By Robert Lee (Ballyhoura Bears PRO)

The last Sunday in June each year is a special day in our calendar; it is the day of our annual climb on the Brandon Mountains coinciding with the traditional Annual Mass celebrated on Mount Brandon.

As usual, the “A” and “B” walks take place there and Ben O’Sullivan plans these for us. But this was where the routine finished. A change is always as good as a rest, and Ben had some novel changes in store for us last Sunday.

For a start he broke up th… Continue

By Robert Lee (Ballyhoura Bears PRO)

There is so much happening in the sporting world at this time of the year that it presents a challenge to walks leaders to accommodate the walker and the match enthusiast at the same time. Paddy Kelly’s solution is simple – start earlier and get them home for the match. If this is to work on any day, it must surely work on the longest day of the year, as was last Sunday.

An 8.30 a m start at Killarney saw 12 walkers hitting off for the Mullaghanattin… Continue

By Robert Lee, Ballyhoura Bears PRO

With midsummer day approaching, and with the relatively fine weather staying with us, the Bears walking calendar continues to attract large numbers of members and visitors to it’s walks. Added to this a number of our members are travelling to far flung reaches of the walking world to experience the challenges of Machupicchu in the Peruvian Andes, Mont Blanc and The Matterhorn in the Alps, Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, and Nepal giving rise to a lot of fitne… Continue

By Robert Lee (Ballyhoura Bears PRO)

Now the walking season is in full swing, with all grades of walks taking place at home and further afield.

The Thursday evening walks are proving as popular as ever, albeit aided by the fine weather that we have been having recently. Ben O’Sullivan led one of these evening walks on a new route from Kilmallock that showed great inventiveness on his part. Those participating were introduced to “hidden Kilmallock” and the evening was greatly enjoyed by… Continue

by Elizabeth Enright

Last weekend's walks started with a group of Bears taking on the Burren Challenge. This is the second year of the Challenge which is reputed to have been contrived in Las Vegas, true or otherwise this brainchild produced some 1600 participants to take part in three disciplines, a 6mile road race, a half marathon and a full marathon. Nothing less than the full marathon for all 10 Bears, traversing road, green road and yet more road. We started out in rain but as we descended… Continue