Irish Peaks – ‘A Celebration of Ireland’s Highest Mountain’ by Mountaineering Ireland.
In tribute to Joss Lynam, arguably Ireland’s most influential mountaineer, Mountaineering Ireland has drawn on its diverse membership to compile this collection of hillwalking routes in celebration of Ireland’s highest mountains. Participation in hillwalking and other forms of outdoor recreation has grown hugely since Joss Lynam compiled the original version of Irish Peaks, published in 1982. Mountaineering provides economic benefit to rural areas, and health and wellbeing benefits to participants, but it also exerts pressure on the goodwill of landowners and on fragile upland environments. Our challenge now is to enjoy Ireland’s mountains in a way that maintains their special qualities for future generations.
‘By tradition, Ireland is a country of soft rain and boggy marshes, and the authors of this walking guide admit both charges, counselling stout footwear and waterproof jackets. But by way of compensation, they point out that the weather is wonderfully changeable, so that sunshine swiftly follows showers, and many of the upland walks listed in here are firm and dry underfoot.
And the Irish hills do offer special qualities seldom found elsewhere in Europe. They are empty and the walker can spend a day walking them in solitude, and often without finding any kind of marked trail. So, to the pleasure of lonely tranquility is added that of navigating successfully, and the hill walker in Ireland must have both map and compass, and the ability to use them.( The exceptions to this solitude are the Wicklow and Mourne Mountains, near Dublin and Belfast, which attract their share of weekend hikers).
The Irish hills, especially those in the west, offer a wonderfully integrated landscape of peak, lake and sea, unequalled except in Scotland and Norway.’
Joss Lynam, Irish Peaks, 1982.
