The second Wild Women Creatives event took place last month; this time, a Hike & Sketch with Artist and Illustrator, Gemma O’Neill. Seven of us took to a beautiful trail in the Mourne Mountains, sketchbooks and pencils stashed in our rucksacks, to enjoy a leisurely hike and some relaxed drawing time in the wild.

As soon as the group met in the morning, everyone clicked and freely chatted, getting to know one another as we wandered along a meandering trail which opens up to some beautiful views across the rolling mountain range.

It was a seriously chilly day and the hats, scarves and gloves were kept on for the duration, but we did manage to perch up on rocks on the way to our destination, share some snacks and spend time sketching the gorgeous scenery. Most of us were inexperienced artists but Gemma was super at sharing the story of her own creative journey and provided lots of handy tips and encouragement which set us all at ease. And, I was so delighted that everyone gave the drawing a shot and were even happy to show-off their creations to the group. They were pretty impressive I have to say considering our hands were numb with the cold and we were out of our creative comfort zones!

We continued on towards Pierce’s Castle, the warm chit-chat, laughter and stunning vistas a great motivation with such cold temperatures to contend with. Once there, a short blizzard interrupted our sketching, but we hunkered down, shared around heat packs and sweets and kept the humour levels high. It soon passed and we were able to fully appreciate the 360-degree panorama before commencing our descent.

On the way back along the trail we encountered the sweet little wild ponies that freely roam in the area. They were curious to investigate our pockets for treats and were a real hit with the group.

Once we had finished petting the ponies and enjoyed the serious cuteness overload we continued back to our starting point where we enjoyed a delicious lunch and the conversation flowed freely as we chatted about what a fun day it had been. It’s always funny how quickly the biting cold weather is forgotten when bellies are full, cake shared around and we realize we have accomplished something wonderful together!

Thank-you to the wild women who joined me for my Hike & Sketch event – you were all amazing and made it such a special day in the hills. Look at those smiles:

If you like the sound of my Wild Women Events see below for what’s coming up next month. Be sure to also check out the Wild Women Events Shop where lots of events are listed right up until the end of June along with ticket links. I hope you find a date and event that suits you!