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Bouldering In Ireland – hot off the press

A big congratulations to David Flanigan for getting his Bouldering In Ireland guidebook published! David contacted me late last year to use one of my images in his guide, and the offer of a first copy and credit for the photo seemed fair enough to me

I had seen on his blog that he had received the first batch of books so was fairly eager to see it for myself and was impressed for it to arrive so swiftly. I have to say It looks a first class guide, and should meet the demand for a first class bouldering guide for the Island.

The bouldering in Ireland guidebook is now available to buy. The guidebook details all the major and minor bouldering areas across the length and breadth of the island of Ireland including Glendalough and The Wicklow Mountains, The Reeks, The Burren, Connemara, North West Donegal, Inishowen Peninsula, Fair Head, The Mournes and many more.

• Over 1700 problems in 90 areas
• From Font 3 to 8b
• Granite, gritstone, gabbro, limestone, sandstone, schist, quartzite and dolerite
• 100 maps, 140 photo-topos and detailed directions to get you to the problems
• Over 150 colour photos of the best problems
• 256 pages of full colour in an A5 landscape format
• Contains areas that have never been documented before including Brimstones, Thur Mountain, Ayton’s Cave, Doagh Strand, Windy Gap, Larry The Goats and Pierce’s Castle.

       

The photos don’t really do it justice, it really is a beautifully put together guide, and clearly a work of love. I’ll have to have a look at some of the problems the next time I’m on the hills.

Best of luck to David with the Guide!

To buy a copy click here.

Cicerone Sale

If you're looking for some cheap guide/reference books get yourself over to the cicerone sale, pronto tonto. They're all going for £2 or £4 compared to the usual £14 either because of tatty covers, or becuause its out of print or an old edition . Plenty bargains to be had, and I'm now waiting on a wee stack to turn up.

DecAid – Honouring 10 Years In Afghanistan

I am uncertain of how much coverage this is getting in the press around the Isles but I feel I must give the boys and girls at DecAid a big shout.

DecAid is a national appeal set up to mark the tenth year of conflict in Afghanistan, raise awareness of the work and involvement of the Armed Forces in Afghanistan, remember those men and women who have lost their lives in Afghanistan and to raise as much money for three service charities that help ex-servicemen and their families.

I strongly believe in supporting our forces. I have had a strong connection with them since being in cadets as a youngster and have continued this through various organisations until rather recently. In addition a large percentage of my friends are employed by The Queen, of whom seven six (get well soon Tel!) are actively deployed on Forward Operating Bases in Afghanistan.

Most people can’t even imagine the hardships the guys out there are going through and every day dangers that they are exposed to. Who here would like to be eating boil and the bags every day for six months, never mind the ambush/IED threat, separation from family/friends, poor living conditions, heat, etc.

It’s an unenviable, unthankful job that should receive far greater attention from the media, for the positive stories as much attention as the negative. However we aren’t living in utopia and no one seems to want to hear about the positive impact the guys are having to work so hard out there to achieve.

Anyways, needless to say I support all the hard work the services charities do and feel DecAid warrants some support, as little as publishing it here will achieve.

 

Another reason for my interest in the appeal is a friends involvement, Tom O’Connell, who I went to university with. His involvement is enough for a a shout out, however it is the Munro Mission that he is helping lead that really piques my interest.

On 1^st August 2011 the team will begin their challenge to summit all 283 Scottish Munros (mountain over 3,000ft) in under 50 days. However, there is more to their challenge than just ‘Munro Bagging’. The team will dedicate every Munro they climb to servicemen and women who have lost their lives in Afghanistan over the past 10 years.

If this task was not already tough enough, the team will complete it without the use of motorised transport. They will cover the 1600 miles using bicycles and kayaks but mainly on foot. This will require them to cover around 36 miles and summit 6 Munros every day for 49 consecutive days.

More than 1600 miles on foot, bike and kayak; over 61 miles of vertical ascent; 283 peaks and all in just 49 days. This is a superhuman endeavour, and on its own will hopefully raise plenty of money and national attention for the appeal.

Its an event I would relish to have the chance to get involved in, however I will settle with wishing Tom and the rest of his team the best of luck on their epic journey.

Please look over the DecAid webpage, think about getting involved and save a thought for the servicemen out in Afghanistan.