On Sunday the 12th of October, 9 of our beaver section took on the 7km Lough Avalla Farm Loop as part of earning their adventure skills badge for hillwalking. We were blessed with a lovely fresh autumn morning for a hike with incredible visibility throughout the hike.

We started our session with our Beaver promise, we also went over distress signals using whistles and torches and also what numbers to call incase of an emergency. Along the hike we learned about the beautiful nature of the burren that surrounded us, we quizzed the beavers on the different hedges and trees we came across. Throughout the hike we found some wood sorrel and thought the kids how to identify it and that it was edible, to our surprise all the kids were more then happy to pick some and try it with them all coming to the same conclusion that it tasted like sour apples, from then until the hike ended our group seemed to turn from beavers to goats as at every chance they got they were picking and eating sorrel. 

On reaching the highest point of the loop and taking it the stunning views of Mullaghmore and across the Burren we took a well deserved rest and refuelled with lunch and water.

Other highlights from the hike was the holy well and the wonderful wildlife that was on offer from the Belted Galloway Cattle, the Old Irish Goats and also birds of prey which hovered the sky looking for their next meal. 

The terrain was challenging in sections but was no match for our Beavers with them managing better than some of our scouters. 

It was a magnificent day, and we are super proud of our beavers for taking on this challenging hike with ease. ⚜️