Who'd want to go out walking when it's raining every day anyway? And surely no many would care to hike through the mud and knee high puddles but still, a warning to those who live dangerously . . .
People are being asked to avoid soft and boggy grounds when hillwalking this winter, following six months that saw more rain than average.
Mountaineering Ireland is calling for people to be mindful as it says the downpours have left their mark on many upland areas.
Helen Lawless, Access and Conservation Officer with the organisation, said: "We've had a lot of rain over the last while, so the hills are really wet, especially the peatland areas ... and when the hills are wet they are more vulnerable to the impact of our footfall."
Wicklow is one of the most popular areas for walkers, and most of its hills are covered with blanket bog.
Hugh McAlinden is a District Conservation Officer for the region with the National Parks and Wildlife Service.
He said that many people would be surprised by how much impact even a modest amount of foot traffic can have on a bog.
"It doesn’t take much to cause enough damage, that would actually damage the plants and prevent them regrowing.
"As little as, I think, six people travelling across the bog in one year, the same line, as little as that.
Overgrazing, fires, and climate change have also had an impact on Wicklow's mountains
"It’s hard to imagine, it sounds ridiculous when I say it, but I’ve seen it with my own eyes.
People are being asked to avoid soft and boggy grounds when hillwalking this winter, following six months that saw more rain than average.
www.rte.ie