.
It's been a truly tough and testing couple of weeks trying to make a living in the mountains of the South West and I reckon I've without doubt spent more days in the rain gear this summer than I did for all the rest of the year combined. It's still been an extremely busy season though and it was a real joy to finally have the warm sun on the skin for a change instead of peering through the usual slit in the sweaty gore-tex hood with rain dripping off my nose!
It really is the best job in the world on sunny or even dry days and makes my job so much easier when the weather plays ball and though it seems to be back to the usual yuck this week hopefully it will improve soon and yours truly will once again appreciate just how lucky I indeed am to spend so much time amongst these spectacular peaks and valleys. Lets hope my appreciation lasts a few more days anyway as day in, day out wet, wind and greyness takes its toll after a while!
This already hugely tough,testing and challenging quest was unfortunately made all the more difficult on the day by monsoon rains and ferocious winds and the exhausted dripping and battered smiling brave souls all returned safe and well, many with a new found respect for the wild and extreme mountains of the Kingdom.
Lots of new friends made, lessons learned,tales to be told, calories burned, hats lost and gear to be dried!!!
Our beautiful and amazing Daughter Orlaith made the front of the Irish Examiner recently with her little common frog she discovered while out with me in the Hags Glen to take some promo shots with photographer extraordinaire Valerie O'Sullivan. She was pretty over awed to see her face on the cover as she sat down for breakfast and even heard them comment on her photo on the Vincent Browne show on TV3 and various others besides. Famous in school too for the day.
Well after the most depressing so called summer in many a year finally the forty shades of grey turned to forty shades of fineness for our last few first time ascentionists of Corrán Tuathail and they have been extremely lucky to be able to appreciate and even to SEE the mighty Reeks in their full glory.
It's been a truly tough and testing couple of weeks trying to make a living in the mountains of the South West and I reckon I've without doubt spent more days in the rain gear this summer than I did for all the rest of the year combined. It's still been an extremely busy season though and it was a real joy to finally have the warm sun on the skin for a change instead of peering through the usual slit in the sweaty gore-tex hood with rain dripping off my nose!
It really is the best job in the world on sunny or even dry days and makes my job so much easier when the weather plays ball and though it seems to be back to the usual yuck this week hopefully it will improve soon and yours truly will once again appreciate just how lucky I indeed am to spend so much time amongst these spectacular peaks and valleys. Lets hope my appreciation lasts a few more days anyway as day in, day out wet, wind and greyness takes its toll after a while!
Plenty more guided ascents scheduled over the coming days and weeks and fingers crossed for a return of just a little more sunshine....
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An absolutely MASSIVE well done and HUGE (wet!) hats off to each and every participant who fought and toiled their way around the wild windy High Peaks of Killarney during the course of our very recent inaugural Ultimate High Peaks Challenge.
This already hugely tough,testing and challenging quest was unfortunately made all the more difficult on the day by monsoon rains and ferocious winds and the exhausted dripping and battered smiling brave souls all returned safe and well, many with a new found respect for the wild and extreme mountains of the Kingdom.
Lots of new friends made, lessons learned,tales to be told, calories burned, hats lost and gear to be dried!!!
Everyone can be extremely proud of their momentous achievements and all the staff and crew of the 2015 Killarney's Ultimate High Peaks Challenge are in awe at your strength and resilience and would like to thank you for your kind words and praise of our efforts.
We look forward to hopefully seeing you all again next year and of completing some unfinished business!
We look forward to hopefully seeing you all again next year and of completing some unfinished business!
Sure if it was easy everyone would do it ;-)
A BIG BIG word of kind thanks to our truly amazing marshal team - Don, Sean, Mike, Keith, Sheila, Alan, Dave John G, John H & John D, Angela, Rhys and Kevin. Legends the lot of ye!
Big BIG thanks also to John and Esther Cronin of Cronin's Yard, Valerie O'Sullivan, Philip and everyone at O'Callaghan Coaches, Sean and Mike from Kate Kearney's Cottage, Lisa, Catriona and Ollie from Elite events, Cathal Cudden of Bright Idea, to all our sponsors - The Little Big Bike Shop- Killarney, Nigel and Alpine Sports, Kerry Outdoor Sports, Joe Cotter, post event musicians and dancers and everyone else besides.
Big BIG thanks also to John and Esther Cronin of Cronin's Yard, Valerie O'Sullivan, Philip and everyone at O'Callaghan Coaches, Sean and Mike from Kate Kearney's Cottage, Lisa, Catriona and Ollie from Elite events, Cathal Cudden of Bright Idea, to all our sponsors - The Little Big Bike Shop- Killarney, Nigel and Alpine Sports, Kerry Outdoor Sports, Joe Cotter, post event musicians and dancers and everyone else besides.
Thank you all. We couldn't have done it without ye :-)
Last but most importantly a MASSIVE thanks to all the relevant farmers and landowners who allowed us to host this event on their property and lands, to the MacGillycuddy's Reeks mountain access forum, Trish Deane in South Kerry Development Partnership and everyone who helped and aided us in all manner of ways. We greatly appreciate your kind assistance!
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Princess and the frog
