Macra is going to Everest Basecamp? Wait rewind that back, what is happening here? It may sound surreal, but I can assure you, it’s happening.

Travel is one of Macra’s key areas of activity. It’s a great way for members to experience new cultures and the responsibility of representing not only their local club, but the national organisation abroad.

Go big or go home – if it’s culture and new experiences you want, Macra’s trip to the Everest basecamp has it all, visiting amazing places along the way such as Nepal and Kathmandu just to name a few.

How did this come about?

During COVID-19, when lockdown was at its peak, our members needed to get out. It was only a 5km radius allowed at that time, but as time went by, that 5km turned to 10km and so on.

Hiking and trekking had become very popular, not only among our members, but the general public – it was a lifesaver to some who needed that space and fresh air for their mental health and over all wellbeing.

To get this off the ground, several conversations had take place among the members, the training and development officers and the board.

You could hear and see the excitement from all involved – what a great opportunity. Let’s set our goal and make it work.

Pat Falvey from Adventure Tours was then contacted with the idea and instantly got on board to help us achieve our goal. Pat is no stranger to Macra and has helped us with motivating our members at training in the past.

Pat has achieved everything there is to achieve in the hiking and trekking game and has led teams to the basecamp over 70 times. Our team now stands at 11 members and two-thirds of Pat’s team. The team of 11 have completed all peaks in Ireland over the past 18 months, probably twice at this stage. So, the team is ready for the challenge. Our journey starts on 15 October for 21 days.

We are grateful for Pat’s help and advice on fitness, motivating us and most importantly the knowledge of gear we need for the trek.

Also, a special thanks to Peter Roberts from Padmore and Barnes Kilkenny, who has advised us on the correct gear needed and offered 20% discount to our team of 11 who are embarking on this trip of a lifetime.

Keep an eye on our progress through our social media pages such as Facebook and Instagram.

Macra has created teams and leaders in the organisation since the beginning, from agriculture to performing arts – it’s what we enjoy and we do it brilliantly. We wish our team of 11 the very best in achieving their goal. The road ahead may be long and winding, but you’ll make it there safe and sound. Bon Voyage!