Hiking is a great way to “escape the chaos” of life, according to Roz Purcell.
On The Anton Savage Show today, the model and fitness fanatic gave some tips and tricks on how to get started hiking in Ireland.
She also shared her favourite hiking spots in each province ahead of the beginning of the hiking season this March.
Ms Purcell said the activity is growing in popularity in Ireland.
“Hiking has always been a popular trend in Ireland but it’s definitely moving into the younger generations which is great,” she said.
“I think people are trying to find a way to escape the chaos of their jobs and get off their phones and things like that.
“Thankfully, one of the bonuses of 2020/2021 is us understanding how lucky we are to have such great outdoor spaces around us.”
Rain
Rain is part and parcel of hiking in Ireland, according to Ms Purcell.
“We’re Irish so we should be used to the bad weather; we all should have weatherproof jackets and boots by now,” she said.
“Even on a rainy day, when the weather is a bit hit and miss this time of year, just go for low land trails – places that are marked really well.
“If your only days off are Saturday and Sunday it’s still really important to try to get out when it’s safe to do it.”
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Ms Purcell recommended the Devil's Glen hike in Wicklow as one that's great for families.
“It’s dog friendly and has a great trail and waterfall,” she said.
“It’s also known as the Seamus Heeney trail because there’s lots of quotes from his writing which is really fun if you have kids – you can try and find them.
“The final marker at the viewpoint is great if you’re thinking of proposing to someone, so it’s a really fun trail.”
Favourite hikes
Ms Purcell said her favourite hike in Munster is the Coomasaharn Horseshoe Loop Walk in Kerry.
“It’s an extremely challenging hike that you will need navigation skills for,” she said.
“In Connacht, you can’t really beat somewhere like Croaghaun in Achill - I would recommend going there in the off-season as it’s absolutely outstanding.
“Heading up to Ulster, one of my favourites up there is Slieve Binnianin the Mourne mountains.”
“In Leinster, I would go the most scenic hike in the province which is the Spinc in Glendalough – it offers some of the best views and is about 9km.”
You can listen back here:
Main image: Roz Purcell on the Vico Road in Dalkey. Image: Instagram
