Allotment - Getting Started

We had been thinking about growing some veggies at home for a while and we finally decided to take on a plot in an allotment. We considered growing some on our balcony but

While living in Navan waiting to close the sale of our new apartment in Stepaside, we began looking at options but eventually decided to take on an 80m2 plot in Glencullen, very near Johnnie Fox's pub. It is a private allotment so there are no waiting lists unlike the council plots where you could be waiting years for a plot. The only downside is the cost, €305 euro per year is steep but we view it also as a pastime and not a money saving exercise.

Before we actually took on the allotment we went a little crazy in Garden centres, spent a small fortune on seeds, pots, trays, compost, propagators, tools and even a garden shed (we did get a really good deal on it however). The allotment site itself comes rotivated which is great, means you can start sowing straight away and it cuts out a lot of weeding, hoeing and shovelling that would otherwise have to be done.

We had a fairly grand plan in mind for the plot which involved building raised beds from used scaffolding planks, a mini polytunnel, erecting a shed and getting it to be the best looking plot in the allotment (all cosmetic of course but once all that is right from the start, in the long term it will make for less maintenance and a better sense of achievement)

The shed was the first item to be constructed, the first thing I did was to dig down to subsoil level where the soil is a little more solid than topsoil, then I placed 6 concrete paving slabs on a level base before topping them off with a layer of hardcore for added drainage and increasing the level of the shed off the ground. It took some help from Laura's Dad to hold the sides together while I screwed it all together but we eventually got it standing and assembled. I wasn’t impressed with the number of screws supplied with the shed so I went ahead and used about the same amount again to be sure it was well connected. It still feels a little lightweight though so I will have to look at something else in the near future to try and improve the overall strength.

I sourced used scaffolding planks from a scaffolding company who were looking to offload some, I got 30 x 6' planks at €2.50 each and 6 x 4' planks at €2 each. It was a little expensive but having read all the benefits for having raised beds I think it will pay off in the long run. The beds themselves took the best part of a full day to firstly paint with a non toxic wood preservative, secondly to connect together and lastly to fill with soil to the required level. The paths in between the beds will be covered with a black anti weed layer and topped off with a thick layer of bark mulch once we get around to it. I got some metal brackets in Woodies which did the job of connecting each plank together brilliantly and was definitely a cheaper option than getting timber stakes for each join. The added benefit of course being we can if we want to in the future simply unscrew the planks from one another and make a bed bigger, smaller of split them.

The next job was to construct a frame for a covered hoop house (I don't like calling it a polytunnel as it is a little on the small side but will hopefully have the desired effect) The intention of this is to grow vegetable that like the warmth and protection from the elements such as Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Butternut Squash, Broccoli and Strawberries. It comes from reading info online and hopefully will work out; this year is very much about experimentation.

I got some 1/2" household PVC pipe to form the hoops, there will be 9 hoops covering one of the beds and strengthened using bamboo canes as the support frame, over this I will place the plastic and hopefully it will be able to stand up to some strong winds given that the location of the allotment is on the side of a mountain. I fixed the PVC piping using some bendable steel bracketing to the scaffolding planks of the bed itself, I also used timber support columns at every second hoop. The bamboo canes were tied using gardening string covered in duct tape and lastly will be tied with cable ties. It feels pretty strong at the moment but we will just have to wait and see over the next few weeks and months. I have yet to put up the plastic covering but will be doing so in the next couple of days.

Keeping an eye on the spiralling costs we bought a cheap compost bin in LIDL, it will do for the short term. Looking at it all at the moment we have spent a small fortune but hopefully it will be an investment into the future and next years costs will not be as high. As I mentioned above it is more of a pastime than a money saving exercise, we could have just got the plot and planted some seeds but we wanted it to be somewhere to come, spend a few hours working, relaxing and just enjoying the outdoors. Let’s hope for a nice summer

Equipment / Gear Reviews - (5) Scarpa Thunder rock climbing shoe

This was my very first purchase following on from my first rock climb at Dalkey quarry, I discovered that if I wanted to progress and do some more challenging climbs I would have to invest in a proper pair of rock climbing shoes.

I tried my best to read up on the internet about the best pair of shoes to buy, lace ups versus velcro, half size too small, two sizes too small etc. There is a raft of information out there and I was a little unprepared for the task of going into the shop and trying a pair on, after all how will I know which ones are right for me?

The first element I can comment on is the price, just short of €95 euro for the pair. There are cheaper options out there but these are few and far between, also the brand Scarpa is well known to me so it had a bearing on my choice.

I chose a pair approx a half size smaller for my foot on advice from some members in my mountaineering club, other advice (such as the net) suggest the tighter the better, this may be true but if they are so tight that they restrict blood flow then there will be no fun in it whatsoever so for some sound advice, go a half size for beginners.

A major benefit I found with these shoes (although I have to admit I did not do this on purpose) is the carrying loops on the back of the shoe, these allow you to hook a Carabiner onto the shoe for attaching to your harness for the sometimes long walk back to your gear (This will make sense to climbers) The main advantage of these however that I love is it makes it so much easier to put the shoes on, just grab a hold of the loops and pull.

The friction that I noticed compared to the runners I had been using was almost unbelievable. I still sometimes wonder just how the smooth sole sticks to the rock but all I know is it works and the performance is super. It has been mentioned to me that the soles are not as flexible as shoes from more experienced climbers, this is the case but in all honesty I am so way off that stage yet so for now the Scarpa Thunder will do me fine

Rating 4 out of 5

Equipment / Gear Reviews - (4) The New EastWest Maps - any good?

I have bought all three of the EastWest maps available at the moment, 'Wicklow Mountains West', 'Lugnaquillia & Glendalough' and 'The Dublin & North Wicklow Mountains' at a cost of €9.95 each. This is slightly more expensive than the equivalent Discovery Series OS maps which retail at €8.60 each but you do get a whole lot more map for your money. On a recent walk with my Hillwalking club I took both versions along for a test run and not being familiar with the route we were taking that day it was an ideal experiment.

Firstly the level of detail presented on the EW maps is impressive, the scale of 1:30,000 allows for a lot more detail than the 1:50,000 scale on the OS maps, however to balance the argument most compass roamers do not have a 1:30,000 scale making route planning, distance measuring etc. difficult. Yes you can get roamers at 1:30,000.

The EW maps are aimed more at outdoor enthusiasts than general mapping and the inclusion of many well known trails at last mapped is a welcome sight, often times when route planning from home in unfamiliar surroundings such information is very useful. Yes the OS maps have some trails marked on them but the level of detail on the EW maps is nothing short of miraculous. A nice touch is naming some of the more popular trails such as the popular Zig-Zags trail when approaching Lugnaquillia.

Another feature that I like is the up to date inclusion of forestry and associated trails. Often when walking you see a forest that is not on the map or vice versa, of course one should not be relying on these features for navigation purposes but for the recreational user this information is useful. The most beneficial element of the EW maps I have found is the small 'p' markers on the maps, referring to a small roadside lay-by for parking. Again for route planning this is extremely useful information and a big advantage over the OS maps as parking is a key issue for hill walkers and walkers alike.

So much effort, time and energy has clearly been expended in preparing the EW maps, features such as Cliffs, Crags, Scree, Rocky areas, Sandpits, Peat hags, Turf cuttings, Gorse and Undergrowth (to name but a few) have all been clearly and separately marked on the map. I am a nerd when it comes to maps and the more information presented to me the better, I love to sit down and look for interesting features, places of historical importance or natural beauty and plan on going there on a walk.

I do prefer however to have the OS map in my pocket on a day's hillwalking. While the EW maps are on water resistant paper I still feel they will succumb to a truly great Irish soaking and disintegrate accordingly, time will tell.

Overall I love the EW maps, they have all the information and more that I could possibly want and are clear and easy to read. I think I will still be using my OS maps for navigation purposes but I will certainly have the EW map beside me at home when planning the routes, spotting features etc.

Excellent maps and worth every penny

Rating 4.5 our of 5

Carrauntoohil - High times

I took on Carrauntoohil on the 25th June 2010 leading a group from the UK who were doing the five peaks challenge and attempting to do so within forty eight hours. Scott I had met while in Nepal where he first mooted this challenge to me and asked if I would like to do Carrauntoohil with them. I had never been up here before but I never let that stop me from exploring new horizons. Amongst the group of six walkers I was the only one with map and compass skills so I decided (in advance) on a route via Caher as I have heard the Devils ladder route has become quite badly eroded in recent times. I also had some selfish reasons in choosing this route as I wanted to tick a few more peaks off my list at the same time. (See summit bagging post)

We started at V 772 871 at the gate to the Hydro track. This track is a steep and punishing start having just jumped out of the car but it quickly warms the legs. Mercifully after maybe ten minutes of walking the track levels off as it turns South at approx V 777 868. The track continues with Skregbeg (573m) and Skregmore (848m) on your left hand side before opening up at Lough Eighter and revealing the full view of Beenkeragh, Carrauntoohil and Caher (assuming the weather is clear that is)

After another hop over a locked gate we crossed a flat marshy section of ground before climbing onto the spur that would lead us directly up Caher. We got onto the spur at approx V 776 857 before following it south-east all the way to Caher West top at V 789 840. The last 500m of the spur is steep but thankfully the ground is quite good so progress should not be hindered. By the time we got to the first of the three Caher summits we were dipping in and out of the clouds. The fall away from the West top when heading for Caher in the clouds can be a little worrying if unsure of your bearings so care is definitely needed, too far to the left and the ground falls away very steeply. The best approach would be to keep well to the right, we were fortunate however, just as I took a safe bearing the cloud cleared just enough for me to get an eyeshot of our target, a small gap in the wall, which seemed to settle the nerves of my fellow hikers.

The walk to Caher from the West top is quick, a small amount of uphill climbing remains before the third highest summit in Ireland at 1 metre above 1000m. The small cairn at V 792 838 is all that marks the top and as we were under some time pressure we did not hand around long either. The group had a tight maximum six hour full round trip which in normal circumstances would be fine, unfortunately one of the group hurt his leg on the final climb up Caher which changed the game plan. We had been on course for a five hour round trip before the unfortunate accident, luckily the injury was not too bad and he was able to use my walking pole as a support.

Crossing the Caher ridge to Carrauntoohil was fantastic, some of the scenery that magically appeared from the clouds was breathtaking, I took several opportunities to stop and get some pictures. There is a very noticeable track that leads across the ridge which makes navigation a lot easier. We were practically on the summit before we could see the cross marking it at V 803 844, the cloud and wind had really picked up during the intervening time, so much so that we only took a few moments to take a few pictures, recharge with energy snacks and took off via the same route home. It was three and a half hours from the car to the top but it was nearly all downhill on the way back meaning we took two hours to get back down, a very respectable five and a half hour round trip and a good start to the five peaks challenge for the other guys.

Summit bagging - the concept

The blog started long after I began climbing mountains in Ireland and so to catch up there is an element of looking back on mountains long since bagged in an effort to remember clearly the experience of same. Simply put I do not want to climb them again just for a fresh input for the blog.

Not long after I climbed my first mountain I came across the website MountainViews which introduced to me the list system, a system whereby all 1054 mountains in this country are represented within sub heading list. There are 8 separate lists located on the website as follows:

• 100 local
• County
• 100 rated
• 100 highest
• 600m
• 500m
• 150m

Clearly there will be an overlap on some of these lists but nevertheless the format that they are laid out in allows you to focus on one at a time, a much more manageable feat than trying to plan for all 1054.

Why bother? It is a question I have asked myself many times, the simple answer is I like order, I like having a goal in life and so I answer why not. Another view I have is that I enjoy the hills and mountains of this country, I love being out exploring all that this island has to offer and ticking a summit off the list is just another perk of an already fulfilling pastime. Some people say that peak bagging devalues the whole point of hillwalking, I disagree with this outlook, I think it gives me the motivation to keep going, to get out and explore in the first place.

I am planning on completing these lists over a long period, I have no time scale in mind and I don't want to rush the experience. The easiest and probably quickest one will be the 100 local, meaning the 100 peaks nearest to my home in Dublin. But I look forward to completing the rest over my lifetime.

MapMyRun - James Linnane's Profile

MapMyRun - James Linnane's Profile

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.