MEET:
Outside old Irish Press Offices, Burgh Quay, down from Spar shop.DEPART Sundays 10.00 A.M. (or when the bus is full)
COST: Private bus. Cost 10.00 Euro.
NOTE:
The leader has the right to refuse anyone who is not adequately equipped (i.e. without adequate rainwear, spare clothes, food, torch and hiking boots). The leader has the right to extend, curtail or alter the route from that described in the program. The leader sets the pace of the hike and walkers are expected to obey his/her instructions at all times.During winter months it is essential to bring a (head) torch on all Sunday hikes and weekends away. Don’t forget to check your batteries and bulb.
Your club membership card MUST be carried and produced, if requested on all Sunday hikes. Numbered tickets will be given out on the quays by a committee member. People with a valid membership card and ticket will be given preference on the bus.
MOUNTAIN SAFETY NOTE
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. The Committee requests that anyone who is on medication or with a medical condition inform the leader before the start of the hike.
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 feet into the scruff where the ground is untrodden, walking parallel to but not on the track.
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
Jim has asked us to include his email for queries regarding the walking schedule including
offers to lead and weekend away queries.
Hike co-ordinator email address:
|
Date |
Route Description |
Leader |
|
|
7th Sept |
Mournes Mountains Co. Down Route: Rocky River Bridge (G.R.234 278) – Hen Mtn – Cock Mtn – Pigeon Rock Mtn – Batt’s Wall – Slievemoughanmore – Windy Gap – Ulster Way – Leitrim Lodge Picnic Area – River Rock Bridge. A shortened version will be arranged for moderate walkers. Long Version - [12km/800m Ascent] Please Note 09.30am departure time from Burgh Quay Special Bus Price - €15 |
Martin Fagan |
|
|
14th Sept |
Introductory Hard Hike [16km/1000m Ascent] |
Pat Drew |
|
|
21st Sept |
Route: Ballinastoe Lower (G.R.194 078) – White Hill – Djouce – Coffin Stone – War Hill – Tonduff South – Maulin – Crone Wood – Knockree Y.H. – Wicklow Way Track – Curtlestown Carpark. [16km/700m Ascent] |
Joe Gilvarry |
|
|
28th Sept |
Route: Shay Elliot Memorial – Ballybraid – Mullacor – Lugduff Mtn – The Spink – Pollanass Waterfall – Wicklow Way Track – Derrybawn Mtn - Cullentragh – Military Road.
[16km/700m Ascent] |
Don Reilly |
|
|
5th Oct |
Introductory Hard Hike [17km/850m Ascent] |
Pearse Foley |
|
10th Anniversary PARTY Thursday 9th October
The AGM will be immediately followed by the Club’s 10th anniversary celebrations in the same venue, Arlington Hotel. The Club will be laying food, wine and ballad music in the Arlington Hotel, from 9.00 to 11.00, followed by a disco in the hotel. All members are welcome!
The Club has organised a great trip for the October bank holiday weekend. This will be led by Frank Rooney and be based in a comfortable hostel (with low density rooms) in Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh. The walks will take in counties Sligo, Leitrim and Fermanagh. Cost is currently estimated as €160 including meals. Further details to be advertised in the next newsletter. Booking now open at head office.
Enclosed in this double issue of the newsletter are details of the Club’s AGM to be held in October. We will be marking the 10th anniversary of the An Óige Hillwalkers club and will be celebrating this after the AGM, so please put that date in your diaries.
Nominations are invited from interested person able to devote time and effort to helping the club as a committee member. The nomination form is elsewhere in the newsletter and is based on the procedures outlined in our club constitution for committee nominations.
Day Hike
Saturday 13th September Knocksink Woods
Saturday 11th October Crone & Djouce
Wear: Packed lunch, wet weather gear, boots, tracksuit bottoms (no jeans), hat and gloves.
Meet: Messrs Maguire Bar, O’Connell Bridge, Dublin at 8.45am.
Weekends Away
October 31st to November 2nd Stepaside to Knockree Backpack.
For further details contact An Óige office 8304555.
With this being the penultimate issue of my Editorialship, I leave you with a brief tale fuelled by the meglomania that was a hall-mark of my time in power…
There was a booming clang of metal as the battering ram crashed against the great fortress gates. From up in his high tower, the Mighty Editor could hear the forces arrayed against him baying for his blood. This time the hordes outside were too many to withstand. Turning his gaze outward he saw the leader of the besieging army: his arch-enemy, Sir Philip de Hayden. Further afield he espied Count Don de Reilly and ‘Mad’ James of the Clan McCullough. The battering ram, he noted, was cunningly rigged up to a thread-mill on which Steely Steve James was working away, powering the mighty device with his power-walking.
There was a crash as the castle gates collapsed and the hordes surged through the gap into the courtyard…right where he wanted them: "Release the oil Igor." The screams of his detractors as boiling oil and flaming arrows reigned down on them brought a momentary smile to the Editors face.
But with little delay the mob poured like ants (or rather slightly crispy, singed, irate ants) into his final bastion. Hearing them rampaging through the floors below, the Editor turned to leave. Suddenly, Sir Philip came bounding up the stairwell into the Editor’s throne-room. Brandishing his sword he cried aloud: "Now you varlet, you will answer for your crimes." But the Editor just turned tail and fled. All was prepared! He reached the battlements of his high-tower and leapt into the awaiting hot-air balloon (already fired up by burning copies of The Hillwalker, appropriately enough).
Sir Philip could only shake his fist in helpless fury as the Editor once again outwitted his foes and drifted up and away to freedom. "I’ll be back. You have not seen the last of me. Heeh, hheh, hhe. Haa, hha. Har! (Go away pesky seagulls, stop pecking the balloon) I will wreak my revenge on you all, do you hear? (shoo shoo). The pen is mightier than the sword!!!"
Aah, yes, gentle readers, I’ll miss the power…
Since its founding in 1993, the Hillwalker's Club has organised a popular Map and Compass programme each year. The course aims to provide a comprehensive grounding in Mountain Skills and it typically involves three indoor evening sessions followed by three outdoor training weekends. The syllabus covered in the course is similar to the Mountain Skills courses (MS1 and MS2) prescribed by Bord Oiliunt Sleibhe - Irish Mountain Training Board and offered by the various Irish outdoor adventure centres (eg, Tiglin, Delphi, etc).
In order to further promote and develop mountain skills amongst club members, financial support in the form of bursaries will be made available to members who successfully complete a Mountain Skills Assessment in 2003.
The Mountain Skills Assessment (MSA) is based on a skills evaluation programme and is held over a weekend. It involves a number of stages as follows:
To undertake the Mountain Skills Assessment (MSA), it is necessary to fulfil the following requirements:
The National Adventure Centre at Tiglin, Wicklow (www.tiglin.com) amongst others, organises the MSA at a current cost of €170.
In 2003, the Hillwalker's Club plans to make available at least five bursaries each of €150 to members of at least 24 months standing who successfully complete the MSA.
The financial resources to support these bursaries will be made available from the surplus associated with the Club's annual Map and Compass training programme. Support in future years is contingent on sufficient funds being available from this source.
Further enquiries from Donal Finn or Joseph Kellegher.
To avail of the scheme a prospective leader need only contact Jimmy McCullagh (contact details given elsewhere in Newsletter) for the names of willing co-leaders. The onus is then on the prospective leader to contact and organise a co-leader for their hike.
The scheme is intended as a natural means of encouraging and developing leadership skills in the club. Its aims are to encourage more people to lead hikes and also to share the wealth of experience within the club.
Jimmy McCullagh
Club Training Assistant
This is my penultimate issue as editor of the Hillwalker and anyone wishing to send in any Hillwalking holiday articles and photos for inclusion in the newsletter should be send to the new editor when their details are announced after this year’s AGM. In the meantime ,email:
warrenl@gofree.indigo.ieColour photos, current issue and back issues of the Hillwalker available at online courtesy of our webmaster Matt Geraghty at:
http://homepage.eircom.net/~thehillwalker/index.htm
In light of the upcoming weekends away, we would just like to repeat the Club’s payment and cancellation policy. This policy is important to safeguard the Club’s finances against the significant losses that even just one or two cancellations can cost, bearing in mind that hostels and transport may already have been paid in advance.
PAYMENT
Payment for weekend trips organised by An Oige Hillwalkers Club is made in two instalments: PAYMENT 1 and PAYMENT 2, both to An Oige Head Office.
PAYMENT 1 secures a place on the trip.
PAYMENT 2 is due by the date stated in the programme (generally 10 days before departure).
CANCELLATION
(1) Cancellation is possible up to 24 hours before departure, provided the vacant place can be filled from the waiting list. In this case, payments made to-date will be refunded in full.
(2) If the vacant place cannot be filled from the waiting list, a refund of PAYMENT 2 only may be possible in special circumstances (for example, family emergencies or medical reasons) and only upon applying in writing to the Committee.
Chairperson: Donal Finn
Secretary: Frank Rooney
Treasurer: Prionsias Mac an Bheatha
Editor: Warren Lawless
Sunday Hikes: Jim Barry
Sunday Hikes Assistant: Tom Kenny
Membership Secretary: Barbara Sudrow
Training Officer: Joe Kellegher
Training Assistant: Jimmy McCullagh
Young Hillwalkers: Dave Rooney
Distribution: Cyril McFeeney & Pearse Foley
Webmaster: Matt Geraghty
2003 AGM
7.30pm, Thursday Oct 9th, 2003
Arlington Hotel, Bachelors Walk, Dublin 1
to be followed by a
10th Anniversary PARTY
The 2003 will follow the usual format with a brief report from each of the Club's officers (Secretary, Treasurer, Sunday Hike, Training, Editor, Membership, Weekend) followed by discussion.
Outgoing Committee
Donal Finn will stand down as Chairperson in October 2003 after three years in this position.
Warren Lawless, after three years as our editor, would like to stand down in October 2003.
The following members of the committee are happy to serve for one further year (Jim Barry, Tom Kenny, Prionnsias MacAnBheatha, Jimmy McCullagh, Frank Rooney, Barbara Sudrow).
Donal Finn and Joe Kellegher will act as Members-at-Large in 2004, thereby transferring their experience to new committee members, with the intention of standing down in October 2004.
Incoming Committee
Nominations are invited from members for one or possibly two positions on the 2004 Committee. If you feel that you would like to contribute to the running of the Hillwalkers Club in 2004, why not talk to a few of the outgoing committee so as to find out more about what is involved in being a committee member. A nomination form is included that conforms to the nomination procedures in the Club’s constitution, adopted at the last AGM.
We would particularly welcome participation from female members who are currently under-represented on the committee.
Interested persons should complete the NOMINATION FORM to be found elsewhere in the programme. The names of the nominees will be published in the September programme.
One member has already expressed a possible interest in helping the Club during 2004.
Membership Year 2004
The membership year will run from October 2003 to September 2004. Membership will be available on the night of the AGM. The fee for 2004 will be €25 per member.
10th Anniversary PARTY
The AGM will be immediately followed by the Club’s 10th anniversary celebrations. The Club will be laying food, wine and ballad music in the Arlington Hotel, from 9.00 to 11.30, followed by a disco in the hotel. All members are welcome!
AGM Schedule
7.30-9.00 AGM (please arrive by 7.15 as we plan a prompt start).
9.00-11.00 Food, drink and music
11.00 Disco till late
If you feel that you would like to contribute to the running of the Hillwalkers Club in 2004, why not talk to a few members of the outgoing committee so as to find out more about what is involved in being a committee member.
Having done so, if you think that you can contribute in a role that is of interest to you, please complete the NOMINATION FORM below and submit it the Club Secretary.
Interest would be particularly welcome from female members who are currently under-represented on the committee.
Please note that since adopting our new Constitution at our 2002 AGM, nominees should have the support of 2 members and 2 committee members for consideration at the AGM.
I, , would like to be considered for election to the Committee of An Óige Hillwalkers Club at the upcoming AGM to be held on October 9th, 2003.
My candidature is supported by the following members and committee members:
Name Signature
Member 1 ______________________ ______________________
Member 2 ______________________ ______________________
Committee Member 1 ______________________ ______________________
Committee Member 2 ______________________ ______________________
Signature: ____________________________ Date: ________________
This form should be submitted before August 17th, 2003 to the Club Secretary, Mr. Frank Rooney at the following address: 31 Carrickhill Walk, Portmarnock, Co. Dublin.
The Club will be running its annual Map and Compass course commencing in October 2003. The course will include three Tuesday evening introductory sessions, each of duration of 2 hours, to be held in the An Óige Headquarters, Mountjoy Street. In addition, there will be two weekend training sessions as well as one night navigation session, all based in Wicklow. Accommodation for the two Wicklow weekends will be provided in the Glendalough Hostel. A separate consolidation session will be organised in the Commeragh Mountains, Co. Waterford, for the weekend of Jan 30st to Feb 1st 2004.
Evening Sessions (3): Room 102, 7.15 pm for 7.30pm start, October 14th & 28th and November 11th (Tuesdays)
Evening Venue: An Óige Headquarters, 61 Mountjoy Street, Dublin 7
Requirements:
(1) Ordnance Survey Map, Sheet 56 - Wicklow (Scale 1:50,000)
Laminated version is recommended (€15)
(2) Compass, Silva Expedition 4 graduated into 360 degrees (€40)
NB: A 10% discount is available on all outdoor equipment in either The Great Outdoors, Chatham Street, off Grafton Street, or The Outdoor Adventure Centre, Liffey St. (opposite Arnotts) on production of a valid An Óige or MCI membership card.
First Weekend: October 18th & 19th, Wicklow Mountains, meet outside Lynam's Pub, Larragh at 9.45am
Accommodation in the Glendalough International Hostel
(Saturday overnight) is included in the course cost.
Second Weekend: November 15th & 16th, Wicklow Mountains, meet outside Lynam's Pub, Larragh at 9.45am
Accommodation in the Glendalough International Hostel
(Saturday overnight) is included in the course cost.
Night Hike: December 7th, meet outside Coach House Pub, Roundwood at 4.00pm
Course Cost: €75
Cost includes:-
- Course
- 2 overnights in the Glendalough Hostel
Cost excludes:-
- Transport costs to/from Wicklow for both weekends
- Commeragh weekend Feb 2003
Booking: It is essential that interested persons book in advance through the An Óige Head Office, Tel (01) 830 4555.
Consolidation Weekend: January 30th – February 1st, 2004, Rathgormack Mountaineering Hostel, Commeragh Mtns., Co. Waterford.
(Costs associated with this weekend are not included in course cost)
Course Organiser: Jimmy McCullagh