The result is a mapping-first, producing one meticulously detailed map that covers the entire Dingle Peninsula, featuring the renowned Dingle Way and uniquely the Blasket Islands, an area historically not featured on a map of the area. This new map is available now here priced at £14.50 and at select retailers.

This new map uses a combination of traditional map-making techniques with cutting-edge technology and is set to be an invaluable resource for adventurers looking to explore the natural beauty and cultural richness of one of Ireland’s most breath-taking regions. Known for its rugged landscapes, dramatic cliffs, award-winning beaches and vibrant local culture, HARVEY Maps has captured the essence of this spectacular destination with an intricately designed map that combines accuracy with stunning visual representation.

According to Macs Adventure, leading self-guided walking, cycling, and active adventure company, there’s been a growing interest in the Dingle Peninsula which highlighted a demand for a reliable map for this growing number of avid explorers.

"In 2023, we've witnessed an impressive 45% increase in bookings compared to the previous year, spanning both our classic Dingle Way itineraries and our new Slower Adventure tours. This trail unquestionably stands as Ireland's most iconic." Neil Lapping, Founder & CEO of Macs Adventure

Key features of the new HARVEY Maps Superwalker XT30:

• Comprehensive coverage: One map using a 1:30,000 scale that covers the entire Dingle Peninsula, including mountain ridges, the Dingle Way and the much-visited Basket Islands as opposed to existing maps that use a 1:25,000 across three maps. A mapping first!

• Detailed Topography: HARVEY Maps’ unrivalled attention to detail ensures all geographical features, including mountains, valleys, rivers, lakes, archaeological sites, walls and fences in farmland, are accurately represented in a clear and uncluttered way, aiding hikers in planning their routes. Not forgetting pubs and cafes for essential refreshments along the way. Placenames are offered in English with accurate Gaelic translations.

• Dingle Way and Blasket Islands: The map clearly features the Dingle Way with its 179- kilometre long-distance walking route with key facilities clearly marked. The map uniquely includes an inset map of the Blasket Islands at 1:50,000 scale.

• Weatherproof, lightweight and durable: Weighing just 60g (far less than half the weight of a laminated map), it has been crafted from waterproof and tear-resistant material to withstand the rigors of outdoor adventures. Producing the map came with its challenges, outlined below, and took HARVEY Maps six months to bring the map to life.

• Photogrammetry: All of the data is painstakingly drawn (plotted) by HARVEY Maps’ team of photogrammetrists, and there is always a wealth of detail to capture. For a peninsula such as Dingle, accuracy is crucial when interpreting on the photos the difference between farmland and rough pasture as well as identifying coastline features consistent with the high tide line.

• Cartography and data editing: External contributors were used to guarantee that both English and Gaelic text was accurately recorded. Since most placenames in the area have two versions the map was in danger of becoming text-heavy and cluttered. The cartographers worked tirelessly to clearly display the text without obscuring the physical data underneath. Dense networks of field boundaries, streams and individual houses extended the time it took to edit the data to ensure clarity.

• Outdoor access: Ireland doesn't have the same legal framework for outdoor access as the UK, without either a right-of-way network as in England and Wales, or a general right to roam like in Scotland. In-depth research was undertaken to establish where hills and coasts could be accessed without issue.

• Survey: Apart from the main tourist traverse of Mt Brandon, the higher hills are generally pathless and very rough with thick tussocks of heather and grass, peat bogs, turf cutting, etc., so the daily distance each surveyor was expected to cover had to take this into account.

• Layout: The Dingle Peninsula is a large landform, with lots of further peninsulae and headlands that jut out into the sea. Even at 1:30,000, this presented a challenge in terms of fitting it on a standard Superwalker map. The team cleverly created one map by showing the eastern section of the Peninsula (the Slieve Mish Mountains and the section of the Dingle Way from Camp to Tralee) as an inset in the blank corner left by the diagonal coastline from Sybil Point to Brandon Point.

• Beehive huts: these mediaeval monastic cells pepper the landscape around Slea Head but are too small to show as boundaries or buildings. HARVEY Maps designed a new symbol, a green circle with white outline, to indicate the positions of these points of historical interest.