Upcoming Training Courses & Kayak Trips; In Glengarriff, West Cork

Upcoming Training Courses & Kayak Trips For Next Little While 🙂
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Kayak Skills Training - Level 1 : Contact Us 086 860 4563

Kayak Skills Training - Level 2 : Contact Us 086 860 4563

13th - 17th Oct : Bushcraft Skills Week (Beginner Friendly)

18th - 19th Oct : Bushcraft Skills 1 (Beginner Friendly)
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14th : 1030pm Night Bioluminescence Kayaking
15th : 6pm Sunset Kayaking
16th : 2pm Glengarriff Bay Sea Kayaking
16th : 1030pm Night Bioluminescence Kayaking
17th : 6pm Sunset Kayaking
17th : 1030pm Night Bioluminescence Kayaking
18th : 6pm Sunset Kayaking
18th : 1030pm Night Bioluminescence Kayaking
19th : Contact Us 086 860 4563
20th : Contact Us 086 860 4563
21st : 6pm Sunset Kayaking
21st : 1030pm Night Bioluminescence Kayaking
22nd : 6pm Sunset Kayaking
22nd : 1030pm Night Bioluminescence Kayaking


Contact Us

Fox will Generally Pounce In A North Easterly Direction

Did you know, typically, when a fox pounces on prey it will pounce/jump in a north easterly direction?

If they do pounce in a north easterly direction they catch their prey 73% of the time.

If they pounce in other directions they only catch their prey 18% of the time.

It's believed they are using earth's magnetic field as a range finder...

The 32 Point Compass Rose

The 32 Point Compass Rose

Some great reading about the compass and directions on wikipedia 😀:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Points_of_the_compass

Mountain Skills Steep Ground Work

 Six Questions For Mountain Skills Steep Ground Work


1. Could I Do It?  (ability-wise)

2. Should I Do It?  (sensibility-wise)

3. Can I see an onward route, or am I moving into a dead end?  (one person sent scouting can be useful here)

4. If I do it, can I backtrack easily if needed?
(always be able to backtrack)

5. Likelihood Of A Slip?  (low/medium/high)

6. Consequences Of A Slip  (low/medium/high)




Three Questions For Mountain Skills Spotting


1. Am I spotting properly here; properly positioned and dug in; or am I simply putting myself and the other person at risk?

2. Can we backtrack whatever I am spotting?

3. Am I happy with the amount of time that will be lost by spotting?

Mountain Skills 1 Syllabus

Mountain Skills 1 Syllabus
This is an official training course, approved and certified by Mountaineering Ireland, and run by qualified and certified instructors. Course Directed By Nathan Kingerlee. This is the first part of achieving Mountain Skills Assessment and also the first part of achieving Mountain Leader. Mountain Skills 2 Follows On Next.


Mountaineering Ireland
Mountain Skills/Mountain Leader

Scale
Symbol
Age/Reliability
Early OSI Map – 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/Trig Point/Spur/Col/Re–Entrant/Plateau/Corrie/Change Of Slope

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

Basic Compass Bearing

Route Card - Escape Route


Click Here To See Course Dates
Click Here To Book A Course
Click Here To See Mountain Skills 2 Syllabus

Thank You For Your Bookings & Support This Year

A huge massive Thank You to everyone who kayaked or completed a training course with us over the past year. Thanks guys - we really appreciate every single piece of business and support you gave us.

Look after yourself over the winter storms and hopefully see you next year!

If you are interested we have gift vouchers available for Christmas, and training courses running all winter/spring. You'll see all details here.

From Nathan, Mark, Leif & Dave.

Naishmith's Rule - Five Different Mountain Travel Speeds

Naishmith's Rule: You are generally told that the average hill walker does a speed of 5km per hour on the average hillside. For flat or downhill just stick to that rule. For uphill add one extra minute for each uphill contour climbed.

However no one says you need to stick to that 5km per hour. For different mountain conditions, different weather conditions, different navigation tools (such as following a compass bearing), your walking speed will increase or decrease. Generally it will decrease!

The key is to know what different walking speeds feel like and to know what speed you get in various situations; for example coming downhill on a forest track you may get 6km per hour; night navigation over boulder fields, following a compass bearing, you may get 2km per hour.

Here are some examples.


2KM Per Hour
Example: Slow tricky ground, such as boulder fields, at night and following a compass bearing
2km = 60 mins
1km = 30 mins
500m = 15 mins
100m = 3 mins


3KM Per Hour
Example: Careful navigation, either by day or by night. You may often hit this speed when navigating in misty conditions by day
3km = 60 mins
1km = 20 mins
500m = 10 mins
100m = 2 mins


4KM Per Hour
Example: This can often be a more realistic mountain speed, allowing navigation to happen, and allowing for a pace that lessens sweating and dehydration
4km = 60 mins
1km = 15 mins
500m = 7.5 mins
100m = 1.5 mins


5KM Per Hour
Example: This is the 'official' Naishmith's Rule taught on Mountain Skills Courses. 4km per hour can often be more realistic for proper mountain terrain and mountain navigation
5km = 60 mins
1km = 12 mins
500m = 6 mins
100m = 1.2 mins


6KM Per Hour
Example: This is a decent 'fit and fast' speed, achieved on flat or downhill moor-type friendly ground, or coming down tracks
6km = 60 mins
1km = 10 mins
500m = 5 mins
100m = 1 min


These are just my own ideas and suggestions from being in the mountains. The main thing to take from this is - you do not need to stick to 5km per hour - come up with your own speeds for different situations - and get to know them.

A trick when starting your hill walking career is to have these written in permanent pen on the back of your map.

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!

Mountain Skills 1 Photos From Last Weekend, In The Kerry Hills

Some photos from last weekend in the Kerry Hills, in superb weather and beautiful location, on a Mountain Skills 1.

Fixing A Reversed Compass

1. A compass can sometimes become reversed; or to be specific the moving needle within the compass can sometimes become reversed.

2. This happens if the compass has a bang, or is exposed to a magnet.

3. To fix - take a magnet, such as a fridge magnet, and stroke along the compass needle.

4. One stroke should do the job. Stroke the magnet from south to north, then lift away from the compass.

5. Storing several compasses together is not ideal, but if this is the case store them parallel to each other so all needles are aligned.

6. With this in mind it shows that it is good to carry two compasses if you are out by yourself; or have two compasses within your team if there are a few of you out.

Nathan Kingerlee - Outdoors Ireland

Kerry Mountain Skills 1 This 20th & 21st Dec

We have a Mountain Skills 1 in Killarney/Kerry this Sat 20th & Sun 21st Dec. Beginner friendly, the aim at the end of the weekend is for you to have competent and solid map reading, navigation and safety skills for mountain climbing in Ireland or further afield.

The price is €155 per person and each day runs 930am - 530pm. For more details or to book please contact us here: http://www.outdoorsireland.com/contact.php

Mountain Skills 2 Course Photos, From Kerry

Mountain Skills 2 Photos From A Couple Of Days Ago, Taken On Mangerton Mountain.

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

Mountain Skills 1 / Map Reading & Navigation Course In Burren/Galway

We have a couple of places left on a two-day Mountain Skills 1 Course based in Kinvara/Galway and taking place on the Burren Hills this Sat 27th & Sun 28th Oct.

For more details or to book please email nathan@outdoorsireland.com.

Here are some of the skills and techniques you will be covering

Mountain Hypothermia

Recognising & Dealing With Mountain Hypothermia

What Is It?
Gradual Body Cooling
Body Core Temperature Usually 37.4°

What Causes It?
Cold : Improper Equipment : Rain : Wind : Fatigue : Stress : Dehydration : Hunger

How Will I Recognise It?
Shivering : Switching Off : Umbles : Shivering Stops : Drowsy : Unconscious

What Can I Do?
Warm : Dry Clothes : Survival Bag : Kissu : Warm Drink & Food : Medical Attention

How Can I Prevent It?
Route Choice : Equipment : Weather : Fitness : Warm Drink & Food

Mountain Skills 1 Course In Burren

Some Photos From Last Weekend's Mountain Skills 1 Course, Which We Ran In The Burren/Galway.

Near Gleninagh Summit Looking For 'Tick Off Features'


View Across Galway Bay Towards Aran Islands


Trip Point On Gleninagh Summit


Abbey Hill, Just Outside Kinvara


Stag-Horn Moss, Common In Both Kerry & The Burren


Working On 'Cut Off Features' At Top Of Abbey Hill


Limestone Rock Split In Two


Burren Green Road