[SA Chris]

So all the kit you need is a hiking boot, a dry bag, a kayak, a buoyancy aid and a canoe?

[Dave Flanagan]

and a copy of the newspaper to navigate...

[comPiler]

Glendo - real climbing
3 September 2012, 5:08 pm

[tr][td][/td][/tr] [tr][td]Anyone know what route this is? Fanfare maybe.[/td][/tr]

[/table]

Climbed on the main crag in Glendo for the first time on Saturday. I had only done a few single pitches on Acorn Buttress prior. Lovely breezy day, warm even in our shirt sleeves. Clancy and I did three routes, all multi starred classics.

Quartz Gully HS

Cracks on the Garden of Eden VS

Deirdre VS

We started QG a little low and I led the first two pitches, Clancy took the last. Crux is cool, lovely exposure, easy for 4b I feel. Plenty of stuck gear as well, like a sport route.

Someone had done a dump below the start of Cracks, Clancy got the first pitch and laybacked up the corner. I used holds on the right which felt a lot easier. I didn't bother going left to the hand crack at the start of p2 went straight up past the loose flake. Top section is brilliant steep, good handholds all the way but lacking feet in places, I got pumped and had to move out left for a shakeout which was weak, should of just pushed on but I don't see why I would have any stamina.

Clancy led the hard pitch of Deirdre, I was still pumped and found it tricky seconding. I led the top pitch, very easy, didn't place any gear due to lack to massive cams.

I'm not sure why a lot of the routes are divided into so many pitches, I understand why this was done back in the day but it doesn't make any sense to describe them thus now. All three routes we did could of been done in a single pitch with a 60m rope if one was very careful about extending runners.

There was loads of people out bouldering and it was funny to walk down from the crag and slag them. I've been on the receiving end many a time. It was great to climb on the crag, the rock is incredible and it's such a great setting.



Source: Bouldering Ireland

[SA Chris]

It's a great spot, had a top day there.

[comPiler]

Awesome Walls Dublin open tomorrow
28 September 2012, 5:32 pm

Had a sneak preview of Awesome Walls in Finglas today. It was a hive of activity as they had only 24 hours to go to their opening. The wall is massive another level compared to any other wall in this country. The bouldering is on two levels and looks great, I'm itching to get stuck in. The very steep prow lead wall looks great and I will definitely be bringing my harness next time. There is tonnes of space there will be a shop a cafe, a kids room/yoga studio and a board room. Check it out.

[tr][td][/td][/tr] [tr][td]Upper Mezz[/td][/tr]

[/table]

[tr][td][/td][/tr] [tr][td]The LHS of the top rope walls[/td][/tr]

[/table]

[tr][td][/td][/tr] [tr][td]The lead wall[/td][/tr]

[/table]

[tr][td][/td][/tr] [tr][td]The Arch[/td][/tr]

[/table]

[tr][td][/td][/tr] [tr][td]Steeeeep[/td][/tr]

[/table]

[tr][td][/td][/tr] [tr][td]Ricky Warming up[/td][/tr]

[/table]

[tr][td][/td][/tr] [tr][td]Michael and Ricky[/td][/tr]

[/table]

[tr][td][/td][/tr] [tr][td]Michael loves having his photo taken[/td][/tr]

[/table]



Source: Bouldering Ireland

[Nibile]

Fantastic.

[comPiler]

Awesome Walls article in Sunday Times
6 November 2012, 10:26 am

 



Source: Bouldering Ireland

[comPiler]

Lough Dan
18 November 2012, 8:59 pm

Got out to Lough Dan today, I was keen to comb through the boulder on the right hand side of the crag. Walked in on frozen ground, hopped across the river and had a good search through the scree. Didn't find anything very interesting. It's one of those places that looks like it should offer quite a lot but doesn't. I may have missed some stuff but I don't think there is a dozen three star lines lurking.

Line goes up the right side

[tr][td][/td][/tr] [tr][td]Nice crimp just below the top[/td][/tr]

[/table]

Found one nice looking hard project. Steep, about 35 degrees, landing isn't great but would be easily sorted. Maybe 3 very crimpy moves.

[tr][td][/td][/tr] [tr][td]The big roof[/td][/tr]

[/table]  There is a big jutting roof that is very visible on the skyline when you are on the boulder left of the crag. It's probably more a route with a very sloping landing than a boulder but there seems to be a few holds on it.

Downhill side

Found one other boulder with two hard potential lines. Nothing special, just above the last big boulders on the right hands side.

[tr][td][/td][/tr] [tr][td]Lake side[/td][/tr]

[/table]

[tr][td][/td][/tr] [tr][td]Beef to the Heel[/td][/tr]

[/table] Had a few goes on the lowball traverse Beef to the Heel, it's quite good and very beefy.

[tr][td][/td][/tr] [tr][td]Shadow[/td][/tr]

[/table] Last time I was in LD on the Sunday of the bouldering meet I found Shadow quite easy, this time I had to really fight to get up it. A great problem, best in Lough Dan and a total classic, worth the visit.

Source: Bouldering Ireland

[comPiler]

Barnbawn
11 December 2012, 5:19 pm

   Got a tip off at the weekend about some boulders in the forest near the crag of Barnbawn near Glenealy, Wicklow. So went along today more in hope than expectation. There were some boulders near the crag but no bouldering. The rock is very similar to the Scalp, more like quartzite than granite. The forest is a really nice spot and the crag is ok, bit short and scrappy, probably wouldn't go back. Did a few solos since I was there.



Spotted this on the walk out. About 10 foot high steep but pretty much choss shite. You would have to be desperate.

There are other crags and outcrops around this area but I don't think they will be worthwhile. The rock isn't suited to bouldering. Did see one small - 8foot - proper mountain granite erratic so there may well be more but life is too short. There are many more likely spots out there.



Source: Bouldering Ireland

[comPiler]

Bangor Trail article
17 December 2012, 10:49 am

I wrote an article about the Bangor Trail which was in the Sunday Times yesterday.





Unfortunantly an error was introduced in the sub-editing process which changed 16,000 hectares to 40 acres.

Source: Bouldering Ireland

[comPiler]

Review of Fairhead Bouldering Guide
27 December 2012, 10:04 pm





Husband and wife team, Rob and Veronica Hunter, have gone and done what most climbers only day dream about. In August they quit their jobs, spending the last four months, climbing by day and writing and researching a bouldering guide in the evenings. Living the dream you might say.    

The fruit of their labours has just emerged blinking into the daylight, a beautiful and very elegant Fair Head bouldering guidebook. For those who don't know, Fair Head is on the North East tip of the island of Ireland, in County Antrim not far from the Giant's Causeway, a short journey across the Irish Sea from Scotland.

Fair Head consist of over three miles of predominantly north facing dolerite cliffs up to 100m tall.  For decades Irish climbers have been climbing trad routes up the corners and cracks of this massive crag, and word is slowly spreading, with some going so far as to call it the best crag in Britain and Ireland. Over 350 routes have been climbed on the cliff but between the foot of the crag and the water's edge lies a carpet of massive boulders stretching from one end of the crag to the other.



It's this expanse of grey dolerite boulders that captivated Rob and Veronica. Rob has been bouldering in Fair Head for over 15 years and knows the boulders better than anyone. When I was researching my Irish bouldering guidebook it was Rob who guided me through the boulders, pointing out problems, giving names and grades. Veronica is a more recent convert but no less devout.  

I never thought that any bouldering area in Ireland could merit its own guidebook but Rob and Veronica have set me straight and done a great job.  

As with any book, the first thing to strike you is the cover. In this case rather than a pseudo landscape shot or hardcore action photo it's a macro study of a piece of beautifully lichened dolerite. Some cover shots are designed to encourage the casual browser to buy, but that's the beauty of self publishing in such a specialist field. If someone wants the guide, they want the guide, and this gives great freedom to the guidebook writer.  



The guide contains details of over 440 problems. To put this in context, the Peak District Bouldering guidebook describes 370 problems in Burbage Valley. Even after the last few months of  gap filling by the authors there are still 80 unclimbed problems in the guide (these are included in the total problem count). There are, however, whole areas also awaiting development, all you need to do is put in the effort probing deeper in the scree.  

The boulders in Fair Head were all, at one point, part of the cliffs above. As such they lie in a massive jumble giving problems of all angles. The rock is rough but not abrasive and problems tend to be mostly on edges with a lot of slopers as well. It's hard to generalise the climbing style but the typical problem at the Head is steep, crimpy and powerful. This is probably more a function of the preferences of the first ascentist than the rock itself. I think it's only right to note that some of the landings at the Head can be bad, most problems require a minimum of two pads and some a whole lot more.  



Even thought there is a photo topo for every problem the content still has plenty of space to breath among the 206 pages.  The scree in a three dimensional maze with few landmarks and walking (scrambling really) through it, especially when carrying a pad, is hard work and it's inevitable that there will be some wandering around, feeling lost. The proliferation of photos will help visitors orientate themselves, but the reality is that it takes a few visits before you moving directly and confidently from problem to problem.

The book's design is modern and unobtrusive. I can't help but notice some parallels in style between this guide and my book but this is inevitable considering the authors and I shared a muse in the form of the clean, crisp minimalism of the 7+8s Font guide.      

There are a huge number of photos, action and landscape, giving the book a relaxed coffee table feel. Undoubtedly the page count could have been reduced if some of the photos were omitted, I counted over thirty double page spreads, but the book is still a reasonable size and I think the photos add value.  



As well as covering the main areas at Murlough Bay and The Ballycastle end, the guide includes details of two smaller areas, The Miner's House and Promontory, both of which have better landings and lower grades than the main areas so they are ideal for climbers still getting to grips with bouldering.

There are probably two groups of visitors who will be interested in this guides. Climbers who come to the Head to climb routes but come up against some changeable weather or just fancy a bit of bouldering and visiting wads who want to check out a new area with hard, modern style problems and potential for first ascents.  

For the last decade or so the popularity of bouldering at Fair Head was limited by the lack of information. This guide should both inspire and inform, opening Fair Head bouldering to a much to a wider audience.

Source: Bouldering Ireland

[comPiler]

Bouldercise...my bollox
4 January 2013, 3:19 pm

  Cardio..bouldering, I don't think so.

Source: Bouldering Ireland

[comPiler]

Where have all the climbers gone?
13 January 2013, 10:12 pm

This is to a certain extent a follow up to my post about the climbing scene, that post generated some interesting discussion and I hope this one will too.

 Above is a chart I did up of IBL attendances over the last four years. From October '09 up to yesterday. I couldn't find the results for a few so they are missing. The point is that there is certainly no uptick in attendances at IBLs. The IBL is supposed to be the people's competition. Informal and social.  

So where is the bounce caused by the opening of the two new walls in Dublin? I don't think it really has materialised? Has there been an increase in the numbers going bouldering? I haven't seen it but that doesn't mean anything as I'm rarely in Glendo at weekends? Can anyone comment?  

The bouldering forum on theshortspan is very quiet, the climbing.ie forum is mostly all lost+found and stuff for sale.  

There is a lot of talk about climbing getting into the Olympics and how great this will be. Debatable I would think. In reality, from what I have read, climbing doesn't have a chance in hell of getting in. I have heard a lot of talk - from climbers - assuming it's a certainty. At best it's a 1 in 7 shot but in reality the odds are longer than that.  

I don't see a lot of new routes been done. I was in the quarry a bit over the summer and it never seemed that busy.  

Is Irish climbing in hibernation? Does anyone care? Do I have a point? No.

Source: Bouldering Ireland

[comPiler]

Working the proj
14 January 2013, 10:52 am



I got out yesterday and put some work in on my project. The day was very damp, drizzling at times but fortunately the project stayed bone thanks to its steepness. I can't imagine there was much bouldering done in Glendo by the IBLers.

Maybe some progress on the first move, which is the crux, but the other moves felt harder than I remembered. Need to do more fingerboarding and work on the core. It's hard and it's good and I'm optimistic that I will get there, then I can retire from high level bouldering.

Source: Bouldering Ireland

[comPiler]

Best ever
14 January 2013, 4:40 pm



I know this isn't climbing.

It's a big deal to say best ever. It's a summary of everything that happened so far, it's calling the top. Implicit is that it means 'best so far', but if like Sergey Bubka, the Ukrainian pole vaulter, you are constantly probing the limits of your sport or of hyperbole, you will loose credibility if 'best ever' starts to sound a lot like 'most recent'.

Source: Bouldering Ireland

[comPiler]

Glossary of bouldering book: comments welcome
14 January 2013, 9:20 pm

 

I have just finished writing a ten page glossary for my bouldering book, it would be very helpful if you had a look through it and pointed out any mistakes or omissions.

Click to see a full size flash version.



Source: Bouldering Ireland

[comPiler]

The Ice Caves
21 January 2013, 5:57 pm

  from Five Ten on Vimeo.

Great, great looking problems and rock, maybe perfect rock.

Chris seems pretty cool and unlike most top end boulderers he looks like he could crack some skulls, not that he would. I think if I found and climber a problem like Fin Depedance I think I would give up. Perfect movement.

I'm sure there must a place like this in Ireland - minus the ice. The granite in Dunaff in Inishowen is similar, wave smoothed and very, very clean.

EDIT found another vid.

from Jon Glassberg on Vimeo.



Source: Bouldering Ireland

[comPiler]

Video -  Daniel Woods - The Grey 8B+
24 January 2013, 10:11 am

 Very cool move at 3:12

Source: Bouldering Ireland

[comPiler]

Electonic climbing guides
8 May 2013, 7:03 pm

Yesterday Mountaineering Ireland released their Donegal Rock Climbing App. This is the first such guide to Ireland, and represents a big step for a large organisation like MI.

The original plan was to release a print guide, but that was shelved relatively recently. At this point the guide was already years late. But this isn't unusual for an MI guide (and it's probably fair to say any volunteer produced guidebook).

I spent a good bit of time thinking about the pros and cons of electronic guides when I was deciding what to do once the print copies of Bouldering Ireland ran out. In the end I settled for a downloadable PDF as (1) it was easy for me to generate from my existing InDesign files (2) it can be printed and viewed on any electronic device. A possible downside is that it can be easily shared, but I felt the risk/consequence of this were low, as climbers are a decent lot and the cost price was low.

So some pros and cons of the Donegal Rock Climbing App format:

Pros

• Cheap to produce Printing books can get expensive, having said that MI tend to do reasonably large runs so their unit cost should be pretty low (especially relative to the retail price of their guide - €25). Either way they have to stump up thousands in cash upfront and the less popular books may take a decade to sell out (if they ever do). So producing an electronic guide means they don't have large upfront costs, well maybe they do, I don't know many people who would code an App like this for free, but lets assume even if they did pay a developer, it's still a lot cheaper than printing.
• Cheap to buy The App costs €7 which is a lot less than the €25 the previous edition of the Donegal guide cost. This isn't, however, a like for like comparison as the App is contains 1000 selected routes, while the guide was definitive (I don't know off hand how many routes it contained). Also Iain Miller (www.uniqueascent.ie), the editor of the App, has made available PDFs of the definitive guides for free on his website (surely they should be on the MI site? Who owns them?). This begs the question why wasn't the App made available for free, or a nominal cost?
• Can be easily updated An App can be quickly and easily updated to correct mistakes or add new routes.
• Doesn't block the release of a paper guide in future As there isn't a huge pile of books sitting in MI offices, the option is open in future to release a paper guide.
• An electronic guide can do a lot of things a paper one can't Maybe this is the big reason. A smartphone knows where you are, it can display charts, you can search it, there is effectively infinite space for photos, you could intergrate voting or feedback etc.

Cons

• Most people won't be able to use it I looked up some smartphone stats for Ireland (check out the very useful www.thinkwithgoogle.com/mobileplanet). In 2012 43% of the population had a smartphone. 39% of those run iOS, on which the App works (there are plans for Android version in the future). So just over 16% of climbers (assuming their smartphone habits are the same as the general population which could go either way I suppose) will be able to use this guide.
• Smartphones aren't reliable They aren't waterproof, and it would hurt to drop one in the sea. My battery doesn't last much longer than a day, so if I was camping without a means to charge it I could be stuck after a day or two.
• No legacy This is an alternative take of the pro "Can be easily updated". Paper guides exist long after they are made redunant by a new edition, while electronic guide are simply overwritten, the old version ceasing to exist. This means we lose the guide as a historical document, a representation of a particular place at a particular time. This is a pity I think. And while the wait between paper guides is often long, it caused a build up of excitement and a new wave of development and interest in an area often follows in the wake of a new guidebook.

My take is that I would of like to see a different approach. A print select guide, with plenty of great photos and interesting asides, with downloadable PDFs (and/or print on demand books) of the more esoteric areas.

What do people think?



Source: Bouldering Ireland

[comPiler]

Cover for new book
8 May 2013, 8:09 pm

I'm working on the cover of my new book about bouldering. Would be great if people voted for the cover they think is best, would be great if they left their reasons as well. Let me know (use the "Add new idea" button) if you like some aspects of one and some of another. Also let me know if you dislike them all or have any other suggestions....  

powered by tricider

See large version of each cover below.  1  2  3  4  5

Source: Bouldering Ireland

[SA Chris]

3

[andy_e]

4!

[SA Chris]

Actually looking again, i think a mix of 3 and 4. I think there should be a pic of someone climbing indoors on the cover, as the book covers indoor training as well, but i like the black background more.

[sidewinder]

4

[andy_e]

I agree with Chris actually, 3 with a black background.