May bank holiday weekend - part 2

Ped testing some very dodge blue rope anchors we found along the cliff top.

Forecast wasn't great but it turned out pretty perfect. It only rained for a few hours on Sunday night the rest of the time it was sunny and windy.

I had done a decent bit of research for the trip but wasn't sure if we would get anything done. In the end we did one of the 3 routes. And it was probably the best one to have done.

We cycled to the Black Fort and walked west to the famous 'roof' which is cool but smaller than it looks in the photos.

Would you hang your coat off this?

We descend down the corners just east of it, called Fisherman's Route (Severe apparently). Ped happy in his runners, me fixing a rope. There is one vertical section that non-wads wouldn't down climb. We abbed this and pulled the rope behind us. Comitted now.

We walked east along the edges, admiring the very very steep cliffs. Steepest I've seen. There are a few routes including one horrible/brilliant looking bridging chimney. A creation of Big George Smith.

Around the corner was Poll Gorm where the ledges ran on and we were reduced to crawling for around 20m through a horizontal chimney, quite safe but painful and hard work. Our exit, a severe called The Big Easy was on the other side of the Poll. Initally we thought it might be 2 pitches but once we got prespective it was obvious it was only one (the wiki saids 55m but its more like 40m). Diarmuid was to do the first pitch but I waved him on and he topped out. The crux is in the corner at the very end. Maybe a hard for severe. Sea cliff climbing is funny in that once you top out your route you are done. The very reverse of CR the day before.

VOYAGE OF THE ARCHAEN-TISE.

A great day's adventure, to be recommened to any climber who's on the island. We where blessed with a very calm sea, it wouldn't be possible on a rough day.

The top of Big Easy.

Poll Gorm.

Starting the crawling section.

Diarmuid abbing down the vertical section.

Fisherman's Route goes down the ledges.