The XL challenge will take place on the weekend of 27th – 29th April 2012. It involves climbing 4 of Ireland’s highest mountains. On the Friday we will climb Mount Brandon. Mount Brandon is 3,123 ft high and is situated near Dingle in co. Kerry. On Saturday we are climbing Irelands highest mountain Carrauntoohill. Carrauntoohill, near Killarney, is 3,406 ft high. Sunday will be a real test. In the morning we are climbing Galtymore (3,015ft) on the Limerick – Tipperary border. …

Dates : Friday August 3 to Monday August 6, 2012.
The Western Ocean Walking Weekend offer three days of guided walking in differing landscapes of Erris, in NW Mayo. Walks are all graded easy. This is a wonderful part of western Ireland, offering beautiful views out over the ocean, surrounding islands and Achill to the south. An ideal opportunity to escape for a weekend’s relaxed strolling in the wild west.
Walks schedule
Friday : Arrival, dinner, orientation for the weekend, quiet drink in pub.
Saturday : Two great cliff-top trails; 3.5 hours in …

DEBRA Ireland is delighted to announce the date of the fourth Wicklow Mountains Half Marathon on the 11th March 2012. This is a fantastic event not to be missed, the route will take you through beautiful valleys and along remote tracks high in the mountains. The views stretch along the East Coast over the Irish Sea and deep into Irelands largest upland area- the Wicklow Mountains with amazing views of the Glendalough Valley.
The route is 21km with approx 2km on road. A 10km route has also been added for …

Yesterday evening (Sunday 8th January) at approximately 18.00hrs, Mountain Rescue in Wicklow received their second callout of the day, this time for a long-distance runner who was reported as missing in Wicklow. The Dublin and Wicklow Mountain Rescue Team and the Glen of Imaal Mountain Rescue Team immediately put their members on full call out as more information was gathered from the person who made the initial 999 call.
Fortunately rescuers were able to contact the missing runner using his mobile phone. He was training for the Art O’Neill Challenge, …

At approximately 13.30 yesterday, Sunday 8th January 2012 , Dublin & Wicklow Mountain Rescue Team and the Glen of Imaal Red Cross Mountain Rescue Team received their second call of the New Year.
A 32 year old female was out walking with a group of friends in Glendalough when she began to feel unwell. The group stopped to allow her time to recover near the top of the zig-zag path, a kilometre past the upper end of the Glendalough Lake. A doctor, who was part of the group, assessed the …

North Tipperary Trails Group as part of their ‘Get to Know your Local Walks Programme’ are encouraging everyone to take part in the Upperchurch-Drombane Development Association’s Annual Night Hike on the 18th of December. The two communities of Upperchurch and Drombane have been involved for many years in developing tourism products including hillwalking. There are four National Looped Walks in the area which attract many walkers from around the country and the successful annual Upperchurch Walking Weekend held in November is growing year on year.
The night walk this year …

Two hill walkers from Bray, Co. Wicklow on Sunday 20th November, 2011 were unsure of their whereabouts and rang for the emergency services at 5pm. The two men, a father and son aged 48 and 18 years respectively were walking from the Baravore car park up to Lugnaquilla by the Fraughan Rock glen. On their return the weather turned and visibility became poor. They got disorientated and after realising that they were in trouble they rang Mountain Rescue for assistance. Both Dublin Wicklow and the Glen of Imaal mountain …

Next month Paul Devaney from Killoe in Longford and Niall O’Byrnes from Castledermot in Kildare will begin a 20-day expedition to reach the summit of Aconcagua, the highest point in South America, the tallest peak in the western hemisphere and the largest mountain outside of the Himalayas.
Both are about to take their next step in a bid to complete the Seven Summit Challenge, climbing the highest mountain on each continent. Having already raised over €16,000.00 for charity during their 4 expeditions to date, the adventurous duo have set themselves the …

The sixth annual Upperchurch Walking Weekend goes ahead on Friday the 11th, Saturday the 12th and Sunday the 13th of November in the scenic upland village in County Tipperary with a variety of walks to suit all levels of fitness. This year for the first time there will also be a leisurely family cycle over 25 km. And as usual the occasion will have a great social dimension with set dancing lessons, traditional music, sing songs and a chance to meet old friends and make new ones.
The reception on Friday …

Large numbers of people took advantage of the fine weather over the weekend to spend time enjoying the hills in Dublin and Wicklow. Unfortunately a number of people required the assistance of mountain rescue teams after experiencing difficulties in three separate incidents.
In the first incident, on Saturday 5th November 2011, at 1pm a walker ascending Lugnaquillia experienced chest pains and weakness. The Dublin & Wicklow Mountain Rescue Team & Glen of Imaal Red Cross Mountain Rescue Team immediately responded to the incident and rescuers reached the man and …