Why I Hiked Alone on the Darkest Day of the Year

A solo winter hike through the Wicklow Mountains in Ireland on the shortest day of the year. I walk from Enniskerry to Glencullen via Prince Williams Seat, but this is not a trail guide. It is an ambient video essay and a reflection on what happens when a year ends and you are not who you wanted to become. I cross clear-felled forests, walk the muddy pine rows, and think about the 5,000-year-old winter solstice rituals at Newgrange. Sometimes the darkness is meant to be marked, not fixed. Route: Enniskerry to Glencullen via Prince Williams Seat Location: Wicklow Mountains, County Wicklow, Ireland Season: Winter, December Read the Full Hiking Guide: https://www.iainhikes.com/hikes/solstice 0:00 The big question 0:44 Entering the forest 1:21 Direct address to viewer 1:32 The weight of the year 2:33 Crossing the clear-fell 2:52 Ancient stone prayers 3:37 Walking the pine rows 4:17 Following the stream 5:12 Reaching the beacon 5:46 The honest answer 6:39 Enduring the ridge 7:50 Time and effort 8:34 Standing in the light Instagram:   / @iainhikes   Patreon:   / iainhikes