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My hike: Dublin to The River Shannon
Ideal one-day hikes/walks
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Books and maps
Lessons learned
Lodging along the way
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My Canal
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Planning
your hike/walk
Experienced
hiker/walker? This page is not for you.
Inexperienced?
I might have some helpful hints for you. But an important disclosure—I’m an amateur, so I advise
you to get additional help as well!
Some helpful
tips:
- I
did considerable research on the web and in books and maps.
The Inland Waterways Association of Ireland (www.iwai.ie)
is the best place to start. Their website is chock full of helpful
information including most of the links you’ll need to get started.
Then get the book and maps that I identified as “Essential” on the
Books and Maps page.
- Determine
your likely hiking speed, given the level terrain and good footing.
I walked about 3.5 miles per hour before a shin splint slowed
me a bit. But slower is
better. Take time to
saunter into the villages, and explore nearby castles and historic
sites.
- After
you decide about how far you want to go each day, get the maps out and
carefully measure the distances between towns sizeable enough for
lodging. Better yet,
obtain a good listing of B&Bs, guesthouses and hotels in these
towns and make reservations. Check
my page about Lodging along the way. Then plan your days
accordingly.
Leaving from Dublin?
One option, if you are not driven to complete the entire canal
route as I was, is to take the train to Hazelhatch or Sallins and begin
your hike there.
- I
planned to eat and sleep in the towns and villages along the way, so I
had no need to fill my backpack with food or camping gear.
So my backpack (actually a daypack) was quite light and after a
few minutes getting used to it, I paid little attention to it.
The daypack is shown in the photo on the previous page.
- Here’s
what I usually wore each day:
- Lightweight
waterproof “breathable” windbreaker with hood and several
pockets on the inside (for better protection from the weather) and
outside. In it I
carried:
- My
passport
- Camera
- All
my maps, most laminated, all placed in a zip-lock bag.
- Jeans.
Only on the one rainy morning did I wear my hiking pants
- Tee
shirt and sweatshirt
- Hiking
shoes with “smart wool” socks
- 2
pairs of lightweight hiking pants
- An
extra pair of hiking shoes
- A
long sleeved shirt
- A
light woolen sweater
- 2
pairs of underwear
- 2
tee shirts (wicking style)
- 2
pairs of “smart wool” hiking socks
- 2
pairs of sock liners (wicking)
- A
wide brimmed hat
- Extra
pair of eyeglasses and a pair of sunglasses
- Toiletries
(just the minimum)
- 3
by 5 cards for note taking. One
included phone numbers for family at home in the USA
- Blister
pads and small “Band-Aid” type adhesive bandages
- Lightweight
cord for tying wet shoes onto my daypack
- Extra
35mm film for camera
- Packets
of hand wipes
What I did
wrong:
- Although
I exercise regularly with weights on a Cybex machine, I didn’t
prepare sufficiently for the effect of the 85-miles on my legs.
I started my conditioning walks only three weeks before
leaving, but I did get in two 10-mile and one 14-mile walk and no
problems or weaknesses appeared. I started with 3- and 4-mile walks the first week,
increased to several 7-mile walks the second week, and then quickly
moved to the 10- and 14-mile walks the final week.
Over the three weeks I walked more than 75 miles, all at a
fairly brisk speed. But
in retrospect, I should have begun several weeks earlier.
An important lesson learned.
- The
other mistake was not sufficiently checking out the availability of
B&B or guest houses along the way.
If I had been willing to end the day a little earlier after I
left Robertstown, I would have taken a side trip north a couple miles
to Edenderry, a town large enough for a choice of lodging.
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