Well, our day began cloudy enough and the dreaded midgies were out in force - but the day soon brightened up to warm blistering sunshine and a light breeze that blew the tormenting buggers away. Today we had Ronan from Mullingar for an intensive 1:1 Rock Climbing Course.... but it turned out to be 1:2 as my mate Mick came along for a last day of climbing in The Gap before he emigrates to London!!!
We headed up to wonderful crag of "Rescue Rock" and Ronan got to grips with the classic lines of "Skyline" Severe, "Sunken Business" HVS, "Free at Last" HVS.
Mick did a lovely solo ascent of "Quartz Movement" VS 4c, looks the business in the photo you will agree.
After tackling and mastering the abseiling skills wth a few airy descents we then climbed the great line of "Games Without Frontiers" HS 4b this climbs up the middle of a lovely face going over a small overhang at half height. Ronan was now getting into the flow of relying more on friction of his feet and sticky shoes more than just brute force and ignorance!!!
Lots more skills learned and passed on before we head down to the lovely little roadside crag of "Brennans Leap". Here we went through setting up Top Ropes, Bottom Roping and setting up / equalising Anchors.
Mick and myself climbed the sweet line of "Granuaile" E1 5b, for our first time..very nice indeed!
Ronan now tiring at this stage of the day had great trouble on one of the first climbs ever recorded in The Gap, the classic "Cronin's Crack" HS 4b (FA 1967). After giving a few pointers he finally nailed the Crux!!! And he finished the day exhausted but content with his achievements and with everything he had learned on a wonderful sunny day climbing in The Gap!! And off to Kate Kearneys for grub and a pint.
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| Ronan learning to abseil in The Gap of Dunloe. |
Mick did a lovely solo ascent of "Quartz Movement" VS 4c, looks the business in the photo you will agree.
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| Mick on a nice solo of "Quartz Movement" |
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| Nice view over toward the crag of "Bothán" in The Gap of Dunloe. |
Mick and myself climbed the sweet line of "Granuaile" E1 5b, for our first time..very nice indeed!
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| Mick on "Granuaile" |
Ronan now tiring at this stage of the day had great trouble on one of the first climbs ever recorded in The Gap, the classic "Cronin's Crack" HS 4b (FA 1967). After giving a few pointers he finally nailed the Crux!!! And he finished the day exhausted but content with his achievements and with everything he had learned on a wonderful sunny day climbing in The Gap!! And off to Kate Kearneys for grub and a pint.
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| Ronan getting to grips with the Kerry sandstone |
