Crag Number: 1
Culdaff - Dunmore Head |
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Culdaff - Dunmore Head |
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Directions: The most popular crag in Inishowen, if not Donegal, owing to its convenience and the huge concentration of routes at all grades, some of which are excellent. In the centre of Culdaff village there is a small village green and Post Office where the Coastal Scenic Road joins the main Moville/ Culdaff Road. Follow this coastal road east from Culdaff village for approx. 3km. Ample parking can be had at the car park opposite the caravan park. Take care not to block access to house or the road/track to the small port below. OS Grid Reference: C550498 Click here to view location in Google Maps |
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| The white slab at the right hand of Main Crag, right of alcove. |
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Length: 12m Alan Tees, Bill Magowan 30/03/10 Start about a metre left of the big central crack of "Caratra Crack" and move leftwards following a thin crackline, which leads to a bigger crack towards the top. Belay in niche
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Length: 12m Alan Tees, Bill Magowan 30/03/10 Start as for "Toenails" but continue straight up in a line between "Caratra Crack" and "Toenails" Nice climbing on small holds.
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Length: 14m S.McDonald, B patton This takes the wide crackline in the centre of the slab.
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VS 4c Length: 14m Alan Tees, Neil Mahon 2020 Start: Climb up to gain a deep wet crack just to the right of Dusty Mayday. Thin climbing above, staying parallel to the deep crack of Mayday.
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S -Length: 15m B McDermott, P McDermott Takes the right edge of the white slab. Starts right of the edge, step left and step out above the overhangs at the top.
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| Next climbs are in alcove to right. |
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E2 6aLength: 10m P Dunlop, R Dunlop (Spring 1991) The big roof at the back of the alcove left of Calamity Collins. Climb up the slab to roof, move out to a hovering block left of the roof crack (takes F1.5 + F2). Move excitingly up to a waltzing block on the lip, and up into a position of contemplation above the roof. Continue to the top passing various holds on the way.
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HVS 5bLength: 10m N Grimes, A Mlllar (12/91) Suppliers of high-quality agri-chemicals. Climb
steeply into and up the left-hand groove to the right of the roof (F0.5 or F1 protect the crux bulge). Ireland's first sponsored rock-climb, and the start of
a new era of professionalism in the sport.
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Length: 10m P Dunlop, R Dunlop (3/10/87) The groove right of Millar's Mills and left of Calamity Collins (F0.5/F1 protects crux).
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VS 5aLength: 14m B McDermott, P Flood In the right hand corner of the alcove climb up to gain crack and continue up into slightly overhanging corner to finish knackered!
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E1 5bLength: 15m P Dunlop, R Dunlop (23/8/87) Excellent varied climbing with an exposed finish. Start in short corner about 1m right of Calamity Collins. Thrutch up this to the small overhang. Move round left here to the thin crack in the wall, which is climbed with the aid of thin flakes and without the aid of Calamity Collins. Finish using the crack and arete to the top, with space being the most obvious thing between your legs!
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| On right of alcove and left of Main Slab is a v-groove. |
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VS 4bLength: 18m B McDermott, J Rotherham This route takes the obvious chute 3m right of the alcove, moving out left and climbing the left of the upper cracks. Low in the grade.
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Length: 18m T.McDaid, J.Rotherham. As for Peapob but taking the right-hand crack at the top.
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| Now your'e at the left end of the steep and beautiful slab. |
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HVS 5aLength: 18m A. Millar, G. Millar(9/86) Splendid airy climbing up left arete of Main Slab. Start as for Bean Bob, climb arete (good F1.5 at half height). Delicately step right onto the slab below the big overhang (large friends). Climb up, then step back left for difficult move up into small finishing groove.
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E3 6aLength: 18m N Grimes, B Dunlop, J Hutton (79/10/90) Bold then strenuous climbing up the slab and overhang right of Fluid Inclusion's finish. Start as for Wall Rock Alterations. Pull up onto the slab on left, over first small roof (F7.5 on the left here). Climb boldly and directly up through the two overlaps to below the big overhang (Big friends); climb it to a tiny groove. Finish up this. With a move somewhat akin to riding a donkey, this is an excellent eliminate.
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E1 5bLength: 20m A Millar, G Millar (9/86) Offering delicate and open climbing with an exposed feel. Start at the little groove left of Shining Cossacks , climb up the groove to a bulge and excellent protection. Step up left here onto the slab and move daintily away from the protection. Go leftwards as far as the final groove of Fluid Inclusions (big friends). Finish up Fluid Inclusions. This route, along with the previous two, unfortunately suffers from hairy growth in parts.
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Length: 18m E Cooper, N Grimes (Spring 1991) An alternative finish to some of the routes hereabouts. Go over the roof into the obvious rightward-slanting groove on the right-hand side of Main Face's overhang, friend-protected. |
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Length: 18m A Millar, N Grimes (1988) Follow Wall Rock Alterations to the delicate step up onto the slab. Follow the little arete up and rightwards to a junction with Shining Cossacks and finish up this. Nice positions, but little new climbing.
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HVS 5aLength: 22m P Neary, I. Ryan Start: 4m right of Bean Bob, under a slab, 1 m to the left of an overhanging V groove. Make an awkward move to gain slab. Climb diagonally leftwards to knob and then rightwards to brown patch beneath overhang. Exit to the right of the overhang and continue as for Diversion.
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Length: 18m R Dunlop (1989) Climb through the deep v-slot left of Diversion to a flat quartzy hold,and continue up to join Diversion to finish.
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Length: 16m P.Cooper 21/06/03 Step up onto hanging slab on r.hand side of 'Ray's fish n chips' to quartz overlap, continue directly up centre of slab, through diversion and up centre of above slab with a step right onto short final slab.
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HS 4bLength: 20m J Rotherham, M Patton Start: 1m right of the overhanging V groove is bottomless chimney. Climb bottomless chimney to gain ledge and, at mid height, continue out leftwards following crack on fine jug handles past nest to finish.
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HS - Length: 17m J Rotherham, M Patton Start: 1m right of Diversion. Climb crack using bridging and some jamming to gain large ledge at mid-height. Continue directly up over overhangs and ledges to top.
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Length: 15m P Dunlop,R Dunlop, N Mooney The roof right of Tina's Crack and left of Grecian Gift. Up crack to ledge, up slab to thin traverse right under roof before feeling for the weakness and pulling over the lip onto the slab.
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VS 4cLength: 15m J Rotherham, B McDermott 2m right of Tina's Crack and to the left of the detached block is a steep right-ward trending crackline with great moves and stretchy finish. The arete to the right has been soloed by 'the Dunlops' at about E5 6b. |
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| The right hand end of the Main Face now steps back forming a corner for Orange Blossom. |
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HS 4bLength: 15m M Buchanan, D Buchanan 2m Right of Grecian Gift. Takes the obvious corner crack to the top (orange coloured rock on left hand side). The face on right is a delight at HVS 5a - without holds or gear in O.B. |
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S 4aLength: 13m B McDermott 1 m right of Orange Blossom, climb chimney on right of slab, stepping left onto slab higher up.
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S 3cLength: 13m J Rotherham, G Hamilton (12/81) Start: 2m right of Barbara's Baby, on the left-hand - side of the gully. Handjam and layback up deep crack into bay above. Continue up, and exit left of slab.
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Length: 25m Alan Tees, Ronan Doherty 4/04/19 Climb left edge of SRS Slab passing big jammed block onto platform.
Climb left hand corner easily (just right of line of Cheatin Bitch)
and swing out right, onto the wall on good holds, to exit onto
ledge. Thread belay at the back of cave.
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| The large slab. |
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Length: 14m B McDermott Follows the obvious large gully at the centre of The Middle Crag, with a large chockstone at mid-height.
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| The next climbs start to right of SRS Slab, starts are in small gully behind warm-up boulder. |
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D -Length: 15m B McDermott, M McDermott Goes up the centre of the moderately angled white slab immediately right of Chockstone Gully. Standard route for beginners.
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VD -Length: 13m P Grant Starts in a bottomless V-shaped chimney about 1 m right of S.R.S. Slab and goes up the edge at the top.
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Length: 11m P. Cooper and M.McGinty 18/09/02 The vague arete on right of Belfast Blitz Boys. Exposed climbing direct to horizontal crack, some protection in v-groove 1m right. Finish above. Short and satisfying.
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Length: 15m Peter Cooper, Spring 1999.
Ascend initial corner of Absent friends, use horizontal holds on r.hand slab to gain arete; finish on Just a pleasant saunter up a nice line! Was done on first visit to Dunmore, solo
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VD Length: 15m B McDermott, M McDermott Takes the obvious large cleft/chimney 3m right of Belfast Blitz Boys. Numerous variations.
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HS 4bLength: 15m B Patton, P Grant In a small corner/recess above and right warm-up boulder and left of Bluebelle. Climb up to horizontal crack, then left go left to crack by arete. High stretch for thank God hold, follow edge to top.
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S 4aLength: 12m B.McDermott,B.Patton Start part way up Bluebelle to climb cracks in bulging wall on left, follow these to gain vertical finishing crack in headwall above. Some superb moves for grade.
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Length: 12m F Ferry, M McDermott (80) Left-most route on slab right of 'Bluebelle' corner.
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Length: 12m A Tees, R Smith (15/5/83) This takes the edge of the wall right of Bluebelle and X Route. Start in an alcove
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Length: 12m B McDermott, G Ellis (80) Start as for Bluebelle and climb the wall on it's right.
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Length: 12m G Ellis, M McDermot (80) This is the furthest right of four routes on the slab.
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Length: 10m Trevor Hartley and Alfie Conn 30/3/14 Just right of the arete is an overhung recess. Start in this and climb up onto the slab on the right. Trend first up and right and then left by a small ledge. Finish by getting to the top.Interesting move on the slab.
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