In recent years Ireland has experienced a steady increase in the number of people seeking out the benefits of outdoor exercise. Good for both mind and body. Associated with this is the growth in organised events where challenge courses of various grades are set.

Such events often require maps for either an overview of the course and/or for actual navigation along same. For commercial events, we create route maps for which we charge an appropriate fee – this is turn supports the production of new maps. Likewise for local authorities and local tourism development groups requiring mapping for signboards and/or brochures etc.

There are also various events that are run either for local community benefit and/or fundraising for charitable purposes. In these instances, given plenty of time, we try to help some by providing map artwork on a voluntary basis. These include a few of the Pure Mile groups who volunteer to litter pick in their areas and enhance knowledge of their local heritage. If you’ve participated in the Run The Line or Moonlight Challenges organised by Mountain Rescue teams in Wicklow, you’ll have come across such mapping provided to help assist with fundraising. The image here is for a Cycle event upcoming on 5th Sept. Organised by the Reservoir Cogs, they aim to raise funds for the local Tidy Towns and hospice.

In other instances, we assist with supply of our published maps or guidebooks at a discount for events on routes such as the popular Wicklow Way. One such upcoming event is on 21st August, being run by the Childrens Health Foundation out of Crumlin Hospital. A group of 50 healthcare volunteers intend to walk the Wicklow Way in 24 hours to raise the awareness of SADS (Sudden Arrythmia Death Syndrome) – a condition that claims the lives of 135 young people every year in Ireland. If you’d like to help them too, see https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/wicklowwayin24hours