Happy Christmas & Happy New Year

Happy Christmas & Happy New Year! Thank you so much for your interest, support and bookings over the past year.

Here are our various scheduled courses for the first two months of 2017 if you are considering some outdoor training:

Mountain Skills 1
7th - 8th Jan : Killarney/Kerry
18th - 19th Feb : Glengarriff/Cork

Mountain Skills 2
14th - 15th Jan : Glengarriff/Cork

Bushcraft Skills 1
21st - 22nd Jan : Killarney/Kerry

Bushcraft Foraging
28th Jan : Glengarriff/Cork
24th Feb : Glengarriff/Cork

Bushcraft Cooking
29th Jan : Glengarriff/Cork

Learn To Lead Climb (Beginner To Lead Climber/RC3)
3rd - 5th Plus 10th - 12th Feb

Forest & Jungle Navigation
25th - 26th Feb : Glengarriff/Cork

Please Click Here To Contact Us
Thanks, Nathan - Outdoors Ireland

Dealing With Lightning

Lightning strikes are more common than you may think in Ireland. In fact with our work over the past three years we have had lightning strikes close by while on the Burren Hills and while kayaking on Lough Lein.

5 seconds between lightning flash and thunder = 1 mile. When the lightning is six miles away or closer (which is 30 seconds) it is time to take cover.

Get off the water or off wet/boggy ground. Get off high points/exposed points, for example get into a re-entrant instead of a spur. Stay away from tall structures. Discard metal tools, such as walking pole/climbing gear/kayak paddle. Spread out your party to 30 meters between each person.

Get insulated off ground by sitting on backpack, kayak, buoyancy aid. Get into 'lightning crouch' which is squatting on ground, head tucked into chest and hands covering ears.

Best of all though check a local weather forecast (www.windguru.com is good). Be conscious of what the weather did the previous day. Be aware of how the day is unfolding in relation to large dark clouds forming, heat building up. If you stay alert generally you will see a storm building up and approaching you; which gives you time to take preventative action...

Mountain Skills 1 - Killarney - 17th & 18th Dec

We have a Mountain Skills 1 Training Course this Sat 17th & Sun 18th Dec, running in the Kerry Hills, close to Killarney. There is one place left for this course. If you are interested please contact Nathan on info@outdoorsireland.com or 086 860 45 63.

More MS1 Details Here

Climbing & Bushcraft Photos From Two Recent Courses

Sorry I have been a bit slack with photos recently. The work camera took a dive into the ocean and is not the same since. I am aspiring to buy a waterproof camera in the next couple of weeks and get back shooting again. Nathan

Cold Shots From Last Weekend's Mountain Skills 1 In The Wicklow Mountains

Last Training Courses Of 2016

As the end of 2016 approaches here are our last few training courses for this year:

















Bushcraft Skills 1 : 3rd & 4th Dec
Killarney : €250pp
http://www.outdoorsireland.com/bushcraftsurvival.php

Mountain Skills 2 : 10th & 11th Dec
Killarney : €170pp
http://www.outdoorsireland.com/mountainskills.php

Mountain Skills 1 : 17th & 18th Dec
Killarney : €170pp
http://www.outdoorsireland.com/mountainskills.php

We also have some availability for any bespoke private training or guided sea kayaking, so please do get in touch if this is of interest to you. Thanks, Nathan
info@outdoorsireland.com
+353 (0) 86 860 45 63

Safe System For Rock Climbing

Here's a simple communication and test system for safe climbing; whether you are bottom roping, top roping or leading.

Tied In & Climber On Belay - Then:

1. System Tight

2. Personal Check (Start Top With Helmet & Work Downward)

3. Buddy Check (Especially Checking Your Partner's Carabiners & Knots)

4. Call Of 'Climb When Ready'

5. Call Of 'Climbing'

6. While Climbing 'Slack' Or 'Take In' Are The Two Calls To Use

7. Use Your Partner's Name Before A Call In Windy/Noisy/Busy Conditions, To Get Their Attention

Mountain Skills 1 - Wicklow - 19th & 20th Nov

Our next Mountain Skills 1 Course is this Sat 19th & Sun 20th Nov in Laragh/Glendalough, Wicklow. Price is €170 per person and the course runs 930am - 530pm. I have a couple of places left available for this course. This link will give you an idea of what we are covering: http://www.outdoorsireland.com/resources.php.

To book please get in touch on 086 860 45 63 or info@outdoorsireland.com. Thanks, Nathan - Outdoors Ireland

Bushcraft Skills 1 & Bushcraft Skills 2 Syllabus

Bushcraft Skills 1 Syllabus : Two-Day Course With Overnight

Bushcraft V Survival
Bushcraft Circle
Survival Pyramid
Rule Of Three
Order Of Priority
Survival Kit

Efficient Movement
Leave No Trace
Resource Considerations
Water Considerations
Toilet Considerations
Knife Skills
Debris Shelter
Temporary Shelter
Fire Building
Fire Cooking
Water Sterilization
Cordage
Wood Ash Uses
Wood Charcoal Uses
Pine Tree Uses
Sphagnum Moss Uses
Wild Foraging


Bushcraft Skills 2 Syllabus : Two-Day Course With Overnight

Signaling
Camp Setup
Fire Building
Fire Pyramid Lay
Fire Horizontal Lay
Fire Star Lay
Fire Cooking
Fire Tripod
Pot Hook
Pot Hanger
Tarp Shelter
Swamp Fire
Swamp Shelter
Lean To Shelter


Click Here To See Our Bushcraft Skills Resources

Getting Lost With No Idea Of Where You Are

Getting Lost With No Idea Of Where You Are; No Map And No Compass. Here Are Some Simple Rules For Finding Your Way Back To Civilization:


1. Head downhill, not uphill
2. Head downstream, not upstream
3. Follow linear features, such as a path/stream/river/spur/power line/tree line. They will often and eventually lead to a road and the road will lead to civilization
4. In swamp try to circle around until you find an exit stream to follow
5. In forestry trees are often planted in rows, so try follow a straight line row, to ensure you do not walk in circles
6. In mountains try follow a spur or re-entrant downhill - looking for a stream to follow
7. In a lake situation try to circle around until you find an exit stream to follow.
8. Animal tracks will sometimes lead to water, so can be useful to follow if all else fails