Comments Received about Maamturks Pages.

Time: Wed, 1 Jul 1998 09:44 I'd like to thank you, I found this pages very useful....I'm an university student from Czech Republic and I'm going to Ireland on my holidays...The Maamturks Walk is superb...Thanks. David Pech David.Pech@mailcity.com

Time: Sat, 11 Jul 1998 23:41 All I can say is WOW! I mean it, what you've done is brilliant: photos, graphs, text, the whole layout, it's Brilliant!! Now that you've done the web page you should consider doing the book!?!? Liz

Time: Tue, 21 Jul 1998 19:36 Dear Simon, I'm very impressed with your web pages, especially the simulation of the Maamturks ridge walk. Well done. It would be useful to have a link to a bookshop selling guides to walking and climbing in Ireland. Aine Molloy AineMolloy@compuserve.com [ See Hill-walking: Irish Commercial Resources. ]

Time: Fri, 14 Aug 1998 23:35 gmt Maamturks Walk Comment: Very impressive and enjoyable site. I will return for another tour. With so many hikes here in Alaska, still I am drawn to the mountains of Ireland. Your site gets me as close as I'm likely to be. It's interesting to think of fences on the route. And not having to prepare for bears. Thanks! Tom O'Loughlin todo@mtaonline.net

Time: Thu, 10 Sep 1998 20:50 Congratulations on your Virtual 'Turks. At the end of this dismal season the quality of the simulations and the sunny photos tempts one to confine one's bogtrotting to cyberhills. Milo Kane dkane@iol.ie

Time: Tue, 15 Sep 1998 17:03 As beautiful as I remember them! P Terry pat1@pge.com and a later comment: I last visited the area in 1997. I didn't walk them as extensively as you obviously have/do, but I am a landscape artist and painted several scenes inspired by their beauty.

Time: Fri, 2 Oct 1998 17:53 As an old Rambler and Peaks MC member I never thought I would see the day when I would see "Walking on a Web" site! Seriously though congratulations on a very well constructed site. Looking at the Turks on the screen brings back happy and painful memories - the only way I can walk them now is with my fingers on the keyboard!! Keep up the good work Harry Barry barlex@iol.ie

Wed, 4 Nov 1998 23:26 Hi, Just spent about an hour checking out walking in Ireland. What a fantastic job you've done with the Maamturks track notes/maps etc. Very different scenery and weather from that usually experienced here in Australia. BUT, walking is a great pastime no matter where you are!! Cheers, Roger Williams rogerwill@bigpond.com

Time: Thu, 19 Nov 1998 00:16 Well Simon - what a beautiful site. But then all of Connemara is beautiful anyway. You have made it inviting too. Love the simulated mountains and the way you have given the various peaks their names. These boots were made for walking alright - and I'd say Connemara has seen a good bit of your boot leather - long may it continue. Moytura mcmullins@tinet.ie

Time: Wed, 2 Dec 1998 11:38 Simon, Incredibe level of detail available on the Maumturks walk. Certainly it makes for interesting reading. Liam Reinhardt w.reinhardt@student.ucc.ie

Time: Mon, 15 Feb 1999 23:23 It was a privilege to visit this site, very well thought out and full of useful information. I am a member of an informal walking group attached to the X-Stress gym in Derry. We really only take part in 2 organised walks, the Glover and the Maam Turks although we try to get out on the hills at least once a week. I usally have a go at the Mourne Mountain Marathon every year. Believe it or not I found a picture of myself and a friend in the last picture you feature in the Maam Turks report. (here) I am the ugly one in the blue and white top. Congratulations on your site it really is 1st Class Aidan11111@aol.com

Time: Mon, 15 Feb 1999 23:30 gmt 1st Class site! Very useful. I might run into you in the Maamturks this year. Adrian Brothers davidbrothers@Netscape.net

Time: Tue, 16 Mar 1999 15:43 Never tried the walk, though the Leenane area is stunning. Maps and detailed references very useful-Well done! Any easier 5 hour walks? catherine o'connell catherineoconn@hotmail.com

Time: Mon, 22 Mar 1999 23:43 Simon Superb guide to the Maamturks Walk ; obviously a labour of great love on your part ! Now I'm even more looking forward to having a crack at it next month. Well Done Maurice O'Connor mauriceoconnor@compuserve.com

Time: Mon, 22 Mar 1999 17:28 I am very pleased to find your Irish hillwalking site. I happened on it while looking for Eoin Delaney's new Ireland mountaineering site. I am looking forward to a nice long visit to Ireland in the next year or so and definitely will include several crosscountry treks. That's how I learned my way around my home state-Alaska- and how I find that I meet the most interesting and energetic characters. I don't think my glacier travel experience will help much though. Please pass on my email address to any Irish hillwalkers looking for advice about an Alaska or Yukon trip. I will be happy to advise them. Jack Duggan duggan@gci.net

Time: Mon, 11 Apr 1999 22:36 Hello Simon, I'm a French student in Glasgow and I wrote you few weeks ago to ask for some walks in Ireland (I'm used to go hiking in Scotland with the club of my uni). I checked your page about Letterbreckaun in Maumturks mountains, because we were going to Connemara. That was great ! (although that fat guy from Canada was a brake..) I've got my own web site, including some walks in Scotland , and now
in Ireland since I made my page about Letterbreckaun. You can put a link if you want as I 've done.
my page is at: http://members.tripod.com/~Eric_V/ireland/maum.html [ Some great pics ] Thanks and see you, Eric

Time: Mon, 26 Apr 1999 16:08 As we have done for the last ten years or so, we again this year had a team on the Maam Turks Walk. Having enjoyed this walk so many times we felt that we wanted to respond to the tragic news of Sunday morning.
For a man to lose his life after having helped others to safety through the most appalling conditions is beyond words. We would like to send our condolences to his family and note that without people like Michael the joy of experiencing the Connemara Mountains would not be possible.
We would like in addition to thank you and the rest of the team for once again organising such a difficult logistic operation and for the care and welcome that you have shown us.
We regret that such a fine day has been spoiled by such a tragic accident.

Mike Moxley. Paul Straupmanis. John Bradshaw. Peter Grierson. Neil McCluskey. Ian McDonald. Jodie Batterby. Stuart Thompson. Ashley Smith. Paul Straupmanis MOXLEY ARCHITECTS London pauls@moxleys.demon.co.uk
[ Note from Simon Stewart - I am not officially connected to the organisation of the walk. As someone who has done the walk from the first time it was organised in '75 to last year '98 I can really agree with the sentiments expressed above.]

Time: Tues, 27 Apr 1999. Dear Simon, The conditions on Saturday were variable - the walk from Corcog to the well was in cloud but with the conditions ok and with compass and map not any real problem. From the well onto the lake and beyond was fantastic walking with the cloud gone and visibility perfect. Later in the day however, it clouded over and rained, visibility was still ok but the wind was appalling. I have been in the Maamturks wind before, but nothing quite like this. The rain was now being driven and each drop hitting you felt like a needle, several times many of us were very nearly lifted off our feet, descending was extremely difficult. The Col of Despondency is as you know is at the best of times a trial, on Saturday it was a nightmare. For the first time ever I really did not want to be there. But I suppose it is all part of what we do.
All in all the conditions were not as bad as in 95 (the only year I have not finished), it was just the last third that was bad.

Yes we have been going to the walk for the best part of ten years and come over from London just for it, and the good company, and the landscape, and the Guinness, and ........

We are at the moment looking at doing the Glover walk - from your website (which must be one of the best I have seen) it looks like an interesting one - particularly that last descent.

Regards Paul

Time: Mon, 10 May 1999 10:38 Hello Simon, I would like to express my sincere thanks to you and your readers/ visitors, for your condolences and very kind comments.

On behalf of both Michael's families and friends.

Your site is both beautiful and professional.

Thanks again, Brother Declan Declan F Crosbie declan.crosbie@natinst.com

Time: Fri, 14 May 1999 15:15 Comment: Michael looked forward to the walk every year. He died as he lived doing what he loved best, enjoying life. Thank you all for your thoughts at this difficult time. Des Crosbie Proud to say that I am Michael's brother. Des Crosbie dcrosbie@iol.ie

Time: Mon, 10 May 1999 17:28 Congrats on your site - really enjoyed the "walk" Kevin Rogers 10th May 99

Time: Sat, 22 May 1999 18:11 Hi Simon, Congratulations on a first class site. Everything we might want to know and more. The graphics and photos along with the navigational information are superb. I completed the walk for the second time this year and found it again, to be one of the best one day challenges in Ireland. All your opening comments on safety, fitness and experience levels required are well heeded. My companions and I from Derry had a superb day in the mountains, but this was later tinged with great sadness and shock at the tragic loss of Michael Crosbie. We would like to pass on our condolences to Micheal's family via your website. Thanks again, Joe Morrison. JMORR1956@AOL.COM

Time: Mon, 24 May 1999 13:40 Just a quick message to say "thank you" to the members and friends of the UCG Mountaineering Club for their kind messages over the last few weeks. My mother, brother Joe and myself have greatly appreciated your support.

I would also like to thank the members of the Galway / Mayo Mountain Rescue team, if any of them happen to be reading this. Tristan Crosbie ( Michael's son ) clr@tinet.ie

Time: Tue, 27 Jul 1999 16:34 Simon Just to say that I used your routecard on the second section of the Maumturks walk yestreday (form Mam Ochoige) and found it very useful. Unfortunately I didn't know about your site before my attempt at the walk this April ( I failed to make the cut at 2pm). Did it ever occur to Mr Naismith to make a special time allowance for descents - I found on the Maumturks particularly that these are very slow. We managed to beat some of your times (by a small amount) on the ascents but the descents took twice as long. Ted Rearden trearden@cit.ie

Time: Sat, 7 Aug 1999 19:58 wow! this is the best thing on hiking i have ever seen. Could i only find this depth of coverage in the U.S.A. Gregory Connell babblecon@earthlink.net

Time: Sat, 14 Aug 1999 08:56 The Maam Turk walk was hell in the 70,s and seems to have gotten worse.The pints in Leenane and Maam were worth it all. Your site is great maybe thats why my feet are geting itchy again? On th other hand maybe a good powder !! bob evans

Time: Fri, 17 Sep 1999 18:42 Great site. We're off to the Maamturks for a few days at the end of September and we're really looking forward to it. Incidentally, I'm a paraglider and I love to fly from the top but I can't when I'm with Mary my lovely wife because her nav skills are not great and I'm afraid I'll never see her again!! >>> Dara <<< Dara Hogan dara.hogan@esatclear.ie

Time: Tue, 12 Oct 1999 22:42 I'm about to head off the the Turks this weekend with a friend of mine, Paul Cullen. Your website blew me away! I downloaded the VRl and waited and was amazed playing with the possibilities! Visualisation..the shaman dance over the hills! I am so impressed. Who are you? Where do you live? Mount Olympus.
I just came back from a week in the white mountains of Crete - incredible walking and nobody there except a few shepherds! Keep up the good work! You're gonna cause my phone bill to rocket! Tif Eccles tif@gofree.indigo.ie

Time: Mon, 31 Jan 2000 11:52 Thanks for the wonderful pictures of the Maamturks. I hope to do this walk some day. The Maamturks are a place of mystery in my mind. I also look forward to returning Leenan and "The Field" pub. roibert.roberts@noaa.gov

Time: Fri, 3 Mar 2000 11:32 Lovely site, brilliant presentation of the hill walks. I hope to be staying at the foot of the Maamturks this year and found your site, great descriptions, quite inspirational, and so full of sound advice, Thanks. Tom Addison G.T.Addison@exeter.ac.uk

Time: Tue, 4 Apr 2000 23:31 Did the Turks at least twice 1989 and 1991 (have a badge also as well as two certs so that may make three) hope to get back when family grows up.
The second time I did the turks was a horrible day. I lost a contact lens halfway through and then made the mistake of following some sheep dressed in Goretex who were following someone who thought he knew where he was. Not a walk to follow blindly on.
Finished it anyway. Think my last time was the year two gents tried to walk it with back pack gear and jettisioned it piece by piece as exhaustion came on. Heard that one made it to the fence at the bottom of the last slope and then crashed there.
First time I did it the sun was beaming down. Some people ran short of water and were reduced to drinking out of rock pools Yuck !! Several got badly burnt then.
Its the potential of the walk to be everything from a great long walk in the sun to a brutal endurance challenge in the rain and wind that makes it a classic.
Pat. Holland phollandhome@oceanfree.net

Time: Fri, 14 Apr 2000 22:28 the maamturks----the mother of all walks!!!!
hope to do it this easter weekend, see you all there. are we off our heads or what? last did it in 1994, i'm still recovering.but it was a beautiful sunny day.
congrats on the exellent web site of the maams.hasn't the ould technology come a long way, soon we will be able to find our way with computer mapping on our mobile phones. sorry to hear about the fatality last year. here's to knackered legs, and hopefully a few pints in leenan all the best liam norton nortonliam@hotmail.com

Last Sunday, 21/05/2000, a friend and I did the Maamturks Walk as Easter didn't suit us this year. We camped on the amenity site across the river from Joe Keane's at Maam Bridge. On our return from the walk, there was the tent and it gone. The clowns didn't even take the tent poles. Food was scattered everywhere. Also taken were a sleeping bag and Goretex jacket.

This might be a warning to others not to be so naive. Paul Murphy Limerick Climbing & Crochet Club

Edwin sent me this pic of the coum between Binn Chaonaigh and Binn idir an da Log. What is his secret? I have been there probably six times with a camera and not once managed to have clear sunshine.

DateTime: Fri, 14 Jul 2000 23:08 Simon, this a really good site! Since I live in Dublin, Ireland (moved since 17-10-99, from Woerden, Holland) I am so addicted to Hillwalking. I have done a few here in Ireland, and I live very close to the Wicklow Mountains but the Maumturk Mountains are incredible !
I did this trip with 11 other people on the 2nd of July 2000.
The next time if I am in Galway again, I will do the Maumturk Hillwalk again. Everyone who will visit Ireland, I would recommend this trip, otherwise you will miss something beautiful of Ireland. Great site Simon !!!! Edwin Sahertian edwin.sahertian@wolmail.nl

Time: Sun, 27 Aug 2000 17:38 Having completed the Maamturks Walk for the last four years I can appreciate the extent of the measures undertaken by the organisers to ensure the safety of the participants. I would like to offer my condolences to Michael's family who suffered a tragic loss due to Michael's dedication to safeguarding the last climbers during April 99.

Congratulations are clearly in order for a very comprehensive guide to what has become an exciting and unmissable challenge for my friends and I each spring. The enjoyment of the event has doubled over the last two walks as they have coincided with getting to know the most wonderful woman I could ever hope to meet. Ger Lennon lennonger@hotmail.com