From Conservation to Content
How a decade protecting Ireland's landscapes led to accessible hiking for everyone
The Beginning
Siobhán's journey into accessible outdoor tourism didn't start with hiking guides. It started with a conservation problem. Working as an officer with the Irish National Parks and Wildlife Service for 8 years, she spent her days managing visitor access to protected sites across the country. The work was rewarding — protecting Ireland's natural heritage mattered deeply to her.
Spotting the Gap
But something nagged at her. She'd notice older visitors arriving at parks, looking at trail maps, then turning around without hiking. People with mobility considerations. Parents caring for aging relatives. They weren't discouraged by the terrain — they were discouraged by lack of honest information. Trail guides either had no detail or were written by twenty-year-old ultramarathoners describing "easy" routes that involved scrambling over rocks.
She started documenting trails differently. Instead of vague descriptions, she'd note exact elevation gains, surface types, rest spots, water sources, and seasonal variations. She tested routes in different seasons. She walked them with people of different ages and abilities to see what actually worked.
The Transition
In 2015, she made the shift from conservation management to specialised hiking content. Her credentials were solid — a degree in Environmental Management from University College Cork, 8 years hands-on experience with Irish landscapes, and an obsession with detail. But more than that, she had something most trail writers don't: genuine understanding of what accessibility actually means.
She's not writing about hiking from a theoretical perspective. She's walked every trail she recommends multiple times — across different seasons, in different weather, at different paces. She knows where the muddy sections are. She knows which benches are actually usable. She knows the difference between "moderate" and "moderate if you're fit."
Focus on Killarney
Over the past decade with refernal Ltd, she's become the trusted voice for senior walkers planning adventures in County Kerry. Her work on Killarney's trails — particularly the Torc Waterfall loop and Muckross Friars Glen — has set the standard for what accessible trail documentation should look like. She validates every guide with accessibility specialists and older walkers, ensuring her recommendations aren't just accurate, they're genuinely useful for the people actually doing the walking.
Her philosophy is simple: age shouldn't limit access to nature's beauty. But honest information should guide that access.