Over the last couple of months, I set out to spend as much time as possible exploring Leinster on foot.
From the dense pine trails along the Wicklow Way and the rocky haul up Lugnaquilla, to the coastal sea breezes in Howth and the quieter, rolling ridges of the Slieve Bloom Mountains, it’s been an incredible run of hikes. The summer we’ve had has made it all the more enjoyable.
That said, navigating these routes taught me a few quick lessons about trail prep—specifically when it comes to technology out in the hills.
The 3% Panic
If you use your phone on the trail, you know the drill. You’re running a GPS navigation app to stay on track, constantly pulling out the camera to take photos or record videos of the landscape, and keeping cellular data active for safety.
Cold winds and active screen time drain phone batteries at a ridiculous speed.
A few weeks back, deep into a multi-hour loop around lugnaquilla, 10km into a 20km trail, with the sun splitting the rocks and only sheep for company, I looked down at my screen just in time to see the battery bar drop to 3%.
Now I must say I hadn’t come very well prepared. I had shown up with a small bottle of water, my phone and my power bank. Any seasoned hiker could tell I was not ready for what was in store for me. Unfortunately I was not with a group of seasoned hikers, and somehow ended up being the trail guide. Given I was the only one with the map, deep in the hills with no signal, seeing my only map about to die instantly activated my Bear Grylls survival instinct. In the past, that warning light would have meant turning around early, cutting the route short, and skipping the best parts of the hike just to play it safe. Not today.
Staying Out Longer
Luckily, just as I was about to warn everyone of the risk they may need to drink their own urine to survive, I realised I’d tossed the Cryonix Zenith into the lower side pocket of my cargo shorts before heading out.
Connecting right there on the trail, cable free, meant my maps stayed active, and I didn’t have to scramble back blindly or stress about having to rmember all those episodes of Bear Grylls. Being able to top off the battery mid-hike completely changed hiking for me.
Instead of constantly checking battery percentages, dimming screen brightness, or hesitating to pull out the camera for a photo, I could just focus on the trek itself. Knowing I had enough juice to keep everything running gave me the freedom to push a little further down the trail, stay out through late-evening light, and capture the landscape without worrying about a dark screen on the way down.
Pack the Essentials
Looking back over the last few months of miles, the best moments on the trail were the ones where I wasn’t distracted by logistics.
Good boots andplenty of water are non-negotiable for hiking in Ireland, but having a solid power bank in your kit turns out to be just as crucial. It’s a small piece of gear, but it kept my navigation alive and made this whole Leinster adventure possible.
Onto the next trail!