To celebrate Her Outdoors Week, Leave No Trace Ireland are partnering with Terra Firma to offer a guided hike with Leave No Trace awareness training. Participants on this hike receive introductory training on:

• how Leave No Trace skills and ethics can help protect our environment and outdoor spaces and promote responsible, sustainable outdoor pursuits and recreation.
• the role of the Seven Principles of Leave No Trace in achieving these goals.
• the impact that sporting, recreational and leisure activities can have on our natural environment.
• how Leave No Trace skills and practices can help to mitigate and minimise those impacts.

Meeting Date and Time:  Tuesday 15^th August at 11am

 The Hike: The Hike is located on the South East coast of Achill island, the gateway of the Atlantic ocean, who’s waters were controlled in the 16th century by Mayo’s most famous seafaring female ” Ghráinne Mhaol” or Grace O’Malley

This scenic trail walk was officially opened in the Summer of 2015 and was named ‘Slí Ghráinne Mhaol’ loop walk, in honour of the famous “Pirate Queen”
The walk offers stunning panoramic views of her sea kingdom: Looking south to her birthplace on Clare Island, east towards Clew Bay, Croagh Patrick and the mountains of Connemara.
Her castle at Kildownet, which would have protected the entrance to Achill sound is visible just below the trail.

Another attraction of this hike: We will be overlooking some of the locations used in the filming of the recently Oscar nominated film “The Banshee of Inisherin”

As the walk winds along the bog road, deserted villages such as Ailt and old cottages, from where families were evicted by the landlord William Pike in 1854, can be seen.

The walk crosses land with grazing sheep, so it is not acceptable to bring dogs.

Distance and timing: The hike is approx. 7km with an overall ascent of 335m, the hike should take approx. 3hrs, depending on how much time we spend taking in the beautiful scenery, photo’s etc.

Note: This course is free to attend but numbers are limited and prior registration is required. If you are interested in booking onto this course please follow the registration link.

Look forward to you joining us for this stunningly scenic, historical looped walk.

HER Outdoors week aims to celebrate and encourage more females to get out and enjoy the benefits of being in the outdoors while bringing visibility to the opportunities for females to get involved in outdoor physical activity.