What does a hill-walker want most in life?
A good trek, commanding views, entertaining and easy company - followed by a nice hostelry with some music playing in the corner.
If that coincides with your world-view, then the Lake District on the Mayo/Galway border is the place to go from February 16th to 18th.
Lake District Enterprise Ltd are running West2West, a festival of hill-walking, traditional music, Gilbert & Sullivan, flatland and moderate walks, historic walks, and a whole lot more. There's even a Concert and Ceili hosted by a touring group of musicians from West London Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann.
Gondoliers, the Gilbert & Sullivan favourite, will be staged in Ballinrobe Community School by award-winning Ballinrobe Musical Society on the same weekend.
The activities will centre on Ballinrobe, The Neale, Cong, Clonbur, and Tourmakeady over the three days, with big music sessions each night.
The walks, too, are designed to suit a wide variety of people, and are hosted by the active new club, Lake District Hill-Walking Club.
Flatland & Moderate:
Saturday, Feb 17
The Two-Counties Flatland Walk
Meet in car-park across from O'Connor's Service Station, Cong, at 12noon
Terrain: Almost completely flat, through forest tracks, some road.
Crosses into Mayo & Galway.
Goes by Lough Mask & Lough Corrib.
Two Castles, Ashford & Ballykine.
Two towns, Cong & Clonbur.
Includes walk around an island. Social gathering in Cong.
Total: 13 miles
Sunday, Feb 18
Beautiful Lough Coolin
Meet in car-park of Clonbur Community Centre at 12noon
Terrain: Moderate climb. Takes you up to beautiful Lough Coolin, a mountain lake not far up Ben Levi (Mount Gable.) See the remains of the deserted Coolin village, plus captivating lake views.
See some spectacular views of, and from, Lough Coolin on www.lakedistrict.ie
Total: Two hours
Saturday, Feb 17
Hill-Walking- Ben Levi (Mount Gable)
Meet in car-park of Clonbur Community Centre at 12 noon.
Terrain: Moderate to strenuous climb, but can be achieved by people of reasonable fitness and no great experience necessary. Stop by Lough Coolin, the beautiful mountain lake, and the deserted village of Coolin.
One of the best treks in the Lake District. Social gathering in Clonbur.
Total: 4-4.5 hoursSunday, Feb 18
Nadirkmore
Meet in car-park of Maire Luke's Public House (Tourmakeady) at 12noon.
Terrain: Moderate to strenuous climb again, as above.
Two glorious mountain lakes, great views of Lough Mask.
Another very popular trek, as featured in Kevin Corcoran's book West of Ireland Walks. Music session later tonight in Maire Luke's by West London Comhaltas.Total: 4-4.5 hours
Further details are available from Liam Horan at Lake District Enterprise Ltd at 092 42244/1, lakedistrict@eircom.net, or www.lakedistrict.ie, their web-site with ever-increasing hill-walking information.
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