Put a pep in your step in Laois at the Slieve Blooms Walking Festival
Experienced walkers and enthusiastic beginners are welcome to the Laois Offaly event over the May holiday weekend
Walking enthusiasts and people who want to take their first steps exploring the great outdoors can look forward to a venture around the Slieve Blooms Laois Offaly mountain range over the May Holiday weekend.
The Slieve Bloom Walking Festival one of Ireland’s oldest walking festivals, with the current organising team celebrating its thirtieth anniversary this year.
Over the years, the dedicated and voluntary walk leaders have shown local and visiting walkers around what they believe is the “magical unspoilt” landscape that is the Slieve Blooms.
They say the event is not just a walking festival for the serious walker but a special social event for people to meet, chat and enjoy the outdoors.
Walkers who come along for the festival weekend are offered free membership for weekend walks that take place all year round.
The festival team say that many of the walkers who participate enjoy it so much that they come back weekend after weekend to Laois and Offaly.
"But don’t take our word for it, come and see for yourself. It’s a real opportunity to get out and get active, make friends and have fun,” say the organisers.
This year, there is a choice of seven great walks ranging from easy woodland to more challenging treks in remote wilderness areas of the Slieve Blooms.
The festival gets underway with three walks departing from Clonaslee Community Centre on Saturday, May 2.
There is a Grade A 10km walk to Knockastumpa for experienced walkers, a Grade B 8km moderate walk through Brittas Lake and Woodlands, and also an easygoing Grade C 6km walk among the bluebells in Capard Woodlands starting at 11 am. Registration for A and B walks is at 10:15 am and 10.30 am for C Walk.
On Sunday, May 3, the walks start from Kinnitty Community Centre. There is a Grade A 10km walk along Paul’s Lane and Spink Mountain, a Grade B 8km moderate walk in Kinnitty Woodlands and also a Grade C walk in the Knockbarron Woodlands. Registration at 10:15 am for A and B walks and 12.45 pm for C walk.
Bank Holiday Monday features a Grade A 12km walk on Conlawn Hill which departs from The Deadman’s Inn, Ballyfin, at 11 am.
The fee is €8 per walk (accompanied children are free). If you wish to join the Slieve Bloom Walking Club and avail of guided walks every Sunday of the year then annual membership is €20 (single) or €30 (family). For anyone who would like to join their hiking friends, Kinnitty Castle are providing a meal for €35 on Sunday, May 3 at 3.30pm. Booking advised.
For more details, please visit www.slievebloom.ie or www.facebook.com/slievebloomoutdoors
The Slieve Bloom Mountains stretch from near Roscrea in the south west to Rosenallis in the north-west, forming a link between counties Laois and Offaly. Looped walking trails have been developed at six trailheads in the Slieve Blooms, Glenbarrow, Clonaslee, Cadamstown, Kinnitty, Glenafelly Forest Car Park and Glen Monicknew. Walking trails are colour-coded by difficulty.
Some walking trails go to the falls and up to the Ridge of Capard.
Coillte has also developed mountain biking trails in the via trailheads at Kinnitty village and at Baunreagh near Mountrath.