James & Laura' 32 counties tour - The idea

I came up with this idea just one evening sitting at home. I have a vague recollection of this event but there was once a show on TV where the contestants were attempting to drive through all 32 counties in Ireland in 24 hours, getting their picture taken at each county border sign.

Both myself and Laura love to get out and see things so I came up with the idea of seeing all of Ireland's 32 counties, getting our pictures at each border sign (as above) but also seeing something of interest in those counties. A highlight if you will. For example Co. Clare could involved the Cliff's of Moher, Antrim could involve the Giant's Causeway. We haven't sat down and actually planned anything yet but we both want to do it and look forward to it. It is a great excuse to get out and do stuff together (not that we need one) while also enhancing our cultural experiences and seeing more of our homeland.

There are (I am ashamed to admit it) several counties I have never been to but I will put this right. We have not set ourselves any time limit, nothing silly but instead want to enjoy various weekends away, seeing what Ireland has to offer without rushing the experience.

Where first? Well we are heading to Wexford for a weekend away together on the 19th of June so where better to begin. The National 1798 Rebellion visitor centre is in Wexford so that could be our highlight? We will decide when we get there.

Equipment / Gear Reviews - (3) Kingcamp Trek KS3131 "Trek 300" Sleeping Bag 3/4 Season

The main driving factor for me when choosing a sleeping bag was the cost. I did not see the point in spending a fortune on an expedition style bag for what I saw as 12 nights use and maybe a few back home. I will also hold my hands up and say I did not really do any research on sleeping bags before going. All I knew was that I needed a 3/4 season bag capable of keeping me warm in temperatures of more than or equal to -15ºC.

The obvious initial advantage is the price tag, this bag cost me €20 from e Bay. It was actually an Irish company that I bought it from so delivery was free. The technical specs are as as follows:

• Weight: 1.6kg
• Material: 190T polyester, WP & Cire outer, T/C 88/64 lining, 2 x 150g/m2 warm hollow fibre filling
• Colour: Dark blue with stuff bag

Features:

• Comfortable and durable, lightweight, carry bag included, can be used in cold climate.
• Keeps in warmth, even in damp environment.
• Mummy style so extra protection for head, neck and shoulders.
• Anti-static build-up.
• Easy to compress.
• A high quality product at a competitive price.

Has I done some more research before going on trek I would have realised that a down filled sleeping bag rather than a synthetic bag like mine would be lighter, smaller but a lot more expensive. In hindsight if I was to go again I will bring a down filled bag for those reasons. My rucksack once packed was almost a third filled with my sleeping bag.

While on trek the bag performed very well. Never once did I feel cold whilst snugly wrapped up inside of it. It is easily wrapped up once you are packing it away again. One major benefit I found is that the bag can be thrown into the wash once you return unlike a down filled bag that cannot. It is a very easy bag to live with, once inside there are zips outside and inside making it tough to get stuck. The mummy style bag along with draw cord means you can almost completely seal yourself in on the really cold nights.

Overall I found this sleeping bag was ideal for what I wanted. I do not really go camping much at home so I will not have much use for it again, it is very affordable and for 12 nights in the Himalayas (all above 2600m) it never failed to keep me warm. Most people who brought down filled bags also brought silk liners to keep the inside of the bag clean and also for additional warmth. The fact that the bag is easily washed makes a big difference.

Rating 4 out of 5

Equipment / Gear Reviews - (2) Regatta Survivor 45L Rucksack

Apologies about the picture. Those of you who are observant may have noticed the 35L sign on the front whereas I am reviewing the 45L, the only difference from the picture is the 45L so it should not make too much difference (Pedantic Pats)

I bought this bag not long before heading off to Nepal in March so I didn't have much time to field test it before the trek. I had bought a smaller Hi-Tec backpack before this one which to be fair served me well, but in recent walks in the mountains I found more and more frequently the bag was getting very tight once fully loaded. The bag was a 25L-30L capacity but I found I was really having to jam everything into it before setting off.

This backpack I bought from a reputable store (online) from the UK from whom I have bought a few items in the past. It cost 39.95GBP which equate to a little under €50 including delivery costs. That is pretty good value as comparable backpacks (not exactly the same bag) cost €30 to €40 more in the stores in Ireland. You do get the advantage however of trying them on and picking one that fits your back but when push comes to shove for me cost always matters more.

The backpack itself it very well equipped and is made from hard-wearing polyester. Nearly all backpacks at the moment boast some sort of Airmesh back which allows for ventilation and this one is no different. There is a zipped lid and a cord fastening so at least if your zips break your backpack remains closed.

One feature I was looking for that my old backpack is the built in rain cover. On some bags I had seen the covers are not built in meaning on a really windy day luminous rain covers can be seen flying around Wicklow, this one however is securely attached to my backpack and neatly tucks away.

There is a frontal storage pocket which seems to fit perfectly around my Water hydration bladder which is an added bonus, my hydration bladder has a tendency to leak so being able to keep it separate from all my other gear is an advantage.

There is a padded hip belt as well as a chest strap, these are great and keep the strain off the shoulders. I used to get pains in my shoulder after particularly long walks and since getting this backpack they have been far less severe. The chest strap helps with that. Like most modern backpacks there are straps for securing walking poles, there are 2 external sides pockets for drinks bottles, flasks etc and 2 side zipped pockets for additional items. For tightening up the entire load there are side compression straps although I have not needed those as of yet.

Some drawbacks that I have found with the backpack relates to the strap quality. The frontal straps for closing the bag and securing it around your waist was extremely fragile. Now I managed to change them easily with my old bag but nevertheless it is a quality concern.

Another down side, while small is the colour. There is some cream / white elements on the bag which after a good soaking in Nepal turned the bag a very dirty colour. One I am still cleaning. This is not a major issue but if you want to use the bag for other reason, flying, gym, weekend away etc. it makes you think again.

All in all I am very happy with this backpack, it does everything I need it to do, fits all my gear comfortable and so far at least seems to be quite robust. I give this backpack a rating of 3.5 out of 5. Some areas could be improved upon but altogether a good choice for a backpack.

Equipment / Gear Reviews - (1) Garmin eTrex H GPS

I originally got this GPS for Geocaching and I will be honest and say my decision was driven by my budget. I didn't want to spend hundreds of Euro on a GPS, my knowledge of GPS technology was very basic at that time. The Garmin was the cheapest solution at the time but from my experiences of it so far it was a bargain. The units vary greatly in price but I paid around €90 for mine which is about the cheapest model available. What I like most about the eTrex H is its size and weight. It barely takes up any space in the pocket or backpack so it is not at all cumbersome. Another reason I like it is its durability. It has a waterproof rating which means should you drop it into a puddle or need to use it in the rain it should be OK. Apparently the unit will float in water but I am not brave enough to try that out just yet!

One drawback that others have pointed out to me (although I myself do not see it as a problem) is that the unit does not display in colour. The unit accepts 2 x AA batteries, depending on the quality of the batteries you should get at least a full days use (assuming you use it all day long to record a route) but if you switch the unit on and off then you will get much longer from a set. The eTrex H does not seem to like rechargeable batteries for some reason, they will work but seem to drain very quickly so if you are going to use them perhaps have a few sets as backup just in case.

Using the GPS is very easy. There are only 5 buttons on the entire unit which has its positives and negatives. The positives are that it makes the unit easy to use, there are not a million buttons for different functions, its almost a one button for forwards and yes commands, one for return and two for up and down functions. It is a very easy unit to live with. However the simplistic configuration also has a downside, say you want to input a coordinate in the field you have to individually scroll between numbers to get your coordinates. and for standard coordinates in Ireland that means 14 numbers have to be entered. This is not a terribly big deal but nevertheless it is still a downside. Also, you are not provided with a data interface cable with the unit meaning until you get one you will have to insert all the coordinates you wish to store on the unit. For those Geocachers amongst us you will know that will soon become boring. The good news however is that the interface cables are very cheap if bought on-line.

It is possible to store up to 500 waypoints on your GPS. For me that translates into almost half of the Mountain summits in Ireland can be stored on my GPS at any one time. I bought myself an Interface cable on-line to use with the GPS, you will also have to download some software that will enable you to upload and download information to your GPS but there are some excellent software packages out there free of charge. I am currently using EasyGPS and find it works well for my needs. If you are a Geocacher then you probably already know you can send coordinates directly to your GPS from the Geocaching website.

Where the unit falls down a little for me is you only have the ability to store one route. I like to plan my walks in the mountains but with this unit you can only store one at a time. Its a small detail but if you want to build an escape route into your walk then you will need to bring hand written notes of the coordinates and input these along the way. Its minor but nevertheless a drawback.

Perhaps the most useful feature is the ability to switch between grid formats. This means you can setup the device to different methods of displaying coordinates (of which there are many) and it can also be set to give you a map grid reference depending on which country you are in. The Irish Grid Reference system is included. Should I ever get lost I can easily check my position on the GPS, translate that back to the map and work out where to go from there. This is no substitute for a map and a compass but used in tandem can be a life saver, especially in Ireland where the weather can come down on you very quickly leaving you disorientated. There have been a few occasions where I have used the GPS to confirm my position when changing routes so it has its uses.

Overall I find this unit more than adequate for my needs. Yes there are better, more accurate GPS units out there that even have mapping software. However I find using this unit along with a paper map and a compass is a good combination for safety. Batteries can always run out, electronic items can malfunction, maps can blow away and compasses can crack so to rely on one is risky. I like this GPS and cannot see myself changing to a different unit any time soon. It has so far found every Geocache I have looked for and hasn't failed to work when needed. Without having used other GPS units I find it hard to give this item a rating but I think 3.5 out of 5 reflects fairly upon it.

Positives:

Inexpensive compared to other GPS receivers

Small & Lightweights, not much heavier than a mobile phone

Accuracy to within a few metres depending on overgrowth

Drawbacks:

No mapping for terrain / streets available on this model

No numeric digits on the device making inputting of coordinates in the field time consuming

You do not get a data interface cable to connect to your PC meaning you need to buy one if you wish to do use the unit with your computer

New Shoes

My first pair of rock climbing shoes. I couldn't help myself from buying these less than 24 hours after my first rock climb was over. I am getting the feeling that at €95 this will be some of the cheapest piece of equipment I will be getting for my new hobby.

Nevertheless I am chuffed to have finally made a start and cannot wait to get out there again, only this time properly kitted out for the task at hand. I will have to wait a couple of weeks however as next week is Laura' birthday and I do not want to miss that. So the 16th June will be my next foray into Dalkey Quarry

Introduction to rock climbing

I have been a member of Club Cualann since September 2009 and since then have been trying to go out rock climbing with them for the first time. I think it is something I would love but lack a little bit of confidence and motivations to actually say right, I am going tonight.

Last night however (June 2nd) and the night before my 24th birthday I finally managed to get out with the climbers and complete my first climb. The exhilaration when I got to the top of the rock was unbelievable. I am a complete novice to the sport, they do not come much greener than me but I threw myself into the challenge full on. Jim, who has been climbing for years and whom I know from several hillwalking excursions with the club was my teacher on the night and I could not have asked for a better one. Knowing as little as I do I hadn't even invested in climbing shoes so turned up wearing my gym runners, not ideal but the best of a bad lot for the task. Luckily too Jim has all the equipment and patience needed with a greenhorn and started at the very beginning with me.

The harness is something that will take getting used to, that is a tight fit! We meandered our way over to the starting point in Dalkey quarry, a rock face called Eliminate A, a grade VD*** (v diff which is an entry grade for most beginners) It took a while before we actually got into the climbing but I learned by watching Jim lead and Julie seconding an invaluable insight into the world of rock climbing. Eventually I had my chance and Row (another group member) showed me the ropes (literally) on how to tie the figure of eight knot.

This was very much a throw you into the deep end type of climbing but I relished the challenge and set off eagerly up the rock face feeling confident. The only difficult element is about half way up the wall, you are standing on a narrow ledge, hands above your head on some other narrow holds and you must get your feet into the area where your hands are. This was where I had the most difficulty, I try to drag myself up using upper body strength when poise and delicate moves are all that is required, I am sure I will learn this as time goes on. It took me less than ten minutes to climb the wall but I felt ecstatic when I got above the crux and onto the ledge above where Jim and Julie were waiting.

My first rock climb was complete and I am now hooked

First Carrauntoohil climb

On the 25th June 2010 I will be joining a group of guys from England who are doing the five peaks challenge for charity, the hard part being they have to do all five in forty eight hours. The challenge consists of the five highest peaks in Ireland, England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. I know one of the guys (Scott) from our trip together in Nepal and it was there he told me about his five peaks challenge. He asked if I would be interested in leading them up Carrauntoohil as they are unfamiliar with the mountain themselves.

I am not a mountain leader (yet) but I instantly decided that it is something I wanted to do, I had to wait to confirm with Scott however as the same old doubts in my mind haunted me for a few weeks, what happens if we get lost? you have never been there yourself so what makes you think you can lead a group? I need to learn to have more confidence in my own abilities. Once I decide on a course of action however my confidence returns and I commit to it whole heartedly. Now I am in the planning phase where I will plan the route, route card, backup route on the GPS (just in case) and any other prudent safety measures.

I am excited about the challenge of climbing Ireland's highest mountain, it is something I have wanted to do for over a year now and finally I am going to do it. I have been left with the task of picking the best route for us up and down the mountain, the challenge being to get up and down as quickly as possible for the guys and as safely as possible for all of us. This is the first of their five peaks and so problems or setbacks here could jeopardise their entire effort. This will also be their longest summit, I estimate a six hour round trip.

The route I have chosen is the Caher route (follow link for more info) which I think will be the safest and easiest choice. I think it best to avoid the Devils ladder route which has become badly eroded and as a result dangerous, as well as the the Brother O' Shea's Gully route which requires some scrambling in places. As a side bonus we will also summit Caher, Ireland's third highest mountain so that is another two mountains to tick off the list.

Come back soon for more information and an update on the climb.