Sealskinz Sock Review: First Impressions
I had been desperately hoping that the talk of a breathable waterproof sock was the holy grail of hiking and trail running footwear. To test the idea I took a pair of Sealskinz for a test drive on the Mourne Mountain Marathon. The first thing one might notice about any Sealskin sock is the bulk […]
Return to the Bluestack Way Donegal
A strong summer sun beamed from cloudless skies. A soothing breeze came in with the smell of the Sea on it. The coast could not be far beyond the horizon. It was a hot July in County Donegal and I had again returned to the Bluestack Way. Something about the trail holds a mystery, I’ve […]
HikersBlog Book Of The Month – Run Wild / Boff Whalley
Why mash your joints on concrete when open forests beacon? Why run in car fumes when open hillside cleanses your body and soul? Why not take a hobby like running and fuse it with the outdoors? ….. Boff Whalley makes an entertaining and valid argument for exactly this!
The Road Not Taken – Robert Frost
The following poem by American Poet Robert Frost, for me, subtly encapsulates the spirit of adventure that drives my own meanderings and expeditions. Something in the lines capture a life of surprise and adventure if we only take the path less travelled by, a cornerstone of all our endeavours at Hikers Blog.
Bringing the Wild to You.
The wind is howling. Horizontal rain flies into the side of buildings and the sky is grey. Despite this I sit quite comfortably observing some small garden birds busy at the new feeder and birdhouse I have installed. What’s even better is that I’m bone dry. This is all done from the comfort of my […]
Buffalo Special 6 Smock – Gear Review
I knew next to nothing when I first stumbled out alone into the Mourne Mountains with no idea, no equipment and nothing to sustain me except that golden beginners enthusiasm. Luckily one piece of kit was about to come my way that would change everything.
Bluestack Way Donegal
Before sunrise on Christmas Eve I walked through the tiny village of Ardara, Donegal towards the Bluestack Way. In the pre-dawn gloom I crept through silent empty streets, the air thick with the smell of turf on the fire. Pausing to light a cigarette on a bridge, I stopped to take in the moment. There […]
Ultralight Musings
Somewhere along the 18th mile of Rome Marathon the sensation of defeat hit me like a left hook to the jaw. What’s more this shot hit me in the Soul: down where it counts. Where it’s tricky to get at and fight back. Despite battling on and completing the Marathon, the source of the defeat […]
Coast to Coast Cycle Across Ireland
I heard a sharp pop coming from my rib cage before doubling over in the ring. My opponent stopped and made that screwed up face we all do when we realise someone’s hurt. I got back on the balls of my feet and played out the remaining 20 seconds of the round: mostly dancing. Trying […]
Do something that scares you
We’ve all heard the Baz Lurman Song Suncreen with the sage voice telling us: “do something that scares you every day”. We’ve also most probably written off the advice as nice sounding but not really that apt for our situation. I challenge you to try this advice for a week tho, just one week, and […]
