Hill-Walking & Scrambling
Hiking, a.k.a. hillwalking is the art of walking in the mountains without getting lost. Scrambling is hiking on rougher, steeper ground - a little bit more exposed and adventurous (expect to be using your hands!). Either way, the emphasis is on getting fit, enjoying the views, the isolation, and the chat to be had with your fellow hikers en route. Hiking is one of the main activities of the club with at least one hike organised each Sunday during term. The club also runs a number of trips during the year that usually involve a number of hikes and whatever else members organise in their own capacity. Generally speaking, all club organised hikes do not involve any serious scrambling because of the level of care required by everybody involved. Hillwalking and scrambling are great activities to take part in if you are considering mountaineering in the Alps. Hillwalking will prepare you for the long walks and the steepness of the ground while scrambling will help you get your head into the right place for moving on exposed steep rock.
Check out the events sections for the full list of hikes and the next event.
Hill Walking
Ireland is full of mountains, not high ones like in the Alps but there is certainly no shortage of areas to go hiking. Close to Dublin, the largest range in the country, the Wicklow Mountains offers a lifetime of walking in the wilderness. Other areas include the Mournes and Cooleys to the North and the Blackstairs; all a day trip from Dublin.
Hiking in Ireland requires that you have knowledge of navigation, there are no marked paths in the same class as the paths found in the Alps. This means traditional route-finding using a map, compass and timing and pacing is normal practice and necessary when in the Irish mountains. As a hiker in Ireland, you should know how to navigate, be properly equipped for the conditions and be prepared to stay on the mountains for hours after your intended finish time in the event of an accident. Due to the coastal nature of this little green island, weather conditions can, (and do) change rapidly in Irish mountains. If you look at a map you will see that the bulk of Irish mountains are very close to the coast. Some areas are hours from help, and mountain rescue services can take several hours to reach a distressed party. Due to the bad weather, helicopter rescue is not viable in the majority of cases and most casualties are carried by stretcher to the roadside. Mobile phones cannot be relied upon for communication, and GPS units should never be relied upon for route-finding.
Safety is very important to the club, and for this reason we have a list of gear we strongly suggest you bring hillwalking, click here to see this list. We may not allow individuals to go on club outings if they lack the proper equipment. The aim of the club is to make all members self sufficient and independent in mountain terrain. We have no desire to act as a guiding service to people with no interest in their own location, safety or condition.
Scrambling
Scrambling is anything that is just that little bit too committing to be simply described as walking in the mountains but not requiring a mandatory technical set-up and process as in rock climbing. Scrambling occupies the slightly foggy area between adventurous hill-walking and full-blown climbing.
Usually, you will need to use your hands while scrambling, not for lifting yourself up with but for stability. At the higher end of the routes you may well bring a rope for moving together on very exposed sections or for giving out a quick belay to your partner.
Scrambles are graded 1, 2, 3 and 3s where 3s is the most difficult. According to the guidebooks, a rope should be considered at grade 2, brought for grade 3 and be necessary for short pitches of up to moderate standard of climbing at 3s.
It's well worth noting that unroped scrambling in exposed situations is potentially one of the most dangerous of all mountaineering activities. In the UK there are complete guidebooks dedicated to the discipline. In Ireland however, this is not usually the case. The best thing to do is ask around, there are many gurus out there.