About the tour

£5.00

Dates: 25-26 March 2023

The Omagh Sperrins Walking Festival is one of the first in the 2023 calendar of Walking events- so get the boots dusted off early in the new year

Choose from the walk options below to plan your outdoor weekend. Please choose a grade and length of walk that suits your experience and interest.

Saturday Moderate Walk ‘Migration & the Muintir Looney’- The Robber’s Table & Gortin Lakes 7km

This walk will chart the demographics of migration from early Christianity to the Middle Ages in Ulster, revealing how the local landscape- features and place names- reveals a colourful story. Open hill-side, small tracks and minor roads are all encountered on this historic walk on the Western edge of the Sperrins, ideal for the moderately fit walker.

Saturday Challenging Walk:
‘Spirits in the Glens- a living Geology’ Mullaghcarn 12k

The schist rock of the North-West of Ireland is among the oldest on the island and its geology tells a fascinating story. In the Sperrins Mountains where the temperate rainforest that once covered the entire island of Ireland still survives, a myriad of native species cling on. This challenging walk across the ‘Ridge of the Cairn’s visits these ancient habitats and celebrates their survival.

Sunday Moderate Walk: ‘The Ecology of the Mourne Valley’- Tattynure to Bessy Bell 9km

This river valley corridor, home to roads and old railways familiar to all, is totally dependent on the ecology of the Strule / Mourne river systems. Viewed from the hills above this walk will explore the human / environment relations from earliest times to the present day in the company of salmon, otters, the pearl mussel and other rich ecologies of the area.

Sunday Challenging Walk:
‘Written in Stone- the vernacular landscape’ Sloughan Glen & Bollaght Mt 12km

Brian Friel, the playwright has Manus say in his play The Gentle Island, “ There’s a name for every stone about here, sir, and a story too.” This walk will explore the rich vernacular architecture of the Slougan / Bollaght mountain area in the ‘ordinary’ homes and outbuildings and the landscape that made them. Often disused these buildings and landscapes are rich in story – there were someone’s home and shelter one time.

This Walking Weekend is kindly supported by Fermanagh Omagh District Council and the Sperrins Partnership

Important information about the walking tour:

Please note no dogs are permitted on all walks due to farm animals being in close proximity to routes.
Please arrive on time and come prepared for your choice of Walk. Where relevant a bus will be provided to transport you to and from your walk route and we ask you to leave your car at registration.
If you have not already done so online, you will be asked to complete Participant form on arrival by Far and Wild staff which will included consents for First Aid treatment etc

For Challenging and Moderate Walks please bring/wear:

Hiking boots; appropriate outdoor clothing; rainwear; packed lunch; sufficient water. Gaiters and walking poles are optional but advised.

For Easy Walks please bring:

Footwear that can handle uneven terrain; rainwear; packed lunch; sufficient water

Registration

Registration venue on Saturday 25th March is Gortin Glens Forest Park classroom. Registration venue on Sunday is the Mellon Country Inn. Registration will commence at these times on both Saturday and Sunday:

Challenging Walk 9am
Moderate Walk 10am

Refreshments will be served after the walks. Please stay around afterwards for some music and craic at the venue/s.

Book now

Meet Our Instructors

Lorcan McBride

Director

I have been making the outdoors both my work and passion for over 10 years now- and every activity brings new people, new places, and new discoveries. What keeps me smiling is discovering the depth of Ireland’s natural heritage- and how people take to it so positively. I have been working with community leaders in Aotearoa/New Zealand for years to understand our own indigenous identity.

Darren Thompson

Adventure Guide

Born in the city, Darren spent 12 years working in Scotland leading water and land based expeditions. Living in Inishowen since 2018, he is happiest when rock-climbing and kayaking around our beautiful coast-line

Michelle McLaughlin

Adventure Guide

Hiya I’m Michelle. I’ve been coaching Outdoor Education for over 30 years. As well as teaching I avidly do Outdoor Pursuits for my hobbies. It’s an amazing feeling empowering people to get out of their comfort zone and find a buzz that will stay with them for a long time

Liam Campbell

Environmental Anthropologist

Hello! I’m a native of Inishowen and a Heritage Officer at Lough Neagh- our biggest inland freshwater lake. I’ve published and lectured widely on heritage and environmental issues in Ireland and internationally. My Ph.D. is in environmental anthropology and I love getting to see this in action outdoors.