Maamturks Challenge 14 April 2012 Report

Great to report that all our walkers (21) successfully completed the Maamturks Challenge over the weekend. Reports are that the weather conditions were excellent on the day. Good to see that 10 of the 21 walkers were participating for the first time. We await more detailed stories which I am sure will be forthcoming over the next few walks on the hills. In the interim the following is a link to a wonderful video/slide show compiled and directed by out own Michael Henchion.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiTn_Umo4L8&feature=related enjoy

VEHICLE SECURITY REMINDER

We have heard of a number of break-ins to vehilces so please while on walks do not leave anything visible in your car, put change of clothes into the booth of the car and carry all of your valuables (keys, money, credit cards, jewellery, mobile phone, etc) with you (put them into a plastic bag and into your rucksack). - Michael C

Hags Glen Saturday 10th March

Excellent days walking in the Hags Glen last Saturday for the large group who completed the Hags Tooth - Beenkeragh - Carrauntoohil - Cahir - Heavenly Gate circuit. The views from ground level were excellent but as we climbed the visability got poorer. (see image of Carrauntoohil taken from Beenkeragh.) Not easy to climb all 3 of the highest peaks in Ireland in one walk but the group succeeded. All in all 7 hours of excellent walking and scrambling.
For those members planning on doing the Maamturks Challenge Walk this was an excellent training opportunity. Keep up the good work. Michael C

Under Galtee Skies

When Jimmy Barry sent out an invite to Bishopstown Hillwalking club to attend his book launch in the Aherlow House Hotel I gladly accepted. It was great to arrive there and see that there were stalls set up not only by the South Eastern Mountain Rescue but also the Glen of Aherlow walking club and members of Mountaineering Ireland.

There was a considerably large turn out for the launch and after talking to other walkers we were introduced to a slide show of photographs from the book.

The book titled Under Galtee Skies is a pictorial journay of photographs taken by Jimmy of the Galty mountains over the years.

As Bishopstown members have been walking this area for many years there are plenty of photographs of areas we are all familiar with and even though I have walked the Galtees many times myself I have never seen the head/face formation above Bally david wood.

Also it was great to read some folklore of the area none of which I knew previously and will now always include when leading walks in these areas.

The photographs are spectacular and you can see from the lighting within them that Jimmy definately has a rare eye for a picture, the skies above Galtymore in a picture taken from slievecushnabinnia are such a testiment, as is the lighting in the picture of Assaroola Glen.

Though I must admit my favourite picture is of snow on the northern side over lough Curra on page 20 of the book. At first glance it looks like just another photo of the area, but on closer inspection the browns in the grass are beautiful...

With a section on flora and fauna along with poems and place names this really is a magical book which I've no doubt all our members will enjoy.

The only problem................they sold out of all the hardbacks before I'd even managed to reach it!! This book is not meant as a guide book so don't expect routes and walks, you certainly wouldn't be taking it on the mountain for fear of it getting ruined.

If anybody is interested in attaining a copy please contact me at juliereeveswalking@gmail.com and we'll see if we can get some copies.

Wales Aug 11 (The Ryan Air Fanfare Tour)

No sooner had we arrived back from a full week of walking in June to Scotland then we started getting ready for our next venture, and one of the best scambling holidays you could possibly get..............Snowdonia national park.

After our trip here in 2008 we knew we were not going to be disappointed.

11 of us went over and we booked into the Swallow falls hostel which is just outside Betwys-y-Coed on the road to Capel Curig.

Saturday we left the hostel and drove across to Pen-y-pass, where we started our first walk the Snowdon Horseshoe. This walk includes a short scramble up to Crib Goch where you continue your way along the knife edge ridge across to the pinnacles, up onto Crib-y-Ddysgol and finally meeting the top of the Zig-zags, where we all follow the main route up onto Snowdon.

It was great to see the completion of the cafe, and the warmth inside along with the hot drink was most welcome!!

Sunday then saw us scramble the North ridge of Tryfan and Bristly ridge, this route contains some of the best scrambling in Britain. And once we attained the summit one of our brave walkers even jumped across from Adam to Eve attaining the title of free man of Tryfan! (Well done J.J. I could'nt think of a better man for it!)

Monday and our final walk was a short day were we climbed Pen yr Ole Wen.

Another successful trip away this year.

Scotland 2011 (The Munro Huggers Tour!!)

The club trip to Scotland this year saw 12 of us walking for a week in the central highlands of Glencoe and Glen Nevis.

This area of outstanding beauty is a walkers paradise with a selection of routes that would keep everybody happy for the week.

After flying into Edinburgh we sorted out our car hire and drove up to Fort William where we stayed at the Glen Nevis Lodges.

Day 1 saw us climb Ben Nevis via the Carn Mór Dearg Arete, the weather was beautiful and the views even better! There was huge congratulations when we summited our first munro Carn Mór Dearg at 1220m and the walk got even more exciting as we went over the arete with excellent views of the Aonachs and the Mamores, then onto the top of Ben Nevis 1344m. (17km 185om ascent 8hrs 18mins)

Day 2 we drove into Glencoe and though the weather was misty with low cloud cover we walked in through the coire na Tulaich and ascended Stob Dearg our third munro at 1022m, we then headed south to Stob Na Broige our fourth munro at 956m and completing the whole of the Buachaille Etive Mór range. (14.4km 1330m ascent 6hrs 38mins)

Day 3 saw us driving back to Glencoe for a walk of Bidean Nam Bian and with improved weather we all enjoyed this walk which saw us walk into the lost valley which we entered to the left of the three sisters. We reached munro number five Stob Coire Sgréam 1072m and then onto Bidean Nam Bian which was munro number six at 1150m. (12.5 km 1400m ascent 7hrs)

Day 4 saw the group divide and after three days of continuous walking some of us felt that we needed a day off. While the other half of the group decided to do their own walk in Glen Nevis.

Day 5 was the Aonach Eagach ridge which although a grade I scamble is considered by many to be the best ridge walk on mainland Britain and I think I speak for all members when I say we were not disappointed. We bagged munro number seven Meall Dearg 953m and munro eight Sgorr nam Fiannaidh 967m whilst walking the linear ridge.

Day 6 Our final day saw us walk up Glen Nevis to the beautiful Steall meadows and falls and entertain ourselves watching each member balance across the wire bridge over the river to Steall hut. The weeks walking had taken its toll and with windy weather and low cloud cover we decided not to chance the Devils ridge but to climb our nineth munro Sgurr á Mháim at 1099m and return to Glen Nevis. (9.5km 1316m ascent 6hrs 17mins)

Hopefully we will return again next year after all there are only another 275 munros to go!!!!

Walking routes initiative aims to attract four million visitors...

TOURISM leaders hope to attract nearly four million extra visitors to Ireland over the coming years by upgrading walking routes and rolling out special facilities for hikers.

The Walkers Welcome initiative is signing up 150 businesses who will adapt their shops, accommodation and facilities for walkers, particularly those travelling from abroad. Walking in Ireland attracts some of the largest numbers of visitors each year, with more than 517,000 overseas visitors taking part in walking activities here in 2008.

Under the plans, local communities have signed up to guarantee regular maintenance and upkeep of local walks. These will include developing forest tracks and shorter looped off-road walks. The majority of walking visitors to Ireland seek looped walks of up to four hours with good scenery, says Fáilte Ireland. By the end of 2009, more than 130 looped walks in 26 counties will be completed, with trails off to facilities such as car parks, map boards and picnic areas, under the plans. Fáilte Ireland says it is providing expertise and materials to upgrade trails and walks free of charge to communities. Other parts of the initiative will include putting up mapboards and signage, identifying Walkers Welcome-approved accommodation and arranging friendly services in shops and pubs such as packed lunches and spaces for walking boots and gear. Up to 11 rural recreation officers have been appointed with responsibility for rolling out the walks in their areas in conjunction with community leaders.


Five areas and popular walking regions have signed up to help perfect popular hiking spots, including: the Burren, Co Clare; Donegal town and surrounding areas; Tinahely, Co Wicklow; The Slieve Blooms, Co Laois and Offaly; and the Glen of Aherlow, Co Tipperary.


According to Fáilte Ireland, there are potentially more than one million British residents who would get involved in walking here in the next three years. This is followed by 900,000 German visitors, 800,000 visitors from the US and 700,000 from the Netherlands...........Irish Examiner, Aug 2009

Concerns about Carrauntoohil route...

From the Kerry Mountain Rescue Website...(May 2009)
Concerns have been raised about about the current condition of the Devil's Ladder. Recent rains have caused some movement of rocks and scree in the gully and there are a number of significant sized rocks which appear to be a little unstable at present, particularly in the upper section. Extreme caution should therefore be exercised on the Devil's Ladder at the present time. Whilst many people are still using the route safely, some have suggested using alternative routes as a safer option.
In addition a similar situation exists on the 'Heavenly Gates' track, where a large rock has tumbled to a precarious position at the top of the steepest section of the track at the Heavenly Gates itself. Extreme caution should also be exercised here as it would appear to be only a matter of time before there is further movement and this rock will certainly tumble down the track itself.

.....John Desmond, BHC

Sierra nevada mountains Andalucia 2008

Club trip to Southern Spain in April 2008. Picture shows the start of a walk to top of Mulhacen 3485m. Tha walk was 25km long, ascended 1400m and took 7 hours - excellent walking given the difficult snow conditions especially at the summit with drifts of 6 to 8 feet. Further photos of the complete trip may be viewed on Flickr on the following ......gallery (click here)

......Michael Carey

Carrauntoohil via the Devil's Ladder...

I came across this well made video clip on YouTube and it shows a winter ascent of Carrauntoohil via the Devil's Ladder. While BHC do not usually use this route, it is still of interest.

.......John Desmond