Lough Bray/Stonecutters/Sad and Lonely/Glendo

Got an early start and took some self portaits on Away from the numbers. They turned out shit as the arete was in shade and the background was bright. Lesson learnt. Better on a more overcast day. Similar problems in Stonecutters. Was very boggy around Sad and Lonely Boulder. Got to Glendo and it was getting cloudy. There was a good few people around - over a dozen I'd say. Did a few problems on Big Jim and it started raining so I headed on.

Glendasan

When on a photo mission. The goal was living the dream but we decided it would be too wet under the trees. So decided to head for the southside of Glendasan to catch the last bit of sun which we did just. It moved up the hillside at walking pace. We where all perloxed by the problem to the right of Ped's Dyno "so it goes". Tried 'behind the lines' not a bad problem really and then tried Ahad in the darkening. Ahab is hard. 6b my bollox. Go one or two shots so not a total disaster but the lesson is that you need to get out early in Wicklow in winter to get good light.


Paul on Behind the lines and Diarmuid on Ahab.

Glemac

Went to Glenmac yesterday, nice and early so managed to get the best of the day. I managed to get a few shots before the cloud rolled in. Explored all the way up the valley to the cliffs at the top. The boulders just below the crag aren't up to much. There are some problems to be done but the rock isn't great. The 'room' beside Lucky Me has some impressive - but very hard and blank - aretes and one more doable problem. The ground was very very damp. There was a huge wet streak on the Wow Prow steep end. The problem to the right of the Wow Prow ie. to the left of John's Problem looks great. I think Ped did, at least tried the jump start ie. jump to the slopey bulge and mantle. The sit start looks incredible. Hard but possible. Pure compression moves on slopey holds. Probably a much nicer problem than the Wow Prow.

Mall Hill

Spent 2 days in Mall Hill this week. Was good.

Doolin/Toit le Cul de Clare

Was in Doolin for a few days, weather was woeful, very windy and rainy. The climbing was soaked. It wasn't really possible to get down to the ledges even at low tide as there was a big sea running.

On the way home we called into Toit le Cul de Clare in east Clare. It was soaking as well. Didn't have high hopes, it didn't look too bad I suppose. Not great though. Have to wonder how Pierre found the place, it really is in the middle of nowhere. Anyone ever been?

Donegal

Headed up on a solo mission to Donegal. With the ambitious plan of visiting every area in the county (bar Polldoo). I fell at the last hurdle as I wasn't able to find Rubinoid Point. The directions in the guide are woeful, you would be very lucky to find them using it. Those directions have been around for 5 years, just goes to show either that no one tries to go there. After wasting time searching for a while I head to Dunaff Bay on the other side of Inishowen, its a really nice spot. Lovely wave washed granite that is smooth but still has some bite. Loads to do there. I was very pleasantly surprised. Didn't have time to go to Fanad Head which is a few km across the water but a massive drive away.

Had curry chips in the Chineser in Bunbeg - best I have ever had.

Spent all of the next day wandering around in the pissing rain looking at wet rock. Then in the evening did the long drive to Malin Beg. Drove over Glengesh Pass on what must be the steepest road in Ireland. After a diversion causeed by a landslide I arrived in Malin Beg. It felt like the end of the world. The hostel owner said it would take over 3 hours to drive from Malin Beg in the south west to Culdaff in the north east.

The weather was better in the morning, checked out Malin Beg, thought it was pretty limited to be honest. Then went on to Muckros Head which was wet and wavy, checked out some of the bouldering that had been previously documented, I thought it looked shite. Rock was sharp I suppose the lines where ok. Miles of this sort of thing on Inishmore. Maybe some of the stuff under the cliff proper is better.