Slieve Bloom Walk festival celebrates 25 years
The Slieve Bloom Walking Festival is celebrating 25 years this May Bank Holiday weekend.
The milestone is being marked by the Slieve Bloom Walking Club with some special events including a wide variety of walks, a photography and art exhibition, evening entertainment and festival BBQ.
The festival offers a choice of woodland and riverside walks, as well as treks through the gentle rolling hills of the Slieve Blooms with experienced walk leaders who will enhance your hike with their knowledge of the history and folklore of the area. As well as more strenuous hikes over some difficult terrain we have included some extra special walks this year. These include family friendly walks with Alpacas, a photo walk with the award winning photographer Paul Moore and for the more experienced walker who doesn’t mind getting their feet wet a Geological Odyssey in the Silver River with John Feehan.
Kinnitty in the Slieve Blooms is only a 90 minute drive from Dublin or Galway and less than two hours from most other parts of the country. The festival starts on Friday evening, May 3 with an eco walk on the top of an esker through carpets of bluebells in Knockbarron Wood near Kinnitty. Meet at Kinnitty Community Centre at 7pm.
On Saturday, May 4, there is a choice of two Grade A and a Grade B walk for the more experienced hiker as well as a photography walk with the award-winning photographer Paul Moore and a family walk with alpacas. Registration for all of these walks takes place in the Community Centre Clonaslee Co Laois. After Walk tea and chat at Fallon's Pub Clonaslee.
On Sunday, May 5, the festival returns to Kinnitty with registration for all walks at the Community Centre. There is a choice of two Grade A, two Grade B and a family walk. Choose from a Geological Odyssey of the Silver River with John Feehan, or explore Kinnitty Forest with Richard Jack, Paul’s Lane/ Spink Mountain with Sonja Cadogen, Clashroe Beagh with Frank Bergin. However if you want a more leisurely stroll take the family on a walk through Kinnitty woodlands with Alpachas. Be sure to bring your camera.
A special Community Photography and Arts Exhibition will take place over the weekend in the Community Centre in Kinnitty to celebrate the natural beauty of the Slieve Blooms.
Having enjoyed the bonhomie of your fellow walkers during the day in the evenings enjoy entertainment in the local pubs and the festival BBQ and music at the Slieve Bloom Bar in Kinnitty on Sunday afternoon at 4pm. All are welcome.
The festival finishes off on Monday with a four-hour Grade B walk at Glenbarrow, Registraion at Glenbarrow Car Park at 11am. Full details of walks and accommodation on www.slievebloom.ie and www.fb.com/slievebloommoutdoors. e-mail hikeit@slievebloom.ie. Festival weekend walks €20 or €8 per walk BBQ €5. Family walks €10.