Making Mountains Accessible

I grew up in Kenmare, Kerry. Most weekends meant walks — sometimes short strolls around town, sometimes longer treks into the Beara Peninsula. My parents loved the outdoors, and they didn't let anything stop them from getting out there. That's where it all started for me.

After studying Environmental Science at University College Cork, I joined the Irish Ramblers Association. Spent five years there learning how people of all ages and abilities experience walking. But I noticed something: there wasn't much out there specifically for older walkers. Routes were either too easy or too difficult. There was no middle ground. No routes designed with pensioners in mind.

So I shifted focus. Started working directly with senior walking groups in 2012. Built routes based on what I learned — routes that don't feel dumbed down, that respect your pace, that show you real mountains without unnecessary risk. Healy Pass became one of my favourites. Glanmore Lake another. Over 2,000 guided walks later, I still get the same feeling when someone says, "I didn't think I could do this."

That's what drives my writing now. Every article comes from real walks with real people. Every tip, every warning, every suggestion has been tested on the ground. No theory. Just what actually works.