If you want to explore a county in Ireland with your SUP, the one with the longest coastline on the island seems a good place to start. County Donegal has over 1000 kms of wild shores and is often called the ‘forgotten county’ due to its remoteness. Finn Mullen gives a guide to its waters.
The barman rubs the glass hard with a towel. It’s dry and been dry for a while, he hasn’t noticed, he’s busy talking. It’s a slow evening, there’s time to chat. “The mountains, the beaches, they’re grand to look at but they don’t bring jobs…”, he lamented. His head doesn’t rise as a heavy sigh marks the end of his conversation. It’s 2009, Ireland is in the grip of a recession and in a bar in county Donegal, the island’s most northwestern corner, the effects reach deep into locals’ pockets and psyche. Ten years later, the barman’s words would have an ironic twist. County Donegal’s rugged landscapes and remote coastlines are now considered a valued economic asset as it rides the wave of a tourism boom on the back of its natural beauty and has seen it garner accolades such as National Geographic’s ‘Coolest place on the planet’ and home to the ‘World’s most scenic airport landing’. For paddle boarders, the area has the added attraction of having a variety of surf spots and waterways to explore and for anyone looking a road trip that can take in wild shores and peaceful countryside in equal measure, it’s a county that can offer it all.
“WILD SHORES AND PEACEFUL COUNTRYSIDE IN EQUAL MEASURE, IT’S A COUNTY THAT CAN OFFER IT ALL.”
Surf Capital
This story is from the Early Summer 2019 edition of SUP International.
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This story is from the Early Summer 2019 edition of SUP International.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Turning Points
With spring in the air and the start of a new decade, thoughts naturally turn to what we can do differently in the name of betterment. Finn Mullen reflects on some changes to consider when looking to improve your SUP surfing.
THE CLOSE OUT- TREV'S GREAT BIRTHDAY ADVENTURE
I have had my fair share of great birthdays, usually coinciding with a national holiday in a country that I’m visiting. But this one was a bit different.
Paddle Science #18 - The Body Fortress. Boosting Immunity
At this time of year, the rate of infection for colds and flu normally tends to slow down as we enter warmer, springtime months. However, if you’ve been anywhere at all in the world recently, then there’s one word you can’t escape at the moment: Coronavirus. Infection rates, mortality rates and prognostic data are changing daily at the moment. As a new virus none of us have previously been exposed to it, meaning that currently, we have no immunity to it. It’s only through being infected by a virus that our bodies are able to make the right antibodies to not only enable us to recover but to also help protect us from any recurrent and future infection from it. If you’re keen to stay well and keep getting out on your SUP board this spring, then focussing on boosting your immune system is a positive step to take.
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Polar Bear
In 2019, the Polar Bear showed the world his teeth. After a fourth place in the toughest SUP race in the world, the Red Bull Heavy Water, the now 19-year old Christian Anderson became World Champion in November in the Technical Race at the ISA World Championships in El Salvador. He also won the U-18 title on the Euro Tour with an 11th place overall. What’s behind the young Dane's rise to power?
SHADENFREUDE
TEST REPORTS
Desire Lines
We were on the outskirts of Helsinki, scouting a new destination for our sup camps. Just 45 minutes’ drive from the city, the untouched nature of the Nuuksio National Park stretched out before us. Mirror-smooth lakes, wild herbs and an impressive fauna waiting to be explored over on board or on foot via the many desire lines made by the land mammals.
Magical. Mystical. Epic.
Alexandra is a club ambassador and SUP racer for Bray Lake; relatively new to the SUP scene she completed her first race season in 2019. She participated in her first international event, the Gla Gla, 2020, and placed 1st Brit, 8th lady and 81st overall, out of a mass start of 637 paddlers. Here she shares the highlights of her first Gla Gla experience.
Green Medicine
As a keen outdoorsman and busy GP, Paul Sampson has come pretty close to attaining the mercurial work-balance. When not busy with his patients, he can be found hiking, climbing, paddle boarding, wild swimming… anything that gets him outside soaking up the great outdoors and reconnecting with nature in the beautiful South of Cornwall.
Depth Charge
Many of us have are staying away from the beach for a while, some are confined to our homes, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still train for the surf. If you try the following for just one week you’ll see results, never mind three months…
