Dan Arnott

While my educational background is in Economics and Finance, I spent my first professional years working in the tech sector for Irish startup Stripe as a risk management specialist. My transition into outdoor adventures definitely reflects my true calling, as I used to spend all my vacation days escaping technology entirely in favour of remote areas of Europe for hiking and climbing trips.

In my ongoing pursuit of several outdoor skills certifications – including Mountain Leader and Rock Climbing Instructor – I spent much of my time landlocked during the pandemic hiring local Irish outdoor instructors in some of Ireland’s most beautiful locations (including most places Wilderness Ireland operates tours).

As with many American expats, I’ve made a point to visit just about every European country at least once. While each trip has been uniquely exciting, Italy (where I studied abroad in 2015) and Spain have earned my most repeat visits.

In 2017 I walked the entire Camino de Santiago del Norte, which spans the entire 850-kilometre-long north coast of Spain. It was on this trek that I began to truly feel entrenched within a non-American culture by walking with people of many different nationalities, and it set the stage for my countless self-sufficient hiking trips around Ireland.

I’ve been an avid boulderer and rock climber for the past 10 years, initially starting in college with my first-year roommate (whose many offers to take me up Yosemite’s big walls I ruefully declined…). Otherwise I’m my happiest self getting out on any multi-day trail, whether it be through running or hiking.

The Dingle and Kerry peninsulas were my favourite stomping grounds during my first years in Ireland, as I’d enjoyed every day of my through-hikes of both the Dingle Way and Kerry Way with unbelievably lucky amounts of blue, sunny skies.

More recently, Sligo and Donegal have been wonderful to explore. For every one popular listed trail, there are usually at least ten more hidden gems!