What's On: Amazing choice of walks for all levels at Carlow Autumn Walking Festival 2023

Carlow Autumn Walking Festival 2023 takes place this weekend from Friday 6th October to Sunday 8th October.

The organisers of the annual festival have scheduled a variety of walks for all different levels of ability. The ambitious programme offers nineteen different walks, ranked A, B and C in order of their difficulty and duration. All walks end with light refreshments giving participants the opportunity to recap on their experiences.

The walks ranked A and B are led by knowledgeable local guides from Tullow Mountaineering Club and Blackstairs Ramblers and are of varying duration from 1.5hrs to 7 hrs while C walks are led by local walking enthusiasts.

Launching the festival, Chairman of Carlow Tourism Michael Walsh said: “The Festival gets underway at 6.30pm on Friday, 6th October with the extremely popular night hike, which we are delighted to include again this year.

“We hope the variety we have included has something for everyone, be it the walk with well-known biologist and RTÉ personality Éanna Ní Lamhna on Saturday, 7th October. Éanna will introduce walkers to some of the amazing habitats of the Blackstairs, from conifer plantations to upland bog, hedgerow and scrub, and the birdlife that thrive here including kestrals, peregrine falcons, skylarks and pheasants.

“The photographic walk, also on the Saturday, which takes place in the Kilbrannish Forest North Recreation Area, will enable avid photographers to capture stunning pictures of the outdoors. This informative walk, led by Richard Smyth LIPF, will introduce walkers to the basic principles of photography in the wild. We invite those participating in this walk to bring their camera or mobile phone and enjoy the wonderful views northwards over the plains of Carlow, along this well surfaced
forest path.

“The ever-popular mindfulness meditation walk in Altamont Gardens, led by mindfulness expert Jack Byrne, returns on the Sunday. Through providing down-to-earth and practical tips on how to reconnect for improved mental and physical health and psychological well-being, and sharing his mindfulness techniques, Jack will send visitors home with a totally new perspective. The walk starts in the main formal garden before continuing to the informal gardens and the Ice Age Glen with its canopy of ancient oaks and huge stone outcrops and from there to the riverside walk along the River Slaney. Walkers then climb the famous “100 steps” to return to the start of the walk and some well-deserved treats from Sugar and Spice Café in Altamont Walled Gardens.

“By introducing our county to walkers, 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,” added Michael.

For further information on the walks, starting points and rules of participation and to book into the walks, visit www.carlowtourism.com/walkingfestival or phone 059-9130411.