Waterford man climbing every mountain in Ireland for charity

56-year-old Tramore man Aidan Ennis is currently embarking on a mission to climb all 275 mountains in Ireland with a height of over 600 metres, in one continuous hike, which will raise funds for Brighter Communities Worldwide.

Not only is he climbing every mountain in the country, but he is also travelling on foot from one mountain range to the next for the entirety of the challenge, along with camping outdoors during the night.

Aidan aims to complete the challenge in just 48 days, with the ambitious route starting in Galway in the Maumturks, before travelling on to Croagh Patrick, the Blue Stack Mountains, the Mournes, the Wicklow Mountains and the Comeraghs, to name just a few, before finishing on Brandon Head in Kerry on the June 20.

At time of publication, Aidan is 19 days into his trek, and has just conquered the peaks of The Sperrin Mountains in Tyrone and Derry. 

His total distance covered so far is 977.5 kilometres, with a total ascent distance of 33,057 metres. 

He has climbed 70 out of the 275 peaks.

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, also for Brighter Communities Worldwide.

Commenting on his current journey, he said: “I will camp out most nights, with some nights in towns and cities in B&B or guest houses where I will pick up supplies for the next few days of the hike. 

"My wife, Emily, and our 11-year-old son Alex will meet up with me with our VW Camper on some weekends also.

“The people of Ireland are so generous and giving and I am really hoping they get behind me on this challenge, meet me along the route and donate a little to help a lot.”

He credits running on the beaches around Waterford with helping him prepare for the challenge, saying: “Yes, I run all the time on the sand at Tramore, it has toughened me up no end so I’m relishing this challenge ahead.”

Funds that Aidan raise will go towards Brighter Communities Worldwide. The charity recently launched ‘The Big Walk’, which will see walkers from across the country complete a combined total of 10,000 kilometres, the distance from Ireland to Kenya.

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 10,000 kilometres 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 2,332, 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.” 

Donations can be made via www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/EveryMountain