Although I am a fan of my home county, the beautiful County Cork, I would have to say that my favourite place to play is Mayo. County Mayo on the northwest Wild Atlantic Way has it all – beautiful coastline, mountains, rivers, crags, forests and with less of a name for itself than some of the other counties in Ireland, it is not overrun with people!
I am an expert in covert camping and camp-cooking… keep reading to find out why!
I qualified and worked as a lawyer for a couple of years in the lovely west cork town of Clonakilty before heading back work as an outdoor guide/instructor. I figured that if I didn’t enjoy life as a lawyer living and working in the beautiful such lovely surrounding, then it probably wasn’t for me. I have just returned from over two years away travelling where, along with my fiancée, we spent the majority of our time living in huts, tents, camper vans, boats, caravans and hammocks.
“I enjoy nothing more than being in the mountains, be it on a mountain bike, in my hiking boots or strapped to a pair of skis…I am basically at my most content when I am immersed in nature.”
I have worked in the outdoor industry for years as a kayak guide, cycle guide and forest school leader. That being said, I am currently studying social work. Maybe I’ll get an office with a retractable roof!
I enjoy nothing more than being in the mountains, be it on a mountain bike, in my hiking boots or strapped to a pair of skis. I sea kayak and surf (badly) and I am basically at my most content when I am immersed in nature.
I have spent much time travelling around with plenty of camping, tramping and adventuring. Most recently I have travelled in Canada, Australia and New Zealand. My fiancée and I spent three months living in the back of a 30 year old GMC van on a tiny island off Vancouver that had passed a by-law outlawing camping. So, I have become an expert in covert camping and camp-cooking.
I have already raved about Wilderness Ireland to people I met my last few days in Ireland, to people on the planes home, to friends here at home. The only cumbersome moment was having our lunch in a plastic container that didn't fully seal so there was some leakage into the backpack....how's that for a privileged complaint? Seriously, I was well aware I had stumbled on (I'm still not sure how I discovered Wilderness Ireland....I think an email...) an experience I would forever cherish. I'm still processing. I know travel enhances us but this trip did so in ways I could not have imagined. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Mercedes Lawry
Hiking and Island Hopping Cork and Kerry
Reviewed on 25/07/2019
Rated 4.93 out of 5 based on 174 reviews
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