a light plastic orange bag or shelter if you have an accident) and a head torch.
You'll also need a rucksack to carry your stuff, and line this with a bin liner or similar: rain covers don't work in our wind-driven rain.

Suncream (hopefully) a map, and your off!

Take a look here for some ideas about routes.


If you're going on your own think about getting some basic navigation/mpa reading skills

MungBean

Thanks Chris, I'd have probably set off in runners, jeans and t-shirt with a ham sandwich and bottle of lucozade.

I have a pair of boots that are well broken in (bought ages ago never used then forced to wear em for months when my runners fell apart)

I'll have to get a proper rucksack and the other bits n bobs. Never thought of the feckin midges. I'll look into the map reading too. I'm gettin excited, sounds like a proper adventure !!

Chris O Donoghue

You don't need to spend a fortune on a rucksack, just make sure it has a wasit belt so that you can distribute the weight. Some of them have all sorts of bells and whistles but keep it simple.

You might also fancy using a stick, telescopic ones can keep the weight of our feet and knees particularly on a descent after a long day out. These are sometimes available in Aldi/Lidl but you can also buy reasonably cheap ones in the outdoor shops. Again they don't have to be top of the range.

The Cicerone guide ot Navigation by Pete Hawkins is excellent, also there are usually good articles in Trail and Outdoors magazine with tips on route finding, navigation etc. Try to get some practice in before you head in the great unknown!
Enjoy yor trip.

Gotta plump for Killarney as a destination, Ireland's most popular tourist destination and with good reason, and a mecca for walkers and outdoor enthusiasts.

It is easily accessed, with a train and bus station. It has a huge selection of accomodation, from 5 star hotels down to hostels. And a large selection of restaurants, concerts at the National Events centre etc. After all, you won't be walking at night time.

For the walker, you have the National Park, with its wonderful lakes, on your doorstep. You have the adjacent Reeks, the highest mountain range in Ireland a few miles away, which is easy enough hiking in good weather (of course using common sense and the appropriate gear). It is also busy, if one gets into difficulty or needs pointers. If the weather is poor, there are many lower ranges and walks that are easy to get to - tarred walks for miles around the lakes which can be tackled in runners with your ham sandwich, there is the famous stretch of the Kerry Way that forms the old Kenmare Killarney road which is a track laid for walkers through the old woods and high moorland of the Park (boots useful, though not absolutely necessary on dry days), the (tarred) Gap of Dunloe so popular with walkers and cyclists, Torc mountain again with a trail all the way to the top, more gentle ranges such as Mangerton and Purple Mountain with their amazing scenery.

If you have a car, you are also just an hour's drive from the sea or you can get very far from the crowd and take in some great walks on mountains overlooking the Atlantic Ocean- you can really get away from it all on the Dunkerrons or the Glenbeigh Horseshoe, though again experience and equipment more necessary here. Over a few days based in Killarney you can take in pretty much any type of hike. And again, if you are rained in (it has been known to happen here), there are plenty of sights, the house and gardens at Muckross, Ross Castle, Torc Waterfall, the Lakes, you can drive through the aforementioned Gap of Dunloe, the Cathedral, boat trips around the lakes etc. etc. to while away the hours.

http://www.killarneynationalpark.ie/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macgillycuddy's_Reeks

http://www.killarney.ie/

http://mountainviews.ie/mv/index.php?mtnindex=383

dogmatix

I'd avoid the jeans - they can be hot and sweaty after a couple of hours of hiking. And will leach the heat out of you when wet.

And bring along about 1.5 litres of water.

The glen of aherlow site looks great.

Kayto

Where abouts in ireland are you as i'm a newbie to and would love to start hillwalking/hiking as well

dogmatix

dogmatix wrote: »

I'd avoid the jeans - they can be hot and sweaty after a couple of hours of hiking.

He could try cutoffs...like Tobias Funcke...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OC7Q715LqPA

activitymaster

Hay Guys a group of us, are heading on a hike of Lug on Sunday. Its a good hike and should be good craic. We don't all know each other as we all try to bring friends, some of us have hiked for a charity and this is a bit of a hike to get a few of our friends ready for a 4peaks challenge. The more the merrier, so if any of you guys are up for it let us know.

Chris O Donoghue

Lads:
I just bought Adrian Hendroffs new guide book on the Dingle, Beara and Ivereagh peninsulas: it's an excellent guide. There are clear route descriptions, useful maps and great pictures. (As it says in the book, you'll still need an OS map for any area you visit)

Take a look here: http://www.adrianhendroff.com/news29220.html


(The Ivereagh peninsula is the area inside the Ring of Kerry, described by Conor74 above;
The Beara one is in God's own county, Cork. A long way from everywhere else but worth a visit)

MungBean

Thanks for the help guys, I'm currently lookin for some of the bits n bobs. I'll try pick up that book by Pete Hawkins.

Thanks for the info on Killarney Conor it looks great, might leave the cutoffs though I'm not sure the local wildlife would appreciate it.

I'm from Wexford Kayto, I suppose Wicklow would be the closest place to start but I think I'm sold on Killarney, it looks like a great place to go for a few days. I dont drive so getting a bus there and back might be easier than trying to navigate the Wicklow mountains looking for paths or places to stay.

Kayto

Hi everyone,

I'm up in Cavan so probably too far out
If anyone knows of things going on up this way I would love to hear from you.

Bye for now

Kayto

Skunkle

Skunkle wrote: »

Thanks for the info on Killarney Conor it looks great, might leave the cutoffs though I'm not sure the local wildlife would appreciate it.

I'm on the Reeks pretty much every second weekend, so if you're there some morning when I'm there I can point you the various routes for hiking, easy or difficult. PM me.

Also thought of another great walk, which is the valley between Stoompa East Top and Beenaunmore, and again between Beenaunmore and Crohane - all east of Mangerton. That's about 10 minutes taxi from Killarney. It's a bit like the land that time forgot in there, very deep valleys with a strange almost petrified wood, volcanic rock formations, lakes etc. Boots essential, you'd be going over a fair bit of broken rock. Great opportunities for scrambles up the sides of the valley, no technical skills needed as long as you pick the route carefully and know your limitations (there are other routes that require climbing experience)

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_runW_P3ChL0/SnFR510pEKI/AAAAAAAAFpc/-cfJNXJYsao/HPIM1158.jpg

Mangerton is a lovely introduction to hiking. It's pretty gentle. But some basic compass skills may be handy as its can get misty and the top is broad and hard to pick out features...except where it plunges into the Horses Glen or the Devils Punchbowl. Purple Mountain is also great, but it's a good long hike, a circuit taking in Tomies and Shehy would take up to 6 hours.