Climbing in the Gap of Dunloe and going to W.A.R

My lead goes from the bottom left up to the centre and then straight up the face.

Recently myself and Frank, decided to head to the Gap of Dunloe to do a spot of rock climbing. The weather forecast was iffy so it was a real pleasure to discover a cloudless sky and no wind. A great day was in prospect. On days such as this there is no finer place to spend a few hours than the Gap. There is a wide range of routes here from the relatively simple to multi pitch brutes well into the Es. The relatively easy is where both Frank and I ply our trade. We decided on Bohane as our crag of choice. This is easy to access and offers several routes at the HS and VS standard with some harder options thrown in. It is a short climb to the base of the rock and I was surprised to find that we appeared to be the only climbers in the whole of the Gap. Soon we were at the base of the crag and I decided to jump straight in and lead the first climb. Perhaps a little foolish as I hadn't exactly been climbing at all of late. I set my sights on First Comes First Served a 15 mtr VS that is easily protected. I huffed and puffed but finally made the final moves to the top. It had been a fair while since I had led any serious rock routes so it felt tougher than perhaps it should but I enjoyed it none the less and it set us up for the rest of the day.

Frank abbing down the face.

We enjoyed a great day in warm sunshine and climbed another six or seven routes, all top roped. We were both very pleased with how we climbed, for although the rustiness was obvious we felt better than we had expected and when we were done we resolved to go rock climbing whenever we could. The following week we went to the crag by the road called Brennans Leap. Here again we enjoyed a very good day on all quite difficult routes up to HVS. All top roped again but we felt we needed to practice before we led some more. I did spot a couple of routes that I intend to lead the next time I am there. Both at VS so not setting the world alight but they will do me. Watch this space. One aside was on our last climb there I managed to give my ribs a good bang. They didn't come against me when we went up to Rescue Rock for a final few climbs that afternoon but the following few days they grew quite painful and I feared I had done some damage but thankfully they improved towards the following weekend which was just as well as I was entered for the Wicklow Adventure Race on Saturday 14th April.

Wicklow Adventure Race (WAR),

I had been running a fair bit and getting on the bike occasionally so I was reasonably confident that I would have the stamina for what is billed as one of the toughest adventure races in the country. At 73k long with two hill runs and three cycling sections it certainly lived up to its billing. I headed up to Glendalough with James Moore on the Friday afternoon and we stayed in the excellent local hostel. We were fascinated by the sight of a guy practicing changing his tubes for in excess of 200minutes into the gathering gloom. He professed himself pleased that his time was now under seven minutes. Dedicated or what. A decent nights sleep followed but when we awoke the morning of the race we were greeted with a blustery cold morning and thunder and lightning lending and ominous soundtrack to our breakfast. Thankfully the storm did not last long and by the time we were gathering for the start things had improved considerably. Still there was a chill in the breeze and the sight of snow on the hill tops ensured that we donned all our running kit before the start. We were in the third wave as it would have been somewhat pretentious to call ourselves experts. James was at something of a disadvantage as he has been really busy since the arrival of his baby son Elliot last Autumn and so his training had suffered but he is nothing if not determined and he was as eager as me for the off.

The first section was a 10k hill run over Spink mountain. It started off zig zagging up a forest track before joining a well made trail on mostly railway sleepers. It took a while to trust that these weren't slippy but once confidence was gained they allowed for rapid movement over the boggy ground. There followed a technical on a rough stony trail back to the bike changeover. I was very pleased with how the run went and I reckon I was about third in my wave.
I had tinkered with the idea of changing the pedals on my bike from cleats to basket types. This would have negated the necessity to change shoes at each interchange from hill running to the bike section. This meant I lost a fair bit of time at the changeovers and over the course of the event I reckon I lost in excess of 10 minutes.
Anyway the first bike section was OK with a very gradual climb on good roads before a swift decent to the next stage on the Kayak. Here I didn't bother changing shoes and ran in the cleats the few hundred meters to the water where I paired up with a young fella for the two kilometers. He was not a great help as by the time we had rowed three hundred meters he was complaining that his back was aching and he spent most of the rest of the section laying flat on the Kayak. A few pairs overtook us but when we reached the shore I said goodbye and ran back to the bike.

I'm having fun...honest

The  swift descent to the lake meant that the return on the bike was steeply uphill. Cold was now a bit of a problem, especially after the initial climb and moving swiftly over open country meant the full effects of the chill breeze was felt. Soon enough the punishing climb up to the start of the second hill run up Djouce Mountain arrived. This was a bit of a ball breaker and I had to hop off the bike and walk for 50meters to surmount a particularly steep spot. I was very glad to get off the bike but again considerable time was lost trying to fit cold wet feet into the running shoes. On the plus side the day was now lovely. Chilly yes but blue skies ensured that the countryside was being seen at its best. A long flat traverse around the mountain meant I was able to keep running until the gradual climb to the broad boggy summit. I was feeling the strain by now but at the top we joined a well made trail of sleepers again and soon I was moving nicely on the return leg to the bike.
Again the problem of changing footwear and I was off on the final cycle. This was the longest section that passed over the Sally Gap and then a long descent to the final section. The pull over the Gap was tough on my weary legs but the descent went fine although I tried to push a good gear and therefore was tiring. Eventually the final changeover arrived and now all I was faced with was a run of just three kilometers to the finish. Gosh it was tough. I had to stop and walk several times and frankly I thought it would never end. I was exhausted as I crossed the finish. I  was cold and hungry yet nevertheless very pleased with my effort. I finished in a little less than 5 hours and came 67th. The long hot shower afterwards was heaven and went some way to reviving me. Well done to James who also finished well. I think we will both be back.

Rock Climbing.

Dingle climbing wall

High on Howling Ridge VDiff

Frank and myself have continued to get on rock whenever we can. We have had a couple of great days in the Gap of Dunloe and had a lovely day climbing Howling Ridge on Carrauntoohil. Here are a few pics from those days.

Mallow 10Mile 2012

It is amazing how time flies. Another year has passed and the Mallow 10Mile road race has come around again. I have been doing a bit more in the way of training this year and I hoped to beat the time I set last year of 71mins 54. Last Wednesday I decided to do a good long run and set off for Glantane and turned right up the hill for a run I have done often enough before. I did a roundabout route through Dromohane and back home. 12 miles in all but for the last three I was suffering a fair bit of pain from the hamstring on my right leg. It has been tight for a good while but today it felt like it was going to snap but I had to get home so I continued on. I ended up doing the run in 85 minutes but I was worried that I had done some damage. The considerable aching pain I had that evening did little to reassure me but by the following day things had improved and they continued to do so over the next couple of days. I went for a couple of gentle jogs with Ruby on Bweeng Mountain and Mount Hillary on Friday and Saturday and the leg felt like it was loosening out a bit. As I was working nights I took the opportunity to leave from work and head for a climb on the Galtees.


The day was dry and chilly as I set off from the Coillte car park on the north side of the range. The objective for this morning was the Clydagh Valley Horseshoe. This is a nice outing of approximately 13K in length and 1100mtrs of ascent. It was bang on 8am when I left the car. I decided to do the route anti-clockwise today for a change and head for Knocknanuss and over Slievecushnabinnea and on to Galtymore. The steep slog up Knocknanuss is a bit of a leg burner but the expanding views across the valley more than make up for it. Soon enough the gradient eases but as I went higher so did the biting wind. Heading along the ridge towards Galtymor there was no doubt that hat and gloves were required. Above 800meters there was a coating of hoare frost on the grass which reminded one (if one needed reminding today) that winter was not gone yet.
I was walking strongly and the hamstring wasn't giving any trouble so I was enjoying myself immensely. A layer of cloud veiled the summit so there was no reason to delay and I descended out of the biting cold to the col under Galtybeg. There is a real problem now on the Galtees with damage caused by the thousands that visit there mountains and the ever widening scars caused by hikers is becoming more and more of a eyesore. Progress is at best mucky and I fear that it is only a matter of time before someone falls to their death from a steep mucky patch above Lough Diheen. All the way to the summit of Galtbeg the ground is mucky but thereafter the descent to the col under Cush is OK. I actually ran about two-thirds of this and continued to set a brisk pace for the 180meters to the top. Again I ran down to the level shoulder under it and walked the rest of the way to the car. The day was now sunny and clear and low down the temperatures were very pleasant. I arrived back at the car exactly 3hours after I started and well happy with my outing.

And so the day arrived for the run. I had been looking forward to this for a while and I was hoping that my hamstring would not come against me too much. There was a huge entry this year with 1100 online and another couple of hundred turning up on the day. This meant that the start was quite congested and again I stayed too far back so after the gun for the start went I was just shuffling for a bit and had to duck and weave my way past many before I could settle into a decent run. This meant that I was 7mins 40 seconds doing the first mile and I was going to have to really speed up if I was going to come near my target of 70minutes for the race. I ran the next three miles at an average of 6mins 40 so passing the four mile marker I was back on track with a bit to spare. We were now running into a stiff headwind but I managed to maintain a seven minute mile for the next two. Between miles six and seven there is an uphill section and as fatigue was now becoming a factor I lost a fair bit of time here and was back outside target again. One good thing was that while the hamstring was quite tight it never pained me so I was able to push on. I would love to say that the last three miles passed in a blur but no, I remember them as an aching lung busting twenty minutes that I was very glad to see the end of. The pacemaker for seventy minutes had passed me at the seven mile mark and steadily drew away from me as we re-entered the town, so I was resigned to just missing my target. It was with delight that as I neared the finish line I could see the clock count down towards the seventy minutes. A final push over the last fifty meters saw me cross in 69minutes 54seconds. Not much under the seventy but seeing that sixty nine next to my name meant the world to me. I was fatigued but delighted but I am wondering what my target should be for next year, dare I dream of sub sixty five???.

Cnocnapeiste Ridge 4th March 2012

Cnoc na Peista

Gendarmes

Looking towards An Garbh

Plenty of people about

Nice rock despite the snow

Easier than it looks

Sometimes a day comes along that is a real unexpected bonus. I suppose that since I returned from Scotland I had thought that any chance of a wintry day on the mountains had passed. So as I headed back to Killarney to meet with Frank it was a real surprise to see Caherbarna nicely dusted in snow down to a low level. I had brought all my rock climbing gear with me just in case we headed for the gap but with the sun shining and the mountains looking magnificent there was really only one option so we headed for the car park at Lisliebane and the Reeks. We decided to head for Cruach Mor and head across the ridge and just continue as far as we felt like. The slog up to the lake under the ridge is always a chore but in fairness Frank made very light work of it and when we reached it we turned and enjoyed little scrambly steps to the summit.

Spectacular ridge

We stopped here for a welcome lunch and enjoyed the shelter provided by the grotto. A stiff breeze made it feel quite chilly despite the sun. I was relieved to discover that there was no ice in evidence as neither of us had thought to bring crampons or axes. The crenellated ridge offered lovely occasionally exposed scrambling and as we neared An Garbh the weather changed and we were overtaken by a snow shower that gave the outing a distinctly wintry feel. I was loving it. It soon passed and on the descent to the col the continuing ridge cleared and looked splendid. We stuck to the skyline and we soon reached to top of Cnoc naPeiste. The wind was quite strong at times and we were occasionally blasted by spindrift as we headed along the easy ridge. We were in heaven and we both felt privileged to be here and experiencing it. We went down the Zig Zags and I was appalled to see the wear and tear that this route is now showing. When are the powers that be finally build a properly constructed path to the summits of these mountains?. Until this is done the scarring that is spreading across these mountains will only get worse. Anyway we got down and we were well happy with our great bonus of a day. Perhaps winter isn't over yet.

Windy and spindrift

Happy chappie

Colour down below

If only the ice would form

Another happy chappie