78 “In recent years, I’ve started taking videos of my hikes and putting them up on Instagram – see @aidanennis. They help me raise funds for charities like Brighter Communities Worldwide.” You can watch an 8-minute video of his Vandeleur-Lynam Mountains through-hike at www.bit.ly/aidan-VLs. “I used to carry a solar panel on my pack to charge my phone and watch, but now I use a power bank made by Juice – an ECO 15000 mAh. It holds enough charge to last me almost a week.” Aidan never takes up offers of lifts in cars while on his expeditions. “No, it’s always about doing the through-hike, completing the journey on foot; that’s the goal.” Aidan’s wife Emily and son Alex are both very involved in the planning, preparation and support aspects of Aidan’s hikes, both before and during. They buy and pack his food rations and other supplies and arrange to send them by courier to pre-booked accommodations. They now have a camper van, a Volkswagen California T6, so Emily and Pictured right: Aidan checks his route on the summit of Slieve Snaght in the Derryveagh Mountains, Co Donegal in May 2024. Note his sun visor, a peaked cap without a top. Photo: Aidan Ennis Below: Aidan with wife Emily and son Alex at the Old Wye Bridge, Chepstow, during Aidan’s Wales Coast Walk expedition. Photo: Aidan Ennis MOUNTAIN LOG HIKER EXTRAORDINAIRE
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