Climbing wall

   I went to the Killarney climbing wall last night for the first time of the new season. I climbed fairly ok, a bit like you would expect I suppose. Perhaps it was because it was the first time in ages that I met most of the crowd but it felt like hard work. Maybe I will rediscover the fun in it. I must take the boots and crampons back soon and get a bit of dry tooling in.

Snowdonia September 2010

 Saturday 4th,

Neil leading pitch two

I headed over to Wales last weekend for a spot of climbing. This time I took all my rock climbing gear and I had arranged to meet an English guy called Neil Nand. I travelled overnight on Stena ferries and arrived by train in Betws y Coed at 6am. A short walk to the campsite and I pitched my tent and lay down for a spot of shuteye. Neil had arrived the night before and rang me at 7.30 and we met. We had breakfast and decided to climb Amphitheatre Buttress on Pen yr Hegli Du in the Carneddu. The morning promised good weather and we drove to Tal y Bont on the B 5106 and turned left up a narrow steep road to arrive at a large open plateau. We continued to the end of the road where there is good parking and walked on the good track past Lyn Eigiau reservoir with it's broken dam walls into Cwm Eigiau. This is a large U shaped valley which contains a disused slate quarry. Having passed this you are facing straight at the imposing crags on the northern side of Pen yr Hegli Du. Amphitheatre buttress is on the left of a large gully. It is a full 1000 feet long and is graded at VDiff.

Amphitheatre Buttress

There is a steep climb up to the base of the climb and Neil found it tough going. When we arrived there was two other parties before us. We rigged up and waited for our turn. We decided to do alternate leads and I took the first pitch. I also chose to climb in my boots as opposed to rock shoes as I would see this type of route as more a training exercise for Alpine climbing. The first pitch starts very straight forwardly up laid back rock until you arrive at a large notch where you have to move left on to another slab. This is quite awkward and involves some delicate moves. Up this slab and you arrive at a good stance with a spike belay, we were off. Neil led up the second pitch without any bother and we then came to the best section of the route. This is a long steep slab with adequate holds and loads of exposure. Up around a block and left onto the slab which it climbed via a series of cracks up to a ledge with a thread belay. You are now well up the crag and the situation is great. Steep drops in all directions, warm dry rock and great views meant that I was really enjoying the day. This is what I went there for.

Neil climbing the slabs

Shortly thereafter we came to the so called crux. This involves climbing up and around a short corner over to a large stance. This passed very easily and is very easily protected. A couple of more short rock sections and we came to a long scrambly section. This we moved together on until we came to a very narrow arret which I crossed and protected with slings. Above this we continued to move together, using friction belays where necessary. In this way we soon reached the top. There was a group of walkers there who were taking pictures of the climbers and seemed impressed with the effort. After a good bite to eat we continued up and over Carnedd Llewelyn (at 1064mtrs the second highest in Wales) and a long easy descent across the broad expanse of Gleddrfford and along Cefn Tal-Llyn-Eigiau and back to the car. We were both glad to sit into the car but were well satisfied with the day.

Sunday 5th,

The forecast for today was good and after a good nights rest we arose quite optimistic for the day ahead. After a very leisurely morning we headed for Tryfan and the target for the day was First Pinnacle Rib on its east face. This is another VDiff route and 185mtrs long. I was really looking forward to this as it is supposed to one of the best routes at the grade in Wales. Unfortunately the day was showing signs of deterioration and the air was pregnant with moisture. Still we set off up the steep climb and gained the heather terrace. Neil was really struggling on the steep ground so progress was slow. Still this was no bad thing as when I arrived at the base of the climb the threatened rain arrived. Very quickly the rock turned as slick as ice and the decision not to proceed was made.

We retreated down to the car. As the forecast for the following day was really poor Neil decided to return to Salisbury. We said our goodbyes at the campsite and I went for a 9k run up and over a 700ft hill to get rid of the excess energy. By now the day had cleared up nicely and I had a pleseant evening at the campsite.

Monday 6th,

I was almost afraid to stick my head outside the tent this morning, however the promised bad weather had not as yet arrived.I enjoyed a leisurely breakfast and wandered into town with the intention of catching the sherpa bus to the Ogwen Valley and climbing the Glyderri. After waiting for a full hour it became apparent that the bus wasn't going to come so I stuck out my thumb. Lo and behold the first car stopped. As we progressed up towards Capel Curig my eyes were drawn to the lovely flanks of Moel Siabod. A sudden change of plan I asked to be dropped off and headed its direction. Easy walking up a metalled road led to a disused quarry, on past this into ever wilder ground under the imposing southeast face and I soon came to a large Cwm with a nice ridge at its rear which led directly to the summit. Some nice scrambling along this ridge and I was soon at the summit.



Here I met a gentleman dressed in the style of the early climbers replete with green tweed plus fours and a flat cap. You just have to love the English and their eccentricities. I decided to walk back to Betws y Coed across the vast expanse of moor into the forest and down to the campsite. This went well until I reached the low point before the incline up to the woods. Here I had to go through a marshy section with bog myrtle and deer grass. This was very tiring and I was relieved to reach the higher ground. This however proved a false dawn as when I crossed a fence I entered virgin ground with chest high heather, grass and scrub which was exhausting to traverse. After a few hundred meters of this I decided to head for the forest. This was going from the frying pan to the fire and proved the worst yet to get through. It was with considerable relief that I eventually came to a road and I relaxed for the remainder of the walk back. The day had remained dry but shortly after reaching the tent it started raining. I had to cook inside the tent and it rained right through until I went to sleep at around midnight. As I had no climbing partner for the following day and the forcast was again iffy I decided to return home the following morning. Still although things didn't work out perfect I am really looking forward to my next visit.

Primroses Ridge Carrauntoohil



Getting ready

Frank

As the weather looked promising and being off for the weekend I contacted my good friend Frank Kluzniac and suggested we give Primroses ridge on Carrauntoohil a go. This is generally accepted as being the hardest route up the mountain and is graded as VS. I did it a couple of years ago with Tim Long and that day he led the route. I was anxious to do it again and this time to lead it myself. So Frank and I met in Killarney and headed for Lisliebane on Saturday. There was some cloud on the tops but it wasn't really threathening rain when we left the carpark at 11.10. There was a large number of people heading for the mountain, most in Tshirts and runners. The unpreparedness of people (many with small children) never ceases to amaze me. Anyway off we set and after a leisurely walk were at the base of the climb at 13.10. Here we donned our climbing gear and suitably suited and booted we began.

             It wasn't exactly the most auspicious start. I almost immediately came to an awkward step with only sparse grass and heather to pull up on. I really didn't fancy it and was contemplating coming back down. I moved to my right and saw a line up clean rock where I was able to place some protection. Having found this we were off. We made steady progress on mixed ground and fairly soon came to the crux of the route. This is a vertical face of good rock, about 20meters high with an overhanging roof which requires a delicate move to exit over. It is well protected but is still a daunting spot. The drops from the ridge are serious so the exposure is considerable. Still there was no point in looking at it too long and I started up in a determined fashion. It looks worse than it is and I was soon at the roof. Here I placed a double bit of protection and clenching the buttocks I went for it. It is a sensational situation, leaning back on fairly small holds one is very conscious of the air beneath. A swift reconnescence of the holds available and a couple of moves and I was over. There is a lovely sling belay  to be had here and I quickly secured myself. I leant out and took a couple of pictures with trembling hands and enjoyed my spectacular surroundings. Frank being a really solid climber made short work of any difficulties and quickly joined me at the belay.

View down

We didn't delay too long and continued up surmounting any difficulties easily. There is an awful lot of loose rock in places on the route and at times it is really hard to find something solid to pull on . We arrived at the junction with Howling Ridge and continued from there moving together. We passed another party who was pitching the end of Howling. We completed the slog to the summit and enjoyed a very welcome bite to eat, well satisfied with our efforts. Decent was via O'Sheas gully. An outing with Frank is always good fun and we were soon saying our goodbyes at Killarney. I think a future trip to Wales or Glencoe is called for.

Side view of ridge

Starting up the crux

View from hanging belay

The Hags Glen Horseshoe

Yesterday I went too the Reeks and decided to do the Hags Glen Horseshoe. This is a substantial outing which involves about 1600mtrs of climbing and covers a distance about 15 kilometers. The weather starting out was not great with low cloud and occasional drizzle. The brisk breeze meant that the day had a distinct autumnal feel. I parked at Lislebane and used the new bridge to cross the Gaddagh river. The combination of a few beers the previous evening and the inclement weather didn't make the long slog up to Cruach Mhor any more pleasant than usual, so it was head down time and I just pushed on. Upon reaching the summit, the dearth of any views and the conditions meant I headed straight along the ridge. I forsook the rock arret and stuck to the path all the way to Cnoc na Peasta. By now the day was improving and views down to the glen displayed themselves.
The walk along the eastern ridge proved very pleasant and I quickly reached Cnoc an Chuillinn. The wind was for some reason quite strong here so I forsook my usual lunch spot and continued on easily over Cnoc na Toinne and down to the Devils Ladder. Normally by now my legs feel quite tired but today I felt strong and the awful slog to Carrauntoohil's summit passed easily and I made great time to the top. There was a fairly sizable group on top but I found a quite spot and enjoyed my lunch. The arrival of a large group of noisy French students hastened my departure and I went quickly down to the top of O'Sheas gully. On over the Beenkearach ridge in blissful solitude and I was soon at the top. The descent over Knockbrinnea was good and the day was now good and the views to the Dingle peninsula lovely. There was a good crop of Blueberries to be had and I made frequent stops to taste some and even collected some for home. I arrived back at the car at four fifteen on the dot so the full round was done in five hours. This is a very good time and I was well pleased with my fitness and the day.

Ceann Cibeal and the Three Sisters

Well back home again after a few days in the dingle area with Margaret. The Ballyferriter area is a lovely mix of mountain scenery and wild coastline. I did a walk that I have been meaning to do for a good few years. That is a coastal walk along the Three Sisters. I left our hotel in Ballyferriter and ran the five kilometers to the rough boggy ground behind the golf course and headed up left to Syble point. There is an eighteenth century watchtower on the summit. A series of these were built to guard against a possible invasion of Ireland by Napoleon. The view from atop this 210mtr cliff is wonderful and extensive. To the southwest lies Eagle mountain, south the Blaskets protude from the ocean. to the east there is nothing but sea all the way to America and to the north the way ahead to the Three Sisters and beyond Mount Brandon. The day was sunny and pleasently warm.

After a lengthy stop I sauntered along a reasonable path which runs the length of Syble head. From point 156mtrs the ground improved and I was able to break into a run down to the col and most of the way up to Binn Hanri at 134mtrs. Mostly running interspersed with some walking and the final top Binn Diarmada soon arrived. The view from here accross Smerwick harbour towards Ballydavid head and to Brandon beyond causes one to linger and savour the day. Again after a lengthy stay I turned and ran down the slope towards Smerwick and then along to Dun an Oir[ the site of a massacre of 300 Spanish soldiers by English forces in 1580]. At roads end a kilometer along Smerwick beach to rejoin another road and back to Ballyferriter. A return run of 7 kilometers. Total distance about 16 kilometers and three hours that I will remember for a long time.

Three ridge walk 2010

On sunday about 14 went on the Killarney Mountaineering Club walk of the Three Ridges. This involves climbing thr Hags Tooth ridge, then down to the first level in coumeenoughter and up to the Heavenly Gates for the climb of Howling Ridge, then from the summit of Carrauntoohil cross the Benkeeragh ridge and back down via Knockbrinnea. Variable cloud but dry weather made it an enjoyable day out. It had been a while since I had been on Howling and it was as much fun as always. There were a few rock virgins but with the security of the rope they all made it up and enjoyed themselves immensely. I must do this climb more often.

gap triathlon

Killarney mountaineering club staged its second triathlon (or at least its version of one) yesterday. This involves a six kilometer run from Kate Kearney's cottage through the Gap of Dunloe to the head of the gap, then a turn left and climb/run up Purple mountain across to Tomies and down the north spur and back to Kates.This involves about 2500ft of ascent and about eight kilometers in distance on poor paths. Then on the bike for a 55 kilometer cycle through the gap and the Black valley, over Molls Gap, back to Killarney and return to Kates. We had 18 take part. It was won by Tony Holmes in 4hours six minutes. I was quite pleased with my own performance and I finished fifth in 4hours 46 minutes. All in front of me were seasoned hill runners and apparently it was the mountain stage where I lost most time(30plus mins). So I finished first of the normal operators. The weather was poor again this year but it cleared for the later part of the event. I would be hopeful that the event will take off and become an established on the calender in the future.

Chamonix 2010





Cliffs at snout of Argentiere Glacier

Well back again after another trip to Chamonix Mont Blanc. I arrived in Le Buet on the evening of June 17th. I had decided to forgo a trip to the Bernese Oberland with Tim and was camping solo. The forecast for the first few days was iffy. I decided to head up Mont Buet on my first day. This is a big old lump and reaches 3098mtrs so is good to get a bit of altitude straight away. It also involves 1800mtrs of ascent so serves well to get the legs working. The snow was down to2300mtrs but the threatened bad weather never materialised so I enjoyed a good day. When I was finished I headed to the OHM in Chamonix. There I got the contact details of Alistair Gurney. We met and decided to do the Midi Plan traverse the following day.

Argentiere Hut

                                                                                            Saturday the 19th dawned wet and miserable so we postponed our plans and agreed to talk later. I instead went for a walk up to Barrage de Emmisson. This was a pleasant enough outing and passed the morning. I spoke with Alistair that evening and we decided to head up on Sunday to the Argentier hut for a few nights with the ultimate aim of the Couturier Couloir on the Verte. As the lift wasn't operating and the hut was unmanned we had to walk up and take food for three days. This was a bit of a chore that was enlivened by taking a direct line through the main difficulties of the glacier. We had the hut to ourselves for a few hours and were later joined by two Spanish guys and a Venezuelan girl whom Alistair had met in town. A very nice evening ensued. It's nice to have the huts to ourselves and sleep comes easily when less crowded.


Aig Tour



View down



Grand Combin and Valaie Alps

                                                 We decided to climb the Aig Argentier via the Miglieu route. Again interest was almost immediate as we decided to tackle the steep left bank of the glacier head on. 60degree ice with one axe ensured concentration. The fun was soon over and a slog up the glacier through deep fresh snow was at times exhausting. When we crossed the berschund the slope steepened to about 40 degrees. This seemed to go on forever but eventually the summit was reached and all the effort was rewarded by a stunning panorama of the finest alpine scenery. The low layer of cloud in the valleys was broken in all directions and peaks from the Bernese Oberland to Italy to Mont Blanc and beyond were a joy to behold. We lingered for perhaps 40mins and basked in the sunshine. We started down the same route and when we came to the first steepening my first few steps started a slide of powder about four feet wide. This gathered more as it went and continued steadily out of sight. This was a worrying development. We decided to head straight down where the slide had occurred. This worked well and we made rapid progress. As we got near the berschund there was much evidence of mini avalanches and indeed a small one reached us but did no damage. Down we went into the now more extensive cloud. We were back in the hut in the early afternoon, a little tired but satisfied at having got good altitude(3902) and a good workout.

Le Tout Noir



Aig Plan

Aig de Midi

                                                            The following morning we were out at 4am and heading for the Tour Noir. The plan was to climb the west couloir. The snow conditions were much better and rapid progress was made up the glacier to the base of the climb. The route entered an initial gully which we left on the right side up a rock spur to a ramp, then a delicate traverse under rocks and into another gully. here we came to a short wall of vertical ice. Alistair led over what transpired was rotten ice and we continued up the steep snow to the ridge. A short climb to the right and we were soon on the summit. This is a fine airy crest and the views are as you would expect wonderful. The view across to Mont dolent is inspiring. That is a project for another day. We back climbed the ridge for a while but soft snow on rock necessitated a series of abseils back to the coll. Fatigue was now a problem with me but progress was rapid on still good snow back to the hut. Looking across at the Verte I knew that I didn't have the strength for a summit attempt the following day so we decided to go to the valley for a rest day.

After a relaxing day we decided to do the Midi Plan traverse on Thursday. The plan was to get the first lift and proceed from there but due to carelessness I missed the train but my honest face and pleading looks ensured that I got a drive and we managed to catch the second lift. The day was stunning and we emerged to brilliant sunshine from the station at 8am. There were several parties in front of us and guides and their nervous charges heading for the valley Blanche. We went rapidly along the arret and soon reached the first of the difficulties. This was a rising traverse on the chamonix side of a "gendarme". Good exposure ensured maximum concentration and after a series of delicate traverses and a couple of abseils we reached the final snow slopes under aig plan. After this an entertaining rock scramble brought us to the airy summit. We returned the same route to the abseil area which was a stern test but the fixed rope ensured we made good progress. We were back in the station 6 hours after we left and well happy after a great experience. We descended to the valley and after a couple of beers I said farewell to Alistair who need to rest before competing in the Mont blanc marathon on Sunday. (he finished in 5 hours and was fiftieth, a fantastic effort).



Le Haute Cime

                                                              As I now had four days left to fill on my own I decided that the Haut Cime on the Dent du Midi would be a fitting next target. On Friday morn I set off for Champery on the Swiss side of the massif. This involved (thanks to a train strike) hitching a ride to Mothey and catching a tram to the village. I was in the village be 10.45am. You have to love the Swiss, I needed a map of the Dents so I went in to the tourist office. I had to pay 29francs for it as nowhere else sold them. Value not something the Swiss give willingly. Anyway I headed off to the Susanfe hut at 11am. This proved a very pleasant walk up through gorges and meadows with waterfalls and interest in abundance. I was at the hut in the early afternoon and passed away a long evening with a book. The hut is beautifully situated under Mont Ruan. The warden was somewhat surprised when I asked for breakfast at 4.30 the following morning. So up I got and feasted on my couple of slices of bread and coffee( a snip at 9euro, those funny Swiss) and set off in the predawn for Col Salenfe and thence up the Haut Cime. I was on top at 7.30am and lingered and enjoyed the expansive (some say the finest in the alps) views in windless pleasant sunshine. A long decent to Lac Salenfe followed by a 500 meter climb over a col and then down, down to Les Marrecotte for the train back to Le Buet. So ended a good day which involved 1700mtrs of ascent and 2500mtrs of decent over twenty kilometers.

Gouter sunset



Mont Blanc summit



Perfect dawn on descent

                                           And so to Sunday morning. The train to Les Houches and the lift to Bellevue followed by the train to Nid Aigle at 2300mtrs saw me start for the Gouter hut at 12noon. A fairly light bag and by now good fitness saw me arrive at the hut by three twenty. The Gouter hut is what it is so I settled down for a long evening. A pleasant surprise was meeting a group of guys from Galway who had topped out that day. Pleasant conversation followed which shortened the day considerably. After dinner and some lounging about the inevitable trip to the dorm had to be endured. Needless to say five shitty hours followed and I got up at 1.30 and waited for breakfast which was at 2am. I forced myself to consume everything on the tray (jam, cheese, nutella, bread a crepe and a big bowl of hot chocolate) and exited the hut by 2.30am. A steady but consistent pace on perfect snow saw me arrive first at the summit at 5.20, just in time to enjoy a most wonderful dawn. After some photos I descended easily to the hut. Glissading a considerable part of the Dome de Gouter was great fun. I met again the Galway boys who were very impressed by my rapid progress. An uneventful decent to the train followed and a well deserved pint in Les Houches went down a treat. All in all a most satisfactory and successful trip. I'm looking forward to the next one already.

Wales April 2010



Saturday April 24th;

Crib Goch towards Snowdon



Y Cribben



Glorious scenery



Idwall Slabs

Well after a good winter and a good Scottish trip under my belt, last week saw me get itchy feet and book a late ferry from Dublin to Holyhead and a train to Betws y Coed in Snowdonia. Leaving Dublin at 9.16 we docked in Holyhead at 00.30 on Saturday morning April 24th. A tiring four hour wait before I got on the train ensued but the journey to Betws y Coed was painless. I alighted in the little town just after 6 am and a one kilometer walk followed to my campsite where I quickly pitched my tent and crashed for a couple of hours much needed kip. The weather was set fair and after breakfast I headed to the nearest bus stop and caught the aptly named Sherpa bus to the Pen y Pass. This is the starting point for the Snowdon Horseshoe which was my objective for the day. A fine weekend day and Snowdon equals crowds, but I was still surprised by the sheer volume of people on the mountain. The miners and Pyg tracks were a constant stream of humanity. Throngs, like lines of ants were visible on the summit ridge. Still the numbers on Crib Goch were manageable and by sticking to the more interesting left side I was able to bypass most. The scrambling ,(while never difficult) was always entertaining and was over all too soon.

 The narrow arrete was thronged but again I was able to pass, mostly on the left, but occasionally by sticking to the more difficult pinnacles therefore avoiding the easier paths. I enjoyed a relatively quiet lunch about one kilometer before the summit. As it was quite warm I finished my water at lunch and reasoned that I would buy some at the summit cafe. Off I set at a brisk pace. Passing the unbelievable crowds on the summit ridge and quickly reached the top. The cafe was closed so I had no water for the rest of the walk. I decided to forgo the pleasure of queuing for the summit trig point and made a swift exit to the relative quiet of Y  Cribben. The remainder of the walk was delightful and the rock face of Y Cribben was a tantalising glory that I promised myself for another day.I found myself back at the pass at three fifteen pm. Four and a half hours was no bad effort. Unfortunately there wasn't a bus for another hour and a half so I set off in the Capel Curig direction and stuck out my thumb. Much to my delight I quickly got a drive and was back at the campsite by four pm.

 Sunday April 25th;

That night I was awoken by boisterous noise at half ten. Four young men, obviously high on something, kept the whole site awake until four in the morning. fighting, brawling, roaring, shouting, breaking tables and lighting fires (scary) were the pass times of choice. Little or no sleep ensued yet strangely I was in good form setting off on my travels at nine thirty that morning. I walked to the bus stop and while I was there decided to try hitching again. Almost immediately a guy who worked in Plas y Brenin gave me a lift to Capel Curig. He suggested walking along the ridge from behind the village to the Glydderi. As the morning wasn't shaping up to be great I took this option. A thoroughly wet day followed. The broad ridge was boggy and exposed to the elements and the map and compass had to be used to good effect. Still I really enjoyed the experience and the top of the Glydderi is an almost surreal place in dense mist. I made one navigational error by following a cairn trail from the second summit. I discovered that this was heading down to Llanberris when I took my bearings withthe GPS. A little bit of climbing and contouring saw me on the correct track in short order. 

I continued on past the Devils Kitchen on to Y Garn. The rain had by now subsided and I enjoyed a pleasant lunch at the summit. Still nothing resembling a view to be had so I quickly retraced my steps to the Kitchen and a rapid decent ensued into Cwm Idwal. This is massive and the cliffs and ridges that rise from it are very impressive. By now the day had improved considerably and I enjoyed a very pleasant walk past Llyn Idwal to the Idwal cottages at the end of the Ogwen valley. I was hoping that I wouldn't have to wait too long for a bus and was dismayed to find that the last one for the day was gone a half an hour before. It was only three thirty and I was wet through so I had no option but to stick out my thumb again. Lo and behold I had a lift after only two minutes and was back and changed in the campsite by four pm. The evening in the valley was very pleasant and I was even able to get most of my clothes nearly dry. A leisurely evening was followed by a blissfully quiet night and I awoke the following morning refreashed after a good nights sleep.

Monday April 26th;

The plan for today was to take the bus to the Lyn Ogwen cottages and make a traverse of the Carnedds. The weather was much more promising. A thin layer of cloud clung to the tops which were above 900meters. I hopped off the bus and started up the steep path towards Carnedd Dafydd. Height is gained quickly and further up there is nice scrambling to be had. I hadn't gone far when I was stopped in my tracks by the scream of a pair of air force jets buzzing within 500mtrs of me. I found myself cheering like a kid and grinning from ear to ear, awesome. When my heart stopped pounding I continued upwards. I traversed left higher up and made my way to the broad top via a series of very enjoyable rocky ribs. The view across the valley towards Tryfan and the Glyderri was wonderful. The walk past Cwm Lloer to the summit was gentle and inspiring. Passing a couple of impressive iron age cairns on the way I soon reached the top. Turning east I followed easy ground for two kilometers above the impressive cliffs of Ysgolilon Duon. 

Looking down Amphitheatre Buttress

These north facing cliffs and gullies reaching up to an elevation of 1000mtrs must have provided great winter sport in the previous months. There was still plenty snow in evidence in the dark recesses. The cloud had by now lifted and the views were expansive in all directions. Ones eyes couldn't help but be drawn to the beautiful rocky fin that was Tryfan. On past Bwlch Cryfyw Drum and I was soon pulling up to the second highest mountain in Wales Carnedd Llewelyn. at 1064mtrs with broad spurs reaching out in all directions this is an impressive massif.

There were still snowfields reaching down 200mtrs from its northeast face. A gentle 300mtr descent past the top of the atmospheric cliffs of Amphitheatre Buttress saw the ridge narrow and a sharp pull soon saw me up to Pyn Tr Hegli Du. This little top was a good spot for lunch and provided great views into Cwm Eigiau with its mining ruins and scars. A gambol eastwards over springy ground and I soon reached the final top of the day Pen Llithrig Y Wrach. The descent from this south towards Capel Curig afforded lovely views over the Llyn Cowlyd reservoir. Five kilometers of easy ground saw me back in Capel Curig. The thumb worked its magic yet again and I was quickly back in Betws y Coed. 

Tryfan east face

Tuesday April 27th;


On day four the weather once again was very promising. Yet again the bus saw me start again from Llyn Ogwen. This time the plan was to scramble up the gully to the left[east] of the Idwal Slabs and up the seniors ridge to the summit of Glyder Fawr. This was a lovely easy outing with just enough to keep one interested but never difficult. Upon reaching the top an initially steep descent down the eastern ridge of the Nameless Cwm soon saw me at Llyn Bochlwyd and looking at the southwest face of Tryfan. I headed for some slabby looking rock which started at around 750mtrs. this line provided some fabulous scrambling which continued nearly all the way to the summit. A quick bite to eat and I made my way across to Bristly Ridge. This gave lovely scrambling all the way to the summit of Glyder Fach.I then reversed the ridge of Sundays walk, this time in glorious sunshine to reach yet again Capel Curig. A bus back to the campsite and a very leisurely packing and I made my way to the train station. The journey home though long way uneventful. All in all a most satisfactory climbing packed four days. I will be back.

Excellent scrambling

An Garbh or big gun

I visited the reeks yesterday with a work colleague Mr James Moore. They are now sadly denuded of snow but still beautiful. We decided to do the Lough Googh horseshoe. this is a fairly short circuit but involves 1200mtrs of climbing and traverses the Cnoc na Peiste ridge. This is a very pleasant grade 1 scramble. It was James' first time doing this type of thing and he professed to enjoying himself. The day was dry and a bit windy so a good day on dry rock was had by all. We got back to the car and changed our clothes just before the heavens opened. Lucky or what????.

Cnoc an Chuillinn Gully

Good neve and steep

View up wide gully

I went up the gully at the back of Coumeenmore to Cnoc an Chuillinn yesterday. This was my first time here and it was a good experience. The bottom was not in condition but the top 200mtrs gave a very nice grade 1 outing. There are a few small steps on the lower half that were just about in condition and the upper half was a lovely wide gully which gave some nice exposure. The snow was icy and only the points of the crampons were biting in. The weather is set to get milder so perhaps this was the last chance to put the crampons on here for a while. From the top of Chuillinn I went along the ridge to the devils ladder and then enjoyed the delightful slog up to Carrauntoohil. Down Curve Gully again and back to the car. Another good day.

The Lick on Carrauntoohil

The Lick a grade 3 ice climb

I went up the "Lick" on Carrauntoohil yesterday. The "Lick" is an ice climb which starts at about 680mtrs and rises in a series of steps to about 950mtrs. It doesn't often come into condition but there was just enough there to give it a go. Tim Long joined me and suitably booted and suited we started up the climb at 11.30am. The bottom was banked out with snow but soon the climb proper started. I led the first section of about 30mtrs. This was very thin in the middle and nescessated a move onto the rock for about 7mtrs. There is practically no protection to be found here and the exposure is quite serious. The wind was very strong and communication at any distance was impossible so when I reached a snow bay Tim joined me. Axe belays were the order of the day and we decided to use the 20mtrs of rope which I had forgot to take out of my bag to complete the climb. This worked out perfectly as most of the remaining steps were of about 12 to 15 meters long. We made good progress and summitted at 2.15pm. The climbing was mostly on hard water ice and some of the bulges gave vertical steps of up to 7mtrs. All good stuff and a very nice grade 3 climb. A rapid descent of a nicely banked out Curve Gully finished off a fine day out. The cold weather is set to continue for the rest of the week so we shall see what that brings. One bummer was that neither of us thought to bring a camera and some dramatic shots went a begging. I took one with my phone from the bottom but whole climb looks flat. Still it will give the excuse to do it again.

Carrauntoohil East Face

Carrauntoohil's east face

The weather is great here at the moment. Frosty nights and sunny days with a real hint of spring. Yesterday was a good day on the reeks. I went up Curve Gully on nice neve to the top of Carrauntoohil and continued on to Cnoc na Peiste. All in all a lovely day. Its great to need crampons at this time of year.I'm hoping to do more interesting stuff in the near future.

A magic week in Scotland February 2010

 I waited until something worthwhile was done before I started my blogging career. As I'm just back from a solo week in bonnie Scotland, there is a lot to report. There is no doubt, that when conditions are right, Scotland is a match for anywhere in the world. Mostly blue skies, no wind, and snow down to sea level, made the trip, a memorable experience. I was looking for a different experience this time, so off I went with a large rucksack, stuffed with enough cloths and provisions to last me for three or four days. This would make me fully independent and enable me to do a bothie to bothie trek. I traveled on the ferry from Dublin to Holyhead overnight, before a long series of train journeys saw me arrive in Tulloch train station at 22.30. The old station building is now a lovely comfortable hostel and I stayed there that night.

 

Tuesday February 16th,

 

 After a good sleep and cooked breakfast I emerged refreshed and enthused and ready for my adventure.There was some low cloud, but it was dry and windless, as I set off on the two mile road trek to the base of the gentle ridge that leads to Essians. I was well pleased with how I was able to carry the bag, which weighed about 18 kilos. While mindful of it, I made steady but good progress up the ridge. As height was gained the views became more expansive and I soon found myself above a thin layer of cloud, with great views in all directions. The first bit of interest, came on the steep climb up on to the shoulder of Meal Cian Derg. This was a steep section, with a little exposure, which allowed height to be gained rapidly to 790mtrs. Thereafter, I was well and truly above the snowline. Firm snow and a gentle incline made for very pleasant going, and I soon found myself on the summit push for Stob a Choire Mheadhoin(1105mtrs). Unfortunately, just as I was summiting a bank of cloud arrived, and cheated me of any view. For the next little while, the compass was required to make progress. I made my way down to the bealach before Stob Choire Essian(1115mtrs). The steep 160 meters to the top, was soon over, and my second munro of the day was in the bag. The descent was very straight forward, and I was able to take a direct line for my final destination for the day, a bothy at Leacach. I arrived at the bothy at around 3pm, so I had plenty of time to make myself at home. A change of cloths and a hot drink, and the evening was mine to do with what I willed. The bothy was basic but I had all that I needed. They are a great resource and I felt that I was having a truly wild and remote experience.

The Essians

Home sweet home

Stob Ban, my tracks from earlier in the day can be seen.

Into the Grey Corries  ridge

 

 A perfect morning

The Binneans

Alpenglow over the Nevis Range

Towards Rannoch from Binnean Beg

heavy snow but hard work

The views around the bothy are great. The imposing Sgurr Innse lies just across the valley, and Stob Ban and the Grey Corries loom just behind. At around 5pm it started to snow gently, so I stayed inside for the rest of the evening. It was quite cold, but thankfully, I had purchased a good insulated jacket before I went, and that, combined with my down sleeping bag, meant I stayed nice and warm. I made my evening meal at about 6pm, and retired to bed with a book. I had a very active mouse for company, who busied himself looking for flapjack crumbs and anything else he could get to. There ensued a fitful night, as I wasn't used to the discomfort of the sleeping mat, but eventually I did fall asleep.

 

Wednesday February 17th;

 

 I awoke at dawn the following morning, and when I peeked outside I was greeted by a cloudy, calm, winter wonderland. Nearly a foot of snow had fallen overnight. While pretty, it promised tough underfoot conditions. I took my time over breakfast, and eventually left the bothy at 08.20am, and set off into the whiteness on another days adventure.And so, day two began, with a plod through soft snow, in a silent wonderland that was transformed from the previous day. All paths and tracks, were now invisible. Leacach bothy is at 450mtrs, and the first target of the day was Stob Bán, at 977mtrs. From what I'd seen the previous evening, this was a shapely mountain, with a fairly steep descent to a bealach, before a steady rise to Stob Choire Claurigh(1177mtrs), the highest point on the Grey Corries. With so much fresh snow, I decided to assess what conditions were like at the top of Stob Ban, before I would commit to the descent to the bealach. I was soon engulfed in the cloud, and the ascent had to be accomplished by the use of compass and GPS. When you are alone, it is vital that you are proficient at their use, and success brings confidence, and a sense of accomplishment. "White out" conditions are hard to explain to someone who hasn't experienced them, but at times, it's almost like walking blind. You find yourself kicking the snow in front of you so as to try and see if the ground is level. You could literally have a dent or a cliff a step ahead and you wouldn't know it. It is scary stuff, and very careful examination of the map,and good use of the GPS are essential. Its slow going, but the map didn't show any crags and the ground was fairly safe. Eventually, I reached the summit, and after a quick assessment of the descent slope, I decided that it was good to go. A quick drop of 150mtrs and I emerged under the cloud. The day seemed to be improving, and I was hopeful for some views for the remainder of the day.

Binnean Mor

The near 400mtrs climb, to the summit Stob Choire Claurigh, was tough going with the heavy bag, and deep soft snow. I persevered however, and the ever lifting cloud kept teasing me with intermittent views, and the promise of a possible clear day. Eventually, when I did reach the top, the promised clearance did arrive, and I was treated to wonderful views down to Rannoch Moor and across to the Essians. The mist clung to the ridge however, but it did clear enough for me to see that the fresh snow had formed into a narrow snow arret, and that the crossing would not be boring. After a bite to eat I set off on the two mile traverse to Stob Choire an Laoigh(1116mtrs). As promised, the ridge was always narrow, and as it was occasionally corniced, it necessitated frequent crossing from one side to the other to avoid them. The going was very tough, and I was sometimes reduced to wading above the waist, to try to get through the drifts. The cloud stubbornly shrouded the ridge all day, and there were no more views to be had. Eventually the bealach under Stob Choire an Laoigh was reached, and with careful navigation the top found. The southeast ridge led easily down, and I was soon under the cloud, and enjoying expansive views, across to the Mamores and left to Rannoch moor. My target for the evening was Meanach bothy. This meant that I still had 3 miles to walk. When I reached the lower ground, the going turned out to be torture, as it was a continuous succession of peat hags and bog holes. Taking into account the constantly serpentine progress, I wouldn't be surprised if the 3 miles ended up closer to 4. It was gone 6pm when I arrived, and I was very tired when I entered the very basic bothie. I quickly got myself changed and organized in the remaining light, and soon had my stove going for dinner. The sky had by now cleared completely, and a hard frost had set in. Later, it was wonderful to stand outside in the darkness, and no matter what direction you looked, there was not a light to be seen. The sense of isolation and wilderness was wonderful. In the bothy, there was the remains of an old rucksack, and a grotty, torn, sleeping bag. These I burned in the open fire, and the heat generated was considerable. I was also able to dry, somewhat, my ice encrusted pants and boots.

I emerged the following morning after a decent nights rest to a flawless winter landscape. As expected temperatures had plummeted in the night and I would estimate that it was around -15 at 7am. The nearby river had frozen and the snow surface had turned crystalline. I had originally intended to climb Aonach Beg and Mor and cross to Carn Mor Dearg and on to Ben Nevis. This would have been a huge day and with the underfoot conditions I decided to head instead to Binnean Beg and Binnean Mor and descend to Kinlochleven over Na Gruachaichean. Three munros with approximately 1200mtrs of climbing is not to be sniffed at so it seemed a reasonable alternative. It also had the advantage of shortening the distance I would have to walk across the bog considerably. As I was crossing the wettest bits I was sinking through the insulating snow into water. This froze almost immediately on the boot when it was lifted. Very soon I would have to hack at the boot with my axe to dislodge the ice. The going was therefore difficult and it took until I was at about 550mtrs on the slopes of Binnean Beg before the ground improved. I soon came to a nice snowslope of about 40degrees which was nice and firm and allowed rapid(ish) progress to the 943mtrs summit.

 The views in all directions were stupendous. Alpine scenery to rival anywhere was mine to savour and this I did at leisure. Ever onwards and the 200mtr descent to the bealach meant that there was a full 400mtrs of climbing to the top of Binnean Mor(1130mtrs). A shapely mountain, the ascent was always interesting and the ever expanding vistas spurred one on. On reaching the summit I didn't dally as some cloud was coming in from the west and threatening to envelop me in mist again. I headed straight away for Na Gruagaichean(1056mtrs) along a narrow but not difficult ridge. The two kilometres soon passed and the cloud stayed at bay. After a short rest I made the long descent to sea level and civilization and arrived in Kinlochleven at 4.30pm. The first time I saw people since 8am Tuesday morning. At this stage I was very tired and I resolved to go to Fort William and stay a couple of nights in a b&b. So I thumbed to Ballachulish and caught a bus to town. I found a nice b&b in the west end and after a quick supper I was under the covers before 8pm.



Towards Ben Nevis from Aonach Beag

After a full Scottish fry at 7am the following day I emerged with my now light bag into a sunny, frosty winter morning. A short walk to the bus stop and I caught the 7.40 bus to the Nevis Range ski station under Aonach Mor. I was planning a nice leisurely day and a traverse of Aonach Mor and Beg with a descent to the Steall waterfall was the route. So the first gondola of the morning deposited me at 650mtrs and I enjoyed a beautiful day in windless sunshine crossing the broad gentle slopes. It was nice on the ascent of Aonach Mor not to have to break trail and i followed a well used trail to the top. From the summit(1221mtrs) I headed across the gentle slopes to Aonach Beg(1234mtrs). Remarkably I had both mountains to myself and the summit of Aonach Beg was pristine unbroken snow. The view across to Carn Mor Dearg and Ben Nevis were amazing and the whole experience was truly alpine. The descent to the falls was gentle and the use of extensive snow fields made for rapid progress. I noticed that I was sunburnt. It was the middle of February for gods sake. On reaching the bottom I enjoyed the walk out the Nevis Gorge. After another couple of kilometers I got a lift into town thus saving me a further 5K walk. Another great day.

Looking up at Tower Ridge

Ice climbers near the CIC hut

Down to the great tower

View down No3 gully



The CMD arret

Ben Nevis and the CMD arret

The plan for Saturday Feb 20th was to climb Ben Nevis. I had decided to climb No3 gully and continue to Carn Mor Dearg via the CMD arrete. I emerged after breakfast to another stunning day. Off to the bus stop to get a bus to the Nevis distillery where the trail begins. There didn't seem to be a Saturday service so I set off to walk the 4K to the trailhead. I hadn't gone far when I was passed by the very bus I was looking for. So after a long walk I was eventually making progress on the track towards the CIC hut. The Ben was looking magnificent. The extensive cliffs covered in snow and fat ice falls everywhere in evidence. as was to be expected there were lots of parties about. Climbers could be seen on Tower Ridge and not far from the hut two magnificent icefalls were seeing some action. Suitably booted and suited I headed on up to Coire na Ciste. This amphitheatre offers stunning scenery in every direction. The variety of climbs that can be undertaken from here is bewildering. It's easy to see why climbers come from far and wide to scale this great mountain.

 No 3 gully is a straight forward grade 1 snow climb. There was a lot of deep soft snow, but previous traffic made going fairly easy. when I reached the gully proper I found that I was the first to venture in since the snowfall so once again I had to break trail. I was a bit concerned about avalanche but the surface was just powder and hadn't formed a slab that might go in unison. The gradient is about 45 degrees until you reach the exit. This can vary considerably and this time the left exit was the easier but was still about 20mtrs of 60degree slope. This was unfortunately crusty with crud underneath and didn't inspire great confidence. I wouldn't have minded a my second axe and I was happy when I emerged onto the plateau. The top of Ben Nevis can be a savage place but today it was a benign paradise. The roof of Britain on this day offered uninterrupted views in all directions. The view down Tower Ridge was beautiful and I wished I had been on it. After a bite to eat at the summit(1334mtrs) I headed on down the slope to the CMD arret. In these conditions was a joy and was like an easy alpine route. Quite busy as you would expect but everyone was in a good mood on this glorious day. Carn Mor Dearg(1220mtrs) soon passed and the easy slopes made for a quick descent. This time I got the bus back to town at the end of another memorable day.


Cliffs on Stob Ban the Mamores

My final day on the mountains I had planned to do Sgurr a Mhaim and the Devils Ridge to Mullach nan Coirean in a neat horseshoe walk from the lower falls in Glen Nevis. However after a leisurely start when I was on the trail I discovered I had forgotten my crampons. This ruled out the Devils Ridge so I opted instead to go in the valley under Stob Ban(999mtrs) to a bealach and climb Stob Ban and then continue with the horseshoe from there. The going was easy and height was gradually gained. The route up Stob Ban was like the steps of a stairs and the loss of crampons was no disadvantage. Yet again the day was stunning. The gentle ridge to Mullach nan Coirean(939mtrs) soon passed. I enjoyed a leisurely lunch and reflected on what was a great week. The gentle ridge back to the glen was a joy and the trusty thumb worked again and I was back in town in good time. So ended a wonderful trip on the mountains. One final treat lay in store. The train journey the following morning to Glasgow was stupendous and must be described as one of the most beautiful in the world. Do it if you can.
 Until the next time.