Have you stashed your wet weather gear, your sun screen and your anti-midge cream? Are your legs hollow and are you in good voice? If so, you're ready to take part in any of the numerous walking festivals that are on offer and, depending on which one you attend, you should peak many times between now and Hallowe'en.
The Wee Binnians, in Newry, is a hill-walking club - "We're a social club that walks," says secretary Veronica McCann - which, since 1994, has been running a three-day festival every September. I spent a Sunday walking with them in the Mourne Mountains recently and found them a safety-conscious group: both leaders had attended a course which entailed camping on the mountain and, on one occasion, sleeping out in a bivvy bag. The mist wisped its way round us as we climbed up towards Meelbeg which, incidentally, is bigger than Meelmore. By the afternoon, however, the sun was casting long, benign shadows across the slopes and it was shirt-sleeve time. There were four levels of walks on offer, the toughest a speedy number taking in four peaks and the easiest - but don't be misled by that word - was more leisurely with two peaks. The festival offers three walks every day, some no more demanding than a low-level family ramble. Most participants come from Ireland and the UK.
Across the other side of the island, the Portwest Castlebar International Festival has been running in the first week of July for 33 years and is part of the International Marching League. Last year, 1,400 people took part in walks which varied from 6 km to 40 km.
This is a great favourite with foreign security forces: the Netherlands army regularly sends a team as does the London Metropolitan Police and this year, for the first time, there will be a contingent from the South African police. For the first time too, a group of walkers are arriving from Prague - by air. "For years, they've hired a bus," says organiser Elaine Devereux, "that you wouldn't want to go very far in. But we look after them. They get a welcoming meal and we put them up on army camp beds in the local hall to help keep their expenses down."
Festival guide Susie Fry took a group of us out along the road on which Gen. Humbert had marched. Then we veered off across the bog and skirted Burren Mountain, coming into an area you could easily get lost in. During the festival, however, there is a back-up walkie-talkie team. Most of the medical staff of Castlebar Hospital are on hand and there are drinks stops along the routes. Some brave marchers - and they come from about 24 countries around the globe - carry their country's flag all the way. Preferring to remain anonymous, the men from the Met carry a St George's Cross flag. "No one knows what it is," says Devereux. Not unless they're English soccer supporters, that is.
In Kenmare, Micheal Murphy and his hill-walking club run a 10-day festival covering the two Whit bank holidays - the one in Ireland and across the water. Walkers come from the US and mainland Europe. This year, they have a German group which doubles as a male voice choir, so the entertainment should be good. "The only walk people need to book for is the Carrauntoohil one," says Micheal, "because it's limited to 100 people." And because of the numbers, they won't be approaching it from the challenging Hag's Glen end which leads up to the Devil's Ladder, a route which, and I speak from experience, makes Croagh Patrick seem like a gentle stroll heavenwards. "Last year," says Micheal, "we brought up a young woman from Rathkeale who was blind." An achievement for everyone.
In Leitrim, they've formed the North Leitrim Glens Tourism Co-op. Catherine O'Keeffe is the organiser, her post paid for by the Peace and Reconciliation Fund: "We have two walks - one at Easter and the other the Samhain festival. Some of the walks are challenging. Others you'd do in your runners." People come from both sides of the Border and one of the gentler walks includes a visit to Rossinver Organic Centre. Cars are left in Manorhamilton and walkers are bussed to the start-up point.
In Clifden, archaeologist Micheal Gibbons runs the year-round Four Seasons Walking Festival. These take in the usual gentle strolls but also include one or two unique approaches. To climb Mweelrea, for instance, he boats his walkers across Killary Harbour to the foot and gets them going from there. "You go straight up," he says, laconically. Most of his walks are archaeologically orientated and include Inishbofin and the Delphi Famine walk familiar to Afri walkers.
All the festivals have a strong apres-walk programme including traditional music, slide-talks on local history and flora and fauna as well as the regulation Blister Ball.
Accommodation is in local hotels, B & Bs, hostels or private homes. In Clifden, I stayed in The Clifden Town Hostel (095 21156) and was lucky to get a bed in an empty dormitory for u£8. At the other end of the scale, in Westport, four of us stayed in the luxurious, self-catering Harbour Mill 098 28555) complete with jacuzzi, gym and swimming pool. Weekend cost for a three-bedroomed apartment: u£295.
The cost of walks varies from u£6 to u£24. Some festivals have an overall registration fee.
Where To Walk
Wee Binnians (Newry) 028302 67556 veronimc@shssb.n-i.nhs.uk
Castlebar: 094 24102 www. Castlebar.ie/events
Kenmare: 064 41034 www.walking@kenmare.com
Leitrim: 072 56217 email: catherine/okeeffe@yahoo.com
Connemara: 095 21379 www.walkingireland.com
Links: The Ireland Mountaineering Council http://poneill.ucd.ie/imc/ For a fuller list of festivals, contact Russe14@ibm.net
Four things to ask a festival organiser:
1) Are walkers insured?
2) Are the leaders competent and prepared for emergencies?
3) Has the festival the support of the local farming community?
4) What provision is taken to minimise land degradation?