Hike Programme
March 2006
MEET: Burgh
Quay
|
DEPART: Sundays
|
COST: Private
bus. €10
|
12 March: Daffodils at Clara Leader: Garry Byrne Route: Shay Elliott * Distance: 20km Ascent:
590m |
19 March: Leader: Pearse
Foley Route: GR 105 130 near
Coronation Plantation * Kippure * Seefingan * Seefin * Distance: 21km Ascent:
780m |
26 March: Circuit of Ballynultagh Leader: Kevin McGinley Route: Distance: 19km Ascent: 490m |
2 April: Southern Loughs Leader: Tom Kenny Route: Glenmalure * Art's Lough * Cloghernagh * Kelly's Lough * Carrawaystick
* Distance: 20km Ascent: 850m |
General Hike Notes
PARTICIPATION Mountaineering is an activity with a
danger of personal injury or death. Participants should be aware of and accept
these risks. People who take part in our club activities do so at their own
risk and are responsible for their own actions and involvement.
INTRODUCTORY HIKES An Introductory Hike is organised once
per month for aspirant members. Participants on these hikes must be a member of
An Óige.
CO-ORDINATION Tickets are given out on Sundays to
ensure that participants reserve a bus place as they arrive.
LEADER The leader has the right to refuse
anyone who is not adequately equipped (e.g.,
without appropriate boots, rainwear, food, torch, hat, gloves, etc). The leader
may alter the route from that described in the program. The leader sets the
pace of the hike and walkers are expected to obey the leader’s instructions at
all times.
TORCH During winter months it is essential to bring a
(head) torch on all Sunday hikes. Check your batteries / bulb.
ENVIRONMENT Try to reduce the erosion and widening of trails,
e.g. do not walk on the edge of worn tracks; walk through the centre of the
original track or go several meters into the scruff where the ground is untrodden, walking parallel to but not on the track.
LITTER Litter is unsightly and
dangerous to animals. Even bio-degradable items like orange peels and banana
skins take years to disappear. Bring all your litter home and try to include at
least one extra item from each day out. Do not bury litter – animals will dig
it up.
WALKING
STICKS In the interest of
safety and comfort please keep the pointed end of your walking stick covered,
especially when travelling on the bus.
HIKE LEADERS If any member is interested in leading a
hike, please contact:
Garry Byrne
Mark Campion
Charity Trip
Irish students
travel to Zambia
In the middle
of February, 3 teachers and 16 students headed off to
To that end I
would like to sincerely thank all those Hillwalkers
and Moderate Hikers who kindly contributed to the cause, be it through the
treasure hunts, leg waxing (yum!… thanks to Ali, Enid and Warren), table quiz
(thanks Mick!), weekend trip to Connemara or just
unsolicited donations. I have estimated that I managed to squeeze nearly €5,000
from people involved in An Óige for which we are
extremely grateful.
As you can see from the photos, the school is well on the way to being
finished. The kids photographed having their dinner on the floor will be the
lucky ones who will move into the new school which is in their part of the
township. The old school will be used just for kids in that area. Ironically
most of the kids wearing the blue tops don’t want a school at all!
We did a lot of work while we were there - mainly visiting the children
in school and the adults in the hospice. We were expecting to be very depressed
by the whole thing but instead left with a lot of positive vibes… In general
people are happy despite the fact that they have nothing… Also we got a great
reception wherever we went, as whites are seldom seen in this part of
It wasn’t all about work. We spent a couple of days in Livingstone where
we went to see the Falls, did a safari drive and
cruise and spent a day white water rafting. We also got in 80km of hikes to
satisfy the requirements of the President’s Award scheme. Unfortunately, there
are no hills but the mid 30’s heat made up for that!
All in all it was a great trip… Thanks again for all your support.
Mark Campion
Note from the Editor
We would like to
hear from you!
Whether you …
• wish to contribute an article …
• have read an
interesting book you'd like to recommend to club members …
• would like to share your favourite
hikes …
• want to comment on any club matters …
Why not get in
touch? Write or email to:
Barbara Sudrow, 24 Glenmalure Park,
S.C.R.,
Club News
LOST AND FOUND: Nordic walking pole found lying on Georges Quay
after bus drop-off, October Bank Holiday Monday.
Ring Paul at
086-1713982.
Membership 2005-2006
So far, 107
members have renewed their membership for the current year (
• … you have to be a member of the Hillwalkers' Club to avail of the special bus for Sunday
Hikes.
• … only paid-up members will receive
the newsletter by post, email or both.
• … the renewal form is located at the
end of the printed newsletter and on the website.
Congratulations
to Jimmy and Ruth McCullagh
on the safe arrival of their beautiful six-pound baby girl!
Best wishes from
all the Hillwalkers!
Forthcoming events
2006
The Banff
Mountain Film Festival World Tour is presented in
Films in this
year's tour bring the spirit of adventure to life on the screen. A wide variety
of stories - from mountain and water sports, mountain culture and the
environment - will entice and inspire viewers. The tour's line-up includes
films from
Venue: Astra Hall, Students building, UCD
Date & Time:
5th and 6th April. Start:
Tickets: €15 from
Great Outdoors,
Films range from
3 minutes to 52 minutes in length.
Social corner
GREAT SUCCESS IN RATHGAR …
The folk night on
the 17th February was a great success. Approx. 60 members turned up at the 108
in Rathgar to hear great music and singing from Joe Kavanagh and Terry Cartin, among
many other talented people. The craic started at
about
Anne Russell
Indian Food Night
Location: Indian
Restaurant
Temple Bar, City
Centre
Date: Friday, 31st of March
Time: Evening
Ring Steve Buckney after the 12th of March for details and to book a
place
Suggestions welcome!
Please contact
our Social Organiser Steve Buckney with ideas for
future social outings.
Trip Announcement 1:
Scottish Highlands
This is a
pre-announcement of a forthcoming trip to
Dates: Sat, 22 July –
Leader: Mark Campion
Area: Glencoe /
The ultimate
choice depends on the people involved and subsequent transport arrangements
Cost: In the region of €370, excluding food
Accommodation: Hostels and
Transport: Private cars or minibus, depending again on people
involved
Numbers: 15 max
Possible hikes in
Meall Chuaidh (short
hike for day 1 off the A9) / Ben Macdui / Easains / Creag Meagaidh /
These hikes may
change. It is likely that we will do seven hikes weather permitting, with a
rest day or two in the middle. There will obviously be scope for those who want
extra rest days. Also, there may be scope to do two grades of hikes depending
on the make-up of the party.
The average
length of the hikes will be 20km with plenty of ascent, so a good level of mountain
fitness and stamina will be required.
Further details and booking
arrangements in the April newsletter.
In the meantime,
anyone interested contact:
Mark Campion
Trip Announcement 2:
Spain – Camino de Santiago
"It’s hard to imagine a better way to
enjoy
Eoin Moroney is
planning a small walking trip to the old pilgrim route of the Camino de
Santiago de Compostela in northern
This walk on a
dedicated walking trail will cross the beautiful mountain scenery at the north
of
However,
conditions on this walk will be quite difficult. Walkers will have to carry all their supplies
including clothes for ten days.
Temperatures may
be quite warm (in the high 20's to low 30's).
We will not have prearranged
accommodation although there are refuges along the way
offering accommodation to Pilgrims.
Cost of the
flights to
If you might be
interested in this exciting and challenging trip, please call Eoin Moroney
EASTER TRIP 2006
Thursday 13th -
Monday 17th April
Llanberis Youth Hostel
FULLY BOOKED
Anyone still
interested in putting their name on the waiting list, please contact:
An Óige Head Office, Tel. 8304555
And a reminder
for those who are booked on the trip but haven’t paid the full amount yet:
BALANCE OF € 150
NOW DUE!
Inside the Committee:
Weekend Coordinator
Eoin Moroney is the
member of the committee responsible for coordination of weekend trips, and with
a special interest in accessibility issues.
He has been a member of the Hillwalkers for
over ten years (tempus fugit), and is still as keen as ever on the
mountains. Outside walking, Eoin lives in the Arbour Hill area, and loves the finer
things in life: good food, music, books, and above all, conversation.
Travel Abroad
The
Vegetation
We arrived at
We stayed
overnight in a motel a few miles outside
It was a
brilliant morning, not too hot for August, with crystal clear air. As we were
driving along the road we could see many plumes of smoke rising in the distance
and at the side of the road – the whole area seemed to be alive with steam,
And then it was
time to visit “
For me, the most
fascination feature of
Mammoth
Bizarrely shaped,
colourful terraces grow rapidly around these
Wildlife Viewing
Wild animals seem
to love resting on the ground heated by volcanic activity – we saw many deer
sitting in the tall grass near
There are
approximately 3,500 bison (or buffalo) in
Walking & Hiking
We visited the
area as part of a two-week, 3,500-mile driving holiday across the
Barbara Sudrow