The Coomloughra Horseshoe – the best mountain ridge walk in Ireland?
Heading towards Beenkeragh On a hot summers day in June, a few days before the summer solstice, I hiked a popular route in the Macgillycuddy’s Reeks, a compact but stunning range of mountains in the southwest of Ireland. This circular route is known as the Coomloughra Horseshoe. The hike is around 12 km (…
The dangers of lightning
After the recent heavy storms, some good advice from Mountaineering Council of Scotland on staying safe if you get caught in the open. http://www.mcofs.org.uk/lightning.asp
The Burren and the Cliffs of Moher – A recent 3 day trip to the west coast of Ireland
The west coast of Ireland boasts a treasure trove of natural wonders and astonishing landscapes, and in County Clare there are two of the best, the Burren and the Cliffs of Moher. We based ourselves for three days of exploration in the seaside village of Ballyvaughan, which boasts a small harbour, several hotels and a…
The Slieve Blooms and the Galtees – two brief encounters
Ridge of Capard, on the Slieve Bloom Way SLIEVE BLOOMS This area of upland bog and conifer forest, cut by river valleys, is known as the Slieve Bloom Mountains, but really they are best described as hills. The highest point, Arderin, is 527 metres, (1729 ft.), high, and the 399th highest ‘mountain’ in Ireland. They…
Hiking and Scrambling in Snowdonia, the land of the red dragon.
On the weekend of 14th-17th March, a Saint Patrick’s Day holiday weekend in Ireland, I ran a trip for the Hillwalkers Club from Dublin, to the ruggedly raw and beautiful mountains of Snowdonia, North Wales. This remarkable area of mountains lies close to the coast at the northwest corner of Wales, and is within easy…
The Snows of Kilimanjaro
As a teenage boy, I read a book by Earnest Hemingway, titled ‘The Snows of Kilimanjaro’. Since then this mountain has always fascinated me, and as a geology student studying the volcanic rocks of the African Rift valley, I revisited that fascination in my mind. This colossal cone of rock, rising from the hot African plain, and topped with glaciers and snow; one of the seven summits, the highest point on the continent of Africa, is a wonderful mountain and a challenge attainable by anyone with determination. Kilimanjaro, 5895 metres high, seen from the Moshi road. It must be over 12 months ago now, that my friend and work colleague at the time, Mostafa Salameh, asked me if I would be interested in joining him as an assistant guide on a charity climb of Kilimanjaro. The charity concerned was the…
Ledge Route – Ben Nevis, Scotland
In summer, Ledge Route is a 450 metre grade 2 scramble that finishes at the summit of Carn Dearg, a 1221 metre subsidiary top of Ben Nevis. Under snow and ice it is a grade II winter route and reputedly the best of its grade on the mountain. On 10th January this year, three of…
Kilimanjaro 2014
At the beginning of February I headed for Tanzania and Kilimanjaro, where I helped out with a successful climb of this 5895 metre mountain, in aid of a prestigious cancer charity. Details of the trip will soon appear on our blog, at http://russellmills.blogspot.ie/ where you can check out other trip reports, and see great articles…
Pictorial review of a hiking year, 2013
Where did I go hiking in Ireland in 2013? I thought it might be worth doing a photo review of the year, month by month, to pick out some of my highlights. 2013 was a year of unusual weather, a late and exceptionally cold winter that ran into April, a warm and balmy summer, and…
Hill Skills Series – Fueling your body for the mountains – nutrition and hydration
Our bodies need fuel, food, to provide energy for our bodies to function, this energy is often quantified in terms of kilocalories, (Kcal). On average, a man will require 2800Kcal – 3000Kcal a day and a woman 2000Kcal – 2200Kcal. When we exercise this demand will increase, and we might burn another 1000Kcal on a…
Hill Skills Series – Winter hillwalking – layering for cold weather comfort.
By selecting the right clothing you can enjoy the hills in all conditions. ‘There’s no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing’, is a quote that has been used many times and in various forms. It simply means that if you have the correct clothing then the weather should pose no threat or impediment…
Pyrenean foothills – a few nature notes
The forested hillsides of the Pyrenee-Orientales region of southern France, with the Pyrenees in the distance. I am back from a recent holiday to the Pyrenee-Orientales region of France, that’s the bit on the Mediterranean coast near the Spanish border, close to the eastern Pyrenees. Here the rock is predominantly limestone, often typified by…