Ballyhoura International Walking Festival 2017 – “All roads lead to Ballyhoura this May”

The Ballyhoura International Walking Festival 2017 takes place this May Bank Holiday Weekend. Pictured: Walkers looking across the Golden Vale from the summit of Blackrock.

Ballyhoura International Walking Festival 2017

Throngs of walkers are expected to descend on the many towns and villages of Ballyhoura Country over this coming May Bank Holiday weekend. The Ballyhoura International Walking Festival 2017, now in its 24^th year is expecting to attract walkers throughout the weekend from all over Ireland and appealing to many of our overseas visitors and friends.

Walkers traversing the mountain.

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The Ballyhoura International Walking Festival 2017 provides an opportunity to explore some of Ballyhoura Country’s stunning countryside in the company of guides from the Ballyhoura Bears walking club. The Festival features a packed programme of walks for all abilities, from the enthusiastic well-equipped walker who relishes the challenge of the A & B walks on the Saturday and Sunday morning, to the gentle ramblers who are out to enjoy pleasant guided walks in the company of local experts in the fields of heritage, archaeology, history, flora and fauna. This year our big A walk will be a fundraising event for Carebright Dementia Hub, a led Galty Mountain Climb. Sponsorship cards are available through Carebright for this event and we are looking for lots of walkers to come out and support this fantastic cause.

Registration for Saturday & Sunday A walks take place at the Kings Yard outside Mitchelstown and Murroe N.S from 9.30am with both walks starting at 10:00 am. The nature walk registration starts at 11.30am and this will be at the Ballyhoura Mountain Bike Park giving people the opportunity to explore the tracks and trails of the Ballyhouras. The facilities at the trailhead provide secure parking, toilets and shower facilities and also provide an opportunity for walkers to see the array of bike routes, trim trail and nature trail located here. Post the Galty Mountain Climb there will be a restorative yoga class held in Kilbehenny Community centre to ease weary muscles starting at 2 pm!

This year the Ballyhoura International Walking Festival 2017 line up on will include a range of walks including a new and exciting singles walk along the Keale River from Darragh to Ballyorgan, this is an over 18’s walk as a drink or 2 may be consumed at the bars located at the start and end point, this walks will also involve a bus transfer from Kilfinane , also a Film screening at the Church of Ireland Kilfinane, Moonwalk on the Friday night and a induction to Geocaching. Find out about the history, folklore and archaeological walks at Lough Gur, a heritage walk at Doneraile park, historical walks in Kilfinane. All walks should prove hugely popular and provide great insights into some of the areas finest historical, heritage and archaeological attractions.

To pre-register for this event call 063-91300 or email [email protected]

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