To celebrate our glorious countryside in style, Carlow Tourism has organised the 2017 walking festival, which will be held on October 6-8th.
County Carlow offers some of the most beautiful landscapes and walking opportunities in Ireland, and autumn is the perfect season to pull on those hiking boots and get outdoors. The days are still long enough to take a good, long walk, the changing colours of the trees offer all majesty of nature one could wish for, and the prospect of a well-earned hot whiskey at the end of the day is the finishing touch!
Whether you are already an experienced walker, would like to experience some real outdoors walking for the first time, or just enjoy walking with good company, this is the walking festival for you! It kicks off with an exciting night time walk, when you just might get to meet some of Ireland’s many nocturnal residents, from bats to badgers! There’s fun for all the family, with special walks that are accessible to and suitable for children, including a treasure hunt, walks designed to introduce you to the abundant flora and fauna that can be seen in the wild throughout Carlow, and walks that take in elements of the landscape that record our historical and material heritage. RTE’s Éanna ní Lamnha will be on hand to show participants how to see and understand Carlow’s landscapes and all they contain as never before. All of the walks are led by guides who will facilitate participants, while also revealing the many intriguing secrets hidden in Carlow’s landscape; there’s even a mindfulness walk led by Claire Healy of the Carlow Mental Health Association. Did you know that enjoying access to the outdoors fosters positive emotional and mental health?
All walks will end with the provision of refreshments, and walkers are also invited to join in the fun at the post-walk musical events held at O’Shea’s Pub in Borris on October 6th, and Joyce’s Pub, Borris, on October 7th.
Alongside a plethora of walking events, there will also be opportunities to canoe on our majestic River Barrow – even if you are a complete beginner, you can count on the expert canoeists to keep you safe and dry – or cycle along the riverbank.
Carlow’s walking festival is designed with both locals and visitors in mind. If you are coming to stay with us from elsewhere, there are lots of wonderful options for accommodation and eating out. To find out more, or to book a place on one of our walks or other events, please visit www.carlowtourism.com/walkingfestival