Wilderness Therapy Sessions
| When: | 2009 | Duration: | 3 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where: | North West Ireland | ||
| An Approved EcoBreak | Tel: 00353 71 9643292 | ||
***Adventure Weekends Ireland***
Pure, simple, fun
Get in touch with how your ancestors lived and feel more alive than you have done in ages on this amazing weekend hosted by the Lough Allen Adventure Centre. Experience the sheer joy to be had by immersing yourself in the beauty of nature and come away treasuring this positive and energising experience. The weekend is suitable for all age's from sixteen to ninety and has been designed to help foster an appreciation for the wilderness experience and to reaffirm your understanding of positive values.
This ecotourism weekend incorporates a range of workshops on shelter building using natural materials, navigation techniques, fire-lighting using flint, open boat skills, boat landing and packing for a minimal impact expedition. You will then put the skills learned into practice on a two day expedition to a remote island in Lough Allen. Throughout the weekend a series of talks aim to give participants a privileged insight into local biodiversity, archaeology & history.
Kevin Currid, the owner of the Lough Allen Adventure Centre has developed this weekend based on ten years of research and development. He is experienced in all aspects of wilderness training in the North West Ireland environment and the centre also employs a number of people with specific skills including those with instructor qualifications (Kayaking, Mountain guiding), educational backgrounds in history and geography and specific survival skills.
"A greater understanding and appreciation of our environment, of ourselves as
individuals and of the joys of collective and group interaction"
Wilderness Therapy Sessions - Programme of Activities
Day 1
Am: Meet and greet
a. Introduction to the Lough Allen Adventure Centre. Explanation of its environmental philosophy and how this philosophy is converted into action through the centres management and course programmes. Learn how a minimal impact carbon footprint is being strived for in both.
b. Skills workshop
1. Shelter building using natural materials
2. Navigation techniques
3. Fire-lighting using flint
4. Open boat skills
5. Boat loading and packing for a minimal impact expedition
Lunch
Pm: Scenarios
A. Tent/shelter erection
B. Journeying
Dinner
An evening workshop focuses on local archaeology and sociology. This is followed by a short walk along the Leitrim Way & Kingfisher Cycle Trail and includes a visit to a local holy well, sweat house and megalithic tomb
Evening finishes with a few drinks down the local pub "Rynn's", a very traditional inn with a pot bellied stove. Rynn's pub is also a shop, an undertakers, a post office and used to be the doctors clinic on a Friday!
Day 2
Embark on two day wilderness therapy expedition
Am
Expedition to a remote island on Lough Allen, always using favourable winds to assist all towards their destination. Participants use navigational techniques and sailing/paddling techniques throughout day one
Pm
1. Shelter building workshop
2. Fire-lighting and group interaction workshops
Evening
An historical tour of the island, whilst also foraging for firewood, is followed by some simple fireside campcraft activities. Participants are also encouraged to fish from the shoreline.
Day 3
AM
An early morning workshop on the flora and fauna of the island is followed by preparation for departure, removing all trace of the group's presence. Return to the centre is by using natural elements (i.e. wind and paddle power) and is followed by a group de-brief and discussion of the expedition.
Certified Ecotourism
Wilderness Therapy Sessions have been certified according to the Greenbox Ecotourism Standard which means that all the key elements of ecotourism are met as part of the experience. (More details can be found on www.greenbox.ie)
Environment
Lough Allen Adventure is committed to environmental protection and is striving for a zero carbon footprint in all its operations. Renewable technologies have been installed on site and include a wood pellet (biomass) boiler for hot water and heating, and solar panels for hot water. Plans are currently in place to incorporate wind, hydro and photovoltaic electricity generation before the end of 2011.
All wilderness activities are carried out according to minimal impact codes of practice and groups are kept to a maximum of 15 on the hills and 20 on the water. All expeditions adhere to a "Leave no trace" policy, specific food quantities are calculated for all expeditions and all waste is returned to the centre and then recycled.
Much of the food used to cater for expeditions comes from a local farmers market and the centre has a policy of encouraging employees to walk/cycle to work.
Learning
Lough Allen Adventure Centre is dedicated to helping people to learn about Ireland's environment and culture and regularly run workshops relating to local history and focusing on sweathouses, megalithic tombs, ring forts and holy wells. Most of the centre activities refer to the ancient celts, and even before this period to our early hunter gatherer ancestors, and link the lessons to be learned from these times to the present day.
Workshops also relate to the flora and fauna of lake shore and river banks, including quality of river and lake shore water and all life forms therein. An understanding and protection of wild places is promoted through workshops on survival skills, shelter building, firelighting, foraging for food and various cooking techniques.
Conservation
Lough Allen Adventure Centre promotes the membership of conservation groups and is a member of the Irish Peatland Conservation Council and the Irish Orchid Society. The centres "outdoor pursuits" students conduct an annual clean up of the lakeshore around Ballinaglera Bay and Leitrim council also engage the centres expertise to assist in clean ups within dangerous "steep ground" beauty spots where illegal dumping has taken place.
Benefiting the local community
Lough Allen Adventures full time outdoor pursuits and leadership course provides specialist training for local people. This gives a great opportunity for local people to get specialised training and gain an opportunity to live and work in there own communities. The course takes between 20 and 30 students each year. Lough Allen Adventure, along with the Ballinaglera Development Association, promotes the Lough Allen Water sports Festival, a community event for local people in the Lough Allen environs.
Cost: €190
Tel: 00353 71 9643292
