Today we took on the high point of Donegal's Mount Errigal at 751m.
First we scooted up its lesser peak Mackoght at 555m. It is not to be taken for granted and a great warm up while facing into a stiff northerly wind.
On the saddle we encountered a sharp blast of hailstone which thankfully cleared quickly.
By the time we reached the summit ridge the swirling mist and low clouds had lifted revealing the stunning views that Errigal is renowned for.
It was a most enjoyable and rewarding day out.
Sligo's Royal Peaks Hike
The weather conditions made for a difficult hike todeay for the Royal Peaks event. We still managed to cover most of the planned route even with the constant downpour. Unfortunately the visibility was zero. However the team participated in good spirits and even managed a cheer when the decision was made to descend off Benwiskin a little earlier that intended :) :) :) . Well done to all.
Benbulben - "Half term hiking"
Back up Benbulben today with this lovely extended family who were making the best of the half term school holidays. We had loads of fun time and enjoyed fabulous views. Croagh Patrick even managed to make an appearance. It was a most enjoyable day for the young and not so young!!!
Slieve League on a windy day - Saturday 17th August 2019
It was a day of four seasons. Very strong winds, hailstones, downpour, and sunshine. All this made for challenging conditions for our hike up and over these fine coastal cliffs of Slieve League in west Donegal. We debated whether it would be possible to cross over the narrow "One mans pass" but on arrival the wind speeds were not as bad as expected and it proved safe to continue over and up to the trig at 601m It was a most enjoyable day out and all agreed it was much preferable to being inside looking out. Where better could you spend a Saturday!!!
A fresh breezy day today for our hike up Benbulben, Sligo's iconic mountain. The day had finally arrived for Kevin from London who's father had left Sligo many years ago. During the regular visits back and forth to visit relations Kevin had viewed Benbulben from a distance. A few months ago Kevin contacted High Hopes Hiking with a view to achieve a long standing ambition to hike to the summit. Today, finally the dream came true. He was joined by others from Donegal, Derry, Tyrone, Armagh, Cavan, Carlow, Galway, Mayo and Germany. A memorable day for one and all.
Yesterday we climbed Mayo's famous mountain via it's western spur and secondary peak of Bengoram. Throughout the ascent we met one solitary hiker on his descent from the summit. On the summit there was the usual hoards of people milling around who had made the ascent via the highly eroded and dangerous slopes on the pilgrim path. We were blessed with superb weather and it just could not have been better. Thanks again for all who joined us and were rewarded with a most enjoyable hike in great company.
Delighted to welcome Sinead Michelle and Lorraine today for a hike up Sligo's iconic mountain.
The weather was perfect with a strong fresh north westerly wind keeping us cool. The trig had taken on a new colouring from some previous hikers celebrating another event. .
Thank you girls for being such a pleasure to have and it was a most enjoyable day.
Here are some high lights and very few low lights from our recent trip to the Lake District in Cumbria. Our base in Keswick proved an ideal location to explore the well known peaks and to conquer the final highest summit in England. Well done to everyone who came and enjoyed a week of great hiking. The weather was amazing apart from one cloudy and misty day. The legs may be tired but will soon recover The memories will outlast any temporary pain experienced. Thanks a million to all who joined in
A beautiful day today on Slieve League, West Donegal, with breathtaking views on what has to be the finest sea cliffs in Europe. Thanks to all who joined in on this adventure.
Wall to wall sunshine was the order of the day for our introductory hike into the 12 Bens. It has to be one of the most scenic locations in the Connemara regions. Today it was at its best. It was a pleasure to have participants from Belfast, Dublin Galway, Mayo Roscommon and Sligo. Apologies if I have left any more out. Thank you all for coming.
Today in the aftermath of storm Hannah we approached Benbulben this morning with caution. The influence of last nights storm was still evident with winds gusting at over 70kph making for difficult progress. Still we persevered and enjoyed good visibility and great fun and completed the hike safely and in high spirits. Thank you for coming today and we look forward to another adventure into the future.
Today we headed to conquer the highest mountain in the west of Ireland, Mweelrea. It was a day of changing landscapes from underneath the clouds to overlooking then from overhead. Mweelrea was at its best and we all thoroughly enjoyed an amazing time of sunshine and great company. Thanks to all who came from east and west and without doubt enjoyed this hike up Mweelrea at its best.
The early morning light showers soon gave way to a good dry day with sunny spells developing in the afternoon. Thanks to all who came and enjoyed a wonderful day on this beautiful hike We recounted the dark days of the war of independence at the memorial cross to the Nobel 6, celebrated a birthday, learned about the history of barytes mining and all in all had a ball.
After a day and a night of severe weather influenced by Storm Erik it was strongly debated whether to proceed with today guided hike up Machoght and Errigal. In the end with a good favourable weather forecast by Met Eireann we decided to proceed as planned. We were rewarded and after a few wicked showers early on, the day cleared and the wind almost disappeared to leave us to enjoy one of the best days one could have ever hoped for.. Thanks to those who undertook to travel long distances yesterday and early this morning to participate in the adventure. And to those who chose otherwise the mountain will be there for another day.
A snowy hike up Benbulben
There is something special about a winter hike in snow. Today was one of those days. It was pure enjoyment and pleasure. The pictures say it much better than it can be described.
Croagh Patrick via Bengoram - a unique approach
Fabulous day climbing Croagh Patrick today via Bengoram. The day started dull damp and foggy. However as we ascended into the fog the sun appeared. The valley remained hidden. We were almost above the clouds. and at one stage and could see the the top of Knockmore on Clare Island just appearing above the cloud cover. The bright sunshine produced a unique phenomenon known as the Brocken Spectre. A Brocken spectre is the magnified shadow of an observer cast upon clouds opposite of the Sun's direction. Thanks to all who joined in on today's hike We all had a most enjoyable time.
A great day out for our first hike of 2019.
Despite the sub zero temperatures and chilly winds we enjoyed great visibility, lots of banter and craic in great company.
Thanks to all who travelled from far and wide to join in the fun and adventure.
A great start to the new year.
Wishing all our hiking friends a very happy new year. Looking forward to sharing lots of adventures together in 2019
What better way to celebrate the end of a great years than to hike up Sligo’s iconic mountain with a great group of clients from Armagh, Donegal, and Dublin.
We had a truly memorable hike today. At Eagles View car park it would have been tempting to head for the shelter of the coffee shop or return home but the hardy souls who came were not for turning. The forecasted heavy rainfall turned out to be a number of brief wintry showers. The strong winds were more of a feature and at their highest measured in excess of 110kph. This made for tough progress in the headwinds. We still completed our intended hike in good time with the bonus of an ascent up Truskmore included. That meant we ticked off the two highest peaks in the entire Dartry mountain range. A most rewarding day and well done all who came and enjoyed the experience. Thanks you for coming.
