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Tag: Ireland outdoors

What to do in Dublin, where to stay, where to eat and drink?

Some ideas on what to do in Dublin and where to stay.

These are questions that as a tour guide in Dublin or Ireland you get asked all the time. So, I hope to give you some advice here and give you some suggestions.

Dublin, Ireland’s vibrant capital, is a city brimming with history, culture, and charm. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a returning traveler, Dublin offers a wealth of activities to explore, comfortable places to stay, and delightful food and drink options to enjoy.

Let me suggest a few……

Accommodation in Dublin:

Dublin offers a wide range of accommodations catering to different budgets. Here are four great places to stay, each offering a different level of budget:

The Shelbourne Dublin (Luxury)

The Alex (Moderate)

Jurys Inn Dublin Christchurch (Mid-Range)

Generator Dublin (Budget)

These four options provide a mix of budgets, from luxury to budget-friendly, ensuring you can find the perfect place to stay in Dublin no matter what your budget is.

While in Dublin you can enjoy one of our many day tours from the city center to Wicklow, Powerscourt, Glendalough, Newgrange, the Boyne Valley and more.

Visit Dublin Accommodation

Top 4 pubs in Dublin with Live Irish Music

Dublin is known for its vibrant pub scene, especially when it comes to live Irish music. Here are four of the best pubs in Dublin where you can enjoy traditional Irish music:

Whelan’s

The Cobblestone

O’Donoghue’s

The Temple Bar

These pubs each offer a unique experience, making them top choices for enjoying live Irish music in Dublin.

Hilltoptreks Day Tours from Dublin to Wicklow, Powerscourt, Glendalough, Newgrange, the Boyne Valley and more.

Visit Dublin – Food & Drink

4 things to do in Dublin

Dublin is a city rich in history, culture, and vibrant energy. Here are four must-do activities when visiting Dublin:

Explore Trinity College and the Book of Kells

Stroll Through St. Stephen’s Green

Visit the Guinness Storehouse

Discover Dublin Castle

Visit Dublin – Things to do

These activities provide a well-rounded experience of Dublin, combining history, culture, and a taste of the local flavour.

4 places to eat – varied budget

Dublin’s dining scene offers something for every budget, from high-end restaurants to casual eateries. Here are four places to eat, each catering to different budgets:

Chapter One (Luxury)

The Woollen Mills (Moderate)

The Exchequer (Mid-Range)

Queen of Tarts (Budget)

These options provide a range of dining experiences, from luxurious to casual, ensuring that you can enjoy Dublin’s culinary scene no matter your budget.

Visit Dublin – Food & Drink

Tour of Wicklow and Glendalough from Dublin

Glendalough and Wicklow Tour from Dublin written by Linda

I recently went on Hilltop Trek’s Tour of Wicklow and Glendalough and would highly recommend it! Why? Well, what I personally liked about this tour was that it was on a mini bus with max capacity of 16 people. The advantages of this being the minibus is able to visit area’s the larger buses can’t reach. We drove through country scenic roads over the Wicklow Mountains and took in a lot of the popular scenic spots along the way. The mini bus offers a more intimate tour. You can get to know your fellow passengers and have the “craic” along the way!

Let me give you a run down of this tour..
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Best Hill Walks in Wicklow:

We have got together to pick the 5 best hikes in Wicklow and sorted them in order of difficulty. All these routes have longer and more difficult versions so, for starters, we chose the simplest and most enjoyable trails to ease you from walking in Wicklow to hiking in Wicklow.

Download your Walks in Wicklow Booklet Here

Five Great Walks in Wicklow

Check out some of HilltopTreks Walks & Hikes

Do let us know how you get on and don’t forget, Hilltoptreks offers guided walks throughout Ireland along with Mountain Skills and Navigation Courses too!
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Best hill Walks in Dublin

Download you Best hill Walks in Dublin Booklet Here

Best hill Walks in Dublin: There are some great walks in the Dublin hills and surrounding areas which are very close to the city centre.
The Dublin hills sit south of Dublin city and stretch all the way from Bohernabreena in the west to Shankill out to the Irish Sea in the east. There are numerous loop and linear walks to explore. From The Wicklow Way to the Dublin Mountains way and many more in between. Many of the walks are in the Dublin hills and some are accessible by public bus and train from Dublin city.

I decided that I would put a list together so you can enjoy some that Dublin has to offer in great outdoors.
These walks are in no particular order of preference. I have kept the list to a walk that is manageable to walk within a day. I have also specified whether the walk is suitable for families and how to get there by public transport if possible.

So get out there and enjoy the walks within Dublin for some of the Best Hill Walks in Dublin: (more…)

Hill Walking Clothing and Equipment for Summer and Winter:

Outdoor clothing has advanced so much in the last few years…. no more woolly jumpers with bright yellow plastic rain coats and leggings. They have also become very fashionable and trendy that even rappers and film stars like to show off their outdoor gear.

This is maybe a great thing with “sustainable clothing” being the big environment issue at the moment.

You can get your outdoor gear that you also wear while golfing, walking the dog, going to a rock concert or even a meal. Which is better for the environment and your pocket.

Happy Hiker Walking Checklist

Hill walking Clothing during the summer months

 Summer Equipment:

Hill walking Clothing during the winter months

 Extras for Winter


So, why do we wear clothing?

Apart from getting strange looks and not being allowed into your local shop, your body functions best when its core temperature is about 37 degrees Celsius.

With just a drop of 4 degrees in your core temp, this can bring about loss of consciousness due to Hypothermia. A rise of just 5 degrees can cause the nervous system to break down.

The body cools itself by releasing .2L of water per hour while doing an activity like walking, this can go up to 1L while running or due to the external temperature, i.e. sunny day.

This method works very well normally but with extensive activity the moisture collects on the skin before it can evaporate off. The downside is that you are covered in sweat and continue to cool down even though you may not be as active or the external temperature has dropped.

Hill Walking Clothing:

Layering:

With activity your body raises it temperature and at rest cools down. The best way to keep this at bay is by using a method called layering.

Base Layers: walking base layer

Your base layer needs to allow moisture to move away from the skin. Your base layer should also maintain a dry layer of air next to your skin to insulate against the wind and cold.

Wicking: Clothing that allows sweat through it so it can evaporate of.
Breathable:These fabrics allow air to circulate and water in vapor form to escape.
Airflow: Increased airflow around the body helps shift water vapor away from the skin. So loose fitting clothing is better in warm climates.
Note: Coming clean, Merino wool evaporates moisture very effectively and so produces fewer opportunities for odor causing bacteria to develop.

Base Layer materials:

Cotton: Holds water, draws heat from the body. Slow drying. (no use for walking)
Polyester: does not absorb water as much as cotton and moves moisture to the outside of the garment. Quick Drying – suitable for walking.
Polyproplene: It absorbs 40 times less moisture than Polyester. Better at moving moisture way from the skin than polyester. The downside is that it can be quite smelly.
Marino Wool: Highly breathable wool. It can wick a lot quicker than synthetic fibres.

Hill walking clothing – Mid-Layers:

A wicking base layer is little use under a cotton shirt.

Middle layers also need a fabric that will allow moisture away from your body but will keep you warm. Polyester fleece come in many thickness and colours and is the most common fabric. Wearing a few thin mid-layers gives you more control over the temperature.

Really the type of fleece is a matter of choice. You can get mid layer fleeces that come with a hood, which can be cosey in very cold conditions under your jacket hood. They can also come with hip pockets or a chest pocket. I personally like the chest pocket with no hood. The chest pocket can be easier to get to for holding a compass or snacks. I find the hood awkward under my outer layer and I generally bring a neck gaiter, cap and hat.

Walking waterproof jacketOuter Layer – Waterproof: You now need a jacket that allows all that moisture out, breathable. There is always going to be a trade off between breathable and waterproof. Gore-Tex fabrics give you a good balance. Paramo more breathable, less waterproof but personally I find them very good.

Jackets: For general purpose walking jacket that will serve you year-round. You should look for mid to high levels of breathability, waterproof and durability.

Comfortable: Make sure the Jacket fits and does not restrict movement, you can sit in the jacket without it rising up your back.

Walking Trousers: This has a lot to do with personal taste but comfort is also very important. Fast drying, wicking, non-creasing, comfort and lightweight is what you are looking for in your trousers.walking trousers

Waterproof Leggings: As in the jackets you are looking for breathability and waterproofness. I also prefer waterproof that comes with a zip up on the legs so I can easily get them on and off over my boots. They should also not restrict your movement and fit comfortably over your walking trousers.


Walking Boots are an essential part of you Hill Walking Clothing.

This is probably the most important part of your kit. There are a huge range available for all kinds of terrains, weather conditions and adventures in the hills. Make sure you get the boot that’s right for you and your days on the hills.hill walking boots

Hill walking Clothing – Gloves:

“Toasty fingers are happy fingers”

walking glovesThese are such an important part of your clothing during winter that I had to give them their own heading.

As with everything in winter clothing there are trade-offs. We want our gloves to be waterproof, insulating, comfortable and with some dexterity to open our zips and bag fasteners.

There are a number of different types of gloves and during the winter you should always have at least 2 sets with you, in case you lose one or for the comfort of a nice warm pair.

The back of your hands and fingers will feel the chill first as there is very little natural body insulation here (fatty tissue) and your body heating system does not see them as an important organ to protect. Your palms have a little more natural insulation and will stay warm longer.

Fleece or wool gloves offer great dexterity with some insulation and wind resistance but very little if no waterproof, so no use in winter outdoors in Ireland anyway… drier climates maybe.

A good winter glove would have a thicker insulation for the back of the hands with a thinner insulation on the front either primaloft of fleece for better dexterity. Now this gives use better insulation and dexterity but what about waterproof.

So, the next step would be add a waterproof membrane like Goretex and extend the glove to cover the wrists as a lot of heat can be lost in the wrists. This can also cause issue as water can also enter the glove where your hands enter.

You could wear a thin layer beneath your thicker pair of gloves and this allows you to remove your outer glove for dexterity reasons.

Mittens are very good insulation and can come waterproof, very little dexterity. As suggested you could also wear a thinner pair of gloves beneath them.

Back Packs:

These come in all ranges and sizes. Like anything else it needs to be comfortable.hill walking back pack

The general good size for your backpack for your day walk should be approx. 25L. This should be adequate to hold all you will need for your day on the hills. If you get a larger size you will just fill with stuff you won’t need.

I like to have a backpack that is neat with no parts hanging out or loose straps that can whip me in the wind.

Features to look out for:


Wet Bags: I also use wet bags within my backpack for extra protection and keep my spare stuff dry.

Small personal first Aid kit – (check date on items, if you haven’t done so in a while)

Notes for winter for Hill Walking Clothing and Essentials.

It is always good practice to have some extra food with you in your bag. (nuts, fruit, packed quick meal)
It’s also good to carry a survival bag (these are silver reflective bags or blankets that you wrap around you in an emergency of hypothermia)
Do bring a torch as the days are shorter and make sure it works and you have spare batteries. I prefer a head torch as it allows my hands to be free and I can keep them in my pockets if needs be.

Weather Forecast:

DUBLIN WEATHER

As well as the time of year, the Weather forecast will always play a big part in what you will need to bring with you for your walk. Before you pack your bag for your walk in the hills it is very important to check the weather for the area you are planning to hike in.

Met Eireann – https://www.met.ie/forecasts/national-forecast
Yr.no – https://www.yr.no/en
Accuweather – https://www.accuweather.com/en

Guided Walking Holidays in Ireland

Hill Walking Clothing and Equipment for Summer and Winter:

Walking in Connemara and Mweelrea.

Connemara is a region in Galway in the west of Ireland. It reaches out to the Atlantic Ocean with its Jagged coastline of cliffs and beaches; it also hosts Ireland’s only Fjord. There are two main mountain ranges in this region the 12 Bens and the Maumturks. Both ranges offer incredible walks and scenery that can be admired even from your car as you pass through them.
On this weekend of walking in Connemara we visited the Connemara National Park with its entrance in the small town of Letterfrack.
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