Colmcille Climbers

The week end started with my new sat nav taking me on the scenic route to Glendalough. Over the top of the mountains and along the edge of Glenmalure and down Sally’s Gap. Nice run but not for going back!

Inside the IMC’s bothy was a small group of people all chopping away at vegetables for the dinners for that night and the next. ( and very nice they where) … the dinners!

Our secretary Maeve was there and James ?? who I met last on a mountain in New Zealand 10 years ago and who handed me a can of Guinness. Good start.

Maeve and I teamed up the next day and we headed off up Glendalough to main craig.

The weather was fair with the odd shower and we decided to start with Maeve climbing a single pitch VD ( up around the corner). I do not rember the name of the route as usual and do not have a guide book so you can figure it out for yourself.

I did a severe beside it and then we decided to do a route which I will always remember as being one of my most enjoyable climbs, Quartz Gully HS.

Hard to beat the old grades!

Just before we started the rain poured and we sheltered under the overhangs and had our tea. I could not help but feel and be impressed by the people on the rock face at that time and continuing to climb, especially on the VS, well done you.

The rain eased and we decided to give it a go. Not bad nice holds and good gear.

Maeve had a guide and we had a quick glance at it. Yea, just follow the quartz line to the top. No! I came to a piece of quartz which I could not get past and blamed the wet for. Looking to my left I could see a lovely hand traverse going left and then rising again back above the impassable quartz. OK got over and found a perfect placement for a small friend.( Must be great to know the names of all these bits of gear and routes.) Feeling good I headed over and clipped the rope and headed up the rising traverse back to a happy place !!! A tight rope made me look around and noticed the rope twice around the carabineer. No need for any dramatic writing, you know what it’s like. Arms pumping by now, I head back and sort it out and move up to a very happy place.

Just then I here a shout and down below is Alan and Andrew who just arrived.

Maeve made a great second climb through pouring rain and it was nice looking down and feeling good.

Good night in the Hotel watching rugby and drinking stout. Great night in the IMC bothy catching up on all the gossip with old and new friends. Rain the next morning and home. Great week end. Cant believe I have written so much? Marty