Compiled by
FRANCIS BRADLEY
Mountaineering skillsMountaineering Ireland has organised weekends in the Mournes and Wicklow for students and young people between the ages of 18 and 23. The events will be held on December 9th-12th at the IMC Hut, Glendalough and January 13th-15th at Queens Hut in the Mournes.
Topics, such as navigation, route choice, leadership, mountain hazards, mountain weather and emergency rope work will be covered. Participants from these training weekends will get the chance to progress their skills at Mountaineering Ireland’s Scottish winter meet in February.
The price for a weekend is €35/£30 (self- catered). mountaineering.ie.
Christmas at Lough KeyThroughout December there is a host of festive fun for all the family at Lough Key Forest and Activity Park. There will be Christmas treasure hunts on December 10th and 18th, arts and crafts classes, colouring competition, face painting and storytelling. Santa will visit on Sunday, December 11th. After Christmas, the park will reopen on December 27th. loughkey.ie.
BootleggingBootleggers Hillwalking club is inviting newcomers to join them on a Wicklow walk on Sunday, December 18th.
The planned route is an 11km moderate walk from Oldbridge, Scarr, Kanturk and back to Oldbridge. Participants must be properly equipped – boots, suitable clothing, waterproofs, change of clothes, food and a hot drink.
Meet between 9.45am and 10am in front of the Rutland Fountain opposite the National Gallery.
Transport is by car pool. Passengers give €7 to cover petrol. bootleggers.ie.
A busy ChristmasHidden Ireland Adventures has a busy schedule planned over the Christmas period.
There are nine outings to choose from between December 21st and January 8th.
For example, there is a walk up Carrauntoohill on Christmas Eve – this costs €75 including transport ex-Killarney; a Christmas Day walk (morning) from Kate Kearney’s Cottage in the Gap of Dunloe (€35); and Mount Brandon on St Stephen’s Day (€50, including transport ex-Dingle). hiddenirelandadventures.com.