Scaling a precipitous rock facade, the immediate concern is locating the subsequent grip or foothold. This moment brings you decisively into the present, relishes rock climbing coach Oonagh Kelly, underscoring the mindful aspect of the activity.
Kelly often highlights to her content students post successful climbs, how they momentarily dismiss usual concerns like bills or home problems, focusing only on their safety and life.
Despite new adult learners often seeing it as risky, the key is establishing their confidence, Kelly asserts, by initiating them gradually without undue pressure.
The 38-year-old adventurer from Limerick was initially drawn by a thirst for adventure to undertake mountainous exploits. The associated health merits, especially for mental health, surfaced more gradually. Both scaling and hiking are particularly apt for achieving a state of “flow” or mental focus, which is linked with positive repercussions like enhanced joy, improved affect regulation and greater intrinsic drive. This brief respite from habitual anxieties and stress can instantly enhance mood and energy levels, accentuated by the added joy of accomplishing a tough task.
Embarking on these hilly adventures checks numerous other wellness aspects as well: it gives an optimum cardio, pulmonary and muscular exercise, promotes immersion in the natural environment, and fosters strong social connections if done collectively.
The love for mountainous environments in Kelly was further nurtured by her years spent living and travelling in diverse regions like South America and Canada. Upon her return to Limerick in her early thirties, contemplating her next life move, she was drawn towards an enduring desire to spend her days hiking. This, in turn, led her to sign up for an advanced two-year full-time outdoor instructor coverage in Co Kerry.
Kelly found the experience thrilling, leading her to earn a rock climbing coach certification. After some more globetrotting and dealing with the pandemic, she resumed a full-time role in HR in 2021. Presently, she indulges in her outdoor passions during her leisure and for the first time this year, she’s part of the annual Women with Altitude weekend, aiming to inspire women from all walks of life to engage in more challenging hikes and climbs.
Caoilainn McDaid, a staff member of Mountaineering Ireland, observed a significant surge in interest in outdoor activities following the Covid-19 pandemic. The lockdown period revealed to her the depth of her passion for the mountains. Being a native of Dublin, she has transitioned into long-haul hiking, dabbles with climbing, and is in pursuit of a mountain leader certification.
McDaid recognises the psychological uplift and the social connections as two drawing points of hillwalking. She states that it provides an excellent platform for socialising and clearing one’s mind. Much of the wellness is attributed to experiencing the outdoors and being immersed in nature. Conservation is a key aspect of Mountaineering Ireland’s mission, aimed at preserving the natural environment that allows people to find joy in hiking and climbing.
In addition to the mental perks, the physical advantages are also undeniable. McDaid credits bouldering for motivating her to intensify her strength training regimen. She describes bouldering, which is free climbing on small, natural or artificial rock formations, as a more beginner-friendly and entertaining alternative to standard strength training, as no ropes or harnesses are required.
Mountaineering Ireland, which consists of around 16,000 members with almost equally represented genders, has seen hillwalking become more popular among female participants. Traditionally, male climbers and leaders dominated activities such as rock climbing and other mountain events. However, as McDaid points out, the ratio of female engagement at higher roles, like instructorship positions, was previously low but is gradually altering.
An event organised by Mountaineering Ireland, titled ‘Women with Altitude’ (WWA), is funded by Sport Ireland’s Women in Sport Programme. This year, it’s scheduled for 17th to 19th May at Cronin’s Yard, serving as an entrance into MacGillycuddy’s Reeks in Kerry County. The event, which increased its capacity by nearly 40% compared to the previous year, saw all its 120 slots filled within 48 hours of the booking commencement in March.
Kelly cites that initiatives like WWA, which hosts women-only events, provide a nurturing environment for women to cultivate their interests. She observes that in mixedgender situations, men often dominate, while women can hold back, displaying a reluctance to take charge.
Kelly’s aim isn’t to marginalise or ostracise, but to create a platform where women feel at ease to pursue their passions. She remarks that men often show a readiness to leap into risks and confront challenges, unlike women who typically adopt a more cautious approach, evaluating risks before taking the plunge.
She sees the growing prevalence of indoor climbing walls as an opportunity to broaden horizons and urges parents to consider getting their children involved, especially those who may not excel in team sports. Kelly believes these children find satisfaction in individually driven pursuits and don’t require the affirmation of a team. She suggests the activity might resonate with them and could boost their self-confidence far more than if they’d been overlooked for team selection.
Kelly also shares insights from four additional members of the WWA organising committee who discuss their affinity for mountain-based activities and their enthusiasm to pass it on to others.
One such member, trail runner Maike Juergens, commends the welcoming and supportive community around the sport. The major draw for her is the ability to traverse expansive mountainous terrain at speed, considerably faster than walking. Balancing work as a scientist, raising a young daughter, and playing cello in a local orchestra, Maike values her time immensely.
As opposed to the tedious nature of flat-surface running, she finds running uphill rewarding due to the endorphin spike which can be experienced upon reaching the summit. This is typically followed by a recovery period while descending. She took up running in her teens in Germany, when a concussion forced her to quit her primary sport, Olympic handball.
During a period of residence in Sweden, Maike grew fond of forest runs and upon moving to Ireland, she often found herself running in the woodland around Ticknock. It was there in 2013 that she participated in her inaugural race with the Irish Mountain Running Association, kick-starting her love for hill running.
Even though Juergens is cognisant of the potential hazards, she shows no reluctance in partaking in solo trail runs, thanks to her numerous trainings in mountain and navigation skills. Nonetheless, she admits to knowing other women who fear solo runs due to concerns about getting lost or tumbling down.
Delighting in the solitude it offers amidst her fast-paced life and work, she finds time to run for over two hours during weekends in the Dublin Mountains, located close to her residence in Ballycullen. Since becoming a mum, she successfully completed more than 50 Dodder Valley Park Runs whilst pushing her daughter in a running buggy during the five kilometre course.
Having attended her inaugural Women with Altitude event alone, Juergens was welcomed by numerous women who shared her passion. She absolutely adored the experience, praising its encouraging and inclusive nature and the fact that participants’ levels of ability differed and were irrelevant. She highlights that there are plenty of equally skilled women in mountain sports, but their visibility is often less compared to their male counterparts. “On those weekends, the skill on display is outstanding and everyone is eager to impart their knowledge.”
Scrambler Colette Mahon describes scrambling as a mix between hill walking and climbing, similar to venturing into uncharted territory. You require an adventurous spirit to veer off mapped routes. Mahon, a certified mountain leader and rock-climbing instructor, envisions her role in elementary scrambling (further levels would require rope usage) as fostering such spirit but also furnishing participants with navigating skills. They ought to discern a feasible and secure route to travel a particular patch of land and proactively assess the probability and aftermath of a tumble.
“You could be performing a highly technical maneuver, but land safely on a grass patch. Conversely, you could execute a very simple maneuver, but there could be a substantial drop beneath you.”
Growing up on a farm in Co Tipperary in the 1960s, with a panoramic view of three mountain ranges, she notes that mountain activities were scarce unless your family was interested, particularly for girls. A routine Sunday activity for her family was a car ride, often to Vee car park in the Knockmealdowns. There, her parents would sit in the car and read newspapers, letting her and her sibling explore, but always within eyeshot.
She perceives this as having planted a desire within her to explore beyond. She had a keen interest in discovering what was beyond the next plot of land but never did during that period. Instead, she engaged heavily in hockey and pursued becoming a physical education teacher before relocating to Wexford. This move led her to start a family and birth three children. A chance introduction to a local mountaineering club, whose favourite pastime was hillwalking, saw her meet members interested in scrambling and seeking more adventurous activities. Today, she views the time spent around the mountains as integral to her maintaining good mental health, alongside preserving aerobic well-being and muscular strength as she ages.
Describing the mountains, she shares, “it’s my place of reflection”. Sometimes, she prefers to explore the mountains alone and is delighted to observe younger women doing likewise. Despite the social benefits of tackling mountain challenges and creating relationships being noteworthy, she discloses that she enjoys the solitude of getting lost in the hills by herself. To her, it’s more than just a pastime; it’s almost a spiritual practice.
She strongly believes in encouraging women to embrace independence through the ‘Women With Altitude’ ethos. She stresses that not all weekend plans should involve being led; instead, they should focus more on advancing their skills or leading their own pursuits. She adds that if any given group lacks someone with more pronounced skills, the responsibility falls on the members to adopt leadership roles. In her view, this is a balanced act between encouraging individuals to take personal responsibility or even going a step further to be responsible for another’s well-being.
The occasion isn’t limited to the 120 women already registered; it is designed to highlight and strengthen the all-female team of instructors, totalling around 25, who will hold their own special session on Friday evening.
Hill-walking enthusiast Rita Connell quips, ‘Everything I gained from this hobby, including my spouse.’
Rita Connell, a native of Castleblayney, Co Monaghan, was nudged by her mother in her late twenties to attend a meeting announcing the creation of a new hill-walking club in her parish. This sparked two newfound interests in Rita.
The hobby has since rewarded her, not only with a spouse, as she tied the knot with Nicky Hore, one of the club’s founders, but also with countless experiences walking across nearly all the world’s continents.
The avocation has been a blessing in her life on multiple fronts: social, physical, and mental. She emphasises how hill-walking contributes to maintaining bone density, negating the need for extensive weight training. “Your body weight in itself gives you the workout you need, especially when carrying a backpack,” she says.
The retired principal finds solace in mountain walks, describing it as an excellent way to declutter the mind. “Your goal is to travel from point A to B, and to enjoy what your lunchbox holds,” she explains. She stresses the importance of stepping off the beaten path and expanding your horizons, both physically and figuratively.
Connell, serving as the president of Mountaineering Ireland, finds it heartening to see the emergence of fresher, younger faces. “From relaxed trails to the most challenging climbs, mountains have a lot to offer,” she asserts. She believes that Women with Altitude opens up myriad possibilities for participants and offers them a chance to delve into activities they might not have considered before. To enthusiasts, Connell’s advice is to register in clubs and seek continued learning opportunities.
Mountain guide Ursula Timmins tells her story: ‘I worked hard, and naturally played hard.’
Having grown up in a large family of seven in Portlaw, Co Waterford, weekend mountain hikes with their father was a family tradition for Ursula Timmins and her siblings. Athletics was her go-to sport in her teenage years, but as life started getting busier in her twenties, it took a backseat.
Whilst entrenched in her early 30s, a woman dedicated to her work as a medical scientist at Galway University Hospital found her salvation through mountain exploration. Encouraged by a friend’s suggestion to join a local hillwalking club, she steadily progressed through different levels of mountain training.
She initially undertook a mountain skills course with Mountaineering Ireland, eventually qualifying as a mountain leader. Later on, an Alpine mountaineering course paved the way for her to try her hand at ski mountaineering. The thrill of rock climbing didn’t present itself until she was in her early 40s.
Among her learnings, she found the medical elements particularly engaging, pushing her to pursue training to the level of an emergency medical technician. In 2018, when she relocated to Co Waterford and resumed work at the city’s University Hospital, she seized the opportunity to utilise her skills and joined a mountain rescue team in the southeast. As she continues to perfect her skills, she appreciates the variety in this line of work – some weeks are quiet, while others are hectic with multiple call-outs.
There was an ancillary benefit to immersing herself in these high-altitude activities: her physical wellbeing improved significantly from her mid-30s. She traded a sedentary lifestyle, chronic backaches and smoking, for the vitality and joy that the mountains brought her. She happily credits the hills with pulling her out of a low place in her life by reconnecting her with the joy of her childhood.
She routinely ventures into the mountains to decompress, claiming that a bad week is easily undone by a day outdoors. She also found rock climbing to be an excellent exercise in mindfulness, requiring deep focus and controlled breathing.
Having been involved with Women with Altitude since its formation, she encourages mothers at indoor climbing facilities to partake in the activity alongside their children instead of merely observing with a cup of coffee in hand. She hopes to see more women transition from indoor facilities to Ireland’s great outdoors and discover the beauty of climbing in natural environments.
For people contemplating hillwalking as a post-retirement activity, the recommendation is to start right away. As we age, we tend to develop a growing apprehension towards embracing new adventures. Therefore, the ideal time to venture towards the peaks would be the present.