Walk Killarney
Walk Killarney is a walking festival that celebrates the wealth of walking opportunities that surround Killarney, an area renowned for its natural beauty and coveted National Park. After a highly successful 2006 programme, WALK KILLARNEY has hit its stride and is poised to be an ongoing festival. Held over various bank holiday weekends throughout the year, the festival takes in numerous organized walks that appeal to walkers of all abilities: from arduous mountain climbs to leisurely heritage walks.
The 2007 programme has been announced, with key events taking place over St. Patrick?s weekend and Easter weekend. Organisers are utilizing a blend of long established routes with some variations, old routes re-discovered and indeed perhaps some new routes through the Kerry Landscape. ?Morning Only Walks? are Free, while full-day walks cost ?10 per walker ? including the cost of Guiding & Transport. Interested walkers are advised to book 24 hours in advance on the Walk Killarney Booking Line 1850 566 466. Walkers must be properly attired in terms of rainwear, walking boots, and back-pack with food, refreshments and perhaps a change of clothing. In deference to wildlife and landowners, the organisers regret that dogs or other pets are not allowed on the walks. And be advised that some walks may not be suitable for people with marginal levels of fitness. Choose your walk accordingly, as there's literally something for every biped.
The following summarizes the schedule for the first two weekends of Walk Killarney 2007. Full details of times, etc., will be published in advance and will be available on the www.killarney.ie website. The Programme for the Holiday Weekends of June, August and October will be published later.
St. Patrick?s Day ? Saturday, 17 March 2007. 10.00 a.m. To 5.00 p.m. ?Old Kenmare Road from Muckross to Gowlan Cross?. Category ?B? Mountain Trail Walk This classic Killarney Walk is first on the Schedule but with some additional features. No problem with having to organise cars at either end ? You can park your car at Muckross and will be returned there by coach later that afternoon having had a fully guided walk in the company of lovers of the great outdoors. After being picked up at Gowlan Cross (no road walking), walkers will be dropped in Kenmare for a leisurely hour of ?Rest & Relaxation? before being coached back via the magnificent Molls Gap and Ladies View to Muckross.
Sunday, 18 March 2007 10.00 a.m. To 5.00 p.m. ?Killarney Heritage Walk From Aghadoe To Ross Island?. Category ?C? Easy Walk. This will be a relatively leisurely ?heritage walk? with several information stops dealing with the natural and built heritage of Killarney. From the c.10th century ruins of Aghadoe, to its neighbouring 13th century Norman Tower at Parkavonear, through ?Bohereen na Mairbh? through various National Park heritage sites to the 13th century Gaelic Lords' Ross Castle and on to the Bronze Age Copper Mines on Ross Island. Come prepared to see Killarney in close-up detail and learn about its wonderful and ancient history.
Easter Saturday, 7 April 2007 Full Day - 10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. ?The Paps Of Danu?. Category ?A? Moderately Difficult Walk With approx. 2,500 feet of ascent, over varied terrain, walk through one of Ireland's most revered and ancient mythological sites - the ?Paps of Danu?. In keeping with this very spiritual time of year, experience the unique atmosphere of an ancient mythological site and for good measure, take in some of the best views in the Kingdom.
Easter Sunday, 8 April 2007 Full Day - 10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. ?Kilgarvan TO Mangerton?. Category ?A? Moderately Difficult Walk Not quite the Old Kenmare Road in reverse. This very different route will take the walkers From Kilgarvan Village through the wild mountain terrain of Mangertonbeg, Dromderalough and on to the majestic Mangerton Mountain ? standing guard over the Killarney Valley since the time this mountain landscape of south-Kerry was first formed.
Easter Monday, 9 April 2007 Half Day - 10.00 a.m. to 1.00.p.m. ?Muckross & Dinis? Category ?C? Relatively Easy Low Level Walk Killarney?s famous loop walk through the beautiful Muckross Peninsula and Dinis Island. Thanks to the new ?off road track? recently created by Killarney National Park, this walk now only requires the main road to be crossed on two occasions. No more dicing with cars between Dinis and Torc.
