Christmas 2020 Gift Vouchers!

We have our Christmas 2020 Gift Vouchers available again this year! Our gift vouchers can cover all and any of our training courses plus all and any of our guided kayaking tours; both Killarney Lakes and Glengarriff Bay.

You can also purchase a part-voucher for any value of your choice.

Our gift vouchers do not expire and can also be transferred from one course to another course.

To arrange one please contact me on info@outdoorsireland.com or +353 (0) 86 860 45 63 or click here.

Thanks & Happy Christmas, Nathan

12,000 Estimated Wolves In Mainland Europe

12,000 wild wolves estimated in mainland Europe. Wolves in every single country of mainland Europe, including Holland!

Great Article Here: www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/nov/24/landscape-of-fear-why-we-need-the-wolf-rewilding-scotland

Weil's Disease

Weil's Disease is a bacterial infection, a form of Leptospirosis. It is caught by coming into contact with urine, blood or tissue from an infected cow, pig, dog, mouse, rat, and possibly bat. It is also caught from contact with contaminated water or contaminated soil.

Hill walkers and kayakers can be exposed to this; either through ingestion or transmission through a scratch/cut.

Four simple examples I have seen of infection:
1. Kayaker accidentally swallowing infected river water.
2. Hill walker drinking from a stream.
3. Hill walker putting their sandwich down on a stream bank.
4. Farmer fencing across boggy ground.

Flu-like symptoms develop approx two weeks after infection; however they can develop in anything from two days to thirty days after infection.

Initial Symptoms Include Any Of The Following:
Fever
Chill
Muscle Ache
Head Ache
Cough
Nausea
Vomiting
Appetite Loss

Organ Failure And Death Can Result If Not Treated.

Recommended Approach:
1. Think prevention.
2. Be aware and vigilant.
3. If flu-like symptoms develop two to thirty days after outdoor sports, like hiking, climbing or kayaking, make a doctor visit and tell them you suspect weil's disease/leptospirosis.

Useful Links:
1. https://www.healthline.com/health/weils-disease
2. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/leptospirosis


Nathan Kingerlee - Outdoors Ireland Training School

Click Here To See Our Outdoor Training Courses
Click Here To See Our Guided Kayaking Trips

Course Schedule - Beginner To Mountaineer Fifty-Five Day Intensive Program

Course Schedule - Beginner To Mountaineer Fifty-Five Day Intensive Program

Click Here To See Course Details
Click Here To Contact Us

Next Dates:
Mon 10th Jan - Fri 25th Mar 2022
Eleven Weeks / Mon - Fri / Weekends Off


10th - 13th Jan : Mountain Skills 1
14th Jan : Mountain Day 1

17th - 20th Jan : Mountain Skills 2
21st Jan : Mountain Day 2

24th - 25th Jan : Scramble Skills 1
26th - 27th Jan : Scramble Skills 2
28th Jan : Mountain Day 3

31st Jan - 1st Feb : Scramble Day 1 - 2
2nd Feb - 4th Feb : Mountain Day 4 - 6

7th - 9th Feb : Remote Emergency Care 3
10th - 11th Feb : Learn To Rock Climb

14th - 15th Feb : Bushcraft Skills 1
16th - 17th Feb : Lowland Leader
18th Feb : Mountain Day 7

21st Feb - 22nd Feb : Expedition 1 (Two-Day Exped Galway)
23rd Feb - 25th Feb : Learn To Lead Climb (Part 1)

28th Feb - 2nd Mar : Learn To Lead Climb (Part 2)
3rd - 4th Mar : Mountain Day 8 - 9

7th - 9th Mar : Expedition 2 (Three-Day Exped Wicklow)
10th - 11th Mar : Mountain Skills Assessment

14th - 17th Mar : Expedition 3/Mountain Leader 1 (Four-Day Exped Kerry)
18th Mar : Lead Climb Day 1

21st - 23rd Mar : Lead Climb Day 2 - 4
24th Mar - 25th Mar : Scramble Day 3 - 4


This Is Provisional And May Change, Due To Weather Considerations, In Order To Make Best Use Of Course Time

Three Step Scrambling & Mountaineering Training Program

I am delighted to announce a three step Scrambling & Mountaineering Training Program.

Details, plus dates for 2021, are here: www.outdoorsireland.com/scrambleskills.php

The aim of these three courses is to give you the skills, techniques and safety awareness to become more adventurous in the mountains; tackling rocky steps, rocky ridges and mountaineering routes.


You can approach this by completing a two-day Scramble Skills 1, followed by a two-day Scramble Skills 2.

Or, as a complete beginner, you can book directly onto Learn To Lead Scramble In Six Days. This six-day mountaineering course takes you from beginner to safe and competent lead scrambler; including giving you two days of proper ridge scrambling experience.

Converting Wind Knots To Beaufort Scale Force

 Converting Knots To Beaufort Scale Force:

1. Take your wind knots and add five
2. Take this new figure and divide by five
3. The answer is the approx beaufort scale force of wind

For Example:
17 Knots Of Wind
Add 5 to 17 = 22
Divide 22 by 5 = 4
So 17 Knots Of Wind = Force 4 (Approx)




Converting Beaufort Scale Force To Knots:

1. Take your beaufort scale and multiply by five
2. Take this new figure and subtract five
3. The answer is the approx knots of wind

For Example:
Force 3 Wind
Multiply 5 by 3 = 15
Subtract 5 from 15 = 10
So Force 3 Wind = 10 Knots (Approx)

Nostoc Alge / Witches Butter

Nostoc Alge, or Witches Butter, up in the Burren Hills.

 

When it rains Nostoc absorbs water, forming gelatinous algae. When the pools dry up, it dries out to form a paper like substance.

 

Nostoc secretes an enzyme into the pools which increases the acidity of the water therefore increasing the erosion within the pools.

 

Apparently it can lie like dried out paper for up to 60 years. Then swell again with moisture, with it's cells undamaged.

More Reading Here