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Wicklow
Spring "Celtic" Walking Festival 2005
Friday,
29 April - Monday, 2 May 2005
 Introduction
Why not book a spring break in the beautiful Wicklow Mountains
and join us for the Wicklow Walking Festival. The festival
provides a range of mountain walks from easy to moderate to
challenging. Experienced walk leaders will enhance your walk
with information on local historic sites and wildlife. In
the evening join fellow walkers as they take to the dance
floor to enjoy a traditional Irish Ceili or listen to Irish
storytelling, music and song.
This year's festival uncovers a different part
of Ireland, where thousands of years of magic and mystery
are interwoven across a land as unspoiled as it is rich in
archaeology, history, tradition and culture. The festival
will take place over the May Bank Holiday weekend and it will
be "Celtic themed", based upon the fact that "Bealtaine"
(Irish  for
the month of May and meaning "The Fire of the God"
Baal) is traditionally the season of fertility, with the rising
of sap in nature and specially marked by the druids, priests
and priestesses of Celtic lore.
The walking festival will be hosted by Kippure
Walking Centre, which is part of Kippure House Estate, and
all walks will start from there. Kippure is a very special
place, perfectly located in an area of wild, natural beauty
in the northwest of County Wicklow. Hidden away in a magnificent
valley, surrounded by unspoilt mountain, moorland and forest
scenery, it adjoins the Wicklow Mountains National Park.
Yet, despite its rural setting, it is less than
an hour from Dublin City, Dublin Airport and major ferry ports.
For further information on
the Kippure House Estate, the Wicklow Mountains and travel
directions please visit:
www.kippure.com
For further information on
County Wicklow and its many attractions, please visit: www.wicklow.ie/tourism.
Evening Entertainment
The Spring 2005 Walking Festival will offer a great deal
more than just guided walking. You will experience some marvellous
evening entertainment provided at Kippure Walking Centre/Kippure
House Estate. To mark the event an authentic Druid will perform
a spectacular Druidic Ceremony at 8.00 p.m. on Saturday, 30th
April. Complementary mead (honey wine, the ancient Celtic
drink) will be served during this ceremony. At 9.00 p.m. we
will offer you a chance to enjoy the best of Irish music,
dancing and fun by taking part in a traditional Ceili lead
by a Fear An Tí (Irish dancing instructor) and supported
by a live Ceili band. All dancers welcome, no experience
necessary! There will be a Irish storytelling evening
held at Kippure on Sunday, 1st May at 8.00 p.m. by a Seanchaí.
Some of the stories have been told for generations by the
people who live on and around these mountains and are bound
up with the landscape, place names and the history of the
area.
On all evenings during the festival you can
relax in front of real log fires in Kippure’s onsite
bar and lounge.
The
Walks
The walking festival provides you with a total of five mountain
walks, from an easy 7 kilometres (4.5 miles) walk to a challenging
20 kilometres (12.5 miles) walk. Please click here for further
information on walking grades: WALKING
GRADES EXPLAINED.
In addition Tim Kyne, proprietor of Kippure
House Estate will lead a walk around the extensive grounds
of Kippure Estate to see locations used for movies such as
'Braveheart' and 'Dancing at Lughnasa' and elements of nature
and heritage interest. This walk will start at 10.00 a.m.
on Monday, 2nd May, and take approximately 1.5 hours and will
be an easy ramble - suitable for everyone.
Saturday, 30th of April 2005:
Grade A (strenuous) - Mullaghcleevaun
Mountain
Grade B1 (moderate - strenuous)
- Kippure & Source of River Liffey
Grade B2 (moderate - strenuous)
- Megalithic Walk
Grade C1 (easy - moderate)
- Gravale & Carrigvore
Grade C2 (easy - moderate)
- Athdown Brook & Seefin Passage Grave
Sunday, 1st of May 2005:
No 'Grade A' walk on Sunday!
Grade B1 (moderate - strenuous)
- Kippure & Source of River Liffey
Grade B2 (moderate - strenuous)
- Megalithic Walk
Grade C1 (easy - moderate)
- Gravale & Carrigvore
Grade C2 (easy - moderate)
- Athdown Brook & Seefin Passage Grave
Participants check
in from 08.30 a.m.
'A' WALK STARTS AT 09.00 a.m.
'B' WALK STARTS AT 09.45 a.m.
'C' WALK STARTS AT 10.30 a.m.
Monday, 2nd of May
2005:
Easy ramble (approx. 1.5 hours) around the estate led by Tim
Kyne, environmentalist and proprietor of Kippure House Estate.
Meet at 10.00 a.m. at the stone circle (front of main building).
No prior booking necessary.
Grade A Walk,
Saturday 30th (Please note there will be no 'Grade A' walk
on Sunday the 1st) - Mullaghcleevaun Mountain: An exhilarating
walk of far-reaching mountain views and splendid panoramas.
Mullaghcleevaun (Irish for Top of the Cradle) is, at 849 metres,
County Wicklow's second highest mountain. You will walk the
dramatic cliff top of Mullaghcleevaun, while overlooking the
dark blue waters of Cleevaun Lough. Other rewards for your
effort will be memorable views over Blessington Lakes and
the surrounding hills. Distance: 20 kilometres / 12.5 miles).
Approximate Walking Time: 7+ hours. Grade: Strenuous.
Grade B (1) Walk,
Saturday 30th & Sunday the 1st: - Kippure & Source
of River Liffey: The diversity of this walk makes it the
equal of any other exciting walk in the Wicklow hills. Our
route will take you via Kippure Mountain (757 metres) to places
where the famous river Liffey cuts a rugged path through some
of the wildest mountain scenery in Wicklow. You will pass
by Liffey-Head Bog, one of the most pristine habitats in Ireland,
containing rich biodiversity such as the Sundew, a carnivorous
plant that feeds on insects that become trapped in its sticky
hairs. Distance: 18 kilometres / 11 miles. Approximate Walking
Time: 5 hours. Grade: Moderate to Strenuous.
Grade B (2) Walk,
Saturday the 30th & Sunday the 1st - Megalithic Walk:
As you walk the mountains of County Wicklow you will notice
it has an air of ancient times to it. Megalithic tombs, stone
circles, and medieval churches are spread throughout the landscape.
The Megalithic Walk provides an opportunity to explore three
passage graves dating from 2000 BC - all situated on mountaintops
along the route. Combined with breath-taking views over spectacular
mountain scenery this truly is a magical walk. Distance: 15
kilometres / 9 miles. Approximate Walking Time: 5 hours. Grade
Moderate to Strenuous.
Grade C (1) Walk, Saturday the 30th
& Sunday the 1st - Gravale & Carrigvore: Expansive
views across high moorland offer a sense of remoteness in
this area of the Wicklow Mountains. Walk through an untamed
wilderness with the cliffs of Mullaghcleevaun Mountain providing
an awesome backdrop for most of the day. Wildlife that you
may encounter along the way includes moorland birds such as
the raven and the red grouse. This part of the Wicklow hills
is teeming with deer (red/sika hybrid), increasing your chances
of getting up close to nature. Distance: 11.5 kilometres /
7 miles. Approximate Walking Time: 5 hours. Grade: Easy to
Moderate.
Grade C (2) Walk, Saturday the 30th
& Sunday the 1st - Athdown Brook & Seefin Passage
Grave: An enjoyable walk through captivating hill country
with excellent views over lush green pastures in the valley.
Explore Athdown Brook, an unexpected and hidden place, rich
with wild natural beauty. Overlook picturesque Coronation
Plantation, a broad expanse of mature Scot's Pine, planted
in 1831 to celebrate the crowning of William IV as King of
England. This walk provides also an opportunity to visit an
ancient passage grave on the summit of Seefin. Distance: 7
kilometres / 4.5 miles. Approximate Walking Time: 4 hours.
Grade: Easy to Moderate.
Equipment
It is the responsibility of the participants to ensure that
they are suitably equipped for all walks. As the weather in
Ireland can be very changeable, we strongly suggest that
you bring the following essential items:
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Rule
No. 1: Wear sturdy walking boots with good ankle support!
The risks associated with hillwalking are increased significantly
if you don't have proper walking boots, so our policy
is to insist that walkers have boots. Anyone wearing runners/trainers
will not be allowed to participate on any walk. |
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Wind
and waterproof breathable jacket and trousers, as well
as gaiters. |
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A
rucksack with the following content: hat and gloves, spare
clothes (fleece or sweater, socks, hat, gloves etc.),
a lunch pack, hot and cold drink, a whistle, personal
items and, if required, medication. |
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A
torch incl. spare batteries is required for all taking
part in the 'Grade A' walk on Saturday. |
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Onsite Services
Facilities and services provided by Kippure Walking
Centre throughout the festival include:
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Packed
lunches and refreshments for sale. |
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Bar
will be open from 5.00 p.m. |
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Meals
for sale after the walks. |
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Secure
off-road car parking. |
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Costing & Registration
Costing:
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guided walks (Saturday and Sunday)**, transport
to and from the walks as required, guided ramble
on Monday, entrance to all evening entertainment: |
€35.00
p.p.
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| 1
guided walk (Saturday or Sunday)**, transport to
and from the walks as required, guided ramble on
Monday, entrance to all evening entertainment: |
€25.00
p.p.
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A discount of 20% will apply to all group
bookings in excess of 10 people!
** Saturday's 'Grade A' Walk is subject
to a minimum number of 15 participants and is strictly
limited to 50 people.
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Registration
Booking must be
made in advance through Wicklow County Tourism,
as it will not be possible to book on the day
of the event.
Please contact Wicklow County Tourism directly
at:
Phone National:
0404 20070
Phone International: +353 404 20070
Email: wt@wicklow.ie
Website: www.wicklow.ie/tourism
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Walking Related Questions
If you have any questions regarding the planned walks,
equipment or other related matters please feel free
to contact one of the following. We will be very happy
to help and advise!
Kippure Walking Centre (ask for Martina)
Phone National: 01 4582889
Phone International: +353 1 4582889
Email: walking@kippure.com
Footfalls Walking Holidays (ask for
Christopher)
Phone National: 0404 45152
Phone International: + 353 404 45152
Email: info@walkinghikingireland.com
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Rules
| 1. |
Every
walker must have submitted an entry form and must
have paid the correct entry fee. |
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Everyone
must be in possession of a numbered identification
card, which will be issued at the check in point.
This card should be handed in at the finishing point
to your guide. |
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| 3. |
It
is strictly forbidden to light matches, fires or
discard litter along the route. |
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| 4. |
Dogs
are not allowed on any of the walks. |
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| 5. |
Participants
on 'Grade A' walks must be aged 18 years or older
and on 'Grade B' walks must be 16 years or older.
On a 'C' graded walk an adult who assumes complete
liability for them must accompany participants under
16 years of age. |
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| 6. |
Walkers
must be satisfied that they are fully equipped and
capable of undertaking their chosen walk. |
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| 7. |
The
committee will not be responsible for any accident
however arising. |
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| 8. |
If
you need to cancel a pre-paid walk, please cancel
on or before the 22nd of April to be eligible for
a refund. |
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Further information/Entry form:
Christopher Stacey
Footfalls Walking Holidays
Trooperstown
Roundwood
Co. Wicklow
Tel/Fax: 0404 45152
E-mail: cstacey@iol.ie
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