Monday, October 31, 2011
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Bouldering in Ireland - finalist in Banff Mountain Book Competition
Last week I got the great news that the guide was choosen as a finalist in the Banff Mountain Book Competition. One of 23 finalists it was selected out of 106 entries from 11 countries.I never really thought it had a chance so am delighted. Its in the Guidebook category along with the amazing Peak bouldering guide and a Rockfax route guide.
See the rest of the entries here
See the rest of the entries here
Monday, October 17, 2011
Quarry
Went to the Quarry today for the first time in years. It was sunny but very windy and the rain was on its way but I did a few easy routes. Diffs to be precise. I used to go to the Quarry loads when I started out climbing and had a good soloing circuit. Today I felt very unsure and cautious which is probably natural as I haven't done any of that sort of thing for a while and of all the strands of climbing soloing is the one that requires lots lots of practise doing it (rather than training for doing it). Vauge goal is to do all the routes up to HVS in the quarry. I have been on most of them before but it was a long time ago. Should be fun doing some of the choss/vegetable horrors.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Glendo yesterday
Went to Glendo yesterday with Tim. Was very mild. Stuggled on Big Jim warming up. It felt like a warm summer's day. Tried Afro Left. Its probably a decent problem from the undercut but I found it disappointing when Tim reached the top from the incut sidpull and the palm. The move from the lip is remarkably similar to Squamish.
There seems to have been alot of work done on the path, its now wide all the up to past the Uberhang whereas before it was narrow and winding. They have also built up the banks of the river. The easiest crossing point is now about 15m upstream of Big Jim, hopping across on 3 flat rocks. I think the stream is going to be very hard to cross if its any way high.
That there were five boulderers in the valley at a Thursay is all you need to know about the state of the country.
I'm bored of Glendo already. One visit this 'season'. Not good. I'm going to avoid it like the plague.
There seems to have been alot of work done on the path, its now wide all the up to past the Uberhang whereas before it was narrow and winding. They have also built up the banks of the river. The easiest crossing point is now about 15m upstream of Big Jim, hopping across on 3 flat rocks. I think the stream is going to be very hard to cross if its any way high.
That there were five boulderers in the valley at a Thursay is all you need to know about the state of the country.
I'm bored of Glendo already. One visit this 'season'. Not good. I'm going to avoid it like the plague.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Kerry
Went down to Kerry for a few days. The weather turned out horrible but still did a bit. Drove down on Sunday and stayed with Ped. Next morning went straight to Cronin's Yard. I haven't been down to Kerry for about a year but the roads have improved alot. It took me just under 4hours to Killarney in my yoke and not doing over 95kmph.
Set off in the sunshine to do Stumpa an TSaimh and along the ridge to Binn Chaorach and Corrán Tuathail. Got some nice shots on the walk in. It was warm in the sun. The direct line up Stumpa is around Diff and I had hoped I might find myself doing it. Once I got to the point of commitement I decided to go around the easy way. Just wasn't confident enough to press on into the void. Good call as it turned out as it started to rain a short while later.
Continued along the ridge encased in cloud. Took a good while to reach Bhinn Chaorach. Was nice easy scrambling on grippy rock. The ridge across to Corrán was nice. But by this point it had got very windy and I felt I shouldn't be there. So raced along it and descended down Brother O'Shea's Gully which is a horrible steep, stoney descent. Trudged back to the car, luckily the visibility wasn't too bad so I got some sense of the grandeur around me.
Went on a romantic walk around the smaller Killarney Lake that evening with Ped. Saw some crab apples growing wild which was the highpoint of the walk.
The next day went out to Dingle to try and find an old Frank Winder route on the sea cliffs at Ballydavid Head. The description was too vague to be sure what we found. We scrambled down a grassy gully and along a ridge but the rock wasn't great. Incredible place though.
That afternoon we did the Faha Ridge is think clag and non-stop rain. We took a while to get our bearings when we reached the main ridge and where close to deciding to retrace our steps. It was quite miserable all in all.
The next day we drove for about 3 hours to check out a valley called Glanrastel on the Beara Penisula. I had found photos of the valley that showed lots of massive boulders. It was pissing rain when we got there and the rock was total choss, the worst sandstone I had ever seen, I really thought I was on to something. We ended up trudging around from one giant block to choss to another. Standing in rivers wondering where it all went wrong. I have offically given up searching for boulders of that old red sandstone, its quality is too variable.
I had 3 things for dinner that evening as a consolation.
Set off in the sunshine to do Stumpa an TSaimh and along the ridge to Binn Chaorach and Corrán Tuathail. Got some nice shots on the walk in. It was warm in the sun. The direct line up Stumpa is around Diff and I had hoped I might find myself doing it. Once I got to the point of commitement I decided to go around the easy way. Just wasn't confident enough to press on into the void. Good call as it turned out as it started to rain a short while later.
Continued along the ridge encased in cloud. Took a good while to reach Bhinn Chaorach. Was nice easy scrambling on grippy rock. The ridge across to Corrán was nice. But by this point it had got very windy and I felt I shouldn't be there. So raced along it and descended down Brother O'Shea's Gully which is a horrible steep, stoney descent. Trudged back to the car, luckily the visibility wasn't too bad so I got some sense of the grandeur around me.
Went on a romantic walk around the smaller Killarney Lake that evening with Ped. Saw some crab apples growing wild which was the highpoint of the walk.
The next day went out to Dingle to try and find an old Frank Winder route on the sea cliffs at Ballydavid Head. The description was too vague to be sure what we found. We scrambled down a grassy gully and along a ridge but the rock wasn't great. Incredible place though.
The next day we drove for about 3 hours to check out a valley called Glanrastel on the Beara Penisula. I had found photos of the valley that showed lots of massive boulders. It was pissing rain when we got there and the rock was total choss, the worst sandstone I had ever seen, I really thought I was on to something. We ended up trudging around from one giant block to choss to another. Standing in rivers wondering where it all went wrong. I have offically given up searching for boulders of that old red sandstone, its quality is too variable.
I had 3 things for dinner that evening as a consolation.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Font
Just back from a week in Font. Climbed 6 days out of 7, paced myself well and concentraded on the blues. Went to a mix of areas I hadn't been before and the old reliables. Bois Rond and Buthiers were great and I would go back. Realised that Cuiver is the greatest bouldering area in the world. I had always liked it but this time it blew my mind. The rock is very good even for Font, lots of great texture slopers and not too much grattons or marble. Also its huge.
I finally did the Blue Number 8 which I have been trying for years - 6 at least. Its an flared slot/chimney just left of Charcutiere. Now if you haven't tried it you may think, blue how hard can it be. If you have you know. Success required lots of palming and knee jamming. By the time I got to the top I was breathing hard and seeing stars. Needed a bit of a rest on top before I came down. Its a great problem, probably not a soft tick for Font 4 though. I'd suspect the 8a to the left gets more ascents.
The beta is something like this. LF jam in back, RH palm, step up to sloper on L for LH, turn RH to palm. Push hips in and get a knee jam with L knee. RH to high sloper on R. Wingle alternativing knee jams until to can get a good chicken wing for L arm. Sqeeze into a more conventional chimney postition and get heel toe jam for RF. From then on its a pretty straighforward squeeze chimney.
As is my tradition I aways start in Cuivier on blue number 1, Les Sans des Mains. Beautiful slab problem. Took me a few tries and a change to shoes to crack it. It was so good I had to do it thrice. So good.
Went to a huge boulder in Elepant called Dalle á Poly. Huge overhanging face riddled with juggy pockets. The black number 40 which is supposed to be 4 goes up the left side. I got to within an inch of the last jug but was a little pumped to go for it. Its high. Worth a visit.
I finally did the Blue Number 8 which I have been trying for years - 6 at least. Its an flared slot/chimney just left of Charcutiere. Now if you haven't tried it you may think, blue how hard can it be. If you have you know. Success required lots of palming and knee jamming. By the time I got to the top I was breathing hard and seeing stars. Needed a bit of a rest on top before I came down. Its a great problem, probably not a soft tick for Font 4 though. I'd suspect the 8a to the left gets more ascents.
The beta is something like this. LF jam in back, RH palm, step up to sloper on L for LH, turn RH to palm. Push hips in and get a knee jam with L knee. RH to high sloper on R. Wingle alternativing knee jams until to can get a good chicken wing for L arm. Sqeeze into a more conventional chimney postition and get heel toe jam for RF. From then on its a pretty straighforward squeeze chimney.
As is my tradition I aways start in Cuivier on blue number 1, Les Sans des Mains. Beautiful slab problem. Took me a few tries and a change to shoes to crack it. It was so good I had to do it thrice. So good.
Went to a huge boulder in Elepant called Dalle á Poly. Huge overhanging face riddled with juggy pockets. The black number 40 which is supposed to be 4 goes up the left side. I got to within an inch of the last jug but was a little pumped to go for it. Its high. Worth a visit.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Glanekeera part 2
Went back to Glanekeera today with Michael Duffy. I wanted to check out some of the stuff I had seen from a distance last time I was there. Approached differently from last time and struck gold first boulder. I had seen it form a distance and wasn't sure if it was going to be big enough but it certainly was. I did one easy problem. And flailed on the warm up that was trickier than it looked. There are six execellent lines to be done on it. Haven't given the boulder a name but it must reference the massive truck tire that lies beside it,.
Next up we found a nice square cut block with 3 more problem to be done on it.
Showed Micheal the big bastard that I found last time. It's a huge block - contender for biggest in Wicklow - but the steepest line is short a hold or two. There is a great line or two to be done on the LHS and maybe a nice route up the middle. Would love to lash a few pegs into it.
Next up was a lovely blank wall just less than vertical with two parallel lines of flakes on it. Not much for the feet for the crux start. Great line. Looks like it might start seeping soon.
On the way back to the car we came across this boulder. Not that tall but with potential for 4 nice problems. It merits a return visit.
Lastly after 6 hours of walking Micheal pointed out one last boulder. Right beside the carpark in Wicklow Gap is that nice wall. Very juggy, an excellent spot to warm up. It may well have been climbed before. But I'm going to claim it anyway.
So very successful day. Found about 18 great lines.
Next up we found a nice square cut block with 3 more problem to be done on it.
Showed Micheal the big bastard that I found last time. It's a huge block - contender for biggest in Wicklow - but the steepest line is short a hold or two. There is a great line or two to be done on the LHS and maybe a nice route up the middle. Would love to lash a few pegs into it.
Next up was a lovely blank wall just less than vertical with two parallel lines of flakes on it. Not much for the feet for the crux start. Great line. Looks like it might start seeping soon.
Had a quick go on the Glanekeera Roof itself, felt as dodge as usual.
On the way back to the car we came across this boulder. Not that tall but with potential for 4 nice problems. It merits a return visit.
Lastly after 6 hours of walking Micheal pointed out one last boulder. Right beside the carpark in Wicklow Gap is that nice wall. Very juggy, an excellent spot to warm up. It may well have been climbed before. But I'm going to claim it anyway.
So very successful day. Found about 18 great lines.
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