Sarah and Lucy, both keen hikers, recently headed out to Gougane Barra to check out the trails.

Within the park itself, there are six Coillte walking trails to suit all levels of fitness.

The Slí an Ghaorthaidh (0.5kms, 30mins, multi-access) is a nature trail with 10 stops; Sli na Laoi (1.3kms, 1hr, moderate) is a delightful trek along the floor of Coomroe following the course of the infant Lee to the head of the valley; Slí Dhoire na Coise (1.8kms, 45mins, easy) is a gentle walk along the Lee to the lake and back; the more energetic can tackle the Slí an Easa (1.8kms, 1.5hrs, strenuous); Slí na Sléibhe (2.5kms, 2hrs, strenuous) is the most majestic of all the trails in the park – high into the mountains with spectacular views; for those pressed for time, Slí an Choim Rua (0.5kms, 30mins, moderate) gives a glimpse into the wonder of the park at the back of the forest valley.

Outside of the park there is the 11.5km Gougane Barra Loop which is a beautiful more challenging hike (boots, maps, poles, etc required). Will share details of that again soon. Posted it way back when 🙂
Remember to bring coins for the carpark (€5) and make sure to stop into the fab Gougane Barra Hotel afterward.

Last day for pre-Christmas delivery within Ireland is Wednesday Dec 13th 2023

We're recommending that all web orders are placed by the 13th of December for pre Christmas delivery. We will continue to ship after that, and our staff make every effort to get web orders out on the same day they are placed (the couriers pick up at about lunchtime so if it's after that you roll into the next day) but we can't promise anything. 

We also offer click and collect if you'd prefer to err on the side of caution. 

In summary, the 13th of December was the last day for guaranteed delivery before Christmas but we will continue shipping daily. However, we won't be able to do too much chasing of the couriers for any order placed after the 13th that doesn't make it in time. 

If you have any questions don't hesitate to get in touch!

Laurie

Black Friday is not for us! Whilst there are lots of great bargains to be had in our shop at the moment, we don't agree with the Black Friday madness. And frankly, we're much more about encouraging people to make the right purchase that suits their needs as opposed to buying stuff they don't need at an artificially deflated price. Rant over!  

Instead (and for the seventh year in a row) we are picking a charity to donate a percentage of the days sales towards. This year the charity we've picked is Pieta House.
So this year,  shop small, shop local and buy stuff that lasts. 

It's great to see so many Irish businesses thinking this way and getting behind @championgreen and #greenfriday this year. #supportlocal #pietahouse #greenfridayireland

Resoling your old Meindl boots is a great way to extend their life but it is an expensive process, with prices going up again on May 1st. It's important your boots are in good enough condition to go through the process so here is some useful information and costings. 

• Boots are sent back to Germany to be re-soled. This can take up to 8 weeks and longer during holiday periods. 
• Please note that if your footwear is leaking, we cannot guarantee any repairs carried out will rectify this.
• IMPORTANT: Clean your boots before dropping them in

Excessive grease/wax may prevent the adhesive from bonding correctly, we therefore kindly request that you remove as much as possible before sending your boots to us.​​

• Please remove footbed/insole and laces before dropping them in. 

Costings are below. We now charge a €20 service fee for processing the boots, filling out the paperwork and liasing with Meindl. 

The first step of the process is that we take pictures of the boots and send them to Meindl to ask their opinion on whether they can handle the re-sole process. If they say they're okay they then get shipped to Germany and are resoled. This can take up to 8 weeks. They come back with new insoles and new laces. 

If you have any questions about the process please don't hesitate to get in touch. 

YETI was founded by Roy and Ryan Seiders in 2006. The brothers grew up in Driftwood, Texas, and spent a large portion of their childhood outdoors. Their father Roger Seiders was an entrepreneur that designed a fishing rod epoxy.

Growing up, the brothers always had a passion for the outdoors. Hunting, fishing, traveling to outdoor industry trade shows with their teacher-turned-entrepreneur-father. They were raised with an appreciation for wild game, unfamiliar territory, and high-quality gear.
They found that the coolers available at the time just weren’t up to the task – the handles would break, the latches would snap off, and the lids would cave in. Not only was it a hassle to replace coolers after each season, but also these cheaply built, ordinary ice chests were limiting their good times. And that frustration led them to a solution.

In 2006, they founded YETI Coolers with a simple mission: build the cooler they'd use every day if it existed. One that was built for the serious outdoor enthusiast. One that could take the abuse they knew they'd put it through out in the field and on the water. One that simply wouldn’t break. They decided early on that product innovation would come from necessity and firsthand experience – not from market research and data analysis. Today, YETI products perform when it matters most - whether that be an excursion into the remote Alaskan wilderness, chasing redfish on the Gulf coast, or just getting together with friends in the backyard.

What makes a Yeti Cooler stand out?

BUILT TOUGH

The Camino Society of Ireland is holding a free Camino Information Talk in Wild Side Sports on Thursday 23rd March from 6pm -7pm. 

• How to plan and prepare for your Camino
• Maps, guidebooks and Irish Pilgrim passports will be available to purchase

The Camino Society Ireland is a voluntary organisation, founded in 1992 by returned pilgrims to ‘give something back’ to the Camino and to future pilgrims.

If attending please phone 023 8829706 or email info@wildsidesports.ie to register.

For further information please visit www.caminosociety.ie