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Time: 6.5 hours         Distance: 13km        Height gain: 1040 metres Galtymore is the highest inland mountain in Ireland and at 919 metres, is the 14th highest in the country. It sits squarely on the border between Tipperary and Limerick and forms a majestic centre piece for a tough horseshoe hike that takes in three great mountains,…

Time: 6.5 hours         Distance: 13km        Height gain: 900 metres The Mweelrea Massif encompasses five tops, aligned around an imposing horseshoe, and with Mweelrea (814m) at its’ centre. Mweelrea sits in the southwest corner of Co. Mayo, on the northern side of Killary Fjord, where its imposing crags dominate the skyline. It is the highest peak…

Water is essential to life, and a lack of it will soon lead to serious health issues and ultimately to death. A lean person comprises around 70 – 75% water, losing just 1% of this will leave you dehydrated, losing 2% and things are getting serious. Water carries heat away from the vital organs and…

There is an old mountaineering saying, ‘The best decision you will ever make is the one to turn back’, and it is often true. To make this crucial call there are a number of criteria that must considered, and here I have outlined those I feel to be the most important. Weather Conditions The prevailing…

Before being able to take an accurate compass bearing it is essential to understand the relationship between True North, Grid North and Magnetic North. The Three Norths Grid North Grid North is the navigational term for the northward projection of the north-south gridlines on a map. In Ireland it lies to the east of both…

Many of us have an altimeter as an integral part of our mountain watches, but how many of us know the skills of navigating with an altimeter? Here are 5 tips on how to use an altimeter as a navigation tool. Before we begin however, a note of caution, altimeter watches rely on barometric pressure…

This is a lament we hear often on our courses and guided hikes, sometimes spoken in frustration, sometimes in anger, and most often at the end of a wet day. So why is our precious waterproof clothing failing to perform? In many cases it is because we are simply asking too much of it. The…

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,…

It’s a cliché to say we have become reliant on technology, and we certainly need a map and compass, and perhaps a GPS system, to find our way around unfamiliar hills. But how did our ancestors find their way around, and what natural features did they use to navigate across the land in times gone…

I was recently asked to produce a list of essential kit for hiking in the mountains (outside of winter), and I have reproduced it here, with some expanded explanations. The list is not comprehensive, and you may have a few items that you never leave home without to add to this list: Rucksack A pack…

One of the most important navigation skills is being able to relocate yourself when you have become ‘lost’ or more correctly, ‘temporarily misplaced’. Having the relocation techniques to deal with such a situation is a key element in being a competent navigator. Firstly, do not panic. Stay calm and stay where you are. Many people,…

Hypothermia is a serious condition and can affect mountaineers and hillwalkers at any time of year. Learn to spot the signs and symptoms and know what to do if hypothermia affects you or your colleagues. Hypothermia occurs when the core temperature of the body falls below 35°C. Exposure Hypothermia occurs over several hours following exposure to…