THE GREAT GLEN WAY

Noel Kerley

by Gay Needham, Hon. Secretary, Mountain Meitheal

Mountain Meitheal is a group of volunteers that undertake conservation and restoration projects on our mountain and forest tracks. In Mountain Meitheal, we are attempting to counteract some of the pressures that are evident on our mountains, by working with the various landowners including, The National Park & Wildlife Service, Coillte and private landowners. Mountain Meitheal offers the opportunity to give something back to the mountains by volunteering for work on our upland tracks, thereby protecting a fragile environment and in years to come and possibly improving access.

Mountain Meitheal Objectives
- To protect and conserve the mountain and forest environment by repairing, maintaining and building mountain and forest tracks while maintaining the challenge for recreational users, and striving to preserve a sense of solitude and a 'wilderness' experience;
- To spread an awareness of sustainable recreation;
- To promote the interests of the mountain environment and Mountain Meitheal volunteers.
- To provide enjoyable projects for its volunteers.
Over the last year or so, Mountain Meitheal volunteers have worked on the Djouce Summit path, Wicklow Path Survey, which gives a snapshot view of the most used mountain paths in Wicklow, a diversion on the Wicklow Way, Glensoulan Path and access route to the Inchavore Valley at Lough Dan and has commenced working on the track up Maulin.

Why do volunteers need to get involved?
In other countries, volunteers undertake path work – often supporting the work of professional crews – in National Parks and National Forests, National Trust land and on national trails such as the Appalachian Mountain Trail – and make a real contribution to conserving the environment. The reality is that the problems caused by the misuse and volume of usage far outstrips the resources currently available to deal with this serious conservation issue for mountain users. Added to this is the fact that volunteer work is a practical demonstration to users of the impact they are having and shows what walkers and other mountain users can do to help protect Ireland’s mountains.

The One-in-Seven Concept
In the United States the path repairers suggest that for every six to seven days in the hills, walking, camping, climbing or biking, we should spend one day on conservation work. So if you walk once a week you should be giving about seven days a year to conservation or if you only walk one day a month, two days a year. Working on path restoration is also good fun, and finishing a project or seeing vegetation return which had been killed by trampling is very satisfying. You can go back time after time and say ‘I helped do this so that future generations of outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy it as I have’.

There are clubs like the Maine Appalachian Trail Club in the USA, which are solely dedicated to trail repair – they find this pursuit just as interesting as hillwalking or mountain biking – but many are members of other clubs and just take part on a more informal basis. The choice is yours but please do get involved!

Fancy joining us?
There are many parts to a Mountain Meitheal Work Day - meeting new people, working as a team, doing valuable work, helping disseminate good environmental practice to passers by and ENJOYING yourself, so please come and try it.

Recreational users of the mountains are welcome to come on any of our workdays. We usually meet at 10.30 am and we finish about 4.30pm. There may be additional days, depending on availability of leaders so please contact Gay Needham on (01) 490 3112 / 086-838 2292 or Email: mountainmeitheal@eircom.net to be put on our email list.
Website: www.geocities.com/trailvolunteers/home.html

Adopt-a-Path
Mountain Meitheal would particularly like to hear from clubs around the country who would be willing to set up their own path maintenance team. Mountain Meitheal will provide any training and technical assistance that is required.

What you need to bring
Be prepared for a day on the hills - rain gear, food, a change of clothing, working gloves, and if you have any useful equipment such as a spade or shovel etc. Don't worry if you don't have equipment. Mountain Meitheal has a pool.

Gay Needham writes… “there is an awful lot of work to be done - we need lots of willing hands and we would really like to get clubs to organise the odd day of path maintenance in their walking programmes. If a club wanted to do this, we would arrange technical supervision from Mountain Meitheal and provide the tools necessary on the day. Maybe the Hillwalkers might like to try this, sometime in the Spring when the weather gets better”?

MCI Annual General Meeting 2004

Date: Saturday 7th February, 2.30pm
Venue: Ormond Quay Hotel, Dublin 7

Motions for inclusion on the agenda should be sent to the MCI Secretary, Rita Connell, Concra, Castleblayney, Co. Monaghan on or before the 2nd January 2004. Motions may be submitted by individual MCI members or club members acting on behalf of their club. The agenda and other AGM materials will be published on the MCI website www.mountaineering.ie as early as possible in January.

MCI Slide Shows during Spring 2004

Dublin-based MCI slide shows and lectures normally take place at the Tara Towers Hotel, Mount Merrion at 8 pm, unless otherwise stated. Check MCI website (www.mountaineering.ie) for further details. Admission charge is discounted for MCI members (bring membership card).

14 January.....“Knockin’ on Heavens Door”: Winter Mountain Safety (Boots Across Scotland)
18 February.....“Against the Sky”: Irish Everest Expedition 2003 (Pat Falvey)
10 March.....UCD, 7.30 pm: Doug Scott, Canadian Mountaineer

Environmental Officer
The MCI has requested that affiliated clubs nominate an Environmental Officer whose function is to pass information on environmental and access issues to club members and feedback to the MCI. We would like to thank Patricia Goodman for kindly agreeing to take on this role on behalf of the club.

Beginning with the February edition, Deirdre McMahon will take up her new position as editor of The Hillwalker, thereby doubling in one fell swoop the number of female committee members !! The interim newsletter-assemblers who shall remain anonymous beat a hasty retreat of relief and wish Deirdre good luck in her new role!

Here are the solutions to the first Mountain Trivia Crossword Puzzle as published in the Nov/Dec 2003 newsletter. How many answers did you get right?

Clues Across:
3. Irish name for MacGillycuddy’s Reeks = NA CRUACHA DUBHA
4. Man-made structure on summit of Carrauntoohil = CROSS
5. Where in Snowdonia is the Pinnacle Ridge? = CRIB GOCH
8. Name of the summit plateau which divides North and South Prison = LUGNAQUILLA
10. On which Scottish island can the “Executioner’s Tooth” (sometimes) be seen? = SKYE
14. Where in Ireland are the highest sea cliffs in Europe? = ACHILL
17. Common characteristic of the mountaineering group who summited Mount Logan, Canada, in 1993 = FEMALE
18. Name of the ridge on Glyder Fach, Wales = BRISTLY
19. Mountain close to Tom Kenny = SATO
20. Name of the first alpine hut = HÖRNLI
21. Famous alpine mecca near the 11-day loop that circum-navigates the highest peaks in the Alps = CHAMONIX.

Clues Down:
1. Which mountain peak can be leisurely reached by railway? = SNOWDON
2. Colour of the mountain overlooking the Gap of Dunloe = PURPLE
5. Name of the so-called “Welsh Matterhorn” = CNICHT
6. This Greek mountain has a peak called “Throne of Zeus” = OLYMPUS
7. Highest mountain in Poland = RYSI
9. Where in Scotland do you find the “Witch’s Step”? = ARRAN
11. On which Swiss mountain was the first alpine hut established? = MATTERHORN
12. Whose party climbed the Matterhorn for the first time in 1865? = WHYMPER
13. Name of one of the pair who successfully climbed Everest in 1953 = HILLARY
15. This mountain is also known as Chomolungma and Sagarmatha = EVEREST
16. Name of first mountaineer to climb all 8000m peaks = MESSNER.

The annual Glen of Aherlow Walking Festival takes place from April 2nd to 4th. It is jointly organised by the Glen of Aherlow Fáilte Society and the Galtee Walking Club. For further details on the walks (14-20 km), slide show or accommodation, contact Helen Morrissey, Walking Festival Coordinator, call 062-56331 (office hours), 086-8314443 (mobile) or e-mail: tgoafs@eircom.net.

A son and his father were walking on the mountains.
Suddenly, his son falls, hurts himself and screams: "AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"
To his surprise, he hears the voice repeating, somewhere in the mountain: "AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"
Curious, he yells: "Who are you?"
He receives the answer: "Who are you?"
And then he screams to the mountain: "I admire you!"
The voice answers: "I admire you!"
Angered at the response, he screams: "Coward!"
He receives the answer: "Coward!"
He looks to his father and asks: "What's going on?"
The father smiles and says: "My son, pay attention."
Again the man screams: "You are a champion!"
The voice answers: "You are a champion!"
The boy is surprised, but does not understand.
Then the father explains: "People call this ECHO, but really this is LIFE.
It gives you back everything you say or do.
Our life is simply a reflection of our actions.
If you want more love in the world, create more love in your heart.
If you want more competence in your team, improve your competence.
This relationship applies to everything, in all aspects of life;
Life will give you back everything you have given to it."

The club continues to support members who wish to undertake the Mountain Skills Assessment. Further details from Jimmy McCullagh.