Ballina man launches Mayo walking guide

A Ballina man has penned a new book detailing the best walks throughout Mayo.

Ryan McGuinness has selected 45 walks which feature in Mayo — A Walking Guide.

The walks have been chosen to cater to all abilities, from short walks over flat terrain to long and tough climbs.

Featuring stunning photography, the book provides detailed instructions as well as clear and concise maps and co-ordinates for each walk.

Ryan was inspired by a return home to Ballina in 2020.

“During the covid lockdown, I moved back to Ballina from Galway and I was stuck at home looking for a hobby so I just started walking.

“Every walk I would do I would take notes about the route and over time I figured I could pull all the notes together and make something out of it,” the 28-year-old said.

He spent a year and a half researching and writing the book and has handpicked his favourite hikes and strolls.

“Mayo is full of amazing walks and mountains. It’s all free and on our doorstep,” Ryan said.

His native North Mayo is one of his favourite areas to explore.

“The mountain I would have climbed the most is Nephin. Living in Ballina you can see it from nearly every direction. The Nephin Beg range and Letterkeen are among my favourite places to walk.

“It’s lovely because it’s so isolated. If you want to get away from the world for a few hours it’s just perfect. Going out to Achill and the islands is always great and memorable too,” said Ryan.

He was motivated to write the book when he struggled to find a guide to Mayo’s best walks.

“I was looking for a book like this a year and a half ago. There were books that were either just for hikers and mountaineers or books that were just the loop walks.

“This book is a combination of the two and you can start on the easy routes and build up your confidence.”

The book is available in local bookshops and at www.mayoawalkingguide.com.