Report              Guide-Gar Walking Club Visit     Weekend   May 24th-26th


Alessia Ghiradi (Group Leader) at viewpoint above Glenveagh Castle

The MUWC through committee members Eamonn Flanagan & Carmel McGuigan facilitated a group of 25 Italian walkers from the Associazione Guide Appennino Romagnolo - GAR over the weekend of May 24th-26th. The Guide-Gar Walking Club is based in the Adria region and centred around Rimini. Normally they walk in the Appennino Romagnolo mountain range which is located in the hinterland of Rimini and reaches to Piacenza in North Italy. All of their trekking guides have public certificates to lead people through the Appennin's natural habitat.
The Italians based themselves in Bundoran at Homefield Backpackers Hostel, from Saturday evening until they left for Dublin on the Tuesday morning. They had already sampled the delights of the Cliffs of Moher, Galway City and a drenching while walking in the Maamturks near Leenane (Co. Mayo) by the time they reached Bundoran late on Saturday night. Éamonn met with the group on Sunday morning at 09.00 and, as pre-arranged with the Group Leader - Alessia Ghiradi, took the group over to Slieve League. 18 of the 25 in the group travelled on the day in a convoy of five cars which, were parked at the lower carpark below Bunglass. The group enjoyed a leisurely stroll up to the viewpoint before starting the ascent proper to Slieve League's summit. We hadn't gone very far before Alessia was translating the excitement felt by many of the members at the beauty of the surroundings. Of course, organising such a beautiful sunny & warm day (with cooling breeze) helped! The group made its way along the route the MUWC took on their visit to the area last year. However, upon reaching the One Man's Pass aréte only three of the Group, including Alessia, decided to cross to the summit area. After rejoining with the main group the return leg was commenced. A group of 4 soon took the 'Pilgrim's Path' down the mountain, while the remainder, with Éamonn, continued along the ridge over to Lerghadaghtan Mtn. before eventually descending to meet up with the smaller Pilgrim's Path group at the Quarry carpark for the long track/road walk back to where the cars had been left earlier in the day. A tired but happy group made their way back to Bundoran at around 17.30. That night, Eamonn who had decided to stay at the hostel in order to guide the group the following day, was invited to have dinner with the Italians in one of the houses adjoining the main hostel. He was treated to some real Italian home-cooking with Puttanesca being one of the main highlights of what was a wonderful meal. Interestingly Alessia informed him that 'Puttanesca' comes from the Italian word 'puttana' meaning 'bitch/whore',  a sobering thought the next time you sit down to a serving of the dish!
The following morning the Group (25 + Eamonn on the day) made their way to Glenveagh National Park, meeting up with Carmel at the Castle. The Italians spent a few hours touring the Castle and wandering the gardens. A group of fifteen along with Carmel & Éamonn then walked the track leading from the castle through the Glenveagh National Reserve passing Astellan Waterfall, continuing almost to the road leading to the pass between Moylenav & Slieve Snaght. Returning by the same route, the walk was a surprising 12.5K in length. At this stage Carmel had to leave for home so Éamonn (having found that a good number of the Italians were fans of Enya & Clannad), took the group to Leo's Tavern in Crolly, where an evening meal was enjoyed. Unfortunately, none of the members of Clannad were present and Leo, their father (unwell) was absent too. Nevertheless, the group were in some awe at the Gold & Platinum discs adorning the walls of the Tavern. Eamonn was going to escort the Group back to Bundoran but Alessia would not hear off it, realising that this would add a good deal of mileage to the journey home. So goodbyes were said in the car-park of Leo's tavern. ALessia conveyed warmest thanks to the MUWC for facilitating the Donegal leg of their tour and expressed a sincere wish that we visit Rimini in the future. On behalf of the MUWC Éamonn thanked Alessia and her companions for coming to Ireland and for linking with MUWC and asked that the Italians consider coming back for another visit when walks in the Sperrins & Mournes might be the central attractions. 25 hand-shakes and hugs later the Italians were on their way back to Bundoran with an early start for Dublin awaiting them on the Tuesday morning and their flight back to Forli later in the evening, while Eamonn, tired but happy with the outcome of the two days, made his weary way home. It is hoped that this is the first of many such links with walking clubs across mainland Europe.

The MUWC have an open invitation to visit & walk in the mountains around Rimini which Guide-Gar will faciltiate.