‘Follow me up to Carlow’ may be an old marching tune associated with times past, but the title is very apt today as it is the call being issued by Carlow Tourism to walkers of all standards as it announces details of the Summer Walking Festival 2023.
With a selection of over 14 walks to choose from and ranked in order of their difficulty and duration, this festival, which takes place from Friday, July 7 to Sunday, July 9, is all-encompassing.
It caters for those who love a leisurely walk, taking in and learning more about nature, biodiversity and their general surroundings, the walker with a thirst for history, those energised by the challenge of an invigorating mountain trek, photographic enthusiasts, and those who like the stillness of mindfulness. The walks are graded and timed to suit the capabilities of walkers in each category. The majority of walks end with light refreshments giving participants the opportunity to recap on their experiences.
Carlow is a gem in terms of spectacular scenery with the walking festival offering visitors the opportunity to walk through some of these stunning landscapes including The Blackstairs Mountains, Mount Leinster, Altamont Gardens, the Kilbrannish Forest Trails, the South Leinster Way and Clogrennan Wood.
All walks are led by knowledgeable guides and local walking enthusiasts and are of varying duration from 1.5 hours to five hours.
“What better way to start a weekend in Summer than to take the unique opportunity to experience the magic of walking in the Blackstairs Mountains as evening falls. Spectacular views of the surrounding lowlands of County Carlow and surrounding counties can be seen through the falling dusk. This is a popular walk, not to be missed and is led by experienced local guides. This first walk of the weekend is a great way for people to switch off for the weekend, step out of their comfort zones and try something out of the ordinary. Putting on your boots in the evening sunshine can make for a great adventure and no better place than on the Blackstairs Mountains which takes on a whole new atmosphere in the dusk.
“We hope the variety we have included has something for everyone, be it the photographic walk in Kilbrannish Forest North Recreation Area led by Richard Smyth LIPF, the biodiversity walk for dog walkers or the outdoor mindfulness meditation walk in Altamont Gardens led by mindfulness expert Jack Byrne, who will provide down-to-earth and practical tips to reconnect for improved mental and physical health and psychological well-being.
“With three national long-distance walking routes and a range of stunning looped walks dotted throughout the county, Carlow is incredibly rich in the quality of its walking experiences available to visitors. By introducing our county to walkers of all ages and abilities, we hope we are playing our part in encouraging more people to enjoy the splendour of the great outdoors whilst reaping the health benefits associated with walking,” launching the festival, Chairman of Carlow Tourism Michael Walsh, said.
For further information on the walks, starting points and rules of participation and to book into the walks, log onto www.carlowtourism.com/walkingfestival or phone 059-9130411. Details of special accommodation packages are available at www.carlowtourism.com/specialoffers The Carlow Summer Walking Festival has been supported by Carlow County Council under the Festival and Events Scheme.
