Glendale Lodge was the setting for this year National Snow Hike.  Situated in the Wicklow Hills, the splendid scenery provided was absolutely magnificent.  Friday evening began with the crowds converging on the lodge, with the on set of twilight and the frantic hustle for the distribution of beds came the inevitable campfire and the discovery of more candidates for stars in your eyes that would make the mind boggle.

As tradition dictates the first night was spent with as little sleep as possible with the realisation of the next day yet to take hold.Bring on the dawn the first early risers and the rush for kitchen space begins the bones of sixty ventures in a communal act of survival in an attempt to get breakfast.  The strong and quick feast on bacon and eggs with the slow condemned to cornflakes and toast.

Enter Brian O Donovan (a.k.a The BOD) our hike leader for the day, a man whose reputation preceded him. We began with an amble through knee high heather as we tackled the slopes of Kipure, RTE radio mast firmly in sight we set our destination target.  The group breath was taken by the spectacular view from the cliffs above the corrie lakes.

Fifty metres below the summit and we found what we were looking for SNOW!

Just enough to revel in the mandatory snow fight bringing a welcome break from the habitual trekking.  Once on the summit we had lunch while surveying our next obstacle in shape of (ask bod for name of mtn.).  This presented the group with the prospect of negotiating wet bog and the random bog hole, which not all of us managed to avoid.  On the summating for the second time in one day we descended to find the welcoming group of Mary Nugent and David Monahan who transported the group back to the lodge.

The lodge however had not laid idol for the day, instead the kitchen had been a hotbed of activity with father daughter team of Mick and Carena King preparing a fabulous menu allowing the choice between Italian or Chinese to replenish the body after the days exploits.  To conclude the event we once again resorted to the age old venture tradition of the campfire and so came the emergence of the boy band, along with a barrage of harmonious melodies intertwined with the more recognisable venture chants.

That night we once again continued the eyes open marathon, but with a hard day down many had an early night.  So came the conclusion to the National Snow Hike, which was held in perfect weather, scenery and company.  The group went their separate ways, taking nothing but memories leaving nothing but footprints.

 Derek Carmody

 19.02.01.