Tracks and Trails Series 10 – RTÉ One, starting on Thursday 30th June, at 7.00pm and every following Thursday for 4 episodes
Episode 1 – Thursday 30th June – Lough Derg, from the shores of Co. Clare, Co. Tipperary and Co. Galway. Presented by RTÉ Radio and TV Sports Presenter, Darren Frehill.
Episode 2 – Thursday 7th July – Titanic Quarter and The Lagan Towpath Belfast and Slieve Gullion Co. Armagh. Presented by comedian and author, Rory O’Connor from Rory’s Stories.
Episode 3 – Thursday 14th July – St.Kevin’s Way and The Avonmore Way, Co.Wicklow. Presented by Roz Purcell, Cookery Book Author, Entrepreneur and founder of The Hike Life.
Episode 4 – Thursday 21st July – Kerry, Dingle Peninsula and Killarney National Park. Presented by author Cathy Kelly.
SERIES OVERVIEW
Tracks and Trails returns for its tenth season with four very different programmes covering trails in Co. Kerry, Northern Ireland, Co. Wicklow and around Lough Derg in 3 counties; Co. Clare, Co. Tipperary and Co. Galway. Our four presenters travel by foot, by bike and by boat.
Completing trails on mountains, hills, through forests, meadows, parklands and cities across lakes and down rivers, in this series, four presenters once again get out on the most beautiful, quiet and under explored trails in Ireland and meet some great people along their journeys. As always with Tracks and Trails, there is an emphasis on the benefits of getting outside and into nature for our mental and physical health, and the importance of sharing and appreciating the nature that surrounds us that we are so lucky to have in abundance in Ireland.
This season, viewers are taken along trails that showcase Ireland at its most beautiful with a chance to explore some of the many walking and Blueway trails on offer for the outdoor visitor in the counties around Lough Derg (Darren Frehill). There is also an easy urban trail by bike from Titanic Quarter in Belfast along the River Lagan (Rory O’ Connor) and then for something totally different to a mountain trail for a hike steeped lyrical mysticism on Slieve Gullion outside Newry, to the winding, mystical forest and pilgrim trails of Co. Wicklow, (Roz Purcell); to heart stopping views of the Blasket Islands and the soaring majesty of the mountains on the lakes in Killarney, (Cathy Kelly ) In this series there is something for every level of hiker or visitor.
EPISODE 1
Starting Season 10 Darren Frehill takes a trip to Lough Derg. Ireland’s third largest lake is bordered by three counties and he completes a different trail in each place. Darren starts this programme in Co. Tipperary and accepts the challenge to hike uphill from ‘The Lookout to Tountinna’. This hike is worth it for the three wonderful viewing points that overlook Lough Derg on the way. Leaving Tipperary behind he heads to Co. Clare to get very close to the water. Starting at Mountshannon, Darren tries one of Ireland’s Blueway trails which he does by kayak. This 8km trail hugs the shoreline and brings Darren as far as Reddan’s Pier on the River Scarriff. With two locals, Will Cross and Reuben Noyes for company and safety, they stop off at Inish Cealtra, Holy Island, before working their way through the waters of Lough Derg to turn into the calm of the River Scarriff for their final paddle.
Darren starts Part 2 with a wander into Castlelough forest (Co. Tipperary) to find the carpet of bluebells that appear for a short time each year. He continues his day by heading to Co. Galway and some more forest trails where he visits Portumna Forest Park, a Coillte managed forest on the shoreline of Lough Derg. With the lake visible through the trees and alongside the many paths, Darren walks down memory lane having played here as a child. Darren meets ecologist Dr. Janice Fuller for a chat about the ecology and wildlife which thrive here because of the lakeside location. With a walk to the marina and another view of the lake, Darren walks to Portumna Castle and Gardens which is owned and managed by the OPW. Here he takes a walk through their grounds and meets Lynn O’ Keefe Lascar the head gardener, who brings Darren on a tour of the walled kitchen garden which has been restored by locals and herself over the years. With Lough Derg within touching distance or visible spread out before him from the three counties he has visited, Darren ends the show happy and relaxed and urges the viewers to come and experience this magical lake for themselves.