As progress is made in the fight against Covid-19, and with the gradual reopening of society - hillwalkers and climbers are able to enjoy increased level of activity.
The announcement by the NI Assembly to allow groups of up to ten people not from the same household to gather for outdoor sports will allow club members in Northern Ireland to begin meeting once more.
In the Republic of Ireland you are allowed to travel within your own county, and up to 20km from your home if crossing county boundaries. This travel restriction is expected to be further eased on the 29th of June. You can now meet in a group of up to fifteen people who are not from the same household for organised activities such as sporting or other events.
The key messaging from Mountaineering Ireland remains the same: Stay safe. Scale back your ambitions be cautious, choose objectives within your technical and physical limits to minimise the risk of accidents and injury, and to avoid pressure on the emergency services.
With a lot more people currently enjoying the outdoors there is a huge increase on the demand for parking as well as a marked increase in the amount of litter. Please do what you can to help alleviate the pressure on parking areas - consider go at off-peak times or going to less popular places. Please help with the problem of litter by reporting any serious issues to the relevant local authorities. If it seems appropriate and safe to do so you could consider collecting items of litter.
Mountaineering Ireland has updated our Covid-19 Advice for Hillwalkers and Climbers document and summary sheets. These resources can be accessed via the following links: