St Colmcille's Holy Well

Over the years I've spent a lot of time at holy wells, for work purposes 😅

This, last week, was the coolest one I've even come across. St Colmcille's - and meant to have healing properties.

At high tide, and for a large part of each day, this well is covered by the sea. Then at low tide it becomes exposed, with fresh water bubbling up out of it, and trickling away across the mud flats, into the Atlantic eventually :)

Good article about prepping in the Irish Times this week

Good article about prepping in the Irish Times this week:
www.irishtimes.com/life-style/people/2025/04/19/meet-irelands-survivalists-one-bunker-takes-150-people-and-has-its-own-water-source-2/

First Kayak Trip Of 2025 In Glengarriff Bay :)

Killarney Kayaking has been running trips for a while now this spring; but between the jigs and reels - in Glengarriff Bay - this was my first kayak trip of 2025. 630am sunrise trip, and what a morning to start back 😀
 

Glassy waters, two lovely ladies from Belfast/Mayo, curious seals and one unperturbed eagle high up in his nest.
 

First piece of 2025 sea glass to add to my collection; and first bits of rubbish out of the bay.
 

2 degrees at 630am; a warm 7 degrees as we finished.
 

Roll on Easter and the summer 🛶

Coming Up Over The Coming Weeks In Glengarriff, Cork; Lowland Leader Training, Mountain Skills 2 Training, Bushcraft Skills Week, Bushcraft Skills 1

I have a flurry of training courses coming up over the coming weeks; and in fact all of them are beginner friendly. A couple of spots are left available on all of them, so get in touch on info@outdoorsireland.com if you are interested. Thanks, Nathan Kingerlee-Outdoors Ireland


19th - 20th Apr : Lowland Leader Training
https://www.outdoorsireland.com/activities/lowland-leader/
This is the training course to become a hiking leader, guiding and leading on trails/tracks/paths/beaches, across Ireland and UK

23rd - 24th Apr : Mountain Skills 2 : Glengarriff
https://www.outdoorsireland.com/activities/mountain-skills/
Follow-on from Mountain Skills 1, this course covers compass skills, more in-depth map reading, navigation techniques, night navigation and skills for steep exposed mountainside

26th - 30th Apr : Bushcraft Skills Week : (5 Day Beginner Friendly)
https://www.outdoorsireland.com/activities/bushcraft-skills/
Our ultimate bushcraft course! Five days and four nights in the wilds, learning how to both survive and also thrive. From fire making to shelter building; from tarp and hammock skills to foraging and making natural cordage. Beginner friendly

3rd - 4th May : Mountain Skills 1 : Glengarriff
https://www.outdoorsireland.com/activities/mountain-skills/
Beginner friendly map reading, navigation and mountain safety course. This is the first step of getting self sufficient for the Irish mountains, and being able to get off trail and into the wilder mountains

10th - 11th May : Bushcraft Skills 1
https://www.outdoorsireland.com/activities/bushcraft-skills/
Beginner friendly, bushcraft training - covering a wide range of bushcraft skills over the two days - including fire making, shelter building, foraging, fire managment and outdoor cooking

BBC - Ardal O Hanlon Kayaks With Us In Glengarriff Bay

Our Kayaking Piece Is @ 2:32mins Or This Link: https://youtu.be/ePvDLeyxl4U?t=152

A while back I had the priviledge to meet, and work with, probably my biggest hero - Ardal O Hanlon / Father Dougal.

Anytime I'm under big pressure some Father Ted; with a cup of tea or glass of wine always fixes things😃

This is the footage from BBC. Thankfully I'm in the background and not on camera😅

Fair play to Bantry Bay Charters and Eccles Hotel & Spa also!

Bushcraft Skills Courses Coming Up At Our Bushcraft Base, In Glengarriff/Cork

Two bushcraft skills courses coming up over the coming weeks; with places available on both to book.


Five-Day Bushcraft Skills Week; nicely intensive but also completely beginner friendly; running 26th - 30th April: https://www.outdoorsireland.com/activities/bushcraft-skills/


Two-Day Bushcraft Skills 1; our most popular bushcraft course; completely beginner friendly - and you cover a lot over the two days - running 10th - 11th May: https://www.outdoorsireland.com/activities/bushcraft-skills/

My Youngest Ever Mountain Skills Student

My youngest ever mountain skills student, 11 year old Alielle. She could map read as well as any adult; and better than some!

Thanks to her and her great mom for hitting the hills last weekend

Mountain Skills Details & Dates Here

Skylark

The mountains are alive with busy skylarks at the moment. This is what a skylark sounds like, although you won't see it 🙂 This was a beautiful warm sunny second day of a Mountain Skills 1 Course, up in the West Cork Mountains.

Homeward Bound

Well that's that's; homeward bound after nearly two months of winter walking and winter climbing in the Scottish Highlands.

Two months of living and breathing snowpacks, avalanche reports and frontal systems 🙂

Thanks to some great climbing partners; Elaine-about to give up smoking for good; Jason-about to spend the summer driving around Ireland; @jennygrahamis_ just back from setting a record cycling around the world!

@glenmorelodge @mountaineering_ireland @mountaineeringscotland

The consolation for leaving the snow behind, is at least I'm going into a summer floating on Glengarriff Bay in a kayak; catching up with otters, kingfishers and sea eagles 😎
@glengarriffwoodsnr

Mountain Skills 1, Map Reading & Navigation Weekend, Coming Up In Glengarriff/Cork

Kicking things off this spring with a two-day, beginner friendly, Mountain Skills 1 on the weekend of 29th & 30th Mar.

This is a map reading/compass skills/navigation weekend - aimed at getting hill walkers self sufficient, and giving the skills to get off trail.

More details here: www.outdoorsireland.com/activities/mountain-skills