Shots From The Burren

Amazing Photos From The Burren By Photographer Dave Hunt

Heart Attack On The Mountain

This happens from time to time, especially the more time you spend hiking in the hills and mountains; either in your own group of hikers, or coming across another group.

There are so many different situations and variations that there is no single right way of dealing with this incident. Here are a few considerations though.


1. Assume The Worst

2. React Instantly By Dialing 112 & Asking For Mountain Rescue (Good To Have A Phone Handy In Your Pocket, Dry & Fully Charged)

3. Give Your Location By Mountain Range, Mountain; & Grid Reference If Asked (Do A Mountain Skills Course)

4. Tell Mountain Rescue You Have A Heart Attack Incident & Ask For A Helicopter

5. First Aid Needs To Happen The Instant You Are Off The Phone - CPR - Or Beforehand If Another Of Your Group Has A First Aid Qualification (Do An Outdoor First Aid Course)

6. If You Will Be Doing Both Rescue Phone Call & Emergency CPR, Make Call First Before Beginning CPR (Don't Even Worry About Checking For Breathing/Pulse Before Making Your Call. You Can Always Call Mountain Rescue Back & Tell Them It Was A False Alarm)

7. Is The Rest Of Your Group Safe, Warm, Protected From Elements? (You Currently Have Only One Casualty, You Don't Want Multiple Casualties From Cold/Hypothermia)

8. Are You Safe? Take Your Time Approaching Casualty (It Can Be Easy To Trip/Fall In The Panic/Adrenaline Of The Moment)

9. Check Breathing/Pulse/Vital Signs. Vital Signs Can Be Really Hard To Find. If There Are None, Or If You Are Just Unsure As To Whether The Casualty Has Vital Signs, Start CPR (Do An Outdoor First Aid Course)

10. In This Situation Don't Worry About Insulating The Casualty From The Cold/Wet Ground, Just Go Straight Into CPR

11. Listen For Vomit In Their Throat/Air-Way As This Is Likely To Happen & Needs To Be Cleared ASAP (Good To Carry Some Surgical Gloves In Your Backpack Top Pocket & A Rigid CPR Face Mask)

12. Keep Yourself Safe & Try To Stay Calm (Easier Said Than Done)

13. Keep Your Friends/Group Safe (One Person In Your Group Should Be Appointed To Keep An Eye On Everyone Else)

14. One Person In Your Group Should Be Appointed To Handle Phone Calls With Mountain Rescue (This Person Should Have Several Phones At Their Disposal, Inc 087 & 086)

15. If You Are By Yourself & Need To Perform CPR & Mountain Rescue Phone Calls At The Same Time, Place Your Phone Beside You & Put On Loudspeaker (Works Well On A Calm'ish Day)

16. Although Slight Overkill A Basic Flare Can Be Useful For Signalling In The Helicopter. Otherwise A High-Vis Jacket Works & Is Lightweight To Carry In Your Backpack

17. Ignore The Helicopter, Unless They Communicate With You. Just Keep Doing Your CPR Until Instructed Otherwise

18. As The Helicopter Comes In Watch For The Down-Draught, Blowing Away Backpacks & Gear (You May Be Surprised How Powerful & Noisy It Is)

19. When You Initially Put Down Your Own Backpack At The Start Of The Incident Keep It Close To You & Be Really Careful It Can't Roll Away

20. Be Careful Coming Off The Mountain Afterwards, As Concentration Will Be Naturally Effected

Second Hand Kayaking Gear & Wetsuits For Sale

Wild Water Earless Kayak Helmet: €20
Size: Adult Small/Medium/Large





TWF 4 Buckle Water Ski/Kayak Bouyancy Aid: €20
Size: Adult Small/Medium/Large/X Large





TWF Steamer Wetsuit: €25
3MM Neoprene Body & 2MM Neoprene Arms/Legs
Size: Adult Small/Medium/Large/X Large





To View Or Buy Please Contact Nathan On: info@outdoorsireland.com

Sunset Over Kinvara Bay & Galway Bay

Sunset Over Kinvara Bay & Galway Bay Looking Towards Burren & Atlantic Ocean. Amazing Evening For Kayaking!

Kayak In Killarney Or Rock Climb In Burren This Sat 2nd March

This Saturday 2nd March we have a Killarney Lakes Kayak Trip, 10am - 1pm, @ €50pp, which is beginner friendly. You will stay warm and dry'ish! This guided kayak tour will take you through the islands and caves of Lough Lein, landing at the ruins of Innisfallen Abbey and Ross Castle.

We also have a Burren Rock Climbing Day, 10am - 4pm/5pm, @ €75pp, which is also beginner friendly. You will cover climbing techniques, rope work, belaying, knots, safety checks and possibly abseiling if time.

Interested? Please get in touch with Nathan on info@outdoorsireland.com or +353 (0) 86 860 45 63!

Mountain Skills 2 Syllabus

Here is a list of the course content for our Mountain Skills 2 Courses. We run our Mountain Skills Training Courses in Kerry, Galway and Wicklow. These courses are approved by Mountaineering Ireland.

Mountaineering Ireland/BOS Mountain Skills/Mountain Leader

Mountain Hypothermia - Causes/Recognition/Treatment/Prevention

3 Norths - True/Grid/Magnetic

Set Map With Features
Set Map With Compass
Pacing
Timing
Compass Bearing
Back Bearing
Back Pack Drop
Feature Recognition – Close/Distant
Handrail Navigation
Contour Navigation
Cut Off Point
Tick Off Point
Attack Point
Aiming Off
Re–Section

Night Navigation - Reasons/Actions/Compass Leap Frog

Route Planning - Identify Quality Mountain Walks/Route Card/Bad Weather Route/Escape Route

Mountain Rescue - Mountain Rescue Ireland/Incident Procedure/Scenario/Call Out Procedure

Route Finding/Look At Big Picture
Ascent/Descent/Traverse
Safe Movement
Safe Haven
Hazards
Scouting
Spotting
Environment Considerations

Recap Day 1

Mountain Skills Assessment Feedback


Click Here To Book A Mountain Skills 2 Training Course

Mountain Skills 1 Syllabus

Here is a list of the course content for our Mountain Skills 1 Courses. We run our Mountain Skills Training Courses in Kerry, Galway and Wicklow. These courses are approved by Mountaineering Ireland.



Mountaineering Ireland/BOS
Mountain Skills/Mountain Leader

Scale
Symbols
Age/Reliability
Early OSI Maps – 1970 Photography
Current OSI Maps – 1995 Photography
National Grid
4 Figure Grid Reference
6 Figure Grid Reference

Set Map With Features
Thumbing
Contour Features
Distance Estimation
Time Estimation
Handrail Navigation
Contour Navigation
Cut Off Point
Tick Off Point
Distance Measurement
Pacing
GPS Intro

Mountain Equipment - Essential Gear

Access/Land Ownership
Hill Walker/Land Owner Relations
Plants/Wildlife
Leave No Trace

Mountain Hazards - Mountain/Weather/Human

Naismith’s Rule - 5KM = 60 Mins/1 Uphill Contour = 1 Min
Recap Contour Features - Flat/Steep/Spot Height/Spur/Col/Re–Entrant/Plateau/Corrie

Pacing
Timing
Back Pack Drop
Feature Recognition – Close/Distant
Set Map With Compass
Attack Point
Re–Location
4 Figure Grid Reference
6 Figure Grid Reference

Basic Compass Bearing

Route Card - Escape Route


Click Here To Book A Mountain Skills 1 Training Course

Kerry Way Guided Hike, Near Derrynane

Kerry Way Hike On Friday, Near Caherdaniel Village & Through Part Of Derrynane National Park

Climbing Carrauntoohil, Ireland's Highest Mountain

One Of Our Guided Climbs Of Carrauntoohil, In Kerry's MacGillycuddy Reeks Recently

Kayaking On The Lakes Of Killarney This Weekend!

We have a Guided Kayak Trip on the Lakes of Killarney this Saturday 16th, with places on both our morning trip, 10am - 1pm, and our afternoon trip, 2pm - 5pm.
Click Here For More Details

To Book Contact Nathan:
+353 (0) 86 860 45 63
info@outdoorsireland.com

Canoe / Kayak X Rescue (Canoe Skills Training)

1. Carefully/Slowly Pull The Canoe Across Your Own Deck, Allowing The Air Lock To Break & The Water To Drain



2. Tip It Back & Forth A Couple Of Times If Need Be, Especially With A Kayak, To Fully Drain It



3. Making Sure The Canoe Stays Across Your Own Deck Flip It Over. Keep A Tight Hold!



4. From This Position Slide It Back Into The Water Alongside Your Own Canoe. Keep A Tight Hold!



5. Tightly Hold Both Canoes Alongside Each Other, Which Will Allow Swimmers To Climb In


Next Rescue Blog We Will Look At Breaking An Air Lock & Scooping In A Swimmer

Kayaking In Killarney National Park

A Spring Day Kayak Trip Through Killarney National Park, Lough Lein & Muckross Lake

Hiking In The Burren, Near Kinvara

Recent Hike In The Burren Hills Overlooking Kinvara & Galway Bay


Early Morning Over Kinvara Harbour & Dunguaire Castle



Galway Hooker Tied Alongside Pier, Looking Towards Galway Bay



Up On The Burren Hills, Looking Towards Clare



Limestone & Glassy Calm Waters!