Tacks and Trails - hit / miss?

Fiskar

not sure I like this programme, whatever it is about it, it just seems too glossed up / too manufactured?

I was hoping for a more rugged warts and all type of programme. I actually found yesterdays programme a turn off for the following reasons:

1. Jim Sherwins voice overs

2. Celebs taking hike on a sunny day in shorts

3. Celebs on the walk suddenly finding an expert in berries and huddling together like a bunch of pigeons staring into the side of the road.

I don't think this does much for this outdoor hobby and would prefer it would focus on the following or incorporate into it as segments:

1. Planning a hike (what to wear, what to eat on the hike, what fluids and amounts to bring, weather forecast checking, route planning, emergency contacts, travel to and from meet point, etc)

2. Walking / Hiking clubs - focus on a club for the week Eg, Louth - Binions / Treddagh Trekkers

3. The hike (safety*, staying together, getting home safely etc)

4. Ultra running segment

5. Mountain bike segment

6. Foreign walks / hikes (Mount Tiede, Manu Pichu, Kilamanjaro, the Camino etc)

* Just reading teh copy of Irish Mountain Log that I got and the number of incidents in the summer months far exceeds that when my club is out so the programme should focus on that.

Wouldn't be bothered watching it again unless someone here convinces me otherwise

I guess it's really geared at the casual walker, rather than the seasoned trekker. The type who may have walking boots and a backpack, but doesn't want to learn about navigation skills. It is tracks and trails, and I guess aims to open them up and advertise them, not hiking across ranges. I find it a bit twee too, but think it reaches a lot more that way than being limited to the people who are into walking already.

blackvalley

Perhaps they are trying to say that if someone can walk these trails while wearing slippers and carrying a shopping bag over their shoulder then walking is possible for everyone.

Elvisjuice

This season and the last one are very poor , walking on roads for alot of tracks like up in cavan last week isn't great , they have walker heading off from blackion doing a 10km hike up to burren park which is excellent well worth the visit. But it doesn't say how she gets back to blacklion she finishes her 10k walk in the middle of nowhere , and there is no public transport anywhere in the area. The episode last nite was just a promo ad for those two very annoying twins, using google maps etc all the wrong items , walking over hardcore in flip flops . The week before it was some guy walking into dublin .

The first few series were very good , but last two are a total waste of time and money . The one next week for Diamond hill looks like it will be the best this season

Tigerandahalf

Elvisjuice wrote: »

This season and the last one are very poor , walking on roads for alot of tracks like up in cavan last week isn't great , they have walker heading off from blackion doing a 10km hike up to burren park which is excellent well worth the visit. But it doesn't say how she gets back to blacklion she finishes her 10k walk in the middle of nowhere , and there is no public transport anywhere in the area. The episode last nite was just a promo ad for those two very annoying twins, using google maps etc all the wrong items , walking over hardcore in flip flops . The week before it was some guy walking into dublin .

The first few series were very good , but last too are a total waste of time and money . The one next week for Diamond hill looks like it will be the best this season

Who is doing diamond hill?

Agree that this series has been pretty poor. Those twins are annoying - always talking over one another.

It would be nice to see someone take their kid and camp overnight somewhere but I think the market for this show is for the general public who want a safe easy waymarked walk.

I think if you have the right person doing it, it can be interesting but the music guy the last day seemed disinterested. I switched over after 5 mins.

Elvisjuice

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Who is doing diamond hill?

Agree that this series has been pretty poor. Those twins are annoying - always talking over one another.

It would be nice to see someone take their kid and camp overnight somewhere but I think the market for this show is for the general public who want a safe easy waymarked walk.

I think if you have the right person doing it, it can be interesting but the music guy the last day seemed disinterested. I switched over after 5 mins.

Tracks and Trails Series 7 Episode 4
Presented by David Gillick, Location, Letterfrack, Co.Galway

Irish international runner David Gillick visits Letterfrack in Co.Galway to walk the Diamond Hill and to conclude his journey in Kylemore Abbey.

Fiskar

Elvisjuice wrote: »

Tracks and Trails Series 7 Episode 4
Presented by David Gillick, Location, Letterfrack, Co.Galway

Irish international runner David Gillick visits Letterfrack in Co.Galway to walk the Diamond Hill and to conclude his journey in Kylemore Abbey.

Might actually watch that one!

hmmm

Typical RTE - as if no-one will watch a show about our country without some "celeb" being featured.

There must be someone in this country who is a walker and has a bit of passion for the outdoors who can narrate a voice-over.

ThisRegard

In fairness to RTE it's not aimed at the hard-core hiker. And the previous seasons up until this one have been good. I only caught the Dublin one so far this season and it wasn't too bad, it opened my eyes to a few things I was unaware of despite regularly passing some of the places visited.

exaisle

I find those "Happy Pair" twins terribly irritating....David Gillick at Letterfrack/Diamond Hill, sounds far more interesting....

Elvisjuice

was good tonight , they were blessed with weather odd they showed very few pics from the top as they are stunning , showed a few but not enough esp on the fine day they had

Fiskar

Yeah, watching it now, Gillick is really good, showed the prep, no messing about and fit enough for the longer trails, knows the questions to ask, now just bump Jim Sherwin off the show or to the subtitles! A local historian can give the same story as Jimbo.

Quackster

Elvisjuice wrote: »

This season and the last one are very poor , walking on roads for alot of tracks like up in cavan last week isn't great , they have walker heading off from blackion doing a 10km hike up to burren park which is excellent well worth the visit. But it doesn't say how she gets back to blacklion she finishes her 10k walk in the middle of nowhere , and there is no public transport anywhere in the area. The episode last nite was just a promo ad for those two very annoying twins, using google maps etc all the wrong items , walking over hardcore in flip flops . The week before it was some guy walking into dublin .

The first few series were very good , but last two are a total waste of time and money . The one next week for Diamond hill looks like it will be the best this season

Totally agree. I guess it's a sign of the absolute dearth of decent way-marked trails in this country that they're dredging the barrel after a couple of seasons.

Britain's Best Walks on ITV recently is a fine example of how this ought to be done. A presenter (Julia Bradbury) passionate about the subject and proper decent casual-walker-friendly walks.