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Editor: Owey Island (East)

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Crag Profile: Owey Island (East)

Details of the crag can be reviewed below. Editing links are present on all routes and inter-route notes

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Map of Owey - Showing main climbing areas.

Directions: About 300m North of the harbour is a long and narrow canyon separating Owey from another small island. It is possible to scramble down the Southern end where you will find two solid granite slabs. One is a black triangular affair with a deep sideways chimney on its right hand side. The other, a square slab, is around the corner to the right. Both slabs are capped by overhangs, and have well protected routes.

OS Grid Reference: B719234

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0 - Thor
S 4a
Length: 25m
Danny Carden, Rachel Dexter-Spooncer. Aug ’10
This fine climb follows the juggy flutings one metre left of the prominent arete beside Nordkapp to reach an exposed position on the arete itself, before stepping  slightly left to join a shallow chimney to the top.
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1 - Nordkapp
* * *
VS
Length: 25m
D Walsh, P Butcher (June 91)
Climb the right trending corner, shelf at one-third height, crux just above this, gaining the twist of the corner.
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2 - Nordkapp Right Hand
VS 4c
Length: 25m
P.Cooper, D. Millar & V. Schaefer 25/06/07
As for Nordkapp, after crux move right and follow the crack BUT is climbed on it's right, for that feeling of exposure. Direct up the crack is the natural line but nowhere near as rewarding.
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3 - Bumbler's Revenge
E1 5b
Length: 25m
Michael Hassan, Anthony Feeney, PJ Monaghan 20/06/09
Climb Sting until just above half height, below an obvious looking line that runs about a couple of metres out on the face from the corner of Sting. Step up into groove and climb this to top.
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4 - Sting
VS -
Length: 25m
D Walsh, P Butcher (June 91)
Climb the left side of the triangular slab, the double jutting corner above providing a strenuous crux.
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5 - 400K
S -
Length: 30m
D Walsh, F Cooney P Butcher (June 91)
Climb the fluted cracks to the right of the triangular slab easily. Gently gain and follow the shallow corner in the prow above to finish.
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6 - Bottomless Slab
VS 4c
Length: 25m
D Walsh, F Crowley (September 93)
The square black slab right of the previous routes is bounded on its left by a black corner with a crack 1 m to its right, this has a deep crack on its right, and twin shallow cracks up the middle. Climb the corner/crack on the extreme left of the square black slab to a small stance, then athletically and committingly (crux) left and up to just under a small square-cut overhang where it is possible to step left onto the bottomless slab which faces the canyon, up which to top. The belay is well back on a boulder.
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7 - Spoiled for Choice
VS 4b
Length: 30m
F Crowley, D Walsh (September 93)
Up the broken rock on left of the square black slab (right of crack) to small stance (shared with previous route), and gain the bottom left of intermediate diagonal slab above overlap at top of black slab. Finish direct.
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8 - High Tension
E1 5b
Length: 25m
S MacGearailt J McCann (Sept 93)
Start on the left side of the square black slab. Climb to ledge at 4m to gain base of a steep corner/grove and crack. Climb the bulging crack and groove over several overlaps and trending rightwards at the top. The tension referred to is the product of the steep committing climb, which only eases at the top.
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9 - Deadline
E1 5b
Length: 25m
S MacGearailt, J McCann (September 93)
Begin at the corner formed between the black square east facing slab and the north facing wall on the left, scramble up to the base of the corner which is steeper than initially perceived, hard technical climbing on the wall to the left of the corner gains the base of the easier angled deep grove/gully above. Climb this grove in a more relaxed mood passing a jammed rock near the top.
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10 - Up the Creek
HVS -
Length: 35m
D Walsh, P Butcher (June 91)
Climb the shallow twin cracks in centre of slab (crux at 15m near top of slab). Turn the first overhang on the right airily, above a small overlap. Turn the second overhang left of a V groove, finishing leftwards.
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0 -

No length recorded
Across the channel is a stack with a window feature at its north end. Access by a variety of possibilities.
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11 - Window Route
VD -
Length: 27m
Martin Mcguigan, Alan Tees, Bill Magowan
The obvious rectangular window in the Northern of two sea stacks known as the Leap Isles (or Tor Lice Riseagh). (These are just North of Nordkapp etc and are separated from the main island, and each other, by narrow channels). Access by canoe and pendulum on the first ascent! Start directly below the window, gain it, and bridge up it to the ridge, and thence to the top. Descent by abseil or tyrolean!
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12 - Shannon collective
VS -
No length recorded
J Read, E Mullen June 2010
First steep corner on the Island directly opposite. The island is called Tor Lice Riseach (the rock of the flags of thong weed) on the Owey map dan has copies of. Access by swim and tesco inflatable aeroplane on FA. The route is on northernmost of two sea stacks known as the Leap Isles (or Tor Lice Riseagh)
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13 - Rookies Roost
S 4a
Length: 15m
I. Miller, L. O’Connor, J. Bags 03/07/14
10 minutes North of the harbour. There are two sea stacks known as the Leap Isles (or Tor Lice Riseagh). These are just North of Nordkapp etc and are separated from the main island, and each other, by narrow channels. Access by canoe. The following route is on on the Donegal end of the sea ward face of the left stack as you face out to sea from Owey. Access to the base of the routes is by easy sea level traverse from the Atlantic end of the stack. Climb the deep chimney.
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14 - Waiting Wife
VS 4b
Length: 20m
I. Miller, L. O’Connor, J. Bags 03/07/14
10 minutes North of the harbour. There are two sea stacks known as the Leap Isles (or Tor Lice Riseagh). These are just North of Nordkapp etc and are separated from the main island, and each other, by narrow channels. Access by canoe. The following route is on on the Donegal end of the sea ward face of the left stack as you face out to sea from Owey. Access to the base of the routes is by easy sea level traverse from the Atlantic end of the stack. Climb the centre of the slab with thoughtful gear and excellent rock.
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0 -

No length recorded
Where the canyon, formed by the islets and isle, narrows to three metres forming an obvious large corner on the second of the small Islands the following routes are found opposite this corner (Owey Island side). Access is by abseil. Routes cannot be seen, unless you have a boat, before abbing - this may have led to them not seeing many ascents; despite them being amongst the earliest of Owey routes. Please add feedback comments if you climb them?
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15 - Reliable Seagull
VS -
Length: 30m
T O'Brien, J McCann (September 93)
Moving north along the coast, to where there is a channel out to sea, creating two small islands on the seaward side of the canyon. North of this break, where the canyon narrows to three metres forming an obvious large corner on the second of the small Islands the following routes are found opposite this corner (Owey Island side). Abseil down the narrow south facing wall and belay at high tide level. A rucksack is useful to avoid the rope getting wet. From the belay traverse left past the blind corner and climb along the base of the east facing wall for 4m to reach a wide crack system that leads to a bulge at 15m. Climb the bulge on excellent holds to top.
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16 - Canyonland
VS -
Length: 20m
P Breen, S MacGearailt (September 93)
From the same belay climb the narrow chimney and fluted cracks that splits the narrow south facing wall. Some spiky jams bring you above the overhang and are followed by delicate crystalline bridging and pinching in the crack system.
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19 - Star Bank
VS 4b
Length: 17m
M McCormick, 8 Proctor (September 93)
Start 2m to the right of Gale Warning. The route takes the right hand side of the series of cracks finishing up the narrow corner to the left of the final steps of Captain Gallagher. Bombproof protection.
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17 - Gale Warning
VS 4b
Length: 17m
S MacGearailt, O Cougat (September 93)
Abseil down the shallow corner and cracks and take a semi-hanging belay at some small ledges and spikes. Climb the steep green wall using the left crack for layoffs to gain the base of the corner which gives an easier finish.
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18 - Captain Gallagher
E1 5a
Length: 16m
M McCormick, 8 Proctor (September 93)
Start on the wall 1 m left of Storm Force, climb strenuously over the lower bulges to gain the ramp and move left delicately (crux), climb wall above on a series of right trending ledges to top.
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20 - Storm Force
E2 6b
Length: 16m
S MacGearailt, O Cougat, M McCormick (September 93)
Using same abseil as last two routes swing right to a large comfortable ledge at high tide level in an alcove formed by opposing comers and an overhanging wall. Climb the left-hand leaving corner of the alcove using a wide crack/chimney that narrows to hand jam size higher up. Pull strenuously over a small overlap and break out left to a good ledge and rest (shared with Captain Gallagher). From the ledge move back right and using a thin hidden crack at the back of the niche reach for a good hold and pull up onto a smaller ledge (crux). Several more moves remain before the top.
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21 - The Northwest Passage
HS 4b
Length: 16m
P Breen, S. Mac Gearailt
The next feature that is easily identifiable from the top is the stepped ramp of Shakespeare's Women, just to the south of this lies the shallow black north facing corner of Black September with a square ledge at its base. Left of Black September there is a face/wall with a direct finish up a steep crack. Start as for Black September. Traverse left for 4m onto a steep face that is pleasantly climbed on big holds and good gear. Finish left or alternatively climb the thin crack direct at 5b.
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22 - Black September
E1 5b
Length: 16m
S MacGearailt, P Breen, M McCormick (September 93)
A shallow black right facing corner and crack with a small overhang at 4m. Climb the crack and corner which is more strenuous than it looks but well protected.
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23 - Northern Light
HVS 5a
Length: 12m
S MacGearailt, P Breen, M McCormick (September 93)
From the square ledge slightly right of Black September there is a bulging crack leading straight up. Climb the crack which is strenuous and finish up a series of small ledges where the protection is just adequate.
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24 - Shakespeare's Women
S -
Length: 16m
M McCormick (solo) (September 93)
The cliff lies back slightly here with a series of large steps and ramps that trend rightwards. This is probably the most identifiable feature on this face. At the base of this route runs a narrow ledge 1/2 meters wide running for about six meters in length. This route follows these ramps to the top.
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25 - Tales of Nadia
VS 5a
Length: 16m
M McCormick, 8 Proctor (September 93)
At 2m right of the base of Shakespeare's Women is a crack system leading to a large block at 4m. Climb the crack and turn the block on the left continue up wall to top.
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26 - Mick's Chimney
HVS 5a
Length: 16m
T O'Brien, M McCormick (September 93)
This route takes the second crack to the right of Tales of Nadia climb the crack for 3m to gain the rightward trending flaky ramp. Follow this to join the non-obvious chimney to top.
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27 - Pearl Harbour
HS 4b
Length: 15m
0 Cougat. 8 McDevitt (September 93)
In the next bay north of the Canyon, there is a steep clean buttress that projects from the southern side. Three routes were climbed here and are described when viewed from above looking out to sea. On the left hand side of the buttress there is a deep north-west facing corner, Pearl Harbour follows the corner to the top.
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28 - Pearl Jam
HS -
Length: 12m
B McDevitt, O Cougat (September 93)
To the right (facing out) of Pearl Harbour climb the steep but straightforward crack in the west facing wall.
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29 - The climbs not over until the pumped leader Screams
HVS 5a
Length: 25m
O Cougat, McDevitt (September 93
On the right hand (eastern) side of the buttress, this route takes the two stage corner starting from a ledge about 5m above the sea. Climb the lower part of the corner to a large ledge than get stuck into the second section which is steep and off putting, or wait until the top rope arrives.
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30 - Green Bay Packer
HVS 4c
Length: 25m
T O'Brien, O Cougat, B McDevitt (September 93)
Abseil to low tide level to the left (facing the sea) of the obvious promontory in Green Bay. Scramble around to the base of the arete and start climbing one metre to the right of it (facing the rock). Continue close to the arete to the second platform. From here climb on the edge till a delicate move right leads to cracks and good holds. Continued to the top just to the right of the arete. The top four metres are enlivened if you can bring a consumer society approach to the climbing and the holds.
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31 - The Friendly Bag Lady
E1 5b
Length: 20m
M McCormick. T O'Brien, N Leonard (April 96)
3 metres left of GBP abseil to low tide level.????
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32 - Call me Ishmael
E1 5b
Length: 30m
P.Cooper & V. Schafer 24/08/08
Approximately 3 minutes north of the twin sea stacks that run parallel to the coast. On the north side of (?) bay/zawn is an obvious clean cut rightward-trending steep crack which leads up to a corner and an overhang, the crack continues through this. A good seated belay position is at the top, just under a handy belay block.
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33 - Blade***
E1 -
No length recorded
Andrzej Smialy & Party 4/07/03
In Cladaghroan Bay. This is the stack named "Stackamillion" Details lodged at Cruit Golf Club. Grade VII UIAA
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34 - Cormorant
HS 4b
Length: 45m
J McCann (September 93)
Beyond the next bay, which contains a prominent stack "Stackamillion" and sea arch, the coastline travels north for about 400 meters and is very broken. (This section of coastline is referred to as (Ladaghroan on 6 inch OS). At this point it turns west and a large slab A5 meters in height at an angle of 70 degrees with an obvious flat sea stack directly opposite, there are three routes on this slab. Cormorant is the corner/grove on the left (southern end)
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35 - Shadow Dancer
VS -
Length: 38m
M McCormick, B Proctor (September 93)
In the middle of the slab, a crack goes to a headwall, which is turned on the left loose blocks to the top.
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36 - Wavedance
VS 4c
Length: 38m
S MacGearailt, P Breen, R Toal (September 93)
Takes a shallow crack on the right side of the slab, climb this to the overlap, then back right and follow parallel flared cracks to the top.
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