A Challenging Hike - Glencoaghan Horseshoe
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 12 ก.ค. 2022
- The Glencoaghan Horseshoe looped walk located in the Twelve Bens in Connemara is a challenging route. This hike traverses six of the Twelve Ben Mountains - Derryclare, Bencorr, Bencollaghduff, Benbreen, Bengower & Benlettery. The views on a clear day are spectacular and although the hike is long (the horseshoe loop is about 12.5km with an additional 3.5km by road), the effort was worth it. Having access to two cars can help avoid the road section or in my case I used a bike.
Wonderful video it’s on my doorstep as I live in Oughterard.Love walking the mountains of Connemara what a great watch on a dark wet windy new years day can’t wait for longer days to enjoy the beautiful mountains and freedom that surrounds me.Well done.
Hi Tommy - lucky you having those mountains so close to you. It’s very different terrain for me compared to my usual hikes in the Dublin & Wicklow hills and always such a great spot to visit. You are indeed very lucky to live where you do! Thanks so much for your message, really nice to hear you enjoyed it!! 😊
Fantastique
Myriam you are a Iron woman
When we are alone into the wild , this is a another dimension
In France , you can walk alone , but there is always somebody no to far
Hi Eric! Thanks very much - such a great walk to do, delighted I was able to finish it 😊 I'm especially aware of that dimension when I've no camera with me...a little harder to access with a busy head capturing the journey. I feel very lucky that there is so much solitude in wild places here - maybe the Irish as a nation are not that attracted to the outdoors life...not sure! I hope you're keeping well!
Your some woman miriam the heart of a lion and still smiling at the end of it great video
Cheers Peter!! Stubborn as a mule could be another apt description 🙃 Great to do (and finish!) - a long aul hike but worth it when I look back on the footage and can remember what it was like! Very powerful mountains - I felt very insignificant whilst amongst them…they’d chew me up in a heartbeat! Delighted I got to be there…thanks so much for your message!! 😊
My favourite route and training ground. Fabulous footage!!!!
Thank you!! Your favourite training ground - a baptism of fire for me!! 😂 Wonderful landscape to be in for sure - thanks for watching and your message 👍
Super video, love that route. One of my favourite training hikes. Excellent footage of the majestic Connemara mountains. Heading there this Bank Holiday Monday to the Maumturk mountains.
Thanks very much Dom! Such a great route - it certainly challenged me 😉 Have a great time in the Maumturks this weekend - I’m in Cork myself this weekend, so nice to be out in the sunshine again! Thanks again 😊
Dear Miriam, You are wonderful!
Ahh - thanks so much for taking the time to watch the video and sending me such a lovely message, it gave me a smile!! 😊
6 summits, maybe 8? Who is the WO-man. We call that B type fun. Fun to remember, and fun to talk about afterwards. A bit of a B’!ch to accomplish. Major props.
Ha!! Nice memories (especially from the sofa), great to have had such good visibility when up top too 😎 Glad I stuck with it and brought the camera to remember the day…the good and the bad!! 😂
Inspiring for so many people looking for the courage to take on a knarly rock ridge day trip. Most of us happy too content to plod soil and rock. And with almost all of the walking climbing channels being by men it is especially encouraging to see a woman show everyone just how to get about these rock routes. Congratulations on a v successful climb! And thank you for filming and showing us all.
Aww thank you! That was a lovely message to receive 😊 I’m pretty inexperienced in fairness but there are a few mountain ranges in this area with similar rocky conditions - so different to the bog and mud I’m used to and a real wonder filled experience to walk in. Thankfully all went well for me - apart from all my complaining!! 😂
I think we will be doing this one for sure first .
It is tough , but think of the confidence you inspire in others with this to go do it . .
Thanks for taking the time to create this masterpiece .
Ah cheers!! You'll love it - not many water supplies up there so bring plenty with you if its a warm one! I definitely needed more water to carry me through 🙂
@@MiriamKennedy water is the key for sure . We are training with 4 X 2litres at the moment , so carrying a single 2 litre might be just enough with a bag of oranges .
Thanks for the advice .
Hope you're well
Well done completing this hike. It looked a bit hairy in places…..my vertigo would have definitely come into play. Loved the views.
Thanks Yvonne!! Not a place for vertigo I would imagine 🤕 I certainly found it a tough, long hike - but rewarding to have completed it and great to have got such good weather to see the views. Thanks for watching it and reminding me of this adventure 🤗
You are a true warrior Miriam, to have completed the whole 6 peaks on one take. I'm tired even looking at you doing it. Thanks for sharing. I'm in awe of you 💓 knitting is more my kinda thing🤪🙃
Ah thank you Tess!! And thank you for putting me up for the night afterwards rather than me driving all the way home with a tired head on me!! 😉 I’m delighted I did it but it was definitely quite the physical and mental challenge 🫢 I’m aspiring to graduate to knitting any day now 😎
Watched this again today, fantastic views, exceptional footage and amazing desire to complete the hike, amazing!!!! Hope your well look, regards
Thanks Niall!! Fond memories from this one 😉 I was over in Inis Mór for the past two nights camping and looking over in the direction of the 12 Bens and remembering their beauty 😊 Inis Mór was wonderful too - didn’t bring the camera as I haven’t been into filming for the last while..I might get the videoing mojo again in time, I’ve been enjoying lots of trips with no camera though. We’ve so many fab spots in our lovely country!! Hope you’re keeping well and thanks for your message! 😎
That was incredible, another cinematic master piece! I love the battle with the mind when the exhaustion and doubt kicks in, you had some battle there and pulled through so hats off to you and well done on a fantastic achievement 👏 pure class, thanks very much sharing the adventure
Thanks very much for watching my little adventure Niall!! Yeah it’s pretty shocking how that battle plays out…I definitely could have done with more water and the heat no doubt contributed also. Not to take way from the fact - it’s a very tough hike, it’s long and relentless and spectacular of course when you have the views!! 👍 Great to have done it as I’d been hoping to do it for a while - I prefer the easier hikes though I reckon!! I can relax more and enjoy the views rather than having to battle…life is hard enough without that ay!! 😉
Miriam that was a humbling climb and hike for sure , well out of your comfort zone , but guess what , you’ve moved your own goal posts , you fought hard and you won !!. The cloud only added to the mood for me , made it real so to speak , or as Gerry Mcveigh says about the clag “ shite” 😁. You fought on and were rewarded with some beautiful Connemara scapes , drone footage on point as usual with some lovely uplifting music , I had no doubt the posh tarts bike would be safe , there’s a certain breed of human that roam the hills , who appreciate just being there in the moment . Really enjoyed this very arduous hike , that def put manners on you 🤘🏻👌🏻 but hey you beat the Bens , and you put manners on them . 🤘🏻😎
Thanks Colin!! I was pretty confident the bike would be there too - I was only worried that a farmer would be peed off for me locking it to their fence so I tried to be as discreet as I could. Thankfully all worked out ok!! The clouds were lovely when there were gaps to see their form - really nice to see 😊 Yep a tough hike - I can’t say that I put any manners on the Bens though - they showed me who was boss!! Glad you liked the music too 👍 Cheers for watching and your message - now for the knitting!! 🤩
@@MiriamKennedy you do realise the image of you knitting will haunt me forever …
I’ll knit you a pair of trousers some day!! 😎
@@MiriamKennedy 😳
Hi Miriam, that was a lovely hike. Thanks so much for sharing. Next time I'll be in Connemara I definitely have to check out these mountains.
Thanks Christian! Well worth checking out these mountains, a wonderful hike, even with all my complaining on the day!! 😊
Great Video! Definitely a wonderful landscape there and some beautiful nature impressions 🌲🤩 Greetings from Germany 🤠👋
ThBks very much, they’re a beautiful mountain range for sure, a wonderful place to walk! Great to hear you watched it in Germany…the wonder of TH-cam!! 😊
@@MiriamKennedy I totally believe you and in real it's probably even better to walk there and enjoying nature... haha yes the wonder of TH-cam! That's true 🤠👍
It was a special event for me to have found this video purely by chance, about a mountain tour that was as magnificent as it was enormously challenging, which I had experienced on exactly the same route and in almost the same weather conditions as shown here on a holiday in Ireland in 1981!
Like some commentators, I had also underestimated the water problem, as there really wasn't a single trickle of water to be found on the entire route... The terrain along the route also often proved to be pretty difficult and was not at all different from many high alpine paths.
Thank you, Miriam, for letting me re-experience this fantastic tour 42 years later!
Lothar, from Berlin, Germany
Thank you Lothar for your lovely message! So nice to hear of your own adventure here from 1981 and that this little video brought you back some memories - really lovely to hear and thank you for letting me know 😊 I was very glad to be able to finish the hike and to have been able to capture some of its wonderful terrain and views, it’s a lovely memory record for me to have too! Thanks again and best wishes to you in Berlin from Dublin 🌻
Great🙂...the weather is favorable now..I knew it. Btw. ..you could make a video where you climb all those "ben mountains" ..again and knit a beanie at the top. I can buy it then👍
Love it 😍 Thanks for watching - we’re having some lovely weather for the last few days now (at last)!! I’ll need to learn how to knit in the meantime…
@@MiriamKennedy I hope you learn that skill before winter comes here, otherwise I'm in trouble because my beanies are missing, I suspect my brother.
I came across this by pure chance when looking for information about climbing Derryclare (saw the other video by the way!). Many walking videos become quite dull and 'samey' after a while. Not this one. You really encapsulated the physical and also mental struggle a hike like this can be. Your honesty was really refreshing. Well done for sticking at it and completing the circuit. I hope when you look back on it you feel proud of your achievement.
Hi Derek - thanks very much for your lovely message! I was a little embarrassed about my moan-y commentary afterwards - but he ho, I was knackered!! I hope you found some info about climbing Derryclare, I deliberately didn’t include the route I used as I had such a battle through that forest on the way down 🤭 With good visibility, it’s a fantastic mountain to climb as are all the mountains in Connemara in fairness! Thanks again 😊
@@MiriamKennedy oh thank YOU for making this video! Have since seen the one on Inishbofin too. Beautiful ❤
Ah great 😎
Great achievement Miriam, very well done. Had to laugh at 10.01 when you say "Why do I have to be out climbing mountains, why can't I have an interest like knitting", well because Knitting is simply not YOU Miriam. Knitting 100 woolly jumpers would not give you as much satisfaction as you get from climbing one mountain. Your honesty in how you were feeling as you went along was very important. You left veiwers in no doubt of the challange involved. Again Very Well Done. Look forward to future videos.
Thanks very much!! 🤗 Amazing how the brain has its common scripts that it comes up with, I’ve had that one for years…it hasn’t got me to take up knitting yet anyway!! 😉 Thanks for your lovely message - you’re so right..it’ll be a dark time in my life when I find myself in a chair knitting!
Just copped who SMacO is again - good to hear from you JC 😊
Hi Miriam, I also did it solo more recently but unfortunately for me the weather was very bad with nearly zero visibility at times. Luckily I had my map and compass . I enjoyed your video and very well done on the hike. It definitely isn't easy . I think the weather is crucial to take the sting out of a long tough hike. At least you got some lovely views. I'll have to do it again..
Hi Joe - well done to you also for completing this hike and with poor visibility! Because I wanted to take the camera I was watching the weather for ages in the hope of a weather window aligning with time that I could take off from work. I was so glad it worked out. I’ve no problem enjoying a hike in poor weather but if I bring a camera it’s usually in the hope that the weather will be good so that I can show off the views. I had climbed Derryclare about 6 months before this and when I saw the view of the entire horseshoe from up top, I knew I wanted to come back to complete it. So glad I eventually did - even if it did floor me at the time!! Thanks for your message! 🙏
I admire your spirit,you live in a beautiful part of the world,and yeah,not for the feint hearted.And would we watch a knitting video,hmmm,probably not,ha ha.
I’ll be holding off on that new pass time for another while it seems!! 😊 Yes - I certainly feel very lucky to live in this beautiful part of the world and I’m extremely grateful to be able to explore it, long may that continue 🤞 A challenging hike…probably didn’t deserve all the complaining that I seemed to be doing in this video though!! 🫢 Thanks for watching Lincon and your message! 👍
Mega Action ! Chapeau Chapeau ! Mirjam the mountain queen 🤴
Ahh thank you!! It was great to do - nice to have seen what the circuit is like and spend some time out there (also nice to get back to my car again!!) 😉 Thanks for your message, really appreciate it!!
@@MiriamKennedy Ireland must be wonderful. Is it allowed there to park with a caravan without a camping space ?
I’m not too familiar with caravan rules to be honest but I certainly see places where people are parked up which aren’t designated camping sites. There are places to be found for sure!! Plenty of wildness thankfully still a available to us. Where I parked my car for this overnight wouldn’t be suitable for a caravan as the local farmers might have had a problem I’d imagine - but maybe they would have been fine!! 🤔
@@MiriamKennedy but it seems that Ireland is a secure country like Austria!
@@Karla-Flr generally safe and secure! However - the dodgy people and situations exist as they do in Austria I’m sure. I certainly mostly feel safe in the wild parts of Ireland anyway. When I’m hiking and camping I never feel scared that anything bad is going to happen to me from someone else - always a danger of me falling and hurting myself of course but not a threat from other people when in the wilds. I feel very at home in these places which is a nice way to feel. I’ve no doubt Austria is very similar!!
Thanks a million for sharing. Have never finished it. Well done. Its a beast.
Hi Yvonne - a beast is a good description of it 😂 Thanks so much for watching it! I’m glad I got around it eventually - the long Summer days definitely helped aswell as some perseverance 🙄 Thanks again!
@@MiriamKennedy will go again next year Miriam. I might do a bit of training this time. Love the videos.
@@user-pt9lt7kd8uthanks Yvonne! I’ll be cheering you on from the sidelines - you’ll fly it!! 🤩
That was a real slog. Well done. Great footage.
Thanks million Chris! Great memories to have from this one - delighted I did it, (even if it was a bloody slog!!) 🤭
Great video,really enjoyed it,stunning photography...well done.
Thanks very much! That’s lovely to hear 😊
Hi,hope you don’t mind me asking,what drone did you use..amazing footage.
No problem at all - it was the DJI Mini 2, I’ve since upgraded to the DJI Mini 4 Pro. The great conditions and fabulous mountains did all the work!
Well done Miriam. You will look back fondly at this and before you know it doing a very similar hike again. We are a glutton for punishment:-) Lovely footage.
Cheers Pat 😂😂 You’re right of course!! 🤦♀️
Miriam, one of the best hiking routes in Ireland without a doubt👍 That was a cool spot to hide the Brompton😊 Really cool that the views opened out as the day went on and I am sure that if you made videos about knitting they would be cool too😊 Fantastic drone footage showing the rocky and unforgiving nature of these mountains. I think it humbled me too. Not many water sources up there also if thinking about wild camping on the circuit - I remember a guy in front of me literally screaming as he had run out of water on a hot day. It is all worth it in the end😊
That guys scream that you heard will live on with me now too Gerry!! I thankfully knew I’d have very little chance to top up but I did have to ration my own supply and definitely needed more. I quite often find that I drink very little but the temperatures of course made me need plenty of water this time! So glad I finally got to do the entire walk having seen it so clearly when I was up Derryclare earlier in the year. I love the terrain of the Twelve Bens and Maumturks - so different to anything else I’ve walked on and they make me feel very small with their powerful, unshakable presence. Well I survived to tell the tale even if I did complain a lot 🤷♀️ No midges at all when I camped on Saturday - not a breath of wind yet I was spared! I met a guy who bivied at about 500m in the area on the Saturday night and he was plagued. Nice to have been given that reprieve 👍 Cheers for watching and your message Gerry - roll on the release of the longer version of your Ben Creggan and Ben Gorm trip!
Miriam, I know that I never drink as much as I should and there is no doubt that this has an impact on my walking in the mountains. It is a tough round, though a hugely rewarding day on the hills and one that I would love to revisit. Agree that the terrain of the Bens and Maumturks are fantastic👍
Fabulous video again showing your mountains off, I need loads of money to visit all the hills and mountains in our great country,s lol
Keep em coming
I know - petrol is our big cost to see the mountains these days!! 🤦♀️ Thanks for watching Adrian and great to hear you like seeing our Irish mountains…I’ve still so much to see over here!! Enjoy that nice weather 😊
Superb stuff, I attempted it in the same direction as you back in August 2020. At the base of Bengower, on the ridge I descended into the valley. I thought to myself it is too exhausting. I really wished I continued as wading through gorse, bog and at times bog was so disheartening. I went back and summitted Ben Lettery, Ben Gower and Ben Glenisky the following year. Next year I plan to complete it though. You have my utmost respect to getting to the top of Bengower, let alone completing it, as it looked so daunting from the east side.
You were almost there Simon, coming down off Ben Gower was fine and up Ben Lettery was fine too. The climb up Ben Gower was a bit hairy as I couldn’t make out a clear path but there were plenty to follow in fairness. I’m not used to scrambling and there definitely were a few hairy moments for me but if I could do it, you’d be grand!! Just a few deep breaths every now and again…the descent off Ben Lettery was very slow, I couldn’t get a decent line coming off it either so there was some sketchy parts to that too. Your wading through the gorse and bog sounded pretty rough especially from the heights you’d been to 🤦♀️ Great you got to tackle the other side on another trip and I hope you get back to do the loop for your own sense of achievement!! It’s feckin tough - there’s no two ways about it, especially when you’re not used to such terrain. It was in hindsight that I got the pleasure from doing it, not at the time!! Thanks so much for your message - great when someone knows exactly what it’s like 😊
phew!! I'm exhausted just watching, fair play to you. What a beautifully wild place.
😂😂🤣 glad I wasn’t the only one exhausted!! Cheers Chris - it’s a beautiful place and certainly very wild and powerful! Very humbling experience to walk amongst those mountains…
Fair play and it does look like a tough hike.❤❤
Hi Alan - a tough but epic hike! Such a great mountain range to walk in, delighted I did it 😉
Well done Miriam on the hike and another great video thank you :-) the oranges are for the well needed vitamin c ;-)
Thanks a million!! When I got back to the car I had a 2L bottle of water thankfully that I was able to drink, that seemed to take away the craving for oranges..even with almost 3L of water I had to ration my last litre to space it out, I needed more! It was the next day before I eventually got some oranges…really good!! 🤗
Yes there is never enough water when on big hikes ppl underestimate this 🧡
Class ...simply class. This has been on my list to do for a while. After what you very chill and honest video I may need to work on my fitness before hitting this one.
P.S. I'd watch you knitting videos 😉
Ha!! No knitting videos planned yet 😉 Great to hear you enjoyed this one 👍 I did seem to be complaining a lot but I suppose that’s how it was for me on the day 🤗 It is a tough hike but with the great visibility it made it easier to keep going, being on my own meant I had to face some of those mental battles alone too but worth it in the end!! I hope you get around to doing it in 2023 - it’s pretty spectacular!!
Yes, I have had that feeling of not enjoying it, more than once, Miriam. Most recently after a Munro at Glen Lochay in the Highlands here. 1050 mtr mountain with 400 mtr of ascent in 1000mtr of walking at the start of the hill. All topped off with a 2-hour walk out ...😆😆. But you always enjoy the achievement afterwards, as with most things, and not necessarily at the time....especially if pain is involved ! That heat must have been punishing to polish off 3 ltrs of water as well. I think the landscape of the Bens doesn't help in warm weather as the rocks just reflect the sun's heat back up at you. I once did Ben Glen Uisce, Bin Gabhar and Ben Leitri as a fairly straightforward round one day, but I remember toying with the idea of taking in Ben Breen. Until I looked across and saw that scree ascent. Pretty intimidating ! By the way, I looked over the south face of Ben Leitri as well and thought yikes, I ain't doing that when other options are available. I just went back the way I came off Ben Glenuisce which was straightforward enough. Hats off to you for doing all that with the terrain, the heat and having to work the drone. Wonderful photography of a unique landscape again. Thank you for a great video again. All the best. Roll on September for me :) Home again finally , God willing.
Thanks Jim! Yep it’s a challenging route for sure - a few days later and it seems like a big moany episode from me though on this video 🙃 A combination of lots of things - the terrain, the temperature, I wasn’t in great form….the list goes on!! I was obviously just meant to make a moany video and capture some views along the way!! 😊 The descents off Bencorr, Bencollaghduff, Benbreen and Benlettery were all a bit draining and the climb up Bengower kept me switched on too! I’d imagine when you faced a climb up Benbreen it would seem intimidating alright, the descent was certainly slow! The terrain over that part of the country is so different from anywhere else - no doubt you get more used to it if they are a regular hiking spot. I love that terrain though - it’s great not to be in boggy, energy sapping, soggy ground every now and again!! Not long to go until your visit to the homeland - assuming no life events scupper your plans 🤞 Thanks very much for watching this video and your message, I really appreciate it! Roll on the next adventure…I might escape again this weekend in the tent without the camera and just chill 🌞⛺️ Enjoy the nice weather Jim!
what a thumper of an opening shot , if someone said that was shot in the swiss alps you would nearly believe it
Thanks very much! This mountain range offers so many opportunities for shots of that sort - it was such a pleasure to spend time there (even if it was a slog 😊) Thanks again for watching and your message!!
Yay what a mega hike that was Miriam! Definitely enjoyed this video and not a knitting one, glad your brompton was still there too x
A knitting video coming soon 🤗 Yep - a tough hike for sure!! Great to see what it’s like and see those views and of course great to finish it too and get plenty of water at the end…I thankfully had water in the car which I guzzled!! 😊
You did good girl! Thanks for taking us along, can't wait to see what your next challenge is, i could just about manage 16 km on the flat so mega well done !x
Hi Miriam. Once again you've created great footage. That type of terrain looks spectacular but tough to hike on. I'd imagine you were sore for a few days. Don't take up the knitting just yet, we'd miss your vids. Take care.
😂 Thanks Andrew! I’ll continue having that little argument with myself for a few more years so 🙃 A good nights sleep helped the recovery for sure and lots of water!! I was walking a bit gingerly for a while afterwards alright! Tough aul terrain as you said…doing the editing helped me realise how great a hike it really was!! Hope all is well with you!
A serious hike, that one I remember taking nearly 8 hours to do it many years ago.
Couldn't wait to get home and see the video after the notification popped up this afternoon!
Well done for your honesty and not sugar coating it as sometimes people viewing may only see the beautiful mountains and not realise the toughness of the circuit.
Look forward to next time!
Thanks, George
Thanks George! Fair play to you for doing it in 8 hours - I was out over 12 hours. Filming does of course add to the time but I’m not a fast hiker in fairness, I much prefer taking my time. I signed up to do one of those challenge walks last minute a few weeks ago (Tom Crean Endurance Walk) - definitely didn’t like the experience of 250 people powering up behind me while walking…I found it hard to go at my own pace with people literally breathing down my neck 🤦♀️ Not a way I enjoy being in the hills - great to do (the once) but I much prefer my slower walks!!
I was a bit worried I came across as constantly moaning in this video…did you ever have one of those days when you’re just in bad form, this was one of those for me!! I probably should have stayed in bed for the weekend 😊 Glad I got to it anyway - even if I was moaning and complaining all the way around!! You’re right though - we can miss the effort involved if it’s not spoken about…I certainly found it tough 😊
@@MiriamKennedy those challenge walks are tough going, I did a few a number of years ago and it's a but too much of a speed competition so now I prefer to stick to solo or with the walking gang I know.
You didn't come across at all negatively, we all have days that we struggle, just like we have days where we have the feet of angels!
Keep up the good work and as always looking forward to seeing your next adventure.
Ps I got my 2nd solo camp plus a hike last weekend on Corraun beside Achill, really have the bug now!
@George Hodgins hee hee!! Delighted for you!! What a wonderful and special thing to have found ay…so simple and so rewarding, to have everything you need on your back and spending time away from the day to day routines. It fills me up so much!! Great to hear you’re enjoying it….wahooooo!! I’m so glad that I eventually listened to the urge that I had to do it (it took me a good few years to even realise that I wanted to do it)…I could have missed out on so much pleasure if I hadn’t done it!
I agree on the speed competitions - just not for me!
Well done Miriam, tough challenge indeed. You seemed nervous at the start so I was really pleased to see that you got it done. I hope you felt the achievement once you recovered! Amazing how much the weather changed over the day and as usual the drone footage looked fab 🙂👌
Cheers Niall! Yeah great to have completed it - I was probably a bit anxious alright beforehand. I was really looking forward to doing it but it was weird as I felt in bad form doing it, just one of those days where I felt a bit ‘off’, like I was fighting with the world. When I started editing the footage then I started to really feel the satisfaction and to have the little memory of it with a video (even if I am moaning a fair bit!) 😂 Thanks for watching and your message!!
Great Work Miriam, I hope you're not too scarred
The pain has been forgotten Peter 😉 I’ve decided to blame the hot weather and running low on water - not my physical agility or fitness 😊
Stumbled across this video by chance but what a find it was. A genuinely beautiful video with incredible visuals. Probably even the best hiking video I've ever seen - and I've seen quite a lot. Thank you very much Miriam for helping me through a very dull December day in northern Germany. Cheers
Hi Tom - thank you for your very kind message! Let’s hope tomorrow is less dull in Northern Germany 🤞 Pretty grey here in Ireland but hoping to get out to experience some of the cold weather tomorrow for a little hike anyway 😉
Wow, loved the film! The fact that you continued to bring us along despite the physical strain you were under shows incredible mental stamina.
Thank you so much for the effort it must have taken to film this adventure.
Your editing is outstanding, the music, the drone shots, very well done Miriam! Makes me wonder how you can stand to watch my adventures ;)
Love all your films, like seeing an old friend, funny I feel the same way about Peter Lawless, must be an Irish thing tugging at 1/2 my roots!
My best as always,
Rick
Thank you Rick! Great to hear you enjoyed this one - it’s a pretty amazing spot to walk. It’s very close to where I was cycling a few weeks ago, our West Coast is filled with incredible places to visit 😉 I always enjoy your adventures - and yes, this TH-cam stuff is like a community of friends being inspired from each other’s little trips! Thanks for your message!! 👍
really well done Miriam, thats not an easy feat at all, congrats
Thanks very much Lloydi, that’s very kind of you! A hike to remember for sure 😉
That was some Hike Miriam 👏👏👏 love your choice of music. You and your knitting 🤣🤣 just brought back memories of the Tom Crean Challenge. We nearly started a knitting company on that . You got incredible views. Very rocky terrain isn't it. A lot more than I was expecting. Tough on the feet. Glad you finished it. It's always the day after when you can reflect on your achievements is when the most joy comes. Again another brilliant video. Each video of yours is bringing me one step closer to buying a fold bike 🫣 well done.. ☺️
Cheers Martin! Very rocky terrain alright - always nice to have the difference from the familiar boggy, soggy terrain 😊 Yes - me and my knitting…maybe it’ll happen some day 🫣 Ooohhhhh…lots of advantages with the aul fold up bike for sure!! The first time I used it on a hike…delighted how it worked out. Thanks for watching the video Martin, appreciate it 😊
Love your videos.
Cheers Dick! That’s really nice to hear 😊 Thanks very much for watching this one and your message 👍
Outstanding shots, masterfully composed video.
Thanks Ervin - it’s a beautiful place to play with the drone! Thanks for your message 😊
I love the honesty in your video about the difficulties with the climb and the impact it has on the experience. It's so refreshing to hear someone talk about this side of things too. Such a beautiful video and great insights. I feel like I'm on the experience with you. Great music and I'm just willing you on to the end. Thanks for making this and sharing with us all. We're all behind you. I really felt for you with the three summits! Brilliant job. The videos just get better and better and they are all so different. I look forward to them. These are my adventure too now.
Cheers Linda! Little did I know I’d be making a video of me complaining so much - part of me thinks I did a disservice to these amazing mountains moaning so much 😉 It was great and certainly tough…and I’m very glad I got to complete the entire route and really glad you could come along with me by watching the video!! Thanks so much for your support - you’re a super pal!! 😍
Great video❤
Thanks very much 😊
That was remarkable! Thanks for the inspiration.
Thanks Kevin for watching and your message! It’s a remarkable mountain range and so different to my usual stomping grounds on the east coast. Great to finally see and complete this entire route 😊
Hi Miriam, another masterpiece and well introduced and spoken. Some of our pilots have been flying near on Sunday. Saturday was low cloud forecasted so we stayed on the east coast. I always keep note of some of your hikes as the surroundings are well explained, especially for me flying, it is nice to see the terrain close up. 👍👍 Its like mapping the area.
Hii Uli - I wanted good weather for this one and was using 3 weather apps to try decide when to hit the road. My preference was to go Friday to do the hike on Saturday but 2 of the three apps were saying that Sunday would be better. When I arrived down on Saturday and saw the clear skies I thought I’d got it wrong and that Sunday mightn’t open up for me at all…it took its time to clear - I was coming down from the third peak before it finally moved on. It’s such a risk for you guys to drive across and not be able to fly at all! It was great to finally do this walk even if I did complain a lot while doing it!! Amazing mountain range to spend the day traipsing around. Your videos provide the same overview to me of the surrounding landscape and form of the mountains 😉 So much more important that conditions are right for you flying obviously - I just can’t fly the drone sometimes but I can still usually walk.in most conditions. Thanks for watching this one and great to hear you enjoyed it 😊 Where to next now…that was the last one on my video list so we’ll see how I’m inspired in the coming months! Have a good one this weekend! 👍
Well done on completing the Horseshoe. I did half of it with a few companions in May - Derryclare, Bencorr, Bencollaghduff and then descended to the valley rather than going on to Benbreen - and it was tough going. I've great admiration for anyone who does it in one go and especially doing it solo. You've produced a fantastic video which will inspire many people in the years to come.
Ah thank you John, that’s lovely to hear! Yeah it’s a tough-y…you need lots of daylight hours and a bit of madness I suppose 🫢 I was up Derryclare for the first time earlier in the year and got great views of the entire horseshoe so I definitely wanted to get back to eventually do it. That time I was due to climb Derryclare and Bencorr but I couldn’t even push myself to get over to Bencorr and was satisfied to leave it at one peak! I knew I’d find it tough but it’s just draining…I walk at a nice slow pace so I could eventually drag the whole route out of me. Thanks so much for watching and your message - that was lovely to hear! 😊
What an incredible achievement. You are an inspiration. A huge well done. Thoroughly enjoyed every armchair minute of watching. Breathtaking views. I am going to do that Hike......in another life!😆.
🤣🤣 thank you for an afternoon giggle!! An escalator would be a great idea to take in the views of this range - with a pause button to stop when you fancied! Thanks for watching the video and for your lovely message 😎 They really are breathtaking views and it made the effort worthwhile…somewhat!! 😂
Well done Miriam 👏👏 that was one of your best video's 📽️ I really enjoyed the views, keep them coming ❤️
Ah cheers Mark!! That’s lovely to hear…a great day out if not a little tough 🤕 I need to watch your latest upload, hope you had a great trip!! 😊
Drone clips so incredible..
Thanks for hiking us around.
Thanks so much! Thanks for coming along with me 😊 Much appreciated!!
Fabulous video of what is certainly one of the toughest hikes I have ever done. When we did it, we over estimated our fitness & under estimated how technical a hike it is, especially most of the descents. We had the same mental battles that you mentioned & when exhausted the decent of Benlettery was like torture as we could see the car below but it felt like we were never getting any closer to it. Having said that I'm so glad & proud that we did it. Thanks for making the video. Well done.
Thanks Ger!! Yes, that sight of the car and the slow descent really is heartbreaking 🥲 What are we like!! Great that you made it around too - it took me a while to take satisfaction from it - the editing of the footage really helped! 😂 Ah it’s such an amazing mountain range - I love them!! Thanks for watching and your message, very nice to hear from you 👍
I also loved the idea of using your bike. We were about to walk that road section but 3 other hikers gave us a lift as they had 2 cars. They also guided us around half the hike until we couldn't keep up with them. Without their help we would have been finishing the hike in the dark so we are eternally grateful to them. Hikers really are the best of people. Keep up the amazing work with the videos. Thanks again.
@@gerharold264 oh brilliant!! That was the first time I got to bring the bike along on a hike - it added to the adventure and saved me time and more heartache for sure!! Great you got that lift 😊
Hi Miriam! That looked absolutely stunning, but very demanding every step of the way! 😓 Think that one might be beyond my old legs! 😂 Great achievement! ATB👍
Thanks Des!! Those legs of yours would be fine, guaranteed 😊 A great hike with wonderful views (on a clear day!) - it’s one my legs and heart will remember for quite a while 🤗 Thanks for your message 👍
Fabulous landscape those mountains definitely on the radar to enjoy myself 🙏🏼
Superb film Miriam and a hard climb (respect to you for soldiering on 🙌👍)they are so craggy
(Why do we do it umm at times when we are in the middle of these challenges we wonder sometimes but after⛰
the high and the pleasure hits us then we know why )
Great 👍
Best wishes Simon 🙏🏼😊👍
Thanks Simon 😊 They really are fabulous mountains, a great place to spend some time and ponder why the hell we do it!! A great hike to do and they definitely get you to work 👍 I hope you do make it over to visit and explore these mountains and get some decent weather of course to see the views! Thanks so much, lovely to hear from you 😎
@@MiriamKennedy most welcome 🙏🏼 have a great 😊👍
Well, theres another one added to my must do list. Looks fantastic. You had great weather when it lifted. Another great vid, and it’s ok to be tired or “humbled” etc. if it was easy it wouldn’t be so satisfying after! Thank you for sharing again.
Thank you! Yeah it certainly was great weather when the cloud lifted to reveal the amazing landscape 😊 A great one to add to your list - really different terrain to walk and spend some time (a lot of time 😎) Definitely ok to be tired, you’re right!! Thanks very much for your message 😊
Just getting around to watching your more recent videos, Miriam. They are fantastic. I'm glad they're not about knitting, but if they were, I'm sure it would be the most scenic and challenging knitting around. :)
😂😂 Hopefully the knitting videos would have some good elevator music to accompany the footage also!! Cheers for your message Yasmin - much appreciated 😍
Hi Miriam, lovely to find your channel and this video. I'm planning to do this hike in April so this is very useful, and am completely expecting to get beaten up and exhausted! Cheers and thanks again
Thanks Jim 😂 You’ll be fine I’m sure!! Think of that pleasure that you’ll have at the end having completed it (well maybe the day after!!) I did find it a bit of a slog as I got tired and being on my own meant I had no one else to pick me up as I started to slacken off but as the old cliche goes - I’m so glad I did it!! Best of luck and I’d love to hear how you got on when you’ve finished 🤗
😊 thank you for the encouragement!
@@MiriamKennedy Hi Miriam, I finally got to Ireland and attempted this today. The cloudy weather on Friday forced me to change plans a bit and go for it today, leaving me with only a couple of hours instead of an entire day as planned. I only had time to climb Derryclare but it was so beautiful! I understand how you felt in your video on Derryclare, just sat there and enjoyed the wonder of the place! I will definitely come back and attempt the entire loop another time. Thank you for being such an inspiration and for giving me the idea to do this through your videos! It was one of the best hikes ever. I owe you a cold one :) Hope you're doing well.
(btw I'm a woman not too far from your age and I found it pretty challenging - you are amazing!)
Oh lucky you to have had those views from Derryclare! 🤩 I know how tough it is and lots of hours and perseverance are definitely needed to complete the loop. Thanks for letting me know how it went for you! It’s a very special place and taking in that view from Derryclare helped me form the idea of completing the entire loop and getting a sense of what might be involved. So glad you got to see what it was like and that you held off for some better weather too. I was waiting for weeks before the conditions allowed for good visibility - it seemed pointless to attempt it with a camera if I couldn’t show it off. So cool to hear you saw it in a video and then got to see it in the flesh!! Thanks so much for your message - that really made me smile!! 🤗
Loved it and thank you again :) stay well
Well done Miriam, years ago I did Mweelrea horseshoe from Delphi and the final bit back to Delphi I had had enough, but looking back it was a great day out in the hills.
Yeah hindsight is a powerful thing after the dust settles ay!! I haven’t done that horseshoe loop at Mweelrea - one for the list for sure 😉 Cheers for watching and your message Declan!! Hope all is well on your side!
Incredible opening two minutes, mind you, the rest was not bad either. What a brilliant horseshoe hike that was, dam shame about the rolling mist that came in but brilliant that it did not hang around and spoil things. I also have those 'why' thoughts as well, usually half way up a mountain, what I am puffing like an old steam train but always goes when I hit a summit. Superb views and drone footage and hats off to you on what looked liked a real brutal hike, with hairy moments and a lot of scrambling. I would love to do that hike but willing to take your advice and stay away lol! Great watch cheers Alan
Cheers Alan!! Now, now - on a future visit to your pals in Galway, you should head over here, only an hours drive from Galway City to access a few incredible mountain ranges! No excuses 😎 Some good aul huffing and puffing - you love it!! Amazing spot - when you can see around you 🤦♀️
Well done Miriam, I did this hike around 2 years ago but I started from Ben Lettery youth hostel, tackling Ben Lettery first, really tough day in the hills,well done you, your drone footage is incredible,twelve bens never looked so good!
Thanks Bmac! Yep there’s no denying it’s a tough hike 👍 I read one reference that said doing it clockwise as you did was this persons preferred direction but I also read that doing it anti-clockwise helped especially to come down the scree of Benbreen rather than climbing it. No matter which way - it has plenty of challenges 😊 It was definitely nice to have the drone as it did a great job at showing the steepness of some of the climbs where my GoPro camera or phone couldn’t capture that. Wonderful that the day eventually cleared to show off the views also, there’s no point in bringing the camera if I can’t capture the views in a place like the Bens…such a dramatic mountain range!! Thanks for watching and your message…getting close to your Caha Mountains trip now 😎
I was parked where you were camped on tuesday evening looking up at this route .
Great - such a fantastic route!!
I was looking for some good knitting content and found this one ;-) Wow, that was a long day! What a beautiful area that is. And you still had to drive back to Dublin?
You came to the right place for knitting content Dave 😍 A really fabulous area to explore (especially in hindsight 😂) - ah no, a tough hike but wonderful and great to have captured….even if I did seem to do a lot of complaining! I ended up staying with a friend who lives about an hour away rather than face into the long drive home, it’s not often I make wise choices but I think that was one 😉 Cheers for watching it!!
Wow, that looked beautiful, somewhat bleak, ethereal and daunting, all at the same time..what a massive, massive achievement, you must be so very proud of yourself..Dont know what you were referring to in your previous message, you didnt moan at all..not once, you were clearly tired (&who wouldn't be) and yet still managed to make self deprecating jokes, even referencing knitting..haha..and smiling constantly..You're most definitely an inspiration to me Myriam! I've started wild camping again, entirely because of you..now I may also have to have a look at knitting..haha..Though after nearly getting blown off the Old Man of Coniston still inside my tent, I'm not sure that inspiration is healthy, and the knitting is looking a safer bet..haha..I'm jesting with you..Loved every minute of it.....I later realised..once I was safely back down..haha..Anyway, dont want to bore you with my mini adventures, wen you've just completed that mammoth adventure..Ive more to tell about my 2and Lanshan adventure..but I'll save that for next time..Anyway, a lovely, lovely film, which took even more out of you..You weren't humbled by the mountains..It was monumental what you did, and I'm very proud of you..P.S. Hope you got your Oranges by the way!?!?🍊
Ah thanks Tim! Definitely a great adventure to have had and great to have been able to bring the little Brompton along for a spin too 😊 Your adventure sounded pretty epic in fairness - I didn’t have nature breathing down my neck like it was on your trip (literally)! Great that you’re going to go at it again and hopefully the weather forecast will be more favourable the next time for you 🤞 Knitting could be a dangerous sport possibly - I’m going to continue to resist the temptation for now…I’ll let you know when I take the plunge and you can check if you feel inspired to do so!! 🤔 Great to have completed the walk for sure…it’s a wonderful spot as I’m sure you can see! On the oranges…I ended up staying that night with a friend who lives above an hour away from where I was walking. She rang me and asked if I wanted food, I told her that all I wanted was oranges and she said all she had were some old unappetising oranges. When I got to the car I had a 2L bottle of water in the car that I guzzled down. The orange craving went away instantly!! I just needed water 🤩
@@MiriamKennedy Miriam, you're so kind, but come on now, your being far too modest! In no way does my camp in the mountains &a little brush with nature, bear any comparison to your epic feat of endurance and sheer pluck..So take a bow, and concede that you're amazing! I actually laughed out loud when you elaborated on the Oranges..Reminded me of Aron Ralston's biography, he was trapped (by the arm) in Utah for nearly 6 days (127 hours) he was so thirsty that he actually dreamt of a bottle of Orange he'd left in his truck..Anyway, iv been out for a second wild camp in the Lanshan..and was a totally different experience. Did what you would call a 'wimps' horse shoe, in the Lakes..much smaller than yours..but the camp (@another tarn) was much mor pleasant..Didnt sleep well tho..bought a sleep mat of my friend..total rubbish, it had the R rating, loft and comfort of sleeping on toilet tissue..so Iv ordered a new sleep pad for my next trip..How long before you're fully recovered and heading out again? Any mor thoughts on something to commemorate ur..21st 😉 nxt year..will it be a mammoth (hop, skip & a jump) cycle trip or a walk? Keep up the inspiration Miriam 😊
Oh great - a second camp done already! Hopefully your new mattress will be a winner 🤞 I get damn all sleep in a tent - I’m content to lie there and just rest the body and wait for the sunrise mostly 😊 It’s rare that I get much sleep. The recovery has been fine - in fact the day I drove back I was out for another hike that evening with a pal that had been previously arranged…handled it fine! 😉 I was planning to go away again tonight without the camera but I’m now thinking I’ll stay home. Doing too much running around lately in life and the camps have been my escape but I think a chilled weekend at home would be better served for me this weekend even though the weather is fab - I could change my mind again yet 😊 No plans for next year or next week yet 😎 Lord…trapped by the arm for 6 days, that’s the guy that had to cut his arm off isn’t it 🤦♀️ Your shopping for renewed gear is moving along!! Happy planning for camp 3 ⛺️
@@MiriamKennedy Myriam you've really surprised me with saying that you get very little sleep in a tent..especially after you once said being in a tent was your first love..During my "windy" camp I didnt sleep one single wink..haha..but my mini-horseshoe camp, i managed about 4hours..I've ordered a lofty s2s sleep mat, hoping to remedy that..But so strange that you should say that..When I was a lad I wasnt allowed a bed (long story) and slept on the floor for about 8years; however when I went camping, I slept like a log and the ground seemed so nice and comfy..Now I sleep on a thick mattress @home, but camping on the ground is not comfortable @all..Perhaps we've become 2soft (obviously I'm not including u in that statement after your recent long walk..haha)in general? I think the right pillow makes all the difference to me..All I can do is try, even if I end up laying awake, like your self, recovering &resting, rather than sleeping; then I will learn to tolerate that..haha..What are your thoughts on sleeping bags, the old down vs synthetic argument? I know you love your Rab, but what was your decision process..If you dont mind me asking? Sorry if I'm being too presumptuous in my msgs..please forgive me, but I'm genuinely keen to learn from others and especially from an honorary Navy Seal, like your fair self..haha 😉
Would you go away out of that with the navy seal! 🤦♀️ On sleeping in tents and my love for camping - the best way I can describe it is that it’s where I feel the most content in life. Not that I feel particularly discontent when not in a tent, but it’s a sense of being ‘at home’ and doing what I’m meant to be doing when I’ve a bag on my back and heading out with my tent. That’s a priceless feeling and one I place huge value on and I had no idea it would have such a powerful impact on my life. Sitting in a tent or next to my tent making tea, eating biscuits, all alone and taking it all in - I’ve generally got a grin from ear to ear and a deep contentment when I’m doing that. Lying in a tent has the same appeal - unconscious sleep is secondary, I don’t seem bothered if I don’t get much, my body is rested and I can do whatever I need to do the following day. Im not nervous or anxious while lying there - videoing definitely keeps my mind more active and I relax better when not videoing. Life’s responsibilities and activities are somewhere in the background and I feel I become the closest I could be to being myself completely. Again, not that I play at being a fraud in everyday life. Camping gives me a very special feeling and one that I’m very grateful to have found. The solitary aspect of it is a huge draw - again I’m not completely antisocial but what started out as solitary time with myself and nature, grew legs when I started posting videos. I was initially just trying to capture the feeling of it all, then I was having fun and learning about video making and connecting with the TH-cam community that also have an interest in camping. Two interests - camping and video making that can seem to compliment each other but they can be polar opposite too. On the sleeping bag front - I wanted to go lightweight initially when I was buying a bag and whatever research I did drew me to a Rab down bag. I was happy with it from the start and I never tried any other brand or type to compare. Maybe not everyone’s experience - but that’s an attempt at trying to describe what it means to me and how I still seem content with little sleep 😉
Sure looked a tough day out for sure, well done for getting through it👏👏I think its harder when your own your own as compared to being with a few others. Lovely drone footage as always, nice to see all those mountains named after me😂. Look forward to the next one👌
😂😂 what an honour those mountains have with their name! Yeah a tough day out but worth it in the end 🙃 You could be right on it being more difficult on my own - to motivate myself especially but at least I can go at my own pace throughout which definitely helps! Cheers for your message Ben 😊 Hope you’re enjoying the good temperatures 👍
@@MiriamKennedy it's definitely good to challenge yourself now and again, both mentally and physically, very rewarding😀, temperatures not too hot up here in Belfast, raining at the moment, though next two days to be hotter👌
It’s been a scorcher here today two hours down the road…nice to see a bit of Summer at last! Enjoy the better weather coming your way 😎
Thinking if you did a “TH-cam on taking up knitting” (while hiking/climbing/biking at the same time😅) you would make that look easy too⁉️ 😁 Luv ur clips….inspiration for sure❣️👏 Another gr8 clip😊
Thanks a million!! My knitting adventures might take some training 🤓 So glad I got to complete this route (despite all my complaining!) Such great views from up top and the drone was fab to capture the sights! Thanks again 🙏
@@MiriamKennedy I didn’t notice the complaining⁉️😁(ok maybe at bit but rose coloured glasses always on here😻)….To be honest I binged all of your clips all day (yes a small touch of man flu helped😁🥴… your a chick 🐥 so you wouldn’t understand 🙄how dramatic man flu is😳🤣😁….ok I’m probably soft compared to you😅💪) anyway Ireland 🇮🇪 was not on the radar for me to explore (as always cold & raining 🤔which it is⁉️🤣) but you have convinced/ inspired me it’s now top of list✅ as very few tourists / wild camping & amazing scenery 👍 Thanks again Legend .. you are now on “all notifications “🔔😊✅
Aww thank you! You must have been very sick to get through all those videos 🤭 It’s actually a cunning plan from the Irish to paint a negative view of our weather to actively mange our tourist numbers! We couldn’t cope if the truth was really known 😇 Get well soon!! 🤞🤕
Wow Miriam... that was epic! Really stunning footage and music. looked really tough but what a video resulted from your hard work. Did you not want to cycle back to Dublin after that?😊 I recon you would make even a knitting video interesting ! 😉
🤣🤣 oh my god I was fit for nothing after that - I ended up staying with a friend who lives about an hour away rather than face into the long drive home that night. We ended up staying up chatting until the wee hours but a lot safer than me driving for too long that night 🙂 Thankfully I’d booked the following day off work so I could take my time and not push myself too much. I ended up going for another hike when I came home as I’d arranged to meet a pal the following evening - I was grand though! 😉 A few good nights sleep had me brand new again and the editing helped me appreciate what a great hike it was - I’m genuinely not into pushing myself much at all but good to do it this once!! 🤗 Thanks a million for watching the video Joe and your message 👍 Definitely a trip I’ll be remembering for a while!! Knitting career to commence shortly….
Only gets better n better.. r u moving to RTÉ! We did Carantoohill twice this weekend, inspired by yourself! however I can’t actually walk now let alone drive 😝. But who knew it was doable.. next will be the tent up the Mt n trying not to bolt back down to the van when I hear something weird in the night. Looking forward to ur next installment!
Oh my god…twice in the one weekend, a glutton for punishment 🫣 Well done to you for that…enjoy the recovery, this getting old business is a pain!! I assumed the tent had been out already on the mountains with your Nemo pillow!? Hope you had decent visibility for your climbs and that the temps weren’t too punishing!! I had a slow week after this hike in the Bens - I did 2 other hikes but I did a lot of lazing around too and eventually got a few decent nights sleep. Thanks for your lovely message, you’re very good!! 😊
@@MiriamKennedy the views were incredible with this weather/heat wave. My camp gear looks fab in my lounge 😂 going to try these Bens now.. maybe just one.. doing them all in one day is wild 😳😃!
@@kpj5 ah great! Disappointing when you travel and don’t get the payoff of views…great that it worked out for you! Camping gear in the lounge is better than the shop or online 😂 Happy adventuring with your next one 😊
That did look like a tough one, Miriam. Beautiful area and amazing drone work, as usual. Perhaps you can knit using hiking poles? 😉🙂👍
Cheers Brian!! Yep, certainly was a tough one but after nearly a week - I can say it’s definitely worth it 😉 Knitting with hiking poles 😂😂 The poles were pretty redundant for a lot of this hike as the terrain just didn’t suit them but they came in handy at some stages for sure!! Glad you enjoyed the drone shots, they give an accurate sense of the landscape whereas the GoPro shots were much more limited in highlighting the form of the mountains. I had lots of battery power left to use with the drone but I became too tired to be bothered setting it up to send it out more often! Hope all is well with you 😊
Hey miriam , im training for a route between maam and leenaun , was doing some reasearch this morning and found your video . Always wanted to do this horseshoe loop .
Perhaps a few explorations hikes are required first , a few failures .
Awesome film .
Thanks
Thanks a million! I climbed Derryclare a few months before this and saw the horseshoe for the first time and it convinced me to come back to do it! I realised I wouldn't be able to camp while doing it (due to the terrain and the heavier load) so it took a bit of 'wondering' to figure out how I'd do it logistically. Thankfully it worked out! 😊 The Maumturks are similar terrain to these and equally dramatic. I've only done a section of the central Maumturks - again I realised it would be too difficult for me to carry my camping gear while doing the entire route and I wasn't interested in pushing myself to do it all in one day solo. Best of luck with the training!! 😎
Yeah I just found your derryckaire film .
It's all logistics , that is the thrill for me , each week formulating an idea of how to complete it . Daunting
We are hopeful to do this route around the 19th of July . . Camping would be interesting, but I don't have any light gear . If you need support that's the date we are aiming for
@@lifesahobby a big part of the fun for me is working out the logistics too! For my last Donegal video I had about 3 other ideas about how to go about it before I settled on where I'd park the car etc
@@lifesahobby only a few weeks to go - very exciting 🙂
'Knitting!!" Ha haaaa, that cracked me up! Of course, nothing against those who do knit :) Wonderful video indeed, my list of hikes is steadily growing, I've almost filled a notebook! Can I ask whether you use the EastWest maps for your hiking routes?
Uh oh!! You’ll need to get a bigger notebook 😎 I do use the EastWest maps for Connemara actually. I have a few of their maps and I use OSI maps if more detailed maps aren’t available. I also use an app called OutdoorActive and I get ideas of routes that others have uploaded or to plan my own. Your visit is getting closer now!! My knitting goals have been placed on hold for 2023 it seems 🤓
@@MiriamKennedy Thanks for the tips Miriam, very helpful! I like the look of that app, I've been using a similar app here in Spain called Wikiloc, just checking the routes in Ireland and there seems to be plenty uploaded. My visit to Ireland is going to last at least five years so I'm thinking I may need more than a new notebook... probably a new wardrobe too :)
Ah you’ll have plenty of opportunities to explore the hills and roads of Ireland so 🤗
Very well done Miriam. That was a superb achievement. Being honest, I think I would have struggled with that hike. Did you camp that night in the area or head back to Dublin? BTW, your videography is excellent & you are very relaxed in front of the camera.
Thanks very much Colman! I ended up staying with a friend who lives about an hour away from where I was rather than driving all the way home that night. I had the following day booked off from work so I had that flexibility. Lovely to hear you enjoyed the video! 👍 It’s a tough hike for sure and I got more tired especially on the final descent!
Hi Miriam, I hope you have recovered by now.... Really enjoyed this video as always. Totally fair play to keep filming when you were fatigued. Its so hard to do that. You even managed setting up the camera and walking away from it and back again towards the end of the walk... Did you carry 3 litres of water or use water sources and a filter... Pack must have been fairly heavy with drone and other camera equipment.. Well done anyway and really appreciate you sharing. As a content creator myself I actually don't watch many other camping and hiking channels but I certainly watch yours... Tom
Cheers Tom! Recovered again (physically anyway) - hindsight certainly provided some satisfaction and the editing of the footage was great to remind me and show me the route and landscape again 😊 A fantastic mountain range - not great for pitching a tent, definitely hiking territory rather than camping (a bivy maybe), makes it easier not carrying the camping gear anyway. It was lovely to camp at the base. I carried all my water with me - there were so little water sources along the route. On my final descent I could hear water so I definitely could have topped up there and when I spotted that little pool before climbing peak 6. I didn’t bother topping up but in fairness I should have as I was struggling to ration my last bit of water. I had a 2L bottle of water in the car which was a welcome treat when I made it back to the car. Thanks for watching the video and your message, I really appreciate it 👍 I found myself too fatigued to fly the drone for the last few peaks, I finished with lots of battery power remaining but I’d enough footage to show the place off thankfully 😅
👍👍😘😘🙏🙏
Thank you Naresh!! 😊
Well done Miriam, I'd say you are delighted to have done it. Great to see that the weather cleared up and the Brompton is dead handy to make those little road sections a bit faster. I was thinking of using a bike in wicklow so that I can park in Glendalough and cycle to where I'm going and then stashing the bike like yourself. Did you find the chest pack useful?
Cheers Jason! Great to have done it and to have a little record of the route and conditions with the video. It’s really impressive landscape - the GoPro can’t capture the form of the mountains accurately but the drone and my phone gave a few insights to what it’s truly like. Yeah the bike worked a treat, it’s the first time I did that. It’s not a bike I’d feel comfortable about locking in full view anywhere (in this case I was worried that the farmer might cut the lock as it was locked to a fence) but it was well hidden and the note had my phone number to hopefully alert the farmer that I’d be back! The bike is definitely handy for a situation like that and I’d do it again for sure. The Chest Pack is working well for carrying my drone - it saves me having to take everything off my back when I want to send it out for a quick shot. For that reason I’m happy with it and I’ve found little ways of making it more secure to suit my needs. It’s not fully waterproof so I’d need a dry bag inside if it was rainy - not a problem! Cheers for watching and your message 😉
@@MiriamKennedy oooh I love that idea, popping the drone in there. I reckon if I had to take my backpack off, to get at a drone, I would never use it. The gopros do struggle in some situations but they're fantastic little cameras when you think of how much technology is inside such a small little thing. I might have to pick up one of those chest packs now. I've no drone but I could put jelly babies in there 😄
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Did you come across any suitable spots to camp about the halfway mark?
Just realised my last reply to you was based on the wrong video!! Apologies if you read that and hadn’t a clue what I was talking about 😂 I’ve since deleted that response! God….pitching options are pretty slim. I was just delighted that I wasn’t carrying my camping gear so I didn’t have my head screwed on to be sussing out pitching options. As you can see from the video it’s very rocky but there are small patches of grass here and there. I’d recommend a bivy or small 1 person footprint tent anyway. It’s definitely possible though if you can put up with the added weight. From having a quick look at the video again I’d say your best options might be along the summit of Ben Breen - it is a long enough ridge and at 11:30 in the video it shows some possible green spots. I’ve no idea how flat they are of course. If you’re determined to camp - that would be my recommendation. That’s 2/3 of the way rather than half though. If you go for it, let me know how you get on!! I hiked Derryclare a few months earlier and while doing that I decided to come back to the horseshoe but decided I’d not camp. That’s just me though! It would of been too difficult for me with all my gear. I’m sure many have done it with camping gear. Do let me know what you end up doing, I’d love to hear how you get on and don’t be too influenced by me not doing it. It’ll be slim pickings on the camping spots - but there are some for sure!
Thanks! I'm not mad on using bivys, think I'd probably just do the hike and camp elsewhere.
@@harmerc313 you won’t regret it 😊 I camped at the base of Derryclare and it was lovely, you get to see the tops of the entire route from there. Best of luck with it!
Very much enjoyed! :)
Tell me, Miriam, how are things with trespassing, footpaths, horrible 'Keep Out' signs and so on in Ireland? I don't believe you have footpaths and bridleways, as in England. Also, you may not have 'right to roam'. It could be that people are just allowed to roam and enjoy the planet they were born on, which is it how it should be, in my view. :) What say you?
Glad you enjoyed the video Ray 🤗 I feel a bit ignorant in giving you a correct answer to your question. In my own experience to date - I don’t find it an issue but we don’t have the ‘right to roam’ allowances of Scotland. I don’t come across many ‘Keep Out’ signs at all that block me from accessing the mountains. I’m aware of a few areas where access routes have altered over time but I literally never have had an issue with access - certainly at times I have had to walk around an area to access somewhere but nothing that has caused me any annoyance. For people that have possibly been walking in an area for years, they may be more familiar with access that has changed over time and as such might have some annoyance about it but for me I have never felt irritated or annoyed by any sign that I’ve seen - and I don’t see many in all honesty! Maybe I’ve got selective seeing too though 🤦♀️ I have also never come across any angry farmers who are telling me off for walking where I am. I hear people in the UK expressing their irritation with ‘Keep Out’ signs but it’s not something that I have noticed as any big deal here. Hopefully someone might read this comment and provide you with a clearer update than mine as to the legal side of things in Ireland…I don’t really know what the rules are. My gut would say - it’s not an issue, we’ve great access to our mountains and I feel very free and safe accessing them 😊
@@MiriamKennedy Thanks Miriam. Your reply paints the picture that I had in my mind, though I did wonder if my questions were too much, as a 'comment'. i.e. me being lazy. :) So, I googled 'are there footpaths in Ireland', and it brought up many useful leads, which I have been reading. I see that Ireland has OS maps too, which are mines of information. (Some actually show where you can hide your bike. :)) Thanks again. ;)
@@Ru556 😂😂 As soon as I responded to you I realised I could have done the same thing and Googled it to make sure I was understanding you correctly! Yes our OS maps guide me and have literally opened up the entire country to me once I learned how to read them 😊 I use Outdooractive to get ideas about routes from other users also and have the online OS maps for the entire country available to me which is a fabulous resource!
Why do you do it? In the words by George Mallory......‘Because it’s There’.......‘Because you Can’.......a lot of people would love to be able to walk the mountains, do the knitting when you can’t do the mountains, cycling, swimming etc......cracking mountains
Absolutely!! 🤗 The knitting will keep 👍 Wonderful mountains for sure and great to have been able to complete the route. Cheers for your message!!
@@MiriamKennedy adjust watched your 3 day hike & camp in the Caha Mountains, is the map you used laminated and where did you get it from? The Ordnance Survey over here in the U.K. and Harvey’s maps do laminated maps, I prefer Harvey’s as they are less cluttered than the OS maps, but the areas they cover are limited, have to say you and Susana Thornton are well impressive women, both of you in the Dervla Murphy mould, few and far between nowerdays 👍👍👍
@@davidharris4062 Hi David - I use laminated maps where possible and they’re ordinance survey maps mostly. I’ve only used Harvey Maps in Northern Ireland. For the Caha Mointains they are covered in Sheets 84 and 85 in the Discovery Series of maps from Ordinance Survey Ireland (OSI). I bought mine from an outdoor shop in Dublin but I just checked online and they only had one of the 2 you’d need currently in stock. The following site has both maps in stock and you can choose the laminated option:
trailheadireland.com/Irish_Maps/County_Kerry_Maps/Ordnance_Survey_Ireland-Discovery_Series-Sheet_84
Just do a search for 85 also on this site and you’d be able to get the other one! The OSI website seem to only have the non laminated option to buy online. The above website was the only one I could see the two of them available!
Thanks for the compliment of the Dervla Murphy mould 😂 I’m an utter novice but I just love being outdoors in a tent for some reason 😎
@@MiriamKennedy thanks for the info, much appreciated 👍