Name: Glencolmcille Climbfest
Start: 2025-05-02T08:00:00+00:00
End: 2025-05-05T17:00:00+00:00

Editor: Malinbeg (Narrow Zawn)
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Crag Profile: Malinbeg (Narrow Zawn)
Details of the crag can be reviewed below. Editing links are present on all routes and inter-route notes

Directions: The routes in this area surround the small sea inlet known as Narrow Zawn. The main approach track from the harbour leads one directly to the top of the zawn. The pavement at the top of the buttress to the right (north) of the zawn is a fine viewing platform for these routes and the Main West Wall. Descent, as mentioned at the end of the last section, is easily achieved by scrambling down the steep but very broken rocks immediately to the north of the buttress, to a broad, non-tidal ledge. The zawn itself is easily crossed except at high tide or in particularly stormy weather. In November 1986 all routes from'Shiver Me Timbers'to'Sold Princess Royal' fell into the sea. `Albatross' appears to have come off relatively unscathed but everything to the right has been dramatically remodelled at least once. A number of routes have been logged, but the only one that appears to be definitely still there is an E2 which roughly fits the description of `Moby The Eunach'/Ricky's route. OS Grid Reference: G490795 Click here to view location in Google Maps
01 - Albatross VS 4c Length: 20m E Cooper (2/81) Start: The left-hand end of the buttress is characterised by an obvious prow of rock, with a crack running up its right-hand side. Climb this well protected crack to upper slab and the top. View Route Edit Route Upload a new photo for this route
01a - Particle Accerator E1 5b Length: 20m Jonathan Conroy, Colm Kelly and Christine Hill 26/08/2007 Start below obvious Prow just right of Albatross, Climb easily to ledge at start of Albatross and then step out right on to the slab and climb upwards using a thin crack for hands and protection. Climb into obvious groove and then exit to top (crux) on poor holds and small pro, (size 0/0.5 friend useful here) View Route Edit Route Upload a new photo for this route
02 - Moby The Eunach E2 5b Length: 20m D Woodward, D Hanna (30/11/86) This route climbs the obvious thin crackline up the centre of the steep wall. Start below the cracks and climb up easily until the wall steepens and the start of the crack proper. Climb crack to top using small ledges and lay-aways (crux protected by small wires). View Route Edit Route Upload a new photo for this route
03 - Zimmerman Blues HVS 5a Length: 30m S Billane, C Torrans (24/5/75 This route took the right-hand side of the fallen wall and most of it reputedly survived the 1986 crash. The route starts with a steep ramp leading to an obvious deep crack at mid-height. Gain the ramp and follow it to a small overhang. Climb this with difficulty and follow the crack above to the top. View Route Edit Route Upload a new photo for this route
04 - Hornpipe Slab E1 5b Length: 25m Original 'Vdiff' ascent J Leonard, J Flynn (25/5/75) The following routes are across the Zawn. The juggy crack to gain the slab has reputedly fallen, giving a 5b wall climb. Start near the back of the zawn opposite the main rockfall area. Climb wall to gain obvious rightward trending slab. 5b start, W.Poots, D Ferguson? View Route Edit Route Upload a new photo for this route
05 - Hornpipe Variant E1 5b Length: 22m S Long, P Wynne (9/4/78) - original HS route. Start: As for Hornpipe Slab for 2m. Climb the vertical left wall (unprotected) to the top. View Route Edit Route Upload a new photo for this route
06 - Barnacle Bill VD - Length: 20m J Leonard, K Byrne (31/3/75) Start: The route takes a series of blocks a few metres to the right of Hornpipe Slab to a black corner at the top. Climb a number of easy blocks to a corner below a black slightly overhanging corner which is sometimes wet. Gain height and climb up through the corner using good footholds on the left wall. View Route Edit Route Upload a new photo for this route
07 - Heave Ho VD - Length: 20m J Leonard, K Byrne (31/3/75) Start: A few metres to the right of Barnacle Bill. Climb some blocks and corners to a large ledge below a corner crack. Climb the outside of the corner on the right on good holds to the top. View Route Edit Route Upload a new photo for this route
08 - Marine Express VD - Length: 25m P Gargan, D Walsh (30/3/75) Start: The route follows a corner which starts on a quartzy `V' at the step of the upper of two obvious diagonal ramps a few metres to the right of Heave Ho. Follow the ramp to a layback block. From top of this step left and up steep wall on good holds, then up obvious rightward trending staircase on good but airy holds to the finish. Lack of protection on upper part of the route. View Route Edit Route Upload a new photo for this route
09 - Lord of the Flies * HS 4b Length: 25m D Walsh, P Gargan, C Wray (Alt leads) (31/3/75 direct start (20/5/78) Start: The lower of the two diagonal ramps mentioned above leads, with one awkward mantleshelf to the foot of a black chimney. The same point is more directly reached by climbing the obvious weakness in the wall below the ramp, gaining the ramp at 5m, just below the awkward mantleshelf. It is possible to belay at the foot of the chimney. Just right of the chimney, climb the obvious layback crack which is a feature of the cliff (crux) and up steep ground to finish. View Route Edit Route Upload a new photo for this route
10 - Dis Donc HVS - Length: 25m E.O'Riordan, M.O'Shea, K.Coyle 16/06/79. Start: This route takes the direct start of Lord of the Flies, to the base of the black chimney which is then laybacked to the top. View Route Edit Route Upload a new photo for this route
SW1b/ - Particle Accerator E1 5b Length: 20m Jonathan Conroy, Colm Kelly and Christine Hill 26/08/2007 Start below obvious Prow just right of Albatross, Climb easily to ledge at start of Albatross and then step out right on to the slab and climb upwards using a thin crack for hands and protection. Climb into obvious groove and then exit to top (crux) on poor holds and small pro, (size 0/0.5 friend useful here) View Route Edit Route Upload a new photo for this route