What to bring on a walk
What to bring on a walk
Ireland is great for walking, from every part of the country we have wild and remote mountainside within a few hours drive.
However, on any walk rough terrain will almost certainly be encountered. For most of the hike you can expect the route to be off marked paths and far from a road.
When preparing for a walk a good rule of thumb is to “Prepare for the worst, hope for the best and you'll probably get something in between”.
The following are essential at any time of year:
- good boots, which are waterproof
- hat
- gloves
- coat
- waterproof trousers
- packed lunch
- plenty to drink
- map (preferably laminated)
- compass (Silva type 4 is recommended)
- torch (with spare batteries and a spare bulb)
- first aid kit
- bivvy bag
- whistle
- emergency food rations
Everything you are not wearing should be stored in a waterproof inner bag of rucksack. For some strange reason no rucksack is completely waterproof! Leave a change of clothing in the car. You will get very muddy and wet during a walk and it's nice to freshen up a little before going for a meal with your walking companions. Depending on the time of year, you may also like to take sun block and sunglasses.
Drum up is when we stop to eat. In winter, a hot drink is advisable. Obviously, we take all litter home.
Please don't make yourself unpopular by arriving on a hike without your own food and gear. The "Ah sure, someone else will have the first aid kit or whatever" attitude is the fast track to unpopularity. It's not fair to expect other people to be your donkey.
Route Card
The hike leader will have a compleated route card (save as), containing the details of the hike.
Getting there
The car pool meeting place and the start of each walk are described in "The Rambler", our monthly newsletter. It is usual to offer to contribute towards drivers expenses.
Safety
All walks carry an element of risk and you are responsible for yourself on the mountains.
In mountainous areas the weather can turn nasty very quickly.
Incredibly, there have been fatalities from hypothermia in Summer in Ireland.
If you find yourself in difficulty, the distress signal is 6 short blasts of a whistle, or flashes of a torch, wait one minute and repeat.
After the hike
Each Sunday, we meet up for a meal after the hike.
Tips 'n' tricks
Wear 2 pairs of socks. They provide more insulation and better protection from blisters.
Before the walk, apply plasters to areas on feet where blisters are likely to occur.
Walking poles help to protect your knees from stress.