My top 5 hikes during pregnancy
“ Guess you won’t be hiking now that you’re pregnant… ”
“Guess you won’t be hiking now that you’re pregnant…” How many times did I hear that! Since Henry and I first got together, hiking, camping and general outdoorsy stuff had been a staple of our relationship, but now that there was a baby on board, had that to change?
In the early stages I kept my pregnancy quiet and continued to guide on the mountains. At four weeks pregnant I guided a group on the Glencoaghan Horseshoe Connemara (strenuous enough! :) ) and felt great! and thought ya this pregnancy thing is no problem, I can continue on as I normally did! But there was always a part of me that second guessed every little thing. What if I do too much? What if I fall and hurt the baby? What if my rucksack doesn't close? Should I be carrying a weighty rucksack? What if my hiking pants don't fit?
Getting out on the hills, breathing deep and stretching my legs seemed like the most natural thing for me. It was my form of meditation! So as my belly started to grow, my unexplained vomiting during mountain skills courses and my waterproof starting to tighten I had to re think my choice of hikes! To reassure Henry I agreed to stick to durable ground and way marked hikes! As long as I got out and about with a little bit of height gain I was happy. My new hiking buddy “Teal” our dog was also delighted to be apart of my new fitness regime! So the dog/pregnant lady friendly, scenic hike up the 442m Diamond hill in Connemara was my new training grounds! So here are the top 5 hikes I enjoyed throughout my pregnancy. No1. 442m Diamond hill in Connemara. 7km…of Course!! No2. 535m Torc Mountain Walk, Killarney. 16km No3. 380m The Glendalough Spink ridge loop walk, Wicklow. 10km No4. 140m Lough Avalla loop walk the Burren, Co Clare. 6km No5. 40m Killary Fjord Famine Walk, Connemara. 6km
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