Tipperary's Siúl Eile walking groups prepare to get back on the roads and hiking trails

The Siúl Eile network of walking groups is gearing up to get its members back striding the highways, byways and hiking trails of the county next month.
Resumption of the social enterprise’s walks after the Christmas holidays has been delayed due to the Omicron wave of Covid-19 sweeping the country. But founder Liam Fleming is working to get the walks up and running again from the first week in February.
Siúl Eile currently has eight community walking groups based in Ardfinnan, Aherlow, Carrick-on-Suir, Clogheen, Clonmel, Dundrum, Horse & Jockey and Slieveardagh.
When they resume, Liam says the walking groups will embark on an eight-week “Get Fit in Tipperary Walking Programme” that will include walking events throughout the county in March and April. He encourages anyone wishing to join their walks to register for free on the Siúl Eile website.
Siúl Eile's walks range in distance from 4km to 25km. Mr Fleming said they ran a pilot programme for elderly walkers called Walking for Health before Christmas and plan to roll it out to all Siúl Eile walking groups.
He says Siúl Eile is also hoping to attract a broader demographic of walkers such as men, young people and minority groups.
Mr Fleming, who founded Siúl Eile in his home community of Clogheen in 2016, reports the organisation’s private group walking tours are gaining popularity.
Last week, 20 students and lecturers from the University of Wisconsin in the US took part in a hike of the Vee Valley with Siúl Eile. Liam says the walk took place on Tuesday, January 11, which was a fabulous day weather wise.
He says Siúl Eile can host “made to measure” private group hikes of varying distances and difficulty to suit the fitness levels of participants.
For information on joining a Siúl Eile walking group log onto: www.siuleile.com.