The people of Donegal are being urged to lend their support to a man on an ambitious challenge climbing every mountain in Ireland between now and the end of June.
56-year-old Aidan Ennis is planning to climb all 275 mountains in Ireland (with a height of 600 metres and above) in one continuous hike to raise funds for Brighter Communities Worldwide, a small Irish charity that works in partnership with local communities in Kenya providing clean water.
Aidan will spend much of this coming week (16th to the 20th May) traversing mountains across Co. Donegal, a challenge he relishes. His planned route will take him from Donegal to Doochary, from Doochary to Muckish, on to Newtowncunningham/Burt, to Buncrana and onwards to Learmount in Derry.
Not only will he climb all the mountains in the counry over 600 metres, but he also plans to run from one mountain range to the next, adding to the gruelling nature of the challenge.
The ambitious route starts in Galway in the Maumturks before travelling on to Croagh Patrick, the Bluestack Mountains, the Mournes, the Wicklow Mountains and the Comeraghs to name just a few, before finishing on Brandon Head in Kerry on the 20th June.
Aidan says “Brighter Communities Worldwide is a hugely deserving charity, they work incredibly hard and their work over the past two decades has been tangible, all the while improving the lives of the people with whom they work in partnership with in Kenya. They have chosen 10,000km – as the target to reach between now and the end of October and so the kilometres I will run up by climbing every mountain in Ireland, a total of some 2332 KM is going to help quite a lot”.
“As walking is the main mode of travel for so many people in Kericho County in Kenya who have to travel vast distances to access clean water, the charity hopes that this will resonate with people in Ireland to get behind the challenge. Participants will choose where they want to walk, count the kms they cover and hopefully together they will reach 10,000km”.
Aidan is no stranger to tough charity challenges, last year he walked the entire coastline of Wales including all 15 of the Welsh 3000ft mountains en route, all for Brighter Communities Worldwide.
Donate to Aidan’s challenge here: https://www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/EveryMountain
Brighter Communities Worldwide has launched ‘The BIG Walk’ which will see walkers complete 10,000 KM, the distance from Ireland to Kenya, from now until October in a bid to highlight the work it does in healthcare, sanitation and economic empowerment. To join in, please visit: https://www.idonate.ie/event/thebigwalk
