28 July 2017

Spare Boot Lace Always Handy


Good to always carry two spare boot laces in your backpack (long + heavy duty). Last weekend the sole of a student's boot came away; high in the hills, two hours from our cars. A boot lace wrapped it back up and got him back comfortably.

21 July 2017

Learn To Lead Rock Climb Course - Places Available


Two spaces left, if anyone is interested, in a Learn To Lead Climb Course, running over six days; 27th - 29th Jul plus 3rd - 5th Aug.

Beginner friendly, but intensive course, with all the gear provided.

At the end of this course you will be safe, competent and self-sufficient at bottom roping, top roping, abseiling and lead climbing. This includes the rope work needed for each type of climbing; the set ups needed, anchor placement and climbing techniques.

Block one runs in the Gap of Dunloe/Killarney. Block two runs on Dingle Sea Cliffs/Dingle. Price is €480 per person. For more details please contact Nathan: 086 860 45 63 / info@outdoorsireland.com

20 July 2017

Sundew


We see a lot of this amazing little carnivorous plant, sundew, in the Irish hills and bogs; however rarely see it in flower for some reason. Here it is in flower - tiny white flowers at the top of each green stalk.

The reason the flowers are held high above the sticky meat-eating leaves is to allow pollinating insects like bees do their flower pollinating without being accidentally eaten by the plant!

15 July 2017

Forest & Jungle & Bushcraft Navigation Skills - DDECKSSS Card

For Mountain Skills we teach Route Card; for Forest/Jungle Skills we teach DDECKSSS. This is a simple page to be carried plus memorized.

D / Direction = What Is North/South/East/West Of Your Terrain
D / Danger = What/Where Is Your Main Terrain Danger
E / Escape = Simple Escape Route – Handrail Ideal
C / Conditions = Prevailing Wind Direction/Weather Forecast
K / Known = Known Point In Your Terrain To Re-Focus/Re-Group
S / Size = Max Length/Max Width
S / Shape = Square/Circle/Triangle/Mess
S / Slope = Approx Slope Aspect

You may need to do our training course for this to make full sense! It ties into Forest Skills 1. Next date is Glengarriff on 21st & 22nd Nov.

8 July 2017

Portwest Malin Jacket

Loving the new Portwest Malin Jacket. Using it as a kayaking jacket at moment.

Super impressed with it's toughness and breathability.

Nice to have a hood to pull up when the heavy summer showers come!

The velcro cuffs fasten in well, the zips are pretty sturdy, a useful chest pocket for compass/phone.

The Portwest breathable system, which they call Ventron, is superb and as good a breathable system as I have found anywhere over the years.

I have not spent much time in the mountains in the past weeks, but I am looking forward to putting it to the test in the Cork, Wicklow and Burren Mountains all in the next month!