Hill we meet again

Those with a yearning to explore Ireland’s spectacular mountains, lakes, streams, and waterfalls are invited to attend the Midleton Hillwalking Club’s open day this Saturday.

The event will be held in the My Place Community Centre on Mill Road in Midleton from 1-2pm and will be followed by an easy ramble in the Ballyannan Woods.

The open day is an opportunity to learn about all aspects of the club which offers walks for several fitness levels, from challenging Sunday hikes around Munster’s mountains to low-level walks in East Cork on Saturdays and, during the summer, on Wednesday evenings.

The club has a thriving social programme which includes twice-yearly parties, hillwalking weekends in Ireland, and an annual walking trip abroad to destinations such as Italy, Croatia, and Austria. This August the club will travel to the French Pyrenees.

A spokesperson for the club said: “The 19th century writer John Muir wrote, ‘In every walk with nature one receives far more than one seeks’. If you seek to escape 21st century stress and screens, experience Ireland’s magnificent countryside, improve your fitness, and enjoy fresh air in good company, then come along to the open day.”

Midleton Hillwalking Club was founded in 2005 and has almost 100 members. Visit midletonhillwalkers.com for more information.