Welcome to Spring: Hiking with the Celts

In Celtic spirituality, both pagan and Christian, the natural world is understood as a place of meeting.  They speak of a ‘thin place’ between the conscious world and that of the sacred.  For the Celts a ‘thin place’ is approached via three practices: Listening, noticing and responding. 

On our hike, two days after the spring equinox, we’ll be accompanied by a wisdom reading from John O’ Donohue,  a modern mystic philosopher.  Rooted in the wilds of western Ireland, O’Donohue invites us to be present to the sacred in nature.  Who knows … you too may find yourself  in a thin place!

About the hike:
Hike rated as moderate.  4 – 5 miles based on the comfort of the group. 
Terrain uneven with several steep uphill climbs.  
Vernal ponds and possibly the singing of peeper frogs along the route.

This hike is part of a series of events Ipswich River Watershed Association is holding in conjunction with North Shore Spirituality in Nature Group (NS SING). NS SING provides monthly outdoor events exploring the watershed once a month via hiking, snowshoeing, kayaking or canoeing.  SING offers a contemplative, meditative experience providing opportunities for deepening spiritually in the midst of nature.

Our Guide:
Kent Harrop is an avid hiker, backpacker and kayaker. Year round he hikes trails of the North Shore or paddles along the Ipswich River, local lakes and coastline.  Kent is a recently retired pastor in the Christian tradition with a longstanding commitment to interfaith collaboration and environmental advocacy. He is the volunteer founder of NS SING and looks forward to forming a leadership team as the group launches the winter of 2025.

Note:   Participants will be asked to sign a liability waiver, “Your participation at the event is understood to hold North Shore SING, its partners and its leaders and staff, harmless in case of illness, accident or injury.”   While safety is always a priority, there remains an element of risk in any outdoor activity.