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Being able to navigate accurately in the mountains in all conditions is one of the most important skills you can learn as a hillwalker. Mountain Rescue teams are regularly called out to hikers who have become disorientated by poor visibility in the mountains.  Always carry a map and compass, and have the skills to use…

As summer advances ticks are becoming more active, and more outdoor enthusiasts are finding these unpleasant critters embedded in their skin. Ticks are arachnids, and related to spiders and scorpions. They have a 3-stage life cycle, larvae, nymph and adult. At each stage they need a blood meal to grow, ticks feed on small mammals,…

High wind in the mountains can be a real game changer, it can have a profound effect on safety and morale. It can make it feel much colder than it actually is (wind chill effect), and can be unpredictable in direction and speed. Strong winds, (those over 50-60km/hr), are going to impede your progress, and…

New to hillwalking? Check out these top tips to start you off in the right direction. 1. Love your feet Getting the right footwear is possibly the most important factor in determining the success of your hillwalking career. For tracks and low level routes when you might have only a light pack, then lightweight flexible…

Benbaun (Binn Bhán) is the highest mountain in Co. Galway and the 12 Bens range in Connemara. The name means  ‘White Peak’ and at 729 metres is an impressive sight from the Inagh valley below. It sits at the head of Glen Corbet and is the subject of one of Irelands best mountain walks, the…

As the seasons turn and autumn arrives, the daylight hours decrease and the weather turns wetter and colder. It’s even more important, therefore, to carry the right kit with us when we are heading to the mountains. Good supportive footwear and effective waterproof clothing are essential, but what else should we pack? Here is my…

What is a softshell jacket? The term has been around for a while now, and refers to those jackets that are not specifically ‘hardshell’, that is to say waterproof jackets that keep out the weather and may or may not have a degree of breathability. The word ‘softshell’ covers a wide range of jacket types…

Slieve Donard at 850 metres is the highest peak in Northern Ireland and one of the ‘4-Peaks’ (the highest points in each of Irelands four provinces). It’s a very popular mountain and is most often climbed from Newcastle via the Glen River path. This is the shortest and quickest ascent of the mountain and is…

Buying new hiking boots, especially for the first time hillwalker, can be a precarious and daunting prospect. So how do we make sense of the technical jargon and the bewildering array of styles, designs and prices available? The first thing to consider is the type of terrain are you likely to be using your footwear…

Many hikers use walking poles when out in the hills, and with good reason.  They help maintain balance, reduce the impact on our knees hips and ankles, (particularly in descent and when carrying a heavy pack), and are a useful support on slippery ground and when negotiating a river crossing.Using poles will also give you…

Layering, in a mountaineering or hillwalking context, refers to the principle of wearing layers of clothes to maintain comfort, dryness and warmth when being active outdoors. A good layering system would involve a baselayer, worn next to the skin for comfort, a midlayer to provide insulation, and an outer layer to keep out the wind…

December 1st marks the meteorological start of winter and snow has already fallen in the Scottish hills and on the Macgillicuddy Reeks in Co. Kerry. If there is a chance to get out into the mountains this winter you might be considering getting an insulated jacket to keep out the cold. Here is what you…

Staying ‘hill-fit’ is a guest blog by Kathryn Fitzpatrick – Freelance Guide. Unless you are lucky enough to live within 5km of the hills, getting out hiking is not an option for the majority of us at the moment, however staying ‘hill-fit’ doesn’t always have to include the hills. Check out a few tips below…