It's our blogger/vlogger group's second day with **Epic Ireland**. To see the awesome adventures from the previous day such as caving in an underground river, **[click here](https://steemit.com/dlive/@daveonarrival/e42b05a0-5984-11e8-9f07-b9861a1c8e5d)**. 

[![Thumbnail](https://dlive.biz:8080/Qmepk2WQHFcG4wQ2MAMnmNEvmjDminZBBXTU9tv4azXuQv)](https://dlive.io/video/daveonarrival/e9d886e0-5b90-11e8-b60f-c1f3b7c155ff)
_Click photo above to view video_

On this day, our guide, Micheal, led us out from the city of **Galway** into the **Connemara region**, a breathtaking part of Ireland full of mountains, lakes, bogs, and sheep farms. It was on one of these sheep farms that Micheal brought us. I still don't know how he finds these places in the middle of nowhere. The backdrop we had for this adventure was a mountain with a beautiful **glacial-cut valley** running down the middle of it with a **river** running through it. This river is where our adventure is set.

![20171007_130333.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmdmRQCNcxKKnieUcEn4TDbnUjMnHnVURuR66MdR2TG7WN/20171007_130333.jpg)
_Meeting the locals in Connemara_

Micheal told us we would be **canyoning**, aka gorge walking. Basically, **trekking up the cold river** and climbing over any obstacle we happened to face... with some **cliff jumps** and slides in there for extra fear-inducing activities.

We got geared up in **wet suits, life jackets, and helmets**. This was not a warm day to be changing clothes outdoors, especially changing into damp, skin-tight, neoprene onesies. But, we were also prepping for something even colder. 

![20171007_103300.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmU72gxLuspix66nrNMrLNoeRkR5JLzvbsSniRzP8mCxEz/20171007_103300.jpg)
_The group is all geared up_

We stepped into the freezing cold rushing stream of water. Oh, my sweet genius for the love of Pete's sandwich, it was COLD. Thankfully, the wet suits kept our body heat in and prevented hypothermia. The first obstacle to overcome was **slippery rocks**, but that was a perpetual obstacle that we faced through the whole river. You can see how many times I stumbled in the video and that was the reason. We also climbed up **boulders**, scrambled up small **waterfalls**, and swam through the deeper sections. 

![vlcsnap-2018-05-19-15h00m20s890.png](https://steemitimages.com/DQmXNunk5DvfQ6iYq19upbEaUQ4d28o9KhZpuUtbEx7twE3/vlcsnap-2018-05-19-15h00m20s890.png)
_Climbing up the river_

We eventually made it to some **cliffs** that we climbed up and jumped off of into the deep water below. I've done cliff jumping several times before and these cliffs weren't that big in comparison to some things I've jumped from. However, for a couple in our group, it was their **first time jumping** from anything this high. Needless to say, they were very hesitant. But seeing others jumping before them and receiving encouragement from myself and the others, they **built up enough courage** to take the leap. And not just once. Several times. And they even jumped from the higher cliffs too.

![vlcsnap-2018-05-19-15h00m57s886.png](https://steemitimages.com/DQmT3uPrUKqYnAUnYaqYVxHiJLLHBhi2tiYFZVWjTw6motM/vlcsnap-2018-05-19-15h00m57s886.png)
_Jumping off cliffs_

**The great thing about adventure travel is that it gives people the opportunity to overcome their fears and have new experiences that they'll never forget. It's even better when doing these things with people you care about to help encourage you and celebrate with you when you overcome your fear.**

To add on to our day, Micheal took us to **Glassilaun Beach** which wasn't too far from Connemara. There he brought out some **big paddles** from his vehicle and threatened to use them on us. But actually he was teaching us some of the rules to one of Ireland's national sports, **Hurling**. I still don't understand most of the game but it was fun to swing the paddles around and try keeping the ball off the ground. And at such a beautiful location.

![vlcsnap-2018-05-19-15h03m40s617.png](https://steemitimages.com/DQmRDqVyJjvHaVdpg3rB6cHPM8m9jVxecr2FpvbJ3zvcnMH/vlcsnap-2018-05-19-15h03m40s617.png)
_Learning hurling at Glassilaun Beach. Photo by [Here Be Barr](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmKNW9ontOlTd_p4Dg51sRQ), used with permission_

This was an amazing day provided to us by Epic Ireland in exchange for online exposure. Check out their website: **www.epicireland.com** for **amazing tours** provided by an **amazing guide** in an **amazing country**. We really did have the time of our lives as we explained at the end of the video in our **bathrobes**. 

Follow my friends: [Todd](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCix1u7fu-ZFW0YwWemo25XA), [Jon](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmKNW9ontOlTd_p4Dg51sRQ), [Crystal](http://www.thepetiteadventurer.com/), [Kaileigh](www.kktravelsandeats.com/), and [Vrithi](https://www.epicuriouspassport.com/)

**Be sure you're following me** for more epic adventures around the world.

**Music used:**
_Streets of Sant'Ivo by Art of Escapism
Royalty Free_

_Gemstone by Michael Jan
[source](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAfUc5ySIXE)_

_Fiddle-De-Dee by Shane Ivers
is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b..._

_Wheel of Karma by Audionautix
is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...)
Artist: http://audionautix.com/_

_Porches and Universes by Puddle of Infinity
(Creative Commons)_

[//]:# (!steemitworldmap 53.588103 lat -9.503923 long Video - Canyoning in Ireland's Connemara Region d3scr)

My video is at [DLive](https://dlive.io/video/daveonarrival/e9d886e0-5b90-11e8-b60f-c1f3b7c155ff)