Jam-packed weekend to celebrate stunning Iveragh

A WEEKEND of talks, walks and workshops looking at the heritage and environment of the Iveragh landscape will take place this week in South West Kerry.

Iveragh Learning Landscapes is a weekend event bringing together local, national, and international expertise on place-based learning, outdoor education, nature connection, and heritage through talks, workshops, and guided trips: perfect for educators, parents, tourism providers, and anyone interested in exploring our natural environment.

Iveragh Learning Landscapes was created in 2016 by Lucy Hunt and Eleanor Turner from Sea Synergy Marine Awareness Centre, (both SMARTlab Skellig PhD students and CoDesRes research assistants) after their participation in the Learning Landscapes Symposium organised by the Burrenbeo Trust.

They realised the potential of holding similar events all over the country, and what better place to hold one of their own on the the beautiful Iveragh peninsula.

Lucy Hunt explained that the event is aimed at showcasing the natural habitats of Kerry and allowing the public to learn how much the Iveragh peninsula has to offer.

“Workshop topics and talks cover a range of subjects including coastal habitats, art classes, composting and reducing food waste, lake and small stream ecology, woodland development and fire management, photography, designing spaces for biodiversity, herbal medicine, guided art classes, ocean literacy and how to use the outdoors as an educational tool,” explains Lucy.

Those attending can choose from a variety of these workshops throughout the whole weekend, as well as guided walks and separate events, including visits to local rock art sites, a trip to church island, paddleboarding (SUP) and kayaking on Lough Currane (for a small additional fee), outdoor yoga and a dark skies evening event.

The event is based between the villages of Waterville and Caherdaniel, workshops take place both indoors and outdoors, in various venues in some of the most spectacular locations in the area, including Derrynane National Park and Lough Currane in Waterville.

This year, Iveragh Learning Landscapes symposium has been awarded the European Year of Cultural Heritage label.

The aim of the European Year of Cultural Heritage is to encourage events, activities and celebrations across Europe to get people interested and involved in its cultural heritage; one of the goals of Iveragh Learning Landscapes.

Tickets are available on Eventbrite.ie website or visit Facebook page Iveragh Learning Landscapes.