Machu Picchu practice in Connemara National Park

We’re increasingly aware than in a couple of week’s time we’ll be walking the Inca Trail and so we decided today was a good day to walk up a hill for practice.

The hill in question was also, by chance, particularly appropriate because it turned out to be a hill climbed by one of our favourite bloggers and her family a couple of years ago. It was this same blogger, WanderMom, who we turned to for advice on walking the Inca Trail with children. So climbing the hill in Connemara National Park gave us a bit of check on her standards as a walker!

It was a lovely walk up to the top of Binn Ghuaire. The first section is relatively flat and on an easy wide path, but as you ascend the path deteriorates and gets steeper with each step. The final section is basically clambering on the crags to the very summit.

The view from the summit is amazing with clear views to the horizon all the way around. Looking out across the bays to the islands on the Atlantic coast is particularly beautiful. We had our lunch at the very top of the hill while clouds of local insects lunched on us. Which may have been fair, but was somewhat irritating.

Of course as Inca Trail training goes our hill was small stuff. We went up about 400m and we’ll be doing about double that on the third day of our walk; twice, and at a starting point 2500m further up. Then again, with a bit of luck we wont have the insects to contend with.

As always, WanderMom’s description of the same walk was dead-on.