No 89 Spring 2009 ISSN 0790 8008 €3.20 ( £2.20)

THE MAGAZINE FOR WALKERS AND CLIMBERS IN IRELAND

www.mountaineering.ie

membership

The cross on Carrauntoohil, Co Kerry, in a mid-winter sunset. Photo: Tim Gallys. Name change The MCI changes its name to Mountaineering Ireland

OUNTAINEERING IRELAND, and represent those involved in in the change-over as low as possible. the new name for the MCI, hillwalking, climbing, bouldering and Mwas voted in by the alpinism. Mountaineering Ireland is a As a consequence of the name members present at the MCI’s Annual 32-county organisation which has a change, a new Memorandum of General Meeting 2009 at Knockree membership in excess of 9,650 individual Association and Articles of Association of Youth Hostel, Glencree, Co Wicklow and club members in over 130 clubs. the organisation were approved at the on Saturday 21 February. AGM to reflect the name change. An Mountaineering Ireland is the national additional element was also added into Work had been going on behind the governing body for the sport of the Mountaineering Ireland Grievance scenes for some time on the rebranding mountaineering in Ireland and is Procedure at the AGM which uses Just of the organisation. It was felt that the recognised as such by the Irish Sports Sport Ireland as a mediation and word “Council” was too stuffy and that Council, Sport Northern Ireland, the arbitration process. Copies of both the Council structure was no longer part International Mountaineering and documents can be downloaded from our of the organisation. Climbing Federation (UIAA) and the website, www.mountaineering.ie. International Federation of Sport Climbing As part of our Strategic Development (IFSC). Stuart Garland Plan 2009-2013 consultation process, it Chief Officer was felt by members that a more While the name change comes into inclusive name would better engage new effect immediately, primarily you will see members and reflect the sport and the new identity first on our website and activity of mountaineering. in our e-zine. It may take some time before you see our new identity on our Mountaineering is the sport, activity or paper-based resources, as we will run profession of walking, hiking, trekking down our stocks before introducing any and climbing mountains. We work for new materials in order to keep our costs

www.mountaineering.ie Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 3 contents WELCOME TO... ISSUE 89 The Irish Mountain Log is the membership magazine of Mountaineering Ireland. The organisation promotes the interests of hillwalkers and climbers in Ireland.

Mountaineering Ireland Sport HQ, 13 Joyce Way Park West Business Park Dublin 12, Ireland Tel: (+353 1) 625 1115 Fax: (+353 1) 625 1116 [email protected] www.mountaineering.ie

Hot Rock Climbing Wall Tollymore Mountain Centre Bryansford, Newcastle County Down BT33 0PT Tel: (+44 28) 4372 5354 [email protected] Features Editor: Patrick O’Sullivan 26 The crosses of Galtymore Tel: (+353 1) 837 8166 (pm, wknds) Jimmy Barry on the history of the [email protected] Features Editor: Peter O’Neill crosses on a famous Tipperary [email protected] mountain. Literary Editor: Joss Lynam Tel: (+353 1) 288 4672 (pm) [email protected] 30 Walking in the Provence

Advertising: Mountaineering Ireland Alps [email protected] Ian Kelly goes hillwalking in France Production: Cóilín MacLochlainn [email protected] with the Glenwalk Hillwalkers. Printing: Kilkenny People Printing Tel (+353 5677) 63366 34 In the Wilder Kaiser The Irish Mountain Log is published by Aodhnait Carroll and Angela Carlin Mountaineering Ireland four times a year visit the Tirol. – in March, June, September, December. The material published in the Log by the voluntary editorial team 35 The long march and contributors must not be taken as official Mountaineering Ireland policy Lindsay McVean takes on a 60km unless specifically stated. hike in the Reeks of Kerry.

Copy deadline for the Summer 2009 issue of the Irish Mountain Log is 38 Kaçkar journey Saturday, May 16th, 2009. Margaret Scully goes eco-trekking PARTICIPATION AND RISK in the Kaçkar Mountains of Turkey. Readers of the Irish Mountain Log are reminded that hillwalking and climbing are activities with a danger of personal 42 Bouldering in Hampi injury or death. Participants in these Naomi Sturdy goes climbing activities should be aware of and accept these risks, and be responsible in India. for their own actions and involvement. Mountaineering Ireland publishes and promotes safety and good practice 44 Paradise next door advice and through Bord Oiliúnt Sléibhe Colm Ennis takes part in a BMC (BOS, The Irish Mountain Training Meet in Wales. Board) administers a range of training programmes for walkers and climbers. Regulars 6 News 14 IMRA news 47 Training news 50 Access & Conservation news 52 Books 58 The last word

4 Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 www.mountaineering.ie editorial

Get more involved

pring is here and our thoughts are turning to the wide open S spaces. With the stretch in the evenings, it is possible to be more ambitious during the days that we do get out on the hills, and even the longer evenings give us the opportunity to get a short walk in while returning in safety before darkness falls…or before we do!

For those who are still planning their summer holidays, apart from information about the usual Mountaineering Ireland Alpine Summer Meet which this year is being held at Innertkirchen in the Swiss Bernese Oberland, in this issue we also have reports of walking trips to various other parts of the European Alps, which may also whet your appetite for trips further afield. For the rock climbers, we have a report on the joys of climbing in southern India. Apart from the sense of turning the corner and heading into the halcyon days of spring and summer, the first three months of the year also bring the AGM season. We have various reports from this year’s MCI AGM when the name change to Mountaineering Ireland for our sport’s National Governing Body was approved. Sadly, despite being held in the splendid surroundings of Glencree in the recently refurbished Knockree An Óige Hostel, the AGM was very poorly attended again. Those present heard reports of the significant progress made in the last year by Chief Officer, Stuart Garland, and the other staff members, supported by President, Alan Tees, Chairperson, Ruairí Ó Conchúir, the Board and the other volunteers who clearly make such an important contribution to our organisation’s development and work. ‘A lot done, a lot more to do’ was the message that came through repeatedly, together with an emphasis on the importance of the contributions of the volunteers. As the NGB for our sport goes from strength to strength, in these difficult times financially we should all give a thought to contributing to its work. Perhaps, you can start by planning to attend next year’s AGM or one of the other meets planned in the coming spring, summer and autumn months?

Patrick O’Sullivan Editor, Irish Mountain Log

ON THE COVER: The JB Malone memorial on the Wicklow Way overlooking Lough Tay and Luggala, County Wicklow. Photo: Patrick O’Sullivan.

THIS PAGE: Descending from Lugnaquillia, Co Wicklow, in the aftermath of the big snowfall in February 2009. Photo: Declan Carolan (UCD Mountaineering Club). www.mountaineering.ie Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 5 news

GENERAL ENQUIRIES News [email protected] BOARD OF DIRECTORS Get all the latest news at www.mountaineering.ie President Alan Tees [email protected] Alpine Meet Chairman Ruairí Ó Conchúir There is something to suit everyone no [email protected] Come along this summer matter what your interest or budget. Honorary Treasurer Alternatively, if you would like to do your own HAVE YOU made your plans for the summer David Batt thing in Innertkirchen, you can join us on the yet? If not, why not join us in Innertkirchen in [email protected] campsite any time between Sat 4 July and the Bernese Oberland, Switzerland, this July Sat 18 July. Please remember that if you for Mountaineering Ireland’s Summer Alpine BOARD MEMBERS want to stay on the campsite you must Tomás Alyward Meet? There is an even wider range of reserve your place with us by completing the [email protected] courses on offer this year, from a five-day application form. If you’d like more Pat Kenneally walk from Meiringen to Kandersteg, through information or have a question, please email [email protected] to our new, one-day walking climbing us at [email protected]. Vincent McAlinden courses and right up to our Alpine courses. [email protected] Deirdre McCarthy Innertkitchen, Switzerland. [email protected] Jerry O’Dwyer [email protected] Patrick O’Sullivan [email protected] Ross Millar [email protected] Dawson Stelfox [email protected]

STAFF AT SPORT HQ Chief Officer Stuart Garland [email protected] Administrator Una Feeney [email protected] Accounts Administrator Terry Canavan We join sport climbing federation [email protected] Training Officer WE ARE delighted to announce that the Competition Climbing, which had been in Tim Orr International Federation of Sport Climbing existence since 1997. In April 2007, the [email protected] (IFSC) Plenary Assembly has formally General Association of International Sports Training Administrator accepted the application of Mountaineering Federations General Meeting accepted the Kate Hebblethwaite Ireland for membership. The IFSC now spans IFSC as a new member. A few weeks later, [email protected] 75 countries and has 83 member the International World Games Association Access & Conservation Officer organisations. Membership of IFSC will allow also did the same, confirming that there Aodhnait Carroll Mountaineering Ireland members to would be a climbing competition in the 2009 [email protected] participate in European and world Kaohsiung World Games. In December 2007, championship climbing events, which ties in the International Olympic Committee granted STAFF AT TOLLYMORE with our Strategic Development Plan for provisional recognition to the IFSC, welcoming NI Youth Development Officer 2009-2013. sport climbing into the Angela Carlin At the same Plenary Assembly session, Olympic movement. [email protected] Arco di Trento (Italy) and Imst (Austria) were elected to host the World Championship 2011 • For more and the World Youth Championship 2011 information on the IFSC, please respectively. visit the website The IFSC was established in 2007 in the www.ifsc-climbing.org. place of the International Council for

6 Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 news
Scaling paper mountains Calendar of events Mountaineering Ireland catalogues its library For more information about any of these events, please see the relevant section of this magazine OFT-RUMOURED but rarely seen, the library as Ireland’s premier collection of or the events section of the website, www.mountaineering.ie. Mountaineering Ireland library holds near-mythical mountaineering literature and an unrivalled status among the membership. Reports of lofty resource for all enthusiasts, be they armchair Fri to Sun 10-12 April vaults lined with dusty tomes of mountain lore travellers or expedition planners. To this end, if Mountain Leader Assessment, Kerry have given rise to comparisons with the Library anyone has any unwanted copies of a hillwalking of Alexander because of its elusiveness and magazine, an unread copy of Krakauer’s Into Thin Sat 25 April Youth Climbing Competition, inaccessibility. Gortatole, Fermanagh Last year, I donned horn- rimmed spectacles and leather- Sat & Sun 25-26 April Walking Group Leader refresher elbowed cardigan and began the workshop mammoth task of cataloguing the Sat 6 June piles of diverse books that make Single Pitch Award refresher up the library. Several months workshop, Dublin later I emerged, spectacles Sat 4 July to Sat 18 July askew and cardie slightly moth- Summer Alpine Meet, eaten, to announce that the Innertkirchen, Switzerland herculean task was complete. Sat 11 July Forgotten accounts of Irish first Multi Pitch Award refresher ascents had been plucked from workshop, Wicklow Melk Abbey Library in Melk, Austria. Easily obscurity and strange volumes on Sat & Sun 1-2 August confused with the Mountaineering Ireland library. long-obsolete climbing Multi Pitch Award assessment, techniques found. Wicklow The library contains almost 2,000 volumes and Air or a duplicate copy of OS Map 52 that they Sat 8 August includes texts on national and international would consider donating to the library, please Single Pitch Award refresher, Clare climbing and walking routes, maps, contact us on the new Library Hotline at mountaineering biographies and travel literature. [email protected] . No item will be Sat & Sun 12-13 Sept It also holds a comprehensive range of back refused. Similarly if, in perusing the online Volunteer Training Officer workshop, Donegal issues of many outdoor adventure magazines catalogue, you see any glaring omissions, get in such as Walking World Ireland, Outsider, Trail and touch and we’ll endeavour to plug the paper gap. Fri to Sun 2-4 October Walking Group Leader Climber. The collection is now all held in the Great adventures are often inspired by the assessment Mountaineering Ireland office at Sport HQ and is written word. In This Game of Ghosts (1993), Joe open for any member to come and browse Simpson recalls reading Heinrich Harrer’s The Fri to Sun 9-11 October Autumn Gathering, An Daingean through. Most texts are available for (free) loan, White Spider at age 14 and vowing that he (Dingle), Kerry although p&p will be charged on all items that would never be a mountaineer. He recalled that Sat & Sun 10-11 October members require to be posted. “the book held me spellbound and terrified.” BOS Providers Symposium, A full library catalogue will be added to the However, it was to these very accounts that he Kerry website over the coming months, with regular subsequently turned in preparing for his own Sat & Sun 17-18 October updates made as further books are added. ascent of the Eiger’s North Face. “Reading the Mountain Leader refresher Copies of all books reviewed in the Mountain Log books had been my way of breaking down the workshop, Kerry are put in the library. Requests for loans of items psychological baggage associated with the wall,” Sat to Mon 24-26 October from the library can be made by members by he wrote (The Beckoning Silence, 2002). Mountain Leader assessment, phone, fax or email and they can either be I hope that the library may help to inspire Connemara posted or held for collection. exciting adventures or, at least, adventurous Free taster sessions in hillwalking With your help, the intention is to establish the daydreams. – (Kate Hebblethwaite) and rockclimbing will run throughout July and August. Dates and locations will be advertised in the MCI Annual Review 2008 available now Training and Safety sections of the website. THE ANNUAL REVIEW 2008 for the MCI (now Mountaineering Ireland) is now available for download from our website www.mountaineering.ie. Launched at our AGM in February, the report highlights our achievements, activities and programmes for the year of 2008. A limited number of hard copies of the review have been sent to club secretaries for circulation to their members. If you would like to receive your own copy, please call the office on (+353 1) 625 1115 or email [email protected]. Available while stocks last.

Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 7 Annual Accounts

Annual Acccounts for November 2007 to October 2008

WHEN VIEWING the annual accounts, it of pages has added to the cost of proposal of a €5 increase in membership should be remembered that they are a printing, but we are currently reviewing fees, but the board of Mountaineering presentation of ‘Income and Expenditure’ the printing costs to see if we can bring Ireland has taken a very firm decision that and that they are not a ‘Profit and Loss’ this publication closer to cost-neutral. it will not raise membership fees at this account. time but instead will try to make cost One of the main reasons why the 2009 Accounts We received the savings in the coming year and to expenditure of Mountaineering Ireland same grant allocations in 2009 as we did achieve greater value for money within increased in the 2008 financial year in 2008, but we are well aware of the the current budget. (November 2007 to October 2008) was impending mini-budget and the possibility that a full complement of professional of this being cut. We are also taking the David Batt, staff had been recruited since the view that there will be a cut in the 2010 Honorary Treasurer previous year and they were busy allocations. To counter this, there was a developing their programmes and work areas, which involved additional costs. There are perhaps three main areas of The Mountaineering Council of Ireland expenditure in the accounts that are (A company limited by guarantee, not having a share capital) showing an excess of expenditure over Supplementary information relating to the Financial Statements income in the current year. They are: Income

Alpine Meet 31,750 28,377 1. Guidebooks During the year, the BOS 25,473 12,900 we produced and published Climbs in Lectures & library 2,471 3,562 Membership Subscriptions 227,451 224,788 the Burren and Aran Islands . As this was Mountain Log 71,911 67,485 published quite late in the year, there was NIYDP Programmes 17,986 25,250 Sale of Publications 11,639 - only a small element of sales prior to the Spring Meet 1,700 - Other Income 14,189 7,172 end of the financial year on 31st October. Irish Sports Council Grants 257,000 197,550 We are currently carrying a stock of these Sport Northern Ireland 37,741 37,624 Sponsorship 3,863 - guidebooks and expected sales of these Environmental Defence Fund 2,348 2,762 over the next three years will not only ______705,522 607,470 cover the cost of production but return a ______profit. The 2008 accounts also reflect the Expenditure costs of the new Rockclimbing Guide to Wages and Salaries 249,295 170,356 the Mournes, but this has yet not gone to Rent Payable 18,526 18,526 Marketing & Exhibitions 24,636 5,513 print. As part of our cost-saving plan, we Audit 4,500 5,105 Bank Charges 2,913 2,322 are currently reviewing the options of General Expenses 6,356 260 digital printing, which will allow shorter Administration Expenses 38,801 34,930 Access and Conservation 7,621 2,136 print-runs, meaning that we will not take AGM 2,332 - the charge in a single year for printing a Alpine Meet 33,810 30,633 Area Meetings 4,113 - large stock of guidebooks. Board Expenses 10,042 17,121 BOS 35,532 17,900 Chief Officer 8,473 - 2. Bord Oiliúint Sléibhe (BOS – Climbing Wall Seminar 1,224 1,869 Mountain Training Board) During Guide Books 29,960 11,651 Expedition Grants 2,476 - 2008, BOS revamped the Mountain Skills Members’ Support Officer 951 - scheme and produced a new handbook Membership Costs 86,136 81,989 Mountain Log 93,978 81,073 for participants. This was printed in large NIYDP 63,287 78,801 volumes and we are currently carrying a Special Projects 5,723 4,531 Spring Meet 2,653 - stock of these handbooks, which will be Lectures & Library 8,615 - sold in the coming years. UIAA Membership 2,629 - Girls Outside Programme 15,000 - Subscriptions 1,821 - 3. The Irish Mountain Log: Depreciation 4,098 - During ______the year, editor Patrick O’Sullivan and his 765,501 564,716 ______team spent a good deal of time Net (deficit)/surplus (59,979) 42,754 revamping this publication. The addition ______

8 Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 www.mountaineering.ie news
‘Leave No Trace’ – the AGM of Mountaineering Ireland, February 21, 2009 word is spreading! MORE AND more people are engaging in THIS YEAR’S AGM was a wider range of water- and land-based held in the impressive activities than ever before. We are really facilities of the new An fortunate in having the fantastic range of Óige Hostel at Knockree environments for this that we do – our in the Glencree valley, coasts, rivers, lakes, forests and Co Wicklow. The hostel mountains. However, these environments is spacious, luxurious are fragile and vulnerable to damage. For and ideal for meetings of example, trampled vegetation, polluted this nature. waters, damaged tracks and campsites, A separate and litter are just a sample of the impacts Extraordinary General that can be linked directly to recreational Meeting was held to activities. Even the most thoughtful of consider a proposal by visitors leave footprints and the Board that the name unintentionally disturb wildlife. of the organisation be The Leave No Trace organisation relies changed to reflect its on training to promote and raise current structure. The awareness of the principles and practices proposed name was of Leave No Trace in order to reduce approved by those these unwanted impacts on the present and environment. It has now almost doubled Mountaineering Ireland the number of Leave No Trace Master was born. by members on these crucial areas, Educators available to deliver Trainer The day had commenced with organised including discussion about the role for Courses in Ireland and, in 2008, delivered walks of historical interest around the Mountaineering Ireland in regard to the thirteen Trainer Courses, a 54% increase Glencree valley. When the formal many foreign walkers who visit Ireland to compared to the number in 2007. It also proceedings started, there was a access our uplands. Stuart and his team delivered over 50 awareness sessions, a presentation by Mountaineering Ireland’s have clearly added a vibrancy to the 68% increase on 2007. Leave No Trace insurance brokers, Perkins Slade, about the organisation in the last year and the future Ireland would like to thank all its Master cover provided to members. Many is bright as we, the members, have had our Educators and Trainers for spreading the questions were raised from the floor, with input into the strategic Development Plan message of Leave No Trace in Ireland. members anticipating every possible for 2009-2013. The Leave No Trace programme is contingency including angry farmers and The honorary officers presented their backed up by a tiered education bulls. reports for what has been a busy year. programme with three different levels of The Members’ Forum and a presentation There were no elections this year. The training. For more information on the of the work reports of Mountaineering accounts showed a shortfall for the year of training courses and awareness sessions, Ireland’s staff followed, which showed the about €60,000, related to increased costs please visit the training section on vast amount of work being undertaken on and to the increased activity by the new www.leavenotraceireland.org . behalf of members by Chief Officer Stuart staff members. It is hoped that additional Garland and his staff. The work on government grants will be available this year Highest level of training, a course enabling implementing the training policy and on from Sport Northern Ireland. No increase in those qualified to deliver Trainer courses issues relating to the environment was fees was proposed this year, but it is impressive, together with that on youth possible one may be sought next year. development, where the focus has been on Northern Ireland but is now coming south of Donald Gill the border. Again, there was much debate Wayfarers’ Association A course enabling those qualified to teach Leave No Trace

An information session or workshop on Leave No Trace Members of the staff and Board of Mountaineering Ireland meet at MCI promotes the principles the AGM in Knockree in February. of Leave No Trace www.mountaineering.ie Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 9 news Walking festival

Mourne Intern ational

THE 2009 Mourne International Walking Festival will take place from 26-28 June, based in Warrenpoint, Co Down. Now in its 11th year, the festival traditionally attracts walkers from all over the world; this year is no exception, with walkers from a host of other countries already registered. This year, however, the committee is also actively inviting those closer to home to get involved. There are a range of both guided and

Walking in Lough Navar Forest on self-guided walks to suit various levels of Lower Lough Erne, Co Fermanagh, fitness and experience so that families, part of the Ulster Way. strollers and serious walkers alike can take part. Under-16s must be accompanied by an adult. The lowland Ulster Way re-opens routes will be pre-marked, allowing you to walk at your own pace, and are perfect for those wishing New route, new signage, new website to take kids along. There will also be control points A SERIES of events will be organised already established a warden system, with refreshments at during 2009 to promote and celebrate with the help of the Ulster Federation of intervals along these the re-opening of the Ulster Way. Rambling Clubs, which will monitor routes. The Ulster Way now has a revised stretches of the Way and report on Over the festival weekend route, new signage and a website, the maintenance issues, usage, and access there will be twelve defined walks latter being available as a link from the problems, etc. Any other interested party, including a 10km road walk around home page of the WalkNI website group or club would be very welcome to Warrenpoint and Burren, a 20km (www.walkni.com), operated by CAAN. join the scheme. moderate mountain ramble around the There is not, as yet, a printed version of The website will facilitate walkers who Rostrevor and Killowen area and a more the route and accompanying information, complete the whole Way, or possibly strenuous 20km mountain hike around but this will follow in due course. individual sections, to record their Spelga. On the website, the Quality Sections achievements, which in turn will provide Full details can be found on www. (marked in red on the accompanying feedback for future funding for continuing mournewalking.co.uk or contact map) will have detailed route development, revision and maintenance. Warrenpoint Tourist Office tel 028 4175 descriptions, 1:50 000 interactive maps, – (Margaret Tees) 2256 (048 from ROI) for more details. accommodation details, and information on points of interest. Alternative Sections to Quality Sections, or parts thereof, will be similarly The Ulster Way supported. Link Sections (marked in blue), are those still in the process of being revised, or which may remain mainly on-road. These will have maps which are not interactive and route descriptions without detailed instructions. Every Link Section will have accompanying transport information so that walkers can avoid the long, on-road sections, if they so wish. The NI Environmental Agency has

10 Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 www.mountaineering.ie news
The Trailtrekker challenge

Complete 100km in 30 hours and raise funds for Oxfam

training exercise to test their soldiers’ interest along the way. stamina and teamwork skills. There are The event is supported by both Newry now an impressive eleven trails in nine & Mourne District Council and Louth IRELAND WILL become the ninth country countries (Hong Kong, Great Britain, County Council. in the world to host an Oxfam Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Registration for the event is just TRAILTREKKER event when this tough Netherlands, Canada, Belgium and now €200/£200 per team and participants team challenge is held here for the first Ireland), with more planned for the future. must also commit to raising a minimum time in September 2009. The Irish TRAILTREKKER will take of €2,000/£2,000 sponsorship per team. Teams of four will have to complete a place from 26-27 September 2009, Oxfam Ireland is aiming to recruit 200 challenging 100km course, requiring starting in Kilbroney Park, Rostrevor, Co teams to take part in TRAILTREKKER stamina and teamwork, within a time limit Down, and finishing in Carlingford, Co 2009 and there will also be opportunities of 30 hours. The participants will raise Louth. Participants will cover 100km of for those who don’t want to walk the money for Oxfam Ireland, to help it rugged countryside, trekking together in 100km but would like to volunteer at the event. overcome poverty and injustice around their teams by day and by night. the world. Along with the physical and mental • Full details are available on the website The first Trailwalker (as it was then challenges, TRAILTREKKER will offer the www.oxfamireland.org/trailtrekker . called) was established in 1981 as a opportunity to take in the dramatic cross- military exercise for the elite Queen’s border scenery of the Mourne Mountains, Gurkha Signals Regiment in Hong Kong. the Ring of Gullion and Tain Way, as well PLEASE NOTE: Mountaineering Ireland The teams used the 100km route as a as points of special archaeological encourages the organisers of walking festivals and challenge or fundraising walks to ensure that the principles of Leave No Trace are observed by participants, and it is Other challenge walks this year happy to advise organisers about ways of adhering to these principles.

Bóthar fundraising treks Knockmealdown • For more information, contact Aodhnait in Antrim and Wicklow Crossing, 25 April 2009 Carroll at [email protected].

BÓTHAR, the Irish international aid PEAKS MOUNTAINEERING CLUB in MORE CHALLENGE WALKS organisation, is offering those interested Clonmel, Co Tipperary, is organising a MAY-JULY 2009 two unique opportunities to walk with a challenge event in the Knockmealdowns (For more information, see purpose this summer and get to on Saturday, 25 April 2009. It will follow www.walkersassociation.ie) experience up close the beautiful beautiful mountain ridge that traces the Wicklow Mountains and the Glens of county boundary of Tipperary and Achill Walks Festival (Galway) Antrim. Waterford and looks down on the Vee. 1-4 May 2009 The first of these two challenge treks Three walks of varying distance and Donegal Bluestacks Walking Festival will be held in the Glens of Antrim on difficulty are being held. The longest walk, 2 & 3 May2009 Saturday-Sunday 23-24 May, with the A Walk (26km), begins on the Ballyhoura Marathon Challenge walkers overnighting in the Glens Hotel, Avondue Way, is self-navigating, and 2, 3 & 4 May 2009 Cushendall. The two-day trek will follow a should take about about nine hours to Moyle Challenge Walk (Antrim coast) spectacular route through the hills, and complete. The B Walk (16km) is a led, Sun 10 May 2009 there will be time to relax and enjoy the seven-hours walk, while the C Walk Blackstairs Walk (Carlow-Wexford) Sat 23 May 2009 company of new friends. (13.5km) is led and should take five Clare Burren Marathon Challenge The second fundraising trek will take hours. All walkers must check in at the Sat 23 May 2009 place in August in Wicklow. Bóthar are Community Hall in Newcastle village in The Lug Walk (Wicklow) currently looking for entrants for either or Clonmel, Co Tipperary, for a bus to the June 2009 both events. start of each walk. Comeragh Crossing (Waterford) For more information, contact Pat For more information, contact Nuala 4 July 2009 McCarrick (Director of Fundraising O’Connell (086 835 7290) or Jim Joyce Country Challenge (Connemara) Projects), Bóthar, Tubbercurry, Co Sligo O’Flaherty (086 257 6788), email 18 July 2009 (tel: +353 (0) 719120100 ) or visit the [email protected], or visit the Hart Walk (Dublin-Wicklow) website www.bothar.ie . website www.peaksmcclonmel.ie . Fri-Sat 24-25 July 2009 www.mountaineering.ie Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 11 news

Aconcagua success Thirty degrees below zero

THREE IRISHMEN, Gavin Bate from Belfast, Richard Casey from Cloyne, Co Cork, and Derek Fanning from Birr, Co Offaly, were part of a group of five mountaineers who took part in an expedition to Aconcagua in January. The trip was organised by Damyon (6324m) SW face, Mekong-Yu Qu Divide, an area Gavin Bate’s company, Adventure Alternative. documented by Nakamura. Derek Fanning reports that it was a wonderful expedition and the views from the summit were awesome! There was a good atmosphere in the Explorer visits Dublin group, with Gavin Bate being a relaxed presence. While they were in Mendoza, they were informed that five climbers had died on the mountain a few Nakamura explored East Tibet and Sichuan days before, including two Italians who had become lost and a 42-year-old Englishman who TAMATSU ‘TOM’ NAKAMURA gave Ward and has only recently been died of a heart attack just below the summit. a lecture on his exploration of East mapped by modern air surveys. On summit day, one of their group turned back Tibet and Sichuan in Dublin in Nakamura has a unique because he was worried about getting frostbite. He February. knowledge of the region. He has had developed frostnip with blackened toes, but his made thirty trips there in the past On a memorable evening in the toes subsequently recovered. Starting from Camp 3 twenty years and has prepared a Stillorgan Park Hotel on February (aka Berlin Camp) at a height of 5,900m, the rest of 20th, Nakamura showed us a collection of Kammkarte maps that the group joined up with a team of about fifteen magnificent series of slides of would be useful to anyone Americans led by Wally Berg. Several of the 6000m peaks in the East considering visiting the area, either Americans turned back and when one of them Tibet/Sichuan area, almost all of to trek or to climb. slumped into the snow, exhausted, as Derek them unclimbed. Unfortunately, most of the walked by, he said ‘Go bud, go!’ Derek says that This is a fascinating area where unclimbed peaks (200 out of 250) these words gave him an adrenalin rush and made four of the greatest rivers in Asia, are in the Nyainqentanglha range in him more determined to reach the top. the Tsangpo, Salween, Mekong and Tibet and, like all climbing in that Just beneath the canaletta, one of their party Yangtze, are squeezed into an area country, require permission that is wanted to turn back, but they persuaded him to of less than 400km, separated by often difficult to obtain. Climbing in continue. At the summit, where the temperature ridges with high snow and ice Sichuan has no such problems but was -30°C, another of their party was unsteady on peaks. It is an area with so few there are few unclimbed 6000m his legs and vomited. Coming down from the tracks and passes that it defied peaks remaining, although summit, he slipped on a steep, rocky slope and great explorers like Frank Kingdon- “countless alluring rock and snow peaks from 5000m to 6000m are banged his head; luckily, it was just a superficial cut awaiting visits from climbers and and bruising. During the descent he remained trekkers,” he said. unsteady on his feet and fell down in the snow a Nakamura’s visit was arranged few times, but eventually they all arrived safely back through Joss Lynam, who knows at Berlin Camp, exhausted but filled with a great him as a fellow member of the UIAA sense of achievement. Expeditions Commission. Tom was visiting England to receive honorary Aconcagua (6,962m), Argentina, membership of The Alpine Club and the highes t peak in the Americas. was happy to extend his European trip to Ireland at his own expense, for which Mountaineering is very grateful. Joss Lynam has copies of recent Japanese AC Journals in his personal collection that include many articles (in English), maps and

Joss Lynam (right) pictures, and a fine, well-illustrated meets Tamatsu Nakamura book (in German) about the region, at his recent talk in Dublin. which are available for study at his Photo: Patrick O’Sullivan. home.

12 Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 www.mountaineering.ie news
Complete rebuild for Tollymore New mountain centre will open in April 2010

Artist’s impression of the new Tollymore Mountain Centre, currently under construction.

TREVOR FISHER Options appraisals were carried out, environment appropriate to the needs of applications were made to various all course participants. The building will TOLLYMORE MOUNTAIN CENTRE is government departments through Sport be built in an environmentally sustainable Sport Northern Ireland’s National Training NI, and finally, our business case was manner, with heating provided by a Centre for Adventure Activities. It approved by both the Department of wood-pellet boiler, solar water heating for provides a range of skills and leadership Culture, Arts and Leisure and the the rolling pool and a modern building training and assessment courses in Department for Finance and Personnel; management system to ensure efficient mountaineering and canoe-sport, we had a budget and could continue the running of the building. Hotrock, the introductory and multi-activity courses for process. Mountaineering Ireland-owned climbing groups, and some development courses We tendered for an initial design team wall at Tollymore, will be fully integrated for large organisations. Tollymore is the and had wide-ranging consultations with into the redeveloped centre and will sole provider of hillwalking, climbing and user organisations, governing bodies, remain open during the redevelopment. mountaineering leadership/instructor local groups and other sporting bodies. Due to the increase in size and the training In 2008, contractors were appointed layout, we will be able to cater for a wide to build the new centre. Further number of courses at the same time, consultations followed, something we cannot presently do. costings were made We are due to move into the new and our design building in April 2010, but until then, we was finalised. continue to operate as the National Work is now Training Centre for Adventure Activities underway and the and deliver our range of courses new building is due to (www.tollymore.com). Some of the Tollymore Mountain open in April 2010. upcoming highlights include our annual Centre plan. The new building will cater for up to performance climbing seminar (March courses in forty course participants, with 27-29) and the full range of Climbing Northern Ireland accommodation in en-suite twin Wall, Single and Multi-pitch, Walking and one of three Nat ional bedrooms. There will be plenty of Group and Mountain Leader training and Mountain Centres in the UK and Ireland meeting rooms, large equipment storage assessment courses, Hill and Mountain to provide Mountaineering Instructor facilities, drying rooms, a canoe-rolling Skills courses, as well as canoe-sport, Award training and assessment courses. pool, a training area with kayak mountain-bike and orienteering courses. Tollymore was opened in the early machines, a bouldering wall, campus Contact the centre for further information: 1970s and has had a number of boards, etc. Tollymore will be able to [email protected] . upgrades since then, the most recent provide a wider range of courses, in an being in 1993. However, it was clear that course participants no longer wanted to stay in dormitories, the dining room was too small, catering facilities were not up to scratch, we could not cater for people with some disabilities, we could not cater for young people and adults at the same time…something needed to be done. Initial discussions looked at the possibility of complete refurbishment, but as we began to look at costs, it became clear that refurbishment was putting off the inevitable. www.mountaineering.ie Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 13 news IMR ANews Get all the latest news at www.mountainrescue.ie National Conference

Reinhold Dörflinger, president of Austrian Biggest turn-out to date Mountain Rescue Service, with the Donegal MRT vehicle during his recent visit to Ireland. Photo: IMRA. PAUL WHITING The first half of the afternoon saw IMRA’s ANNUAL CONFERENCE and AGM three break-out was hosted by the Mourne Mountain sessions: Rescue Team at the Burrendale Hotel in • a media training Newcastle, Co Down, on January 9-11, workshop; 2009. This year’s event was the most • a Training and successful to date, with over 70 attendees Development and every team represented. Sub-committee Representatives of the PSNI SAR team, meeting; SARDA Ireland North, Mountain Rescue • a Medical Sub- England and Wales, the Mountain Rescue committee Committee of Scotland and meeting. Mountaineering Ireland also attended. The National Conference took place on The mid- the Saturday. The theme was “Working afternoon session Together,” reflecting the work currently “Something being done at national level to establish Different” saw the Service Level Agreements with our key Mourne Team continuing the practice stakeholders, the Gardaí, Irish Coast introduced by the Mayo Team at last year’s of the 2008 “Distinguished Service Guards, Irish Air Corps and the HSE. conference, with attendees split into Awards” were: In the morning session, Pat Holland groups and participating in a number of (previous IMRA Chair) discussed “Working activities both inside and outside the hotel. • Ben McCabe and Joe Moore, Glen of within a Mountain Rescue team.” Ann This session was hosted by Mourne Team Imaal MRT; Fitzpatrick (Team Leader, Glen of Imaal member Marty McMullen who owns an • Helen McNamara, SARDA; MRT) and Mark Flynn (Team Leader, Dublin adventure management company called • Suzy Carson, Ed Kilgore, James & Wicklow MRT) gave a joint presentation, Life (formerly The Highpoint Group). McEvoy and Stephen Synott, Mourne “A review of two recent major MR The late-afternoon session consisted of: MRT; incidents.” The two incidents involved • Brendan Maher, Dublin & Wicklow multiple MR teams and multiple • a Team Leaders meeting; MRT; government agencies including the Gardaí, • a Treasurers/Fundraising meeting, • Colm Byrne, Mayo MRT. IRCG and Air Corps. In “Gear, gadgets including a demonstration of the new and gizmos,” each of the conference online accounting package IMRA is exhibitors had five minutes to present their IMRA AGM using, called SQL-ledger (made The AGM took place on the Sunday. new products to the conference. available through The Wheel/Enclude); Besides the obligatory reports from the Seamus Bradley (Chair, IMRA Training & • a presentation by Donal McNamara elected IMRA officers and the teams, the Development Group) broke attendees into (IMRA Development Officer for Search financial summary was presented, and small groups to discuss three possible & Tracking) reviewing the latest there was a presentation from Sheila future scenarios for IMRA in 20 years’ developments in Search Management. Norden of the Irish Charities Tax Reform time: Group entitled “The new charity regulations In addition, there were exhibition stands and how they will affect MR teams.” • things stay exactly the same; from Keela, Paramo, Mountain Equipment, • IMRA continues to develop as a self- Jackson Sports, Arqiva, the Highpoint • IMRA would like to thank the Mourne funding, autonomous organisation to Group and Expand-a-Sign to visit. MRT for their great work in organising and become an RNLI-like SAR Later, IMRA held the annual presentation hosting this event. We would also like to organisation; of awards for individuals nominated by thank the Irish Coast Guard for its financial • IMRA becomes part of an existing their teams for their contributions to the support through our 2008 Development government agency. development of their team. The recipients Grant.

14 Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 www.mountaineering.ie

IMRA news Exchange visit Do the Mini-Marathon Austrians praise IMRA systems for Mountain Rescue

FOG (FRIENDS OF GLEN), a newly UNDER THE EU Programme for Exchange Caroline Tomasch, Austrian Ministry of the established fundraising section of the of Experts, IMRA was visited by members of Interior. Glen of Imaal MRT, is seeking the Austrian Mountain Rescue Service During discussions with IMRA participants for their first official (AMRS), aka Österreich Bergrettungsdienst representatives, the Austrian delegation fundraising event – the ever popular (www.bergrettung.at) in February. acknowledged a number of new ideas that Flora Women’s Mini-Marathon in Dublin The visit followed participation in an they took away with them: on Bank Holiday Monday, June 1 2009. international Mountain Rescue conference in All the money you raise will go Chamonix last October by Chris England • the use of GPS radios; towards building the Glen Team’s much- and Mark Flynn of Dublin & Wicklow MRT, • the flexibility and breadth of the Irish needed Mountain Rescue Base near representing IMRA. This conference is an National Training Curriculum; Glendalough, Co Wicklow, where the annual event of the International • the fact that some of our teams aren’t majority of the team’s call-outs occur. Commission of Alpine Rescue(www. based in a rescue base but operate out The Glen Team’s volunteers have already ikar-cisa.org). of vehicles, which means they are a lot been called out to help in sixteen During a presentation by the French more flexible and cover larger areas than incidents in the Wicklow Mountains in Police Mountain Rescue Team (PGHM) on the traditional AMRS unit; the first two months of the year, an their GPS radio system, the IMRA • displaying text on MR vehicles with the average of two per week. representatives asked about some features message “This vehicle has been Why don’t you join forces with FOG of the radio system which were already in provided through public donations.” and with Glen of Imaal Mountain Rescue use by IMRA teams but which the French personnel on the 10km route around Team were not aware of, impressing the They were also surprised at the unique Dublin city and help them raise much- Austrian participants, who then requested Irish phenomenon of the annual Croagh needed funds to build their base? the exchange visit. Patrick pilgrimage and the scale of the Willing participants should contact The delegation was like a who’s who of operation that IMRA organises to care for FOG at [email protected] international MR dignitaries and consisted the 30,000-40,000 pilgrims. or phone 087 634 7286 for their of: Reinhold Dörflinger, President of the The Austrian visitors enjoyed the fundraising pack, information on training AMRS and Vice-President of ICAR; Gebhard hospitality they received during their Irish walks/runs and transport to and from the “Pablo” Barbisch, Vice-President of the visit and plans are now being made for a event. You can also sign up for the event ICAR Terrestrial Rescue Commission; Franz return IMRA visit to the Österreich online at www.womensminimarathon.ie. Marx, Deputy Country Director AMRS; and Bergrettungsdienst later in the year.

A special donation Ger McDonnell on K2 in 2008. Ger McDonnell remembered

LAST YEAR, we were all saddened by news of the death of Ger McDonnell on K2. The family asked those attending his funeral service in Limerick to make a donation to Ger’s favourite charities rather Ger McDonnell. than bringing flowers. The charities identified for support included IMRA. John Dowd of Kerry MRT (on behalf of IMRA) receives donation from In February, John Dowd of the Kerry MRT visited Ger’s mother, Mrs Gertie McDonnell. Ger’s family in Limerick on behalf of IMRA. John, who summitted Everest himself last year and knew Ger personally, accepted the donation of €1,124.97 from Ger’s mother, Gertie. IMRA would like to thank the family and friends of Ger McDonnell for their generosity and kindness in remembering Ger in this way. The donation will be placed in our fundraising account for distribution to teams and national projects in our budgeting meeting in the first quarter of 2010.

16 Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009

news Argentière-la-Bessée, we based ourselves

Juan O’Raw leading on an ice wall. in the small, charming village of Le Bez, Photo: Ronnie Smith. snuggled against the powder-laden slopes of Serre Chevalier. Paul Swail, a talented and dedicated winter enthusiast, kindly put us up for the week in his climber-style chalet overflowing with ice tools, skis and drying jackets. This cosy little house was situated in a perfect location half-way, as the crow flies, between the famous valleys of Le Grave and Fournell. Le Grave was truly the best venue, in my estimation, first and foremost due to the fact that walking was kept to a minimum. Awe-inspiring lines were a stone’s throw from the road and screaming out to be Sacré bleu! Quelle glace! climbed. From single-pitch grade 3s to 500m grade 6s, from broad gullies to International Ice Meet, France, January 2009 narrow cigars, Le Grave truly was an ice climber’s nirvana. Following a few days’ climbing at these Juan O’Raw is a talented young Irish climber. At just 18, he has climbed at most “roadside venues,” we decided to venture of the major crags around Ireland, leading up to E3, and has also climbed the into the secluded yet magical valley of North Ridge of the Piz Badile. In January 2009, he received a Mountaineering Fournel. The 40-minute drive felt like an Ireland subsidy to attend the International Ice Meet in Argentière-la-Bessée, adventure in itself as we crept and slid our with Ronnie Smith, an MIC and experienced ice climber. This is his report. way along the powder-enveloped forest floor, the overwhelming cliffs on either side JUAN O’RAW with. This trip was not only a learning casting ominous shadows upon the curve for myself but also in some aspects dormant dwellings below. DINNER-PLATING, as I discovered, is for Ronnie, too, who had to take my After what felt like an age and a half of when ice shatters into large, plate-like mistakes and mishaps on the chin, so to secluded wilderness, we were amazed to discs when excessively beaten with an ice- speak, or on the shoulder and knee, as we find a car park overflowing with like- minded climbers. Obviously they knew we axe. To call them dinner plates in this case were soon to find out. were coming as every classic, easy access would have been a bit of an The transparent block slid ever so or intriguing climb had been taken, leaving understatement, as at the time they felt gracefully from my burning thighs, as I us to wallow in knee-deep powder more like dinner tables! watched in wonder. Glancing up from his (shoulder-deep in my case!) before Standing like an arthritic pensioner with shivering belay, Ronnie didn’t appear to be reaching our unmistakably Scottish-looking a lump of ice the size of a microwave as entranced as myself. A swift bracing line. Without hesitation and to my surprise, temporarily resting on my knees, it against the ice-plastered rock and an even Ronnie leapt onto this smattering of rotten occurred to me that I may have been swifter slip of the tongue, which I can only ice and commenced to gleefully thrash his banging my ice-climbing tools into the ice describe as French, told me that somehow way up this frozen death trap, indicating to with a little too much enthusiasm! he didn’t find it quite as enchanting. With a me that he was in his element as pick and Standing half a rope’s distance below shattering crash, the missile collided point ripped through the unpredictable me was Ronnie Smith, attentively belaying against the ice fall, increasing its already mess. from the classic rusty peg and frayed tat. I breathtaking velocity and inducing a As we slid on our backsides down in the am not implying that Ronnie’s methods firework-type effect. Generous lumps of ice direction of the car, Ronnie, grinning from were unsafe – in fact, he is the safest, whizzed at the speed of light past the ear to ear as I tried to recover from my victim of my clumsiness, three of them most efficient person I have ever climbed “experience,” spotted a pristine cigar making contact with the target below. which hadn’t yet been sieged. Eager as Paul Swail seconding. Thankfully, Ronnie wasn’t phased…and so always, the half-man, half-machine blitzed Photo: Ronnie Smith. went my first lead on ice! the short, dead-on vertical formation, Early starts, clear skies and the which left me for pumped, although I won’t masochistic pursuit of those hot aches that deny the fact that the climbing was were felt at the end of each day may give absolutely superb. the impression that this trip was all fun and All in all, my first ice-climbing trip was an games…and believe me it was! Although absolute dream. Endless blue skies, the ice meet was held in the town of immaculate conditions and, more importantly, a great atmosphere and even greater company, all made for a fantastic time!

18 Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 www.mountaineering.ie The newly refurbished Wicklow Way, Kilmashogue, Co Dublin. Photo: Cóilín MacLochlainn.

Dublin Mountains Trail

Repairs, website, newsletter

The Dublin Mountains Partnership has rerouted and upgraded a one-kilometre section of the Wicklow Way in Coillte’s Kilmashogue property. This section of the trail was badly eroded and washed out; the refurbished section follows a slightly different route to the old route. The work on the trail was delayed in early February by the heavy snowfalls but has since been completed. Elsewhere in the Dublin Mountains, the Tibradden trail upgrade has been completed, and Mountain Meitheal has commenced work on the mountain access route on Cruagh. Here it is building a 400m bog bridge to provide access from the Coillte forest property to Cruagh and the uplands as far as Prince William’s Seat. The materials for the project are being supplied by the Dublin Mountains Partnership. The work will continue for the next two to three months. Meanwhile, the Dublin Mountains Partnership has launched a newsletter and website to provide information on recreation in the area. The website, www.dublinmountains.ie , provides information on events, sites, trails and how to access them, maps, conservation work and the promotion of better behaviour through the Leave no Trace programme. The chairman of the Dublin Mountains Partnership, Bill Murphy, said the website is about giving people the tools necessary to access the forests and trails in the mountains for outdoor recreation and to use the public lands in a responsible and sustainable way. The newsletter, Viewpoint, is helping to create awareness of the Dublin Mountains Partnership and its objectives. It will outline the progress being made and report on events being held in the area. The Dublin Mountains Partnership was established to improve the recreational potential of the public lands in the Dublin Mountains while balancing recreation with the needs of the various landowners, both public and private. The partnership’s members are Coillte, the National Parks and Wildlife Service, Dún Laoghaire Rathdown Co Council, South Dublin Co Council, Dublin City Council and the Dublin Mountains Initiative. For more information, contact Karen Woods, Recreation Manager, Dublin Mountains Partnership, c/o Coillte Teoranta, Newtownmount- kennedy, Co Wicklow; (01) 201 1187, 087-050 7022, [email protected], www.dublinmountains.ie.

www.mountaineering.ie news Upland sky-dancer

The hen harrier, a bird under threat

BARRY O’DONOGHUE

THE HEN HARRIER (cromán na death, the male will pull himself gcearc) is one of, if not the, most out of this controlled frenzy and elegant and graceful, spectacular rise up again, only to drop again in the same manner, and and exciting birds in the world. It is continue this exhibition for up to an asset to the life, biodiversity 10 or 15 minutes! The female may and heritage of any country in decide to partake in the sky dance feat justice (see illustration). which it is found. It is the jewel in herself, which I guess is only Occasionally, a male may be the crown of Irish upland wildlife. courteous, really! partner to more than one mate Another unique and spectacular trait of at the same time (polygyny), the harriers is the food pass. As the male is but the Casanovas who do The hen harrier is a rare and threatened bird the sole provider of food for the mother and so must almost invariably of prey. It is native to our uplands and can young at the critical stage when the mother regret all the extra work of having to supply be seen in the rolling farmland countryside is guarding the nest, the harriers need a so many hungry mouths. and heather bogs during the breeding way of getting the food from father to The harriers will typically raise 1-4 chicks season, throughout the spring and summer, mother. This is not simply done by a by the end of the summer. Too often, at elevations typically between 100 and 500 transfer on the ground or at the nest…there unfortunately, they will raise none. This is a metres. is nothing ordinary about these magnificent species which has declined in Ireland mainly One of the most striking things about the and rare birds! The male, carrying prey in due to clearance and afforestation of their bird is that the male and female differ his talons, will call to the female as he habitats, restricting the amount of land markedly in size and colour, so much so approaches the nest area. The female will available to the species. Further threats that for many years the two were thought to rise to meet the male and, as she comes arise from poor summer weather, predators be separate species. near him, will somersault over so as to take and lack of food availability. Being birds of As with most birds of prey (e.g. peregrine the prey from his feet with her own feet. prey, they will capture mice, rats, shrews falcon, sparrowhawk, kestrel), the female is This “aerial re-fuelling” really is out of this and bank voles. They will also take small larger than the male. The male is a world and no words could do this acrobatic birds, such as skylarks and meadow pipits, stunning-looking white or silver bird, with Hen harrier breeding habitat. black tips to the wings. The female is a Inset: Hen harrier with wing tags. larger bird of a beautiful rich brown Photos: Barry O’Donoghue. plumage with a white rump and brown and barred patterns or rings on the tail. To compare it in size with a bird that mountain enthusiasts would be well familiar with, hen harriers are roughly the same size as the raven, though harriers are a much lighter and more graceful bird. Two most spectacular traits single out the hen harrier from all other birds. Coming into the spring on our uplands, those who are tuned in to the awakening of nature around them will be treated to awesome aerial displays by the silver male as he tries to impress potential mates with a show of agility, stamina and prowess. These aerial courtship displays, known as sky dances, are rivalled by no other. They involve the birds travelling to insane heights before plummeting like a meteor to Earth, spinning, gyrating and somersaulting many times more than an Olympic diver or one of the Red Arrows. When just feet from the ground and in almost certain danger of

20 Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 www.mountaineering.ie news
which co-exist with them on their upland and boggy territories. Despite Fly-tipping tackled the name, hen harriers will not take hens or any other poultry. 800 tonnes removed The hen harrier exists in the most remote parts of the countryside and will SOME 800 tonnes of rubbish has been removed shy away from human contact. This is from the Dublin and Wicklow uplands since 2007 why reports from upland enthusiasts are by an environmental project to tackle fly-tipping and so important. illegal dumping in the uplands. This is equivalent to The stronghold of the species in 114,000 standard black bin bags of waste. Ireland is in the south and west, The PURE (Protecting Uplands & Rural particularly on the Mullaghareirk Environments) project was set up by the Mountains in Co Cork and Limerick and Department of the Environment in 2006 and has across to the Stacks and Glannaruddery made over 1,700 collections. The project office has Mountains in Co Kerry, where received over 1,800 reports of illegal dumping, approximately one-third of the Irish hen many of them through a dedicated Lo-Call phone harrier population can be found. what year the bird was born in, and the line, 1850 365 121. PURE ensures a quick Counties Clare, Tipperary, Laois, Offaly, colour on the right wing signifying where response to all incidents of dumping and removes Galway, Leitrim, Monaghan, Tyrone and the bird is from. all of the material. Donegal also hold important breeding Already, birds tagged in west Clare In response to claims that, by collecting the populations. Today, over the whole have been sighted in Donegal and rubbish, PURE is just cleaning up after those who island of Ireland, there are thought to be Antrim (possibly heading to Scotland), are responsible, project manager Ian Davis said that less than 200 breeding pairs of this birds tagged in Kerry have been seen in if dumped rubbish is left in the landscape “it only special and endangered bird. Under the Wexford and Offaly, and birds tagged in attracts further dumping.” European Union Birds Directive, to Cork have been found in Limerick and PURE, the first project of its kind in Ireland, is preserve what is left of the species, Galway. collecting information on the type of material being Ireland is obliged to implement Special dumped, which areas are most affected and, where Protection Areas for the hen harrier and possible, who is responsible for the dumping. It has apply appropriate land management rolled out a public awareness campaign and issued directions and other measures within a primary schools education pack to all schools in these areas. These measures mainly the Wicklow, south Dublin and Dún Laoghaire- concentrate on preserving the traditional Rathdown county areas. It also has a website, or the present methods of farming and www.pureproject.ie . land use. The project has embarked on a regional Custodians of the countryside have a advertising campaign to alert people to most important part to play in unauthorised waste collectors and the effects of continuing to support this beautiful illegal dumping on the environment. The element of Ireland’s natural heritage, Department of the Environment is to fund the which has been here throughout the Movements of hen harriers within project for a further three-year period, and Fáilte ages, in the same way that the people Ireland were never known or understood Ireland has become a stakeholder. of the Irish uplands look after other properly prior to this tagging aspects of our heritage such as folklore, programme, and so sightings are being • PURE urges the traditional music and the very mountains sought from the public. It is just one public to report themselves. way in which those who pursue outdoor dumpers and In an effort to better understand the interests can directly add to our dumping on Lo-Call species’ biology and requirements, to knowledge of this and other rare wildlife 1850 365 121. ensure the hen harrier remains a sight in in the uplands, and also benefit the our upland landscapes, the National milieu which we all enjoy so much and Domestic refuse Parks and Wildlife Service is involved in that we hope will remain for future dumped in research with UCC and is urging Glenmalure. generations. hillwalkers, climbers and ramblers to report any sightings of these birds at • Anybody wishing to report sightings of any time of the year. Particularly of hen harriers or to simply learn more about interest are a select group of Irish the species can contact Barry harriers which have been colour wing- O’Donoghue of the National Parks and tagged so that they may be followed Wildlife Service, Department of the through reports from the public. Environment, Heritage and Local This tagging consists of putting a Government, at [email protected] or 087- coloured strip on the back of each wing, 911 0715, or log-on to www.npws.ie and/or www.ucc.ie/planforbio/en. the colour on the left wing signifying www.mountaineering.ie Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 21 news Youth Leading and Bouldering Series

High standards set at first series on Ozone Wall, Belfast

OCTOBER 2008 saw the first Sulek and Jonathon Gibson, who tied for second. Youth Leading and Bouldering Performances on the day were of the usual extremely high Series at the Ozone climbing standard that we’ve come to expect. However, particular mention wall in Belfast. The four needs to be made of both the male and female junior winners, Katie preliminary rounds took place Maxwell and Jake Haddock, who both turned in performances that over the dark winter months would have seen them placed first in the respective senior sections. with competitors having a The success of the competition series was only possible with the month to master each of the tireless route-setting of Eddie, Ricky and Rob; the support of the sixteen routes and boulder sponsors: Mountaineering Ireland, Northern Ireland Youth Climbing problems ranging in grade from Team, Belfast City Council, Surf Mountain, Jackson Sports and ‘surprisingly tricky’ to ‘surely Tiso; and above all, the young climbers who, over this past winter, Climber at the Ozone. you’re joking!’ Points were showed the rest of us just what’s possible with hard work and Photo: awarded on the basis of how dedication, and let’s not forget talent, strength and youth as well! – Angela Carlin. many attempts were required for (Dave Hamill) a successful ascent. An added bonus of this section of the competition, for those ineligible to compete, was the opportunity to test themselves on the competition routes and find out at first hand how strong and Climbing Courses talented these youngsters really were. Ozone Wall, Belfast The series concluded on Sunday 15 February 2009 with the final, which took the standard competition form of one attempt at each of The Ozone is running a new series the four lead routes and three attempts at each of the four boulder of six-week climbing courses, to suit Neil Thomas problems. With a squad of volunteer judges and belayers in place, beginners and improvers. The lead climbing at the Ozone Wall. the hard training of the previous months was now put to the test. classes are held on Monday, Photo: Angela Carlin. Junior (14-18) female category was, as usual, a close-fought Wednesday and Thursday evenings battle with just twelve points separating the top three places. In the (for adults, beginners and improvers respectively) and Saturday mornings end, the honours went to Katie Maxwell who scored maximum (for adult beginners 10am, juniors points, with Rachel Cooper a close second and Jenny Wright just a 11:30am) over six weeks. further four points adrift. Junior (14-18) male category was again a close event with Jake Haddock securing victory with the best performance of the day on Course prices the final male F7c competition route. Andrew Colligan came in £54.90 (regular users) second, with Tim McGlinchey close behind to complete the top £27 (those receiving means-tested benefits) three. £27 (over 60s) Anja Jones took first place in the Senior (18-25) female section £45.90 (students) with a perfect score, narrowly beating Michelle O’Loughlin who dropped just one point at the top of the final route. Jane Gallwey All places on the courses are took third place. allocated on a first-come, first- The senior male (18-25) category was another close competition, served basis. Enrolment is now with four points separating Michal Wronka in first place from Maciej open. To reserve your place, call us on 028 9045 8024. Climbfest 2009

Glencolmcille, Co Donegal, May 1-4, 2009

THIS YEAR, the Climbfest will move from its couple of minutes from shops and pubs in Saturday night and it is hoped to provide traditional base at Culdaff to Glencolmcille the village, and there is a new independent t-shirts for those attending. Registration will in southwest Donegal. Climbers are invited hostel at the entrance to the ground for be €10, and the camping fee (to GAA) will to sample the routes at nearby Malinbeg, those who do not wish to camp. be €5 per tent per night. The event Skelpoonagh Bay, Port Bay, Sail Rock and The area around Glencolmcille boasts the endeavours to comply with the Leave No Muckross. Camping has been arranged finest coastal walking and scenery in Trace policy adopted by Mountaineering beside the GAA pitch, and there are toilets Ireland, and the campsite is near a sandy Ireland. Further details will be posted on the and water available. The campsite is only a beach. There will be a barbeque on the Colmcille Climbers website. – (Alan Tees)

22 Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 www.mountaineering.ie news

Winners in the Belfast Schools Competition. Belfast Schools

Climbing Competition 2009

Paul Harrington competing MONDAY, MARCH 23rd, saw young climbers from Aquinas Grammar, at DCU round of IBL Little Flower Girls School, Methodist College and the Royal Belfast in February 2009. Academical Institution arrive at the Ozone in Belfast to compete in the Photo: Patrick O’Sullivan. final of the first ever Mountaineering Ireland under-15s Schools’ Climbing Competition. With ten weeks of coaching completed, no one could have guessed IBL results just how closely fought the final would be. Having been tested by three routes and three boulder problems, only 10 points separated the first Irish Bouldering League 2008/2009 four girls. Lucy Mullan claimed 1st place, Emma Bogues was just one point behind in 2nd, and close behind in 3rd and 4th were Aoife Shirlow and TJ O’Neill. THIS YEAR’S IBL was a great success, with some really Not to be outdone, the top six boys were separated by a mere eight enjoyable rounds and more than 300 individual competitors points and a super final was needed to decide 1st place between David entering the various rounds. The round in Kerry was particularly Hopkins and Jamie Rankin. On this occasion Jamie won on his final successful as this new venue, Play at Height in An Daingean, is attempt, leaving David in 2nd, with Eoin Acton and James McLaughlin well-suited to providing the facilities that the Bouldering League sharing 3rd. competitors need. Being out of Dublin, it also attracted a lot of I would like to thank all the young people who took part in the new competitors. scheme, along with the teachers and volunteers who made it possible, Round 1: DCU (Dublin), Sat 11 Oct and Dawson Stelfox for presenting the cups, kindly provided by Round 2: Play at Height (An Daingean, Co Kerry), Sat 1 Nov Mountaineering Ireland. Finally, a special thank you to Margi Maxwell Round 3: NUIG (Galway), Sat 29 Nov who single-handedly looked after all the administration. We now look Round 4: St Colman’s Community College (Midleton, Cork), Sat 24 Jan forward to next year when we hope the event will be expanded to Round 5: DCU (Dublin), Sat 28 Feb include more age groups and schools. – (Angela Carlin)

• The competition was run by the NI Youth Climbing Team with the aid Results of a Support for Sport grant from Belfast City Council. Cotswolds Male provided the prizes. Placing Name Points 1 Harry Fogg 900 Results 2 Kevin Power 890 3 Hamish Graham 887 Girls under 15 3 Jan Hurdzan 887 Placing Name Points 1st Lucy Mullan (Aquinas GS) 476 Female 2nd Emma Bogues (Aquinas GS) 475 Placing Name Points 3rd Aoife Shirlow (Aquinas GS) 472 1 Cornelia Holzer 898 4th TJ O’Neill (Little Flower) 466 1 Hannah Fogg 898 2 Maggie Chojan 896 Boys under 15 3 Polina Panicheva 893 Placing Name Points 1st Jamie Rankin (MCB) 477 Junior 2nd David Hopkins (MCB) 477 Placing Name Points 3rd Eoin Acton (MCB) 475 1 Andrew Colligan 899 3rd James McLaughlin (RBAI) 475 2 Naoise Ó Muircheartaigh 895 5th Jordan Singh (RBAI) 473 3 Ciaran Rogers 893 6th Joshua Lyness (RBAI) 469 www.mountaineering.ie Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 23 news IN BRIEF Just how active are we?

Seeking Irish Sports Council issues Irish Sports Monitor report rescued THE 2007 Irish Sports Monitor report was Findings include: climber published in February. It is the first in an ongoing • 24% of the adult population is highly active, Would the man who was series of annual reports that will measure and 18% is sedentary. rescued from Carrauntoohil track participation in Irish sport. • Participation rates in Ireland are broadly in and subsequently airlifted to Based on a nationally representative sample line with developed countries but lag behind hospital in Cork on of nearly 10,000 adults aged 16 and over, the the best performers. September 27, 2008, Irish Sports Monitor offers the most detailed • Personal exercise activities (gym, fitness please contact Kerry picture yet of sporting life in Ireland. classes, exercise machines) have become Mountain Rescue Team at The report represents the latest in a series of the most popular form of physical activity. [email protected] e, as they believe they may research collaborations between the Sports • Income and education are significant have located some of his Council and the ESRI on sport and physical determinants of participation. possessions. activity. The report contains a wealth of • There is a high level of social participation in information which will be of great interest to sport, involving volunteering, attendance and Walking policy-makers and everyone involved in the club membership numbers at sports events. promotion and development of sport in Ireland. sticks found A pair of wine-coloured Hitec walking sticks was picked up at Oldbridge on Scholarship fund in climber’s memory Sunday, March 1, 2009. Contact: Marguerite Davey, 087-239 7409. DCU plans scholarship in honour of Ger McDonnell

Competition DUBLIN CITY UNIVERSITY (DCU) in Glasnevin, Richard Spencer and the late Dublin, is setting up an access scholarship fund lamented Ger McDonnell (righ t). winners in memory of Ger McDonnell, the Limerick Congratulations to Daniel climber who died tragically on K2 last year. McAuliffe and Brendan Ger McDonnell was the first Irishman to reach Bullen who won Berghaus the summit of K2 and died on his descent after rucksacks at the Irish coming to the aid of his fellow climbers. Bouldering League Ger had studied at DCU, and graduated in competition rounds held at 1993 with a degree in electronic engineering. Play at Height in An He was a main driving force in the setting up of Daingean, Co Kerry, and at the DCU Climbing Club during his time there. the Marathon Expo in Dublin. Many thanks to His friends in the Faculty of Engineering Berghaus for providing the decided to set up an access scholarship in his prizes. memory and set about raising the €50,000 required by DCU to establish an endowed Corrections perpetual Access Scholarship. They have already raised over €40,000. In the last edition of the The Rock Climbing Club recently lent a hand Mountain Log, the with the fundraising when it held a special photograph on page 25 charity fundraising event at the DCU climbing was incorrectly credited; the wonderful way to remember Ger’s passion and photographer was, in fact, wall in March. determination to succeed – a passion and Melanie Heather. On page The funds raised on the day are being determination that will inspire future students for 13, the article “Dublin presented to the DCU Educational Trust, a generations to come. Mountains plan” was by registered charity and the fundraising arm of Those wishing to contribute to the Ger Stuart Garland and the DCU, which is setting up the Ger McDonnell McDonnell Memorial Access Scholarship Fund photograph was taken by Memorial Access Scholarship, a fund that will should contact Claire Whelehan at the DCU Carol Ryan (and not the benefit deserving students participating in the Educational Trust, tel: +353 (1) 700 5467, email: other way around). Our DCU Access Scholarship Programme. [email protected]. – (Richard Spencer, apologies for these errors. The Memorial Access Scholarship will be a PRO, DCU Rock Climbing Club)

24 Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 www.mountaineering.ie news
New database for facts and feats Did you win?

Submit your records to Mountaineering Ireland Christmas quiz winners

MOUNTAINEERING IRELAND is Irish who are part of the Irish The winners of the Christmas Quiz in the Irish proposing to set up a database, a sort mountaineering community. Mountain Log (No 88), sponsored by Berghaus and OSi, were:- of “Guinness Book of Irish Rockclimbing first ascents are Mountaineering Records,” which would already dealt with elsewhere in 1st prize (€500 worth of Berghaus vouchers): include successful Himalayan, or other, climbing guides. James McBride , Cookstown, Co Tyrone expeditions, first alpine ascents, first Please submit details of anything you 2nd prize (€300 worth of Berghaus vouchers): Irish alpine ascents (both historical and think should be included, with the Pauline Darcy , Leixlip, Co Kildare recent), and, more locally, a Munroists’ name of the person, place of 3rd prize (€200 worth of Berghaus vouchers): register, Irish 600m completion register, residence, date of ascent/completion, Colm Hughes , Tallaght, Dublin 24 Cuillin Ridge Traverse, Irish 3000s in 24 and anything else which might be of hours, long-distance walks, feats of interest (e.g. last Munros and length of Five runner-up prizes for OSI’s Trail Master skill or endurance, etc, etc. Basically, time taken to complete them). DVDs (worth €100 each) were won by:- anything of interest pertaining to Please submit the details to the Karen Westermann, Waterford; Richard Casey Brian Ringland mountain-climbing Irish nationals Mountaineering Ireland office by mail or , Clyne, Co Cork; , Ballinode, Co Monaghan; Sean Freeman , resident either here or abroad, or non- email ( [email protected] ). Fermoy, Co Cork; Paddy Leahy , Skibbereen, Co Cork. North to the Pole Barneo on the moving pack ice to their Winners’ names were picked out of a hat at Irish adventurer Kevin Dempsey set out starting point from where they expect to the Mountaineering Ireland AGM in Knockree for the North Pole with his team-mates in take nine days to reach the Pole. We in February. Many thanks to Berghaus and wish Kevin and his companions a safe the North2thePole expedition on April Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSi) for supplying journey. You can follow his progress on 10th. In this Last Degree trek, the team the prizes. flew from the base camp at Camp north2thepole.com. historical mountaineering

The crosses of Galtymore Jimmy Barry recounts the history of the crosses on a famous County

Galtymore as ake a walk or climb as cairns that they left. Some of these The 1933 cross seen from a cairns were used as burial sites, some mountain track to the top of any The first cross was erected on the were put there as statements: “I live on Cush. mountain in Ireland summit of Galtymore in 1933 by the T here” or “Stay away; this is my Christian Brothers from Mitchelstown, Photo: Jimmy Barry. and you will find that mountain.” Co Cork. It was an iron cross set into someone has been there Over the last thirty years or so, I a triangular plinth on a base. Brother before you and that they have have come to know the summit of Dominic McKenna, who was Brother Galtymore, Co Tipperary, very well Superior, had decided to erect a cross probably left their mark. and, in doing so, I have unearthed there to celebrate the 1932 Eucharistic These marks vary in size some of the rich history of the marks Congress. Work commenced on June from a church, such as the that have been left there. Talking to 10th 1933 and the cross was blessed one on Croagh Patrick, to a hillwalkers and local people from by Fr W. Ryan (C.C.) of Galbally on around the Galtee Mountains, I was July 2nd of that year. simple cross. told that the mountain only had two The location of this first cross was small stone cairns on it until well into not far from the broken ‘trig’ pillar at If we look back further in time we see the 20 th century. As more and more the eastern end of the mountain, and that our ancestors did exactly the people started to climb the mountain the remains of the plinth and the base same thing thousands of years ago, it was only a matter of time before can still be seen there. A testimony only then it was piles of stones known they started building. was placed under the base giving the

26 Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 www.mountaineering.ie historical mountaineering

The 1962 cross weighed in at “three quarters of a ton…the story of how it was brought to the summit is an epic. ” reasons why the cross was put up and the names of the people who were responsible. It is probably still there. This cross stood for nearly thirty years and fell just before Br Dominic’s death in 1962. The Marian Year cross In 1954, a wooden cross was erected at the western end of the mountain by “The Tipperary Galtee Climbing Club.” This cross was Celtic in design and later became the inspiration for the cross that stands on the summit today. It was built by the Galtee Climbing Club, which was formed in 1952 after a group of friends climbed Galtymore. The group included Con Breen, John Kett (who proposed the founding of the club), John Vaughan, the late Mattie Kennedy, Jimmy (now Father) Costello, Conny Carroll, Paddy Kelly and others from around the Tipperary town area. It was John Kett who came up with the idea of putting up a cross to mark the Marian Year, 1954, and it was the same John Kett who made the cross; he was a cabinet-maker. I will let Con Breen take up the Tipperary mountain top story from here…. “On the day of the climb to erect the cross in 1954, we cycled out of The Marian Year cross, built in 1954.

The 1933 cross.

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Galtybeg and town and, with permission, through given the plaque just last year for safe Galtymore. the grounds of Moore’s Castle near keeping! A story for another day. Photo: Jimmy Kilshane. We wore berets with a white Barry. tape around the rim. Further materials The Patrician Year cross were collected from O’Brien’s farm in A limestone cross designed by Cork Glencushnabinnia (Gleann Cois na sculptor Seamus Murphy was erected Binne; ‘glen at the foot of the ben’). in 1962, the Patrician Year. The story Two brothers from the CBS, Br Carr of how it was taken to the top of and Br Tracey, carried the main shaft Galtymore is, to say the least, an epic. of the cross to the top. The cross was The cross was driven to around 70 then assembled and erected on site. feet below the summit in a Bren gun The event was photographed and was carrier called “The Katie Daley” and also captured on 16mm cine-film. An then carried the rest of the way to the engraved plaque was placed on the top by five men: Tom Mullins, Robert cross. The timber cross didn’t last very West, John King, Tom McGrath and long, though. In 1977, I found some Jim Blake. It weighed in at three Members of rusty bolts, but the plaque was long quarters of a ton. The Katie Daley Mitchelstown Creameries sponsored Galteemore gone….” took a route up from King’s farmhouse the cross and all related work. On Climbing Club When Con told me the story of the under Knocknagaltee. It took three Whit Sunday, June 1962, over 1,000 in 1954 on their wooden cross and mentioned the days to get the cross up as the Katie people climbed the mountain for the way to build the plaque, he wondered who had it now. Daley variousy got stuck in the bog or blessing ceremony. Some of those in Marian Year cross. I was happy to report that I had been her tracks came off en route. attendance on the day were Richard Hayward, author and historian; Dr Daphne Pochin Mould, author of The Mountains of Ireland; and Lieutenant- Colonel Blake, who started the annual climb of Galtymore which continued for many years. Members of St Brendan’s Mountaineering Club, Tralee, came all the way from Kerry, a nice drive in 1962. One newspaper reported that “the mountain was black with people.” John Coughlan and Tom Fox from Boston, USA, also captured the event on film. The cross was placed in a location known as Dawson’s Table, in between the two crosses that already stood on the summit. But yet another cross was to be built in a little over 13 years, as the limestone cross was damaged beyond repair after it had fallen in winter gales….

28 Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 www.mountaineering.ie historical mountaineering

Ted Kavanagh’s cross Ted Kavanagh of Scallagheen, in Tipperary town, was determined that a new cross should stand on the summit as soon as possible, and he designed and built a cross at his home, using 4-inch hollow steel sections. In June 1975, it was taken to the summit and assembled with help from members of the Tipperary Adventure Sports Club. It is estimated that over 130 individual climbs were made up the steeper north side of the mountain to get all the material up. The names of all those involved in the work, aged from six years upwards, were sealed into the top of the cross, which is over seven feet in height and Celtic in form. On September 14th, 1975, the cross was blessed by Fr T Breen and unveiled by Ted’s wife, Joan. Ted and Joan Kavanagh climbed Galtymore every year thereafter to The steel paint the cross, until Ted passed the warm welcome I received every Con is actively retired in Dublin cross in snow, 2009. away in 1998. time I visited her and her brother Bill, and still enjoys walking on Irish and Photo: Jimmy who died just a few months after Joan. foreign mountains. Paddy is back Barry. * * * * * * We became friends the first moment living in Tipperary town after many we met, because we shared a passion years living in the US. The “Tipperary Joan Kavanagh’s cross for the Galtees and for a cross that Galtee Climbing Club” lives on.  WITH JOAN’S blessing, I started thousands pass every year and may painting the cross in 1999 and have never know the story of how it came done so every year since then. Just to be there. A true friend, sadly Jimmy Barry, self-styled “hillwalker and before my first trip up, Joan asked me missed, but I know where her spirit part-time cross painter,” is a member to paint her cross also. Yes, there is can be found. of Mountaineering Ireland and of one more, and it’s as precious as any Mountain Meitheal and is the PRO of of the rest. Joan told me that when * * * * * * the South Eastern Mountain Rescue Ted and herself went to paint the Association. He lives just outside cross, she also painted a small cross Epilogue Tipperary town, a few minutes’ from on a stone to mark the spot where the THIS YEAR, if we ever get a dry the Galtees and the Glen of Aherlow, Mass was said on the day of the day, I’ll be back up painting the cross, and has been hillwalking for the last Joan and Ted unveiling back in 1975. using the ‘good stuff,’ and every brush thirty years in Ireland and Europe. Kavanagh Where was this one, I asked her? stroke will remind me of the man and on Galtymore. “You will have to do a bit of looking woman who carried out this labour of around, Jimmy, but you’re good at love, year after year, long before I that,” she replied. knew the pleasures of walking on the So, armed with a photo taken Galtees. I’ll spare a thought also for all during the Mass, I eventually found the others that helped to erect the Joan’s cross, hidden under a small pile crosses on Galtymore. If you’re of stones. It was a pleasure to paint it around, I’ll have a spare brush and a for her, even more so when I was able bin liner to cover your jacket, and you to return with a photo of it for her. can become part of this amazing story. “Did you use good stuff on it?” she I might even show you where Joan’s asked. “Yes, Joan,” I replied, “only cross is. the best.” Last year, on Easter Monday, I Acknowledgments painted the cross and afterwards Thanks to Con Breen and Paddy called into Joan to tell her the job was Kelly for filling in the blanks and for done for another year. As we stood in putting names to faces for me; also to her back garden looking up at Maureen O’Brien, a friend and my Galtymore and talking about some source of information on the 1933 small repairs that were needed to the cross; and to Joan Kavanagh, fellow base of the cross, we weren’t to know hillwalker and a lady I will never that Joan was to pass away two days forget. I dedicate this to her memory. later. I’ll never forget her kindness and www.mountaineering.ie Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 29 hillwalking

Walking in the Provence Alps Ian Kelly goes hillwalking in France with the Glenwalk Hillwalkers Club

Mountain track ost hikers villages like Saint Veran are well worth the local wines. To shorten the bus across the visiting the Alps a visit as they are real masterpieces of transfer on our return trip, we flew Morgon Ridge will be familiar Alpine architecture. back from Lyon airport. We stayed in Provence. M The road access to the region has close to the town of Embrun in a Photo: Ian Kelly. with the popular areas improved significantly over the last three-star, three-logis de France (a such as Chamonix but, far ten years, which makes it easy to get quality label for good food and away from the popular there from the airports at Nice, Lyon, comfort) hotel. The wonderful food tourist destinations, the Marseille, Grenoble, Milan and Turin there was just what we needed to region of France between or, more recently, Cuneo. A perfect make sure we had a perfect holiday. Briançon and Nice offers holiday also requires great food and Each day, we planned three some of the finest walks this region is well renowned for its challenging walks to cater for all local Provençal cuisine. As to where to fitness levels within our group of 38 in the Alps and is still stay within the Provence Alps, the area walkers so that we all had a good largely undiscovered by around the Serre Ponçon Lake, the appetite for the well deserved meals the majority of hikers. biggest artificial lake in Europe, served by the hotel in the evenings. caught our attention, with the option The region includes one national park, to engage in watersports there as well Day 1 Parc des Écrins, and two regional as in a multitude of mountaineering Boscodon Abbey to Martin parks, Parc Naturel Régional du activities. Jean, Charance and Morgon peaks Queyras and Parc Régional du We designed the itinerary for our As an introduction on the first day, Mercantour, where there are specific week so that we would get a good we picked walks that started just rules intended to protect the wildlife. overview of the region and could above Boscodon Abbey. This abbey, These parks provide beautiful scenery minimise the bus transport involved located in a beautiful mountain (glaciers and other geological features because that can be tiring and difficult environment, is a masterpiece of of interest) and abundant flora and to manage with a large group. Our 12th-century architecture. In the late fauna. They are also ideal places to plan was to explore different areas 18th century, the abbey was used as a engage in many outdoor activities around Embrun and the Serre Ponçon place to control the production of such as walking, rockclimbing, skiing, Lake, and the Queyras Regional Park. timber. The timber logs were then snowshoeing, paragliding and much We flew into Nice and travelled transported on the river Durance to more besides. Among the many north to Embrun with a stop-over the rest of Provence and down to attractions of the region is also the along the way at the Domaine de Marseille harbour. local architecture, and preserved Régusse vineyard to sample some of The three walks all started from the

30 Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 www.mountaineering.ie hillwalking

over the lake with a splendid The Saint Anne Lake (2415m) is a panorama that spread from the Écrins clear example of what a glacier National Park down to Provence. The mountain lake can be. The lake is way back followed the south ridge off squashed between the sheer cliffs of the Morgon summit. Font-Sancte (3292m), the highest summit in the Queyras Regional Park, Day 2 and Pic des Heuvières (3271m). Ceillac to Saint Anne Lake, Col The medium walk went to the du Girardin and Girardin peak Sainte Anne Lake and then on to the We spent the second day in the Girardin pass (2699m), an ascent of Queyras Regional Park. This park is 732m in 10km. From the pass we had located between the Italian border and a wonderful view over the mountains the town of Guillestre. The cembro of the Queyras Regional Park and the pine tree is an emblematic species for Écrins National Park. In particular the the park, with its large trunk and a Pelvoux, Aillefroide and Glacier Blanc soft timber that is used to make could be seen. furniture and handicrafts. The price of The long walk climbed Girardin this timber is so high that sometimes peak, an ascent of 909m in 12km. helicopters are in charge of bringing Starting from the car park, this walk dead trunks back down to a safe place went to the Girardin pass past the where they will later be used by the Saint Anne Lake and then finished on local handicrafts industry. the summit of Girardin peak (2876m), The short walk went to Saint Anne a perfect alpine walk with the Lake, an ascent of 448m over a combination of a lake, a pass and a distance of 8km. Starting from the car summit! park at 1967m, the walk took a very clear path through the Cembro pine Day 3 forest where there were a lot of fairly A multi-activity day tame wild deer. This forest is amazing For a day’s break from hiking, we to visit in June when all the Alpine had a choice between a wide range of rhododendrons, so small compared to activities. Some of us went to the local Clouds on the those in Ireland, are in full bloom. market in the town of Embrun to rest way up to Peak car park of La Fontaine de l’Ours, ‘the Girardin. bear fountain.’ The short walk was to Photo: Ian Kelly. Martin Jean peak, a distance of 9km, with an initial stroll through the Boscondon forest. The effect of the altitude on the vegetation was clear, with a succession of trees such as beech and birch giving way further up to a variety of alpine trees such as acacia, alpine pines, larch and cembro. These trees are a perfect host for woodpeckers such as the great spotted woodpecker and the black woodpecker, and the holes dug by these birds were clearly observable on the trunks. The medium walk also went to Martin Jean peak first and then on to Charance peak, a total distance of 11.5km. Looking south, this walk offers superb views over the Ubaye valley, with its river joining the Serre Ponçon Lake at its southern side. The long walk went to Col de la Baisse and then on to Morgon peak, an ascent of 964m and a distance of 17km. The ascent of the Morgon peak from the “Col de la Baisse” is fairly straightforward. We could imagine the very open landscape there would be a perfect playground in winter for snowshoeing and ski touring. The views from the top were breathtaking www.mountaineering.ie Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 31 hillwalking

Stopping for a photo at the Cirque de Morgon. Photo: Colm McMahon.

our legs or to try to find some miracle continued up to the Aiguilles de limit in the valley of Saint Veran, to remedy for sore feet or to enjoy Chabrières ridge from where there was get closer to the starting point for the shopping in the typical French a superb view over the Serre Ponçon walks and high altitude. These walks boutiques. The other, more Lake. Being a loop walk, the descent took place at the eastern part of adventurous ones went to a Via went down the ski slopes back to the Queyras Regional Park. This area is Ferrata in Chateau Queyras, which start. particularly interesting from a offered amazing views over the Guil The medium walk initially followed geological viewpoint since this is river gorge, famous for its extreme the same track as the short walk and where the African and continental kayaking courses. The beauty of this then continued from the view point plates came into contact, which Via Ferrata was its finish at a fort. up to the Chabrières gully and on to explains the presence of so many Then, in the afternoon, we sampled the other side of the ridge where there minerals in the area. some of the local watersports with a was a wild limestone desert type of The short walk was to Col Blanchet, whitewater rafting trip on the river landscape. The flowers there were starting from where the shuttle bus Durance. very beautiful, as limestone soil is dropped us near an old copper mine; usually more favourable for flowers this walk took us to the fine valley of Day 4 than acid soil. For the lucky observer, La Blanche, dominated by the Tête de The Serre Poncon Lake region a couple of golden eagles can Toillies (3175m), very famous This day took us to the region at the sometimes be seen there, but according to the local guidebooks for border of the Écrins National Park unfortunately we did not spot them its interesting and difficult climbing overlooking the Serre Ponçon Lake. that day. routes. The first part of the walk went The walks started from the ski resort The long walk was practically the to the mountain refuge of La Blanche, at Reallon, probably one of the same as the medium walk except that which we would not recommend due smallest ski resorts in the region! The it went to the top of Chabrière peak. It to the unfriendly nature of the short walk went along the Chabrières required care since the last 50 metres tenants, and the last part was a steep ridge, 452m of ascent and a distance was quite exposed scrambling, but the ascent to the Col Blanchet (2897m) of 6km through the larch tree forest so view from the top was amazing. from where Italy could be seen on a typical of the Southern Alps. The larch fine day. On the way down we saw a trees were used in the past to build Day 5 multitude of marmots, an Alpine ships but are now used mainly as a Andiamo to Italy species that hibernates in winter and base material for many of the For the second-last day of our trip has great digging abilities, judging by mountain chalets in the area. The we planned a long and tough day, the size of their burrows. main advantage is their resistance to with an objective for most to break The medium walk went straight up bad weather, cold and rain over time. the barrier of 3000m. So we headed to to the Col de Chamouissière (2881m) Some chalets built with larch are more Saint Veran, the highest village in from where the Col d’Agnel could be than 500 years old and still in very Europe, at an altitude of 2042m.We seen, situated on the French-Italian good condition! The walk then took a shuttle bus up to the traffic border. From the Col, the route went

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A view over the Écrins National Park. along the ridge south to the Peak de the lakes around us, and walked up to Notes: This wonderful week-long Photo: Ian Kelly. Caramatran (3021m). The Mont Viso the Col Blanchet to return to the trip in August 2008 was organised by (3841m), with its isolated position, copper mine. This walk was the Glenwalk member Olive Harrington was really spectacular. We had a bit of fantastic highlight of a superb week of with help from fellow member fun there by having one foot in hiking in a part of the Alps previously Vincent Lamy, who has set up the France and one foot in Italy. The unknown to most of us but which activity holiday company France French/Italian border is full of turned out to be a really worthwhile Outdoors (www.franceoutdoors. military forts, some of them going area to visit. com). Vincent knows the Provence back to the Vauban during the reign area very well and was of great of Louis XIV, and some of which were Day 6 assistance to us in the planning and used during the Second World War. Near the ski resort of Les Orres organisation of this trip. Vincent The long walk was a tour of Tête For the last day, we stayed close to accompanied our group during the des Toillies, a long and challenging the hotel and walked beside the ski week as our guide. walk to complete in a day, which resort of Les Orres. This walk started brought us from France to Italy and near Les Orres resort, at Prés Bois, Maps: OS maps as follows: then back to France. It offered a and followed the track leading to the IGN 3437ET, Orcières-Merlette magnificent view of the Queyras Sainte Margueritte Lake. Some of us IGN 3438ET, Embrun Regional Park in France and the went on to the Col de l’Ane from IGN 3637OT, Saint Veran valleys going down to Chianale in where the view on Ubaye Valley was Italy. From the copper mine, we went fantastic. Ian Kelly is a committee member of to the Col de la Noire (2955m) and Some went swimming and Glenwalk Hillwalking Club and a from there we went towards Tête des established a record by swimming for member of MI. Besides walking in the Toillies to reach our 3000 metres 40 minutes in Glacier Lake, which left Irish hills, he has climbed in England, target. Then we came down the other all the locals very impressed! The rest Scotland, Wales and the French Alps. side to the Ubaye river valley before of us just enjoyed a long nap beside walking up to the Col du Longet the lake, took photos and watched the (2670m). From the Col du Longet we swimmers.  crossed the border to Italy, enjoying

The week’s walks with Vincent Lamy of France Outdoors. www.mountaineering.ie Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 33 hillwalking

Hochmoor in the On the second day, we found Wilder Kaiser, Austria. ourselves once again heading for the hills. The plan that day was to venture a little further into the mountains, this time on the northern side of the valley. We began the day’s walk on some beautiful forest trails which led towards the small peak of Winterum (1142m), from which we were afforded a fabulous view over the Hintersteiner See and east towards the impressive rocky ridge of the Wilder Kaiser itself. On the trek up, we saw a variety of traditional cottages where the inhabitants produced their own cheese and milk and sold it to the walkers who visited the area during the summer. Our guide explained to us how the traditional hill farmers worked together to ensure their survival in the harsh winter months. The return journey brought us along the developed tourist area on In the Wilder Kaiser the lakeshore, where we were greeted with the sweet smell of apple strudel. Aodhnait Carroll and Angela Carlin visit the Tirol We stopped there to sample some of the delicious local cheeses. The area has much to offer, from gentle forest e were invited by overnighting in mountain huts. All of trails to multi-day hut-to-hut walks. Topflight and the the trails are well signed and mapped, 1:25,000 maps and a walking guide which gives visitors greater choice Wilder Kaiser booklet are available free from the W when it comes to picking a route. To tourist office in Ellmau, which is also Tourist Association to spend help familiarise the visitor with the the meeting point for the free guided two days in the Tirol region area, the tourist office also offers free, walk to the Hart Kaiser, three days a of Austria, finding out what guided half-day walks in the local week. is available there for the mountains. This area is an ideal place to visit walking enthusiast. The Wilder Kaiser region’s tourist with your family. It has plenty of association are promoting summer activities for both the young and the In fact, the Wilder Kaiser has much to walking in the region, better known young at heart. The area has a lot to offer walkers, and the variety of as a winter ski destination, and have offer for outdoor kids – we were Angela, Aodhnait walking opportunities on offer there just launched an impressive new, really impressed by the Hexenwasser, and companions appears to be almost endless. There is interactive mapping website, a water park with a difference, built on a hilltop in the an extensive network of trails in the www.wilderkaiser.info . of natural materials and with the Austrian Tirol. area, varying from a one-hour walk And so the trip began. After a short motto “Marvel, Contemplate, Photo: Angela visit to the tourist office, we met up Carlin collection. through the town to multi-day trips, Comprehend.” It includes a ‘barefoot with our local guide, Peter Moser, and path’ and a ‘wading pond’ as well as a a small group of tourists from around chance to see traditional bread and the world. Peter led us out of the cheese making. The Hexenwasser is village of Ellmau towards the Hart accessible by cable-car from Soll, Kaiser. Throughout the day the pace though entry is free if you walk up was relaxed, with plenty of time to the 3km! The park is one of six take photographs, hear stories about ‘mountain parks’ in the area. the local landscape and history, and Topflight are now offering packages even to sample the local schnapps to suit walking enthusiasts in the (served from Peter’s ingenious hollow Wilder Kaiser area, with a discount ski pole!). We had a generous lunch for MI members. Following a flight to stop at the Bergkaiser panorama Salzburg, the Wilder Kaiser is restaurant, where the excellent local accessible by car in just under two cuisine was served with a fantastic hours!  alpine view. The walk would definitely be suitable as a gentle first Aodhnait Carroll is Mountaineering day to get your bearings or for Ireland’s Access and Conservation families or novice walkers (or Officer, and Angela Carlin is Youth schnapps connoisseurs!) Development Officer.

34 Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 www.mountaineering.ie hillwalking

The long march Lindsay MacVean takes on a 60km hike in the Reeks of Kerry

hen we finally and I marvelled at the seemingly side of the mountain, but this didn’t John O’Sullivan arrived at Kate metropolitan cluster of lights around mean it was going to be easy. I took and the Reeks. Waterville, even at that hour. the lead with a steady plod that Photo: Lindsay W Kearney’s, after McVean. Eventually daylight started to creep eventually earned Jono’s respect in its completing our ‘long onto the horizon and, by 8 o’clock, ability to ‘make pieces of the ascent.’ march’ from Waterville, the dawn had broken with little Yet this first real test of endurance still we ordered two whiskeys fanfare but enough to raise our spirits took its toll. As we reached the top of in loud, proud voices to as we rested atop Eagle’s Hill and a particularly steep rise, with sweat celebrate our success on looked at the first of the saddles streaming down my face, I the mountain ranges of which we would have to cross. commented: “I think I left a part of southwest Kerry, which I was feeling good, but that would me on that one.” Jono looked back at soon change. On the far side of the me and, with a casual calmness, said had been achieved in an saddle, Jono took the lead over some “Oh, I thought that seemed easy.” It impressive time of just steep ground and, as we continued, I was a bad omen of things to come but over 36 hours. felt my legs begin to get tired. We at least we had made it to our first eventually made it to a point where objective on time. Our adventure was the brainchild of we could get our bearings but, as We had some lunch and set off my companion John O’Sullivan, or anyone walking in Kerry will quickly again, rounding the top of Coomcallee ‘Jono’ for short. Together, we had discover, fence lines and forests rarely and heading into what we thought achieved what had seemed impossible: stand still for long. We had a quick was going to be the most difficult 60km of hiking taking in several puzzle over the disappearance of the stage of the trek. Some evil-looking peaks over 900m, including trees that the map told us were there contour lines, that made nonsense on Carrauntoohil, with a total height gain but which in reality had been cut back the map and looked even worse in of 8761m, about 100m less than the by about a kilometre. Then we set off real life, were interspersed with lakes height of Mount Everest. At times, again along the ridge. that often looked too similar. when my feet had given up, I had Our first target was to reach Eventually we reached a cwm with a wondered if we would ever succeed, Coomcallee (650m) in six hours and dog-leg lake at the bottom. We had but finally we were here. we were determined to meet that already made a preliminary walk there We had set out 36 hours previously target. As we walked by the side of a few days before and Jono had taken from Beenarourke View Point at Lough Sallagh, I eyed the steep ascent the opinion that we should follow a 5:15am, striking west with our head up through Eagle’s Pinnacle and onto spur to the left, while I had decided torches pointing straight up at the the side of Coomcallee. The natural that a spur on the right looked easier. ridgeline. The buzz of initial bedrock of the mountains had formed After topping up on water from a excitement had made us move quickly ramps of grass that made a trail up the stream, we decided to compromise www.mountaineering.ie Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 35 hillwalking

hips outwards, my body began to ache in all the wrong places. Now, I have trekked in the Atlas Mountains and in the Himalayas but never have I encountered such hostile terrain as I did in those last few hours. As we carried on for kilometre after kilometre, my pace continued to slow. By now, Jono was going ahead and then waiting for me to hobble up. The light started to leave the sky and reaching our next objective was looking less and less likely. Finally, after twelve hours of walking, we stopped to take a look at the valley where we wanted to bivvy that night, and decided that it was time to get down out of the mountains instead of pushing on to Mullaghanattin. Continuing in the dark, in our current state, would be treacherous. The only question now was what the safest route down into the valley would be. We opted to head down using the next re-entrant and then follow the edge of the lough until we reached a Lindsay McVean with and go straight up the middle. imposing Mullaghanattin. Then, track. As we descended, I felt Caher Ridge This turned out to be another trouble struck. What we thought was despondent as I realised my slow pace in background. soul-wrenching climb and, when my going to be easy terrain turned into a had caused us to fail to reach our Photo: target on Mullaghanattin. Darkness John O’Sullivan. laces came undone half-way up, it was nightmare of peat bog. With each a welcome excuse for a rest. Jono, sucking step, the energy was sapped overtook us as we began to descend however, plodded on and, when I from our legs and, to my horror, I the increasingly severe rock faces finally gained the top of the rise, I had realised that I was now consistently which had been hidden from view a moment of panic as I called out for falling behind. when we initially chose the route. I Jono without response. I checked the found that I was now moving at a map and peered at the rocky faces Tiredness sets in snail’s pace, frequently sliding on my bottom in the darkness to try to keep around me. Then, just as I began to We had spent months planning this up with Jono, who was finding the ponder on the ease with which we and I had been confident, even cocky, way ahead of me. had become separated, Jono appeared that it would be no problem as long as After slipping on my bottom for the at the top of some steep ground to my we took it a step at a time. Now I felt umpteenth time, all my self-doubt left. the fingers of fear that maybe I had coalesced into a decision. I would quit When I finally reached him, he was been wrong. Maybe I was going to let this evening and make another peering down into a deep valley on Jono down and have to bow out of attempt at a later date! The instant I the far side of the spur with a this challenge, disgraced? To make made this decision, I felt my first mystified expression. “I’m sure that’s matters worse, Jono constantly spoke major blister form. I spent the rest of the way. You remember all those rock as if I was just behind him and, the time coming down the mountain faces?” As I checked the map, I was although I could hear his trying to think up excuses for all of glad to see that I wasn’t the only one murmurings, I had absolutely no clue the people who knew I was doing that was tired and that he had made a what he was saying. I settled for the this, and then planning my exit minor mistake by heading slightly too occasional grunt or loud ‘yes,’ which I strategy. I don’t think Jono realised far left. We corrected ourselves and thought would keep him contented. I how close I came to quitting that headed off towards the next peak, hoped that I didn’t agree to anything evening. Knocknagantee. This came to be the too serious. It did seem that at one The descent finally bottomed out way things worked: while Jono point he was even making animal and, as we stumped along beside the continued to pull me through the noises, the context of which was lough, I mentioned to Jono that I expedition, I occasionally managed to completely beyond me. wasn’t sure about the next day, if this help out with the navigation and my Slowly the landscape changed from was the best pace I could manage. persistent plod, which slowly but featureless bog to rocky outcroppings Without missing a beat, Jono told me surely got us up the mountains. sticking out from the side of the ridge to forget about tomorrow and just We thought the worst of the first we were following. As we went up think about reaching our campsite for day was behind us and that it would and down over these rock hurdles, I the night. I don’t know why, but this be easy navigation from there on in, began to notice a distinct lack of simple comment changed me but we thought wrong! We rounded confidence in my feet, which was very completely and I began to regain my the top of Knocknagantee and began uncharacteristic. By degrees, from my our trek along the ridge towards the confidence. By the time we reached

36 Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 www.mountaineering.ie hillwalking
the track, I was positively buoyant. I chatted on about anything and everything to take my mind off the pain, to such an extent that I began to make Jono concerned I was suffering from hypothermia or some form of shock. Eventually, however, I settled down and became silent, beginning instead to count my paces as a way to focus my mind. We turned off our head torches to save batteries and in the bright moonlight made good time along the roads until, after three and a half meticulously paced kilometres and 16 hours in total of walking, we reached our chosen bivvy spot. Originally we had planned to sleep only a few hours and then push on. However, after the gruelling experience of the last few hours, I left it up to Jono to decide when to start the next stage. We bivvied using a strict ‘leave no trace’ policy and, quite frankly, I only had the energy to force down some cold pasta before stripping off my boots and sliding into my sleeping bag. We were lucky with the Devil’s Ladder, where we found shelter and we strode triumphantly abreast It was a cold night conditions, which were dry with little for lunch. into the quiet car park and the end of but the bivvy wind. Wind is the killer of any good our seriously challenging trek. was warm. Photo: Lindsay bivvy as it presses the layers of your Tortoise vs hare As we sat mulling over our drinks, sleeping bag and the bivvy bag against McVean. Instead of descending the Ladder once the jubilation had changed into a your body, draining the heat from after lunch, we headed up onto numbing exhaustion, I thought about your body. As it was, I actually another chain of the Macgillycuddy’s the emancipating effect of physical warmed up so much that I was forced Reeks. As we traversed along the tests of endurance such as our long to remove some layers of clothing precarious ridges between the peaks, march. In its completion, I felt a halfway through the night. At seven Jono pointed out their names, even release from my own ego’s suffering the next morning, I was woken up by though they weren’t on the map. “This and from my persistent attachment to Jono in what was apparently his sixth is Big Gun ridge leading up to Big bodily pain. I also had a sense of attempt in two hours. However, he Gun over here.” He had undertaken achievement and the beginnings of a didn’t seem that annoyed, considering this leg of our trip several times belief that the world was my oyster my previous evening’s performance. before. The weather, however, got and that I truly could accomplish We got ready in the dark and used a worse. We were soon encased in anything. Although, perhaps more little gas to heat up some disgusting cloud, battling against the increasing likely, it was just the whiskey and ready-made porridge I had purchased wind as we made our way along the exhaustion going to my head! from the local shop. It was a useful chain using only compass bearings. My thanks to the staff at Moractive reminder to at least sample some of Eventually the peaks got lower and for facilitating the walk (see the expedition food before you the cloud base got higher. At the www.moractive.com).  pack it. bottom of the final ascent of our trek, We made our start just as light was Jono had stopped once again, waiting Lindsay MacVean lives in Waterville, breaking and began heading up one of for me to catch up. To my surprise I Co Kerry. He is interested in a wide the many shoulders of Carrauntoohil realised that this time he was lying range of adventure sports, including to the peak of Caher. My body had down in exhaustion. Finally, I hillwalking, and his blog is given up complaining and, using a thought, the tortoise wins over the www.littlemansuccess.com. slightly slower but still steady pace, hare, but he was quickly up with me the day passed quickly as we rose as we raced up the final peak. above Kerry. We were presented with From the last peak, we made our some of the most stunning panoramas descent onto the broad plateau above of this beautiful county. Then, as we We strode triumphantly the Gap of Dunloe and, with just an headed along to the second peak of inkling of smug satisfaction, I led the a“breast into Kate Kearney’s Caher and onto Carrauntoohil proper, way to the top of the track leading the wind, which had been deceptively down into the luscious valley. As we car park – the end of our quiet, picked up significantly. To save reached the road and the last ½ km to energy we decided not to climb the Kate Kearney’s licensed premises, seriously challenging 80m to the peak of Carrauntoohil and neither of us cared who was in front instead descended to the top of the trek. www.mountaineering.ie ” Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 37 trekking

Yaacov Shkolnik. Photo: Margaret Scully.

Kaçkar journey Margaret Scully goes eco-trekking in the Kaçkar Mountains of Turkey.

“ Ireland’s Eco Tourism Network, based Thirty-two new trekking routes in Co Leitrim and the surrounding counties, started in 2002 and has now offer opportunities to see rare become the national standard and accreditation authority for eco-tourism ” in Ireland, as recognised by Fáilte fauna and flora, including bears Ireland. Kate Clow and Sevil Oren are ocated alongside the The Kaçkar is the third long-distance paving the way for a similar network in Turkey, and the Turkish Ministry for Black Sea coast in the trekking trail in Turkey that Culture and Tourism are now far northeast of Turkey, Englishwoman Kate Clow has marked. embracing the idea of promoting close to the Georgian border, She has also waymarked the St Paul’s niche destinations that need economic lies the rugged Kaçkar Trail and the Lycian Way, which The Sunday Times rates as ‘one of the assistance, as opposed to five-star (pLronounced ‘katch-kar’) resorts near the coast. world’s ten best walks.’ Mountain range. The highest In addition to waymarking trails summit, Kaçkar Dag, stands at Although the term ‘eco-tourism’ is subject to interpretation and and pioneering eco-tourism, Clow has 3,932 metres amid ranges been working with a Turkish NGO which are snow-blanketed from alteration, there are officially recognised international principles specialising in biodiversity, forestry November through to April, that the tourism providers must conservation and tourism projects. and into June on the higher follow. The projects should be: based Based in the Kaçkar Mountains and passes. Thirty-two new in nature; environmentally friendly; the Yusufeli basin, the TEMA (Turkish trekking routes, ranging in provide interpretation and environmental protection) duration from two and a half information; contribute to organisation is bringing hours to several days, have just conservation and local communities; environmentalists, conservationists, been marked as part of a be responsibly marketed; and be biodiversity experts and scientists to project that aims to attract culturally respectful. the region, which is internationally eco-tourists into the region. Greenbox (www.greenbox.ie), recognised as a biodiversity hotspot.

38 Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 www.mountaineering.ie trekking

The aims of the current TEMA project traditional skills, but the lack of include controlling and reducing the financial resources is making it almost impact of tourism in the area, which impossible to raise a family in the boasts “one thousand shades of green remote outposts. In fact, in the seven and one hundred and fifty bears.” days that we trekked through the However, the many shades of green mountains I saw only a handful of and the unique flora and fauna are not children, all in the one village. enough to sustain the local population Our starting point on the seven-day and in recent years the Kaçkar trip was the valley town of Yusufeli, Mountains have experienced a mass famous for whitewater rafting, due to migration. Due to falling livestock its location at the confluence of the prices, school closures and the lack of rapid Coruh and Barhal rivers. After a winter employment, the culturally drive to the nearby village of Tekkale, diverse mountain people are heading we were soon lost in the wonderful for Turkey’s urban hubs in order to wilderness of lush green hills, find work. The remaining population wildflower meadows and fast-flowing enjoys a life in pristine nature, fresh streams, as we made our way up the air, clean water, with organic food and mountain. June is a good month to visit the Kaçkar as the freshly-melted snow creates voluminous gushing An arched stone bridge in rivers and the high peaks are still the Kaçkars, the only one snow-capped, giving a beautiful found in the region. backdrop to the colourful wildflower Photo: Margaret Scully. meadows. As we walked through forests and hills, we inhaled the aromas of mountain fennel, garlic, sage and thyme. Above the tree-line we came across small villages surrounded by pastures, which made excellent picnic spots, complete with fresh spring water for us walkers. Locally known as yaylas, the dwellings built from stone and timber are the summer homes of the Kaçkar natives who move uphill for two to three months each year, when the snows melt. Family members,

Wildflower meadow at Modut Yaylasi in the Kaçkars. Photo: Margaret Scully.

“Yaylas high in the mountains are the summer homes of the Kaçkar natives. ” www.mountaineering.ie Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 39 trekking

bears to the edge of our tents while we were inside eating. Thankfully, we caught a close-up look at the mighty animals before they retreated back up the snowy mountainside. This was a blessed moment for all present and a rare one, according to our guides, because bears are nocturnal and rarely appear in the light of day. Knowing the bears had gone uphill, the next morning we commenced our ascent to the Naletleme Pass, which took us from the south side to the north side of the region. With the help of snow-shoes which flattened and enlarged our feet, we plodded safely across the deep snow, which was dangerously soft in places. We spent a stunning five hours walking through the mists and snow before

Margaret and Kate on their way to Naletlem Geciti. Uban Yaylas. animals, bees and hives all make the Photo: journey to the summer home where Margaret Scully the cows graze the lush meadows and collection. the bees collect pollen from the abundant wild flowers. Alas, due to the dwindling local population, many of these summer villages are unused and are going to rack and ruin. Kate Clow sees potential for the development of these deserted dwellings into trekking huts which could be a perfect eco-tourism solution for both owners and visitors. According to one local man, Mahmut Yasar Pasali, there are over one hundred different edible wild plants around his yayla, which the family eat and use for cooking. This is a very exciting prospect for a food occasions. I am no expert on flora but enthusiast like me and I can’t think of eventually descending the Black Sea I couldn’t help but notice the number anything better than a wild food and side of the range. True to fame and of Irish garden and hedgerow plants wilderness holiday in one of these form, it was raining in the wettest that were growing there in the wild scenically located vernacular homes. part of Turkey and we walked such as peonie roses and elder trees. For the duration of our visit, we through stony, soggy ground for As fascinating as the plants and birds mainly stayed in family-run several more hours before reaching were, the one creature that captured guesthouses which served us plenty of the highland spa town of Ayder. I most of our interest and imagination the local home-made fare. In addition can’t think of anything better than a to the excellent Kaçkar honey, all the was the bear. After hearing of the 150 relaxing dip in a piping hot pool of cheeses, butter and preserves were bears living in the area from the therapeutic waters to ease the aches locally made and extremely tasty. The TEMA people, then tracking their and pains after an enduring week in natives have become deservedly droppings, seeing their footprints and the mountains. famous for their cuisine throughout hearing the many tales of their As an outsider coming in to this the country and some of the best beehive raiding expeditions, bears had beautiful area, rich in scenery, nature restaurants in Istanbul and Ankara are become a focus of the trek. and fresh clean water, it would appear owned by ethnic Hemsin people from Not until day five were we that the Kaçkar is naturally adapted to the Kaçkar. eventually rewarded, after a beautiful most of the internationally recognised Our trek guides, Kate Clow and walk from Yaylalar, through the principles of eco-tourism, apart from Kerem Kerecherek, are both keen stunning flower-covered Olunglar and one very important one, being amateur botanists and birdwatchers, Dibe Valley to our encampment ‘environmentally friendly.’ However, it so we got to share their excitement at beneath the snow-line. The smell of is not so long ago that we, too, were spotting rare species on several Kerem’s cooking lured two hungry unaware of the need to separate and

40 Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 www.mountaineering.ie Margaret with an Israeli journalist and a Lebanese trekker. trekking
Photo: Margaret Scully collection. “Disused yaylas may soon be developed as trekking huts for eco-tourists... ” recycle our waste, to cut down on supportive of TEMA and Kate Clow’s plastics and develop renewable energy pioneering projects. resources. If the people who are still With careful management and waiting for work to commence on sustainable development, Kate Clow is Ireland’s first eco-village in hopeful that these mountains will Cloughjordan, Co Tipperary, were to survive the many threats and continue see Yaylalar, they would be gone in to attract responsible, nature-loving the morning. It still has the original visitors. TEMA and the United essence of the eco dream, complete Nations Development Programme are with cow-dung plaster and hand- working in the area, protecting and milked, happy cows. Hopefully, with encouraging the breeding of rare the help of TEMA and other groups in species, which in the Kaçkar the area, these natural places and Mountains case includes children. people will be preserved and their Being aware of the damage caused by environmental friendliness developed. trekkers and mountaineers in the However, beside every beauty there Himalayas, Clow, Ozmen and many is often a beast, and in the Kackar’s others are adamant that the Kaçkar is case it’s the proposed damming of the not going to be similarly ruined by Yusufeli basin which has been in the insufficient sanitation facilities or by pipeline for the last fifteen years. being littered with plastic bottles and People have had to live under the debris. At present, the Kaçkar is a threat of a mass eviction in order to blank, unspoilt canvas upon which Fact file flood their homeland, which is they are planning to create an eco- Getting there destined to become a hydro-electric friendly destination. Turkish Airlines (www.thy.com) fly five times a week direct dam. As it is now a well-known fact from Dublin to Istanbul (4hrs) with onward connections to that the life-span of such large-scale Margaret Scully originates from the Erzurum or Trabazon (1.5hrs). Yusufeli is a three-hour drive dams is shortlived due to silting, we lowlands of Laois but has an affinity from Erzurum Airport. can only hope that the powers that be with the mountains. She has trekked will wake up to the fact that there is in the Himalaya and done numerous Independent travel ample scope for micro-hydro systems short trips in the mountains of New Turkey is a very hospitable country and excellent for in the towns and villages, which could Zealand and Ireland. She is passionate backpacking, with regular and inexpensive bus services. generate ample power without causing about ethical travel to interesting Walks can be completed with the aid of a GPS and Kate damage and disturbance to the area destinations. Clow’s The Kaçkar trekking guide. Accommodation ranges and its inhabitants. One saving grace from €20-€50 per night including breakfast (please check is that, with time, the threat of the Explore the Kaçkar with provider as prices vary according to number and dam is dwindling. Another is the fact season). See www.trekkinginturkey.com. Trek and Tour – June 2009 Yaylalar is an excellent base for day-walks and for access that Yusufeli’s administration is now in Info: www.misssushi.com to Dibe Valley and Naletleme Pass. Rooms and self-catering the competent and ethical hands of Contact: Margaret 085 165 5575 riverside cottages are available for groups/families. Ismail at Governor Mevlut Ozmen, who is very Cam Yuva Pansiyon can arrange mule hire (tel: +90 466 832 2001) or contact Kerem in Middle Earth Travel (www. middleearthtravel.com).

Organised travel Our excellent guide Kerem Karaerkek from Middle Earth Travel (www.middleearthtravel.com) runs seven-day guided treks in Kaçkar between June 15 th and Sept 15 th for €475 including food and accommodation (and airport pick-up and drop-off). For more information on Yusufeli, see www.yusufeli.gov.tr (check out the video). See also www.tema.org, website of TEMA (Turkish Foundation for Combating Soil Erosion, for Reforestation and the Protection of Natural Habitats).

Special thanks to the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism (www.gototurkey.co.uk).

Margaret and Kate crossing Naletleme Pass. Photo: Margaret Scully collection. www.mountaineering.ie Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 41 bouldering

Bouldering in Hampi Naomi Sturdy goes climbing in India

Naomi Sturdy on hether you Hampi Boarding the train in Bangalore with a traverse, literally up to one hundred or more Hampi. go to India Now a designated world heritage people pushing their way on, we Photo: Neal for the site, Hampi was once one of the McQuaid. largest Hindu empires in India. In the knew our journey to Hampi would be climbing or W Hindu legends of Ramangan, this area interesting, to say the least. Nine not, you are most was Kishkinda, the realm of the hours later, we pulled into Hospet. We definitely guaranteed an monkey gods. Today, with a landscape refused every offer of a rickshaw and adventurous experience. of boulders stretching for miles, it is got the bus to Hampi. It is a laid-back town (being in India, that is a It is a huge country that attracting climbers from all over the world. compliment!), so we were more than can be challenging, scary Bouldering has been developing happy to settle in when we arrived. and exciting, and that s here for around ten years and, with There are many ruins of ancient before you even get to the help of Big Up Production’s film temples which are amazing to visit on the crags! Pilgrimage, featuring Chris Sharma, rest days, and now with the increasing Hampi has been launched into the numbers of tourists visiting the place, All in all, our trip to the sub-continent consciousness of many travelling there is a range of restaurants and was most definitely memorable and climbers interested in a wilder cafes to choose from on both sides of insightful. Due to time constraints and experience. the river. aiming for quality rather than A lot of Hampi bouldering is based Most of the bouldering at present is The Ali Baba quantity, we concentrated our on exploration, but to assist visiting across the river from the main town café in Hampi is climbing in two main areas, Hampi climbers, a topo is available from an and a boat runs over and back each a meeting place and Badami. Both locations are in old lady called Begum. There are day, with a ten-year-old scrupulously for rockclimbers. south India, roughly 300km from almost 200 problems in the current collecting the over-charged ‘foreigners’ Photo: Neal topo and, with an official guidebook rate from visitors. We rented mats off McQuaid. Bangalore. also “supposedly” on the way, there is a guy in the Shiva café who also still endless potential for new makes a fine banana lassi. So with problems in Hampi. mats and shoes ready, we headed for Currently, the developed problems the boulders where there was an range from 5c-8a (V0-V12) and there eclectic mix of climbers, so one is are certainly many problems of above never left lacking for motivation or this grade. interesting conversation. The boulders here are a rough At the end of our first day, having granite and the climbing takes its toll shredded most of the skin from our on the fingertips! Most boulders are of fingertips, the sun went down over similar style, with small crimps and Hampi. The monkeys jumped from very little in the line of footholds. boulder to boulder with style and Coming to Hampi as an introduction agility, while the local wild dogs to bouldering is not recommended! howled at the moon. Going to Hampi,

42 Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 www.mountaineering.ie bouldering

I was not sure what to expect as regards the climbing. However, having been there now, I have to say I was impressed by the place. One could spend months there and still have endless problems to find and try, and on top of that it is in India and comes with all the strange and wonderful experiences that this country has to offer.

Badami Eager to get on some routes after the bouldering, our next destination was Badami. Badami is about a five- hour bus journey from Hampi and in true Indian style we managed to have at least three near-escapes with oncoming traffic en route! Badami, like Hampi, was once a settlement built around the glory of ancient we were in the centre of the town’s Naomi Sturdy is a member of IMC The Hermit Wall temples. In contrast with our previous slums. Little ramshackle huts side by and Mountaineering Ireland and has and Temple, destination, however, the atmosphere side, rabid dogs, pigs and rubbish been climbing for four years. Based in Badami. was not as relaxed. Badami does not New Zealand, she is currently on a Photo: Neal everywhere promptly encouraged me McQuaid. seem to attract the same number of to turn on my heels and return to the round-the-world climbing trip. tourists, so, without any of the safety of our hotel room. It was a stark USEFUL WEBSITES: touristy trimmings, it left for a more introduction to Badami. The sights, www.hampi.in/bouldering-in- ‘real’ Indian experience. The climbing the smells and the people, made me hampi.htm here is on quality sandstone. There are question what I was doing there and, www.gerhardschaar.com a few main crags with sufficient with the gear in my bag worth more (Gerhard are publishing a guidebook development (over 100 routes) and than some of their houses, I found it on Badami later this year) there is a guidebook currently being hard. www.ukclimbing.com/articles/ worked on, which is due to be After some reflection, we decided to (This site has good photos) published in 2009. All routes have get on with our goal and reassessed www.dreamroutes.org/etc/badami.html been bolted with in-situ lower-offs. the topo. We found two main areas BEST TIME TO GO: There are, however, bolts missing on which we concentrated on for the next November-February some of the routes, most likely having few days, Hermit Wall and the Temple been stolen. The work that has been area. Hermit Wall is a big face rising EQUIPMENT NEEDED: put into development here is of really above the lake in the centre of town. 60m rope, harness, shoes, chalk, 10-15 Bouldering good quality and leaves for safe, We were not climbing there long quickdraws, 1 set of nuts and cams in Hampi. enjoyable experiences. For routes when the locals started to gather (for routes where bolts are missing or Photo: Neal not present) and an open mind! McQuaid. where bolts are missing or gear is around to watch. I found myself required, a little more caution and belaying with about ten Indian men perhaps guts are needed and, having standing around me, chatting away in seen the hospital down in the town, I Hindi, watching our every move, with opted for the former! kids asking me if they could have a Coming from the granite in Hampi, go, a quickdraw, a school pen, the sandstone here was a welcome chocolate or whatever, all while I’m change. It was amazing to see such trying to watch the rope and my bags red rock, steep, with perfect features – a very strange experience! and perfect lines. Going on a topo we Two of the guys, Vickram and received from a German climber, we Singh, decided it was their duty to started out on the first day. We had become our friends and act as tour not been walking long when I realised guides during our stay! They brought us to some of the local temples, which I have to say were worth the visit. In the other climbing area we visited, we We were escaped the crowds and the sun by climbing in a nice shaded gully. “eager to go During our week in Badami, we found enough to keep us entertained and, rockclimbing like Hampi, there were many after the possibilities for new development there.  bouldering... www.mountaineering.ie ” Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 43 rockclimbing

Paradise next door Colm Ennis takes part in a BMC Meet in Wales

The breathtaking ach year, the British their 2008 International Climbing from Belgium had taken a 50-foot fall Llanberis Pass Mountaineering Meet therefore couldn’t be passed up. during an on-sight ground-up attempt as seen from Council (BMC) holds a The meet got off to an auspicious on the nearby Nightmayer (E8)! Later, Dinas Mot. start when the whole ground floor of we might have got our abseil ropes Photo: week-long International Colm Ennis. Climbing Meet, with summer Manchester airport was inundated stuck and missed dinner, but it was anEd winter meets taking place with a flood of rainwater which worth it for that late evening light in in alternate years. Their aim is distracted us from our easy game of the valley and that satisfying tiredness to put the best of Scottish ‘spot the arriving international provided uniquely by a good day’s winter climbing, north Wales’ climbers.’ Fortunately, at Plas y Brenin, climbing. cragging and all of the British the national mountain centre and our Sitting down to breakfast with a base for the meet, the forecast for the hundred psyched-up climbers who are climbing ethics and traditions next day was looking very good, confronted with endless possibilities on show. In May of last year which made for enjoyable plotting by for climbing is quite an experience. the MCI was represented at the the 44 climbers from 24 different North Wales seems to have a bit of summer meet by Eoin Kennedy countries, who were all now teamed every type of rock on the planet and I from Cork and Colm Ennis up with a UK host. was determined to experience it all, so from the Rathgormack I had decided that a few routes on the famous Dinorwig slate quarries Climbing Club in Waterford. Dinas Mot down in the Pass would sounded like the perfect suggestion Here, Colm Ennis recounts his ease me into the week. My host, from my host Naomi Buys for the experiences. Robert, was, however, a bit shaken by second day. As you pass the quarries the pace of a wound-up Irish climber on your drive out from Llanberis to The last time I had touched the rock used to travelling quite a distance for Snowdon, you might consider them a of north Wales I had been caught up good, dry rock and who likes to get bit of a blot on the landscape, but in a rather excellent epic involving a plenty of value and at least three getting in amongst those immense popular Tremadog arête, a hefty multi-pitch routes out of his day. piles of slate is quite an experience. shower of rain, stuck climbers, stuck There was a bit of everything in the Firstly, there is the incredible history gear, stuck ropes and eventually a climbing, with the delicate, slabby of the place, which shouts out to you head-torchless darkness. I have a great traverse on Superdirect and the blind as you pass by the small, stone huts memory, too, of an easier day’s swing onto the arête of the meaty used by the quarry workers and their cragging down in the Llanberis Pass, Plexus being the highlights. families. Then you have to stop to which I had followed up with a Meanwhile, across on the sun- investigate all those strange cables, pilgrimage to the ledge beneath the drenched Dinas Cromlech, we tubes, cranes, tracks, holes, tunnels historic Cenotaph Corner and of watched the queue for Lord of the and caves that represent the standing there desperately wanting to Flies, an E6 that had probably never technology and the fabrications which climb it. The chance to get back to it had so many ascents in a single day. helped those workers chew their way all as a guest of the venerable BMC at We heard, too, that Nico Favresse through the mountain. Each climbing

44 Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 www.mountaineering.ie Colm Ennis on the crux of “ Vector E2 5c at Serengeti in Joe Brown had said the the Dinorwig Slate Quarries. Vector was ‘tricky, polished Photo: Elfyn Jones. and precarious,’ but I just went and climbed it. ” area had a unique feel to it, too, like gentleman, but don’t mind that, he’s the green and cavernous Vivian actually stark raving mad.” Pat, that quarry, the strange, white tentacles week, seconded a 17-year-old Belgian reaching up from the pool at Dali’s climber on the Axe (E4 6a) on Cloggy, Hole and the monolith of rock at having made the first ascent 30 years Serengeti. You could spend the whole earlier. Many of the other day just exploring the great heaps of international climbers gave talks about slate in what seems like a post- their own countries or places that they apocalyptic world, but eventually you had visited. They were only too happy have to do a bit of climbing! Some of to give advice and offered help in the routes demand trad gear while organising expeditions. My guidebook others are bolted or pegged, but this is to the Crimea is on the way. no sport-climbing crag and there is The next morning, I dug out my often quite a bit to be done before you five-year-old but never-used Gogarth reach that first clip. A short, sharp guidebook; it was time to hit the corner called Holy Holy Holy at E2 5c coast. After the hour-long mini-bus provided one of the highlights of the trip, I was in the company of the day. I was surprised that I couldn’t tough-as-nails local expert Elfyn Jones Naomi Buys on Looning the Tube just bridge up it and, like quite a few who promptly pointed me at an E1 5b at Dali’s Hole in the other routes that we did that day, I extravagantly named route called the Dinorwig Slate Quarries. had to resort to using fingers and Park Lane/Doomsville Connection. It Photo: Colm Ennis. technique, actually doing some real took a while to adjust to the sea cliffs climbing. after the last few days in the On the slate, Naomi had proved to mountains. It wasn’t just the quartzite be an excellent and incredibly calm you had to get used to, there were the climbing partner and we were circling gulls and the crash of the sea, together again the next morning for a and everything just seemed so big and trip up to the Cromlech. Our first two initially even a bit scruffy. I struggled routes were to be Cenotaph Corner up the cruxy ramp and finally caught and the equally famous Cemetery my breath – different, but good! After Gates. I quickly tied in below the that, it was right out over the sea to a Corner. Joe Brown’s classic route has a multi-pitch route actually called huge amount of history and folklore Gogarth, which flashed by, and then it attached to it and I was determined to was back to The Strand, a stunning climb it perfectly. It is well protected, crack line just beside Park Lane, climbs like a dream and, like all of the which turned out to be an excellently best routes, has its crux right at the sustained and enjoyable pitch. What a top. A few quick and tricky moves place! I definitely would have stayed and I was over it, well pleased with climbing there until sunset, but we myself. Cemetery Gates felt more had a bus to catch. As we waited in Colm at the top of exposed and was another great piece the sun at the car park, one of the another good pitch. of climbing. Left Wall, on the other hosts was discussing his study into Photo: Elfyn Jones. hand, was quite a long, lonely lead what motivates climbers. He had and I kicked myself later for taking gathered together research from all the easier variation finish at the very over the world and had decided that top. Not the next time! we were all very badly adjusted, The evenings were just as hectic as developmentally stunted, daft, mad, the days, with lectures and messed up and so on. I didn’t presentations from the likes of contribute much to the debate and pioneering climber Pat Littlejohn who instead just looked forward to my spoke about the adventurous climbing next really long day at Gogarth. Great on the Lleyn peninsula, where he routes, good rock and all in the sun assured fans of loose rock that they by the sea. would find plenty to keep them It was back to Tremadog the next entertained. In his talk, Nick Bullock day, the site of that previously warned us about Pat, who he said mentioned epic. I was raring to go but “seems like a nice, mild-mannered was slowed down by the tough www.mountaineering.ie Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 45 rockclimbing

on every crag in north Wales had been climbed from the mad slate test- pieces, to adventurous outings on the wild sea-cliffs and, of course, the big multi-pitch mountain routes. Amazingly, routes like Authentic Desire (E7 6b) on Cloggy had been onsighted. It had all been done in glorious sunshine and there were even rumours of a new route or two. For me, it had been an incredible experience to have been so immersed in climbing with so many different top-form climbers. Fortunately, I managed to bottle some of the momentum and form, which in the coming months saw me up a few big Irish routes that I had never dared stand beneath before. So if you are trying to track down a superb location for your next trip or are considering applying for the next excellent BMC climbing meet – don’t think twice and get yourself across to The dramatic bouldery start to the Plum. It turned straight away. As advertised, the route the paradise next door! Dinas Cromlech in out to be an excellent arête, which we got harder with every move upwards, Llanberis Pass. followed up with the strenuous, thin but it went, and while it’s not quite a Colm Ennis is a member of the Photo: Rathgormack Climbing Club in Colm Ennis. crack of Extraction. It was my turn to big route on Cloggy, it felt good all the lead again for Vector, another Joe same. The nearby, similarly graded Waterford. He has had a wide-ranging Brown classic. I managed to forget the Firefly brought me back down to involvement in mountaineering and descriptions of ‘infamous, tricky, Earth quickly, though, and I even has been rockclimbing for the past polished, precarious’ and so on and stopped the traffic on the road just eight years, particularly in the just went and climbed it. To finish up, below as it looked for a while like I Comeraghs, but also in many other Elfyn punished me for finding Vector was going to hit the ground. I held parts of Ireland. He has been walking so easy and had a laugh as I groaned on. Scary fun! on the Pyrenean Haute Route, winter my way up after him on the pumpy For the last night, there was wine mountaineering in Scotland and ice- Grasper. At the top, I admitted that and local ale, too much good food, climbing in Slovakia, and has climbed a my arms and fingers were just a bit plenty of talking and debating, dodgy few of the Alpine 4000ers. tired, so it was down for tea and cakes dancing and a small acoustic guitar at Eric’s café. that had been on the recent first Recommended guidebook Apparently, they always get superb ascent of a big wall in Pakistan. North Wales Rock – Selected Rock weather for the BMC Meet but it Everybody was asked to write down Climbs in North Wales, by Simon looked like there could be a bit of rain his or her three best routes of the Panton, published by Ground Up for the very last day. Fortunately, it week…and what a list there was! It Publications, 2006. seems there is always a dry crag in seemed every iconic and classic route north Wales, so it was off to the coast again but this time to the limestone Naomi Buys on Great Curve cliffs of The Orme, which is beside the E2 5c at Serengeti. seaside town of Llandudno. Lo and Photo: Colm Ennis. behold, it stayed dry, and after three climbs and seeing it was the last day, I decided it was time to jump up another grade. It’s easy to say that you shouldn’t get too bothered with grades, but it’s nice to tick a more difficult one every now and again. In the previous week I had climbed 37 pitches on 27 routes and managed to lead about 20 first-class routes a grade “ or two above my usual level. The Naomi proved to be an continuous crack line of Plumbline was in my sights but unfortunately one of those young, rocket-powered excellent and incredibly Slovenian climbers had just failed on ” it. To hell with him, and up I went calm climbing partner.

46 Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 www.mountaineering.ie training
Trainin gLog

The latest advice and information from Tim Orr, Training Officer

Changes in BOS Busy schedule for 2009 This edition of the Irish The Training Office has witnessed a significant increase in the Mountain Log marks the number of people registering for official training courses this year. beginning of another The Walking Group Leader Award, especially, has undergone a change for our revival, with as many people signing up for it in the opening months organisation in its of this year as did in the whole of 2008. The Mountain Leader progress towards fully Assessment, due to take place in April, is fully booked with 12 serving the needs of candidates – one of the biggest MLA groups ever seen by BOS – and mountaineering in we are already taking bookings for the October MLA. Ireland. Change has Our Scottish Winter Meet, held in March in Onich, also saw an also occurred within increase in participants tackling both the snowy hills and the courses Bord Oiliúint Sléibhe on offer. In 2009, BOS also has the largest number of approved (BOS), the training course providers to date, with 50 individuals currently approved to TIM’SBLOGSPOT wing of Mountaineering deliver the range of National Governing Body qualifications. All of Ireland. these factors are indicative of increasing demand for formal and With the customary biennial change in the chairperson of the informal mountaineering training and of an upsurge in the popularity BOS board, we must acknowledge the unyielding of all aspects of mountaineering in Ireland. commitment of time and expertise that Tomás Aylward has In response to such an encouraging start to the year, BOS is given to the post throughout the past two years. The undertaking a comprehensive overhaul of its administrative system. A guidance Tomás has offered over this period, based upon his new Course Providers structure is now in place which will develop a many years’ involvement in mountaineering as both a more substantial foundation for it, including a nationwide professional and (more importantly) a passionate consistency of standards. mountaineer, will undoubtedly continue to influence The Training and Safety pages on the Mountaineering Ireland mountain training in Ireland well into the future. website have also been updated with a new, user-friendly Course At the same time, we welcome Pat Kinneally to the chair of Calendar. This is now the main port of call for forthcoming training this board. As an active mountaineer, Pat joins us from the events, and searches can be made by date, course, location or Clare Outdoor Club where he has held the role of club provider. We would appreciate any feedback about your experience chairperson for the last number of years. of these changes. If you would like to learn more about BOS, its roles and The Training Office will be continuing two particularly popular structure, please visit the Training and Safety section of the projects started in 2008. The free Taster Sessions in hillwalking and Mountaineering Ireland website, www.mountaineering.ie. rockclimbing will return in the summer months. These are a fantastic way for people to get an introduction to mountaineering and, Planning the year ahead hopefully, put them on the path to a new enjoyment of the Irish The principal role of the training office is to continue to uplands. Also, the Volunteer Training Officer weekends will return in implement the training policy ratified in 2007 by the 2009. Mountaineering Ireland now has over 130 affiliated clubs and organisation’s members. Supporting current projects and over 9,500 members. A priority requirement that has emerged from exploring new ways to promote and assist the delivery of discussions with many clubs is to ensure that all their members are training and safety in Ireland is paramount to our ongoing trained in the necessary hill skills to safely enjoy their days in the work. It is, however, primarily the drive and enthusiasm of mountains. In response, Mountaineering Ireland our members that will progress our training initiatives. As is working towards having this is a fundamental objective of our organisation, all Volunteer Training Officers members are encouraged to play a part. (VTOs) in all of the There are many ways that you can become involved in affiliated clubs. mountain training: Two extremely • Develop your own skills further by attending an successful VTO weekends organised training course. were run in 2008, • Come along to one of our annual meets. with two further • Attend one of the free taster sessions during the summer. being planned for this • Promote further in-house training within your club. year. Keep an eye on the • Refresh and practice skills already learnt. website for further details The Training Office staff are here to help and advise you. If on both these ventures. you don’t know where to start, or if you have an idea for a – (Kate Hebblethwaite, new initiative but are not sure how to get it off the ground, Training Assistant) contact us here and we will do our best to assist you. On a Multi-Pitch Award course. Photo: Tim Orr. www.mountaineering.ie Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 47 nterawins ing Mountai nSkills

Training Officer Tim Orr reports on the Walking Group Leader and Multi-Pitch Awards

Group leader and multi-pitch schemes

In the last three issues of the Mountain Log, I took an in-depth look at some of the well-established Bord Oiliúint Sléibhe (BOS) training schemes that are overseen by the MI within the Republic of Ireland, namely the Mountain Skills, Mountain Leader and Single-Pitch Award. The final two awards delivered through BOS are the Walking Group Leader (WGL) and the Multi-Pitch Award (MPA). These are equally well embedded within the overall qualification structure, but they are also sometimes viewed as sub-stages within a greater system.

Interpretations about where exactly the WGL and MPA schemes fit into the BOS structure have undoubtedly created some confusion in the past. The labels On a Walking Group sometimes tagged to these awards as the Leader course. ‘sub-ML’ (WGL) and the ‘stepping stone to Photo: Tim Orr. the Mountain Instructor Award’ (MPA) do not always do justice to the uniqueness of contain steep or broken ground requiring 30 hours’ contact time. A list of training these qualifications. particular movement skills. Although the providers and upcoming courses are WGL does not include wild remote available from the Mountaineering Ireland Walking Group Leader (WGL) camping, if used within the terrain website, www.mountaineering.ie. restrictions stated, the standard of its syllabus can be equalled to that of the The WGL scheme is aimed at candidates Consolidation & Assessment wishing to lead groups of hillwalkers in Mountain Leader (ML). non-mountainous hilly terrain within On completion of training, your course Ireland and the UK. Covering such skills Requirements & Training as navigation, emergency procedures, director will assist you with an individual group management and remote action plan towards gaining the further supervision, this qualification is designed To register with BOS for the WGL you personal and leadership experience for use on terrain generally described as must be at least 18 years of age, have a necessary for the assessment. WGL hill, bog or moorland. The restriction to genuine interest in leading groups and assessments are organised directly non-mountainous terrain should not be have at least one year’s walking through BOS over a three-day period classified by height but rather by the experience. Once registered, candidates during which candidates are tested on all objective hazards that might be are provide with the WGL logbook aspects of the syllabus. Prior to booking encountered. The WGL will not be through which they must present for an assessment, candidates must hold suitable if you are looking to lead groups evidence of a minimum of 20 days’ a current first-aid certificate and present through terrain without obvious and walking before booking on to the three- evidence of a minimum of 40 hillwalking clearly defined boundaries, or areas that day training course, generally comprising days within their logbook.

48 Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 www.mountaineering.ie training

Your guide to mountain skills training

On a Multi-Pitch Award course. Moving on from ML to WGL Photo: Tim Orr.

Candidates who have completed their formal ML training can choose to register for the WGL scheme and will gain automatic exemption from the official three-day WGL training course. However, candidates moving onto the WGL scheme should fully familiarise themselves with the WGL syllabus and its requirements.

WGL as stepping stone to ML?

Although, as already stated, the WGL is a stand-alone qualification, some candidates might find attending a WGL assessment a useful stepping stone Mountain Log – MS, ML, WGL SPA and Consolia tion & Assessment within the ML consolidation period. With MPA – are just part of a far greater many similar standards including training structure recognised and navigation, the WGL assessment can On completion of training, your course approved through the MI. Just as a more help prepare candidates for the director will assist you with an individual informal introductory approach assists somewhat more intense ML assessment. action plan towards gaining the further candidates’ preparation for these awards, personal and leadership experience there is also a formal structure of speciality leadership and instructor Multi-Pitch Award (MPA) necessary for the assessment. MPA assessments are organised directly qualifications beyond the BOS awards through BOS over a two-day period during that leads all the way to the UIAGM This award is for experienced climbers which candidates are tested on all aspects Guide, the highest mountaineering who have an interest in leading others in of the syllabus. Prior to booking for an qualification. Many of these higher level the multi-pitch rockclimbing environment assessment, candidates must hold a schemes are administered through the Mountain Training Boards of the UK and throughout Ireland and the UK. The MPA current first-aid certificate and present are delivered through the different UK syllabus covers such topics as group logged evidence of their experience. National Mountain Training Centres. leadership and management, incident procedures, varying rope systems, Mountain Instructor Award For further information on these awards, stance management and belaying. contact Tollymore, the National Mountain Training Centre for Northern Ireland, You may plan on stepping up to the Requirements & Training www.tollymore.com.  Mountain Instructor Award (MIA). Although the MPA is not a prerequisite for Before attending a training course, attendance on the MIA training, it has over candidates must first register with BOS, time proved an exceptionally useful showing evidence of holding the SPA stepping stone for gaining further Contact details award and completion of a minimum of 10 experience in line with the required level of multi-pitch lead routes of “severe” or experience needed for MIA registration. If you have any queries on these above. Formal training is generally held training schemes, please email over a two-day period and delivered by [email protected] And finally... BOS-approved MPA instructors. Upcoming courses and a list of current providers can be found on the MI website, All of the BOS training schemes www.mountaineering.ie. described in this series of articles in the www.mountaineering.ie Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 49 access & conservation Acces s&C onservation

The latest news from Aodhnait Carroll, Access & Conservation Officer Children benefit from nature

Outdoor activities are vital to a child’s wellbeing

“I like to play indoors better ‘cause that’s where the electrical sockets are.” – Twelve-year-old child

I RECENTLY CAME ACROSS a quote by the author Richard Louv that really caught my attention. He was speaking about a group of young people after they had participated in an outdoor adventure weekend. He stated that “these are the kind of memories that will last a lifetime, and we have a responsibility to make sure all kids get this kind of access to the outdoors. I believe that children have a moral right to the gifts of nature.” This quote really hit home with me. From my own experience in working with young people and from the experience of outdoor activity providers, it is apparent that there is a dramatic shift in the Teaching young people health and wellbeing of young people in Ireland today. There is a lot about the upland environment. of evidence to suggest that this shift is being caused, in part at least, Photo: Tim Orr. by the removal of nature from the day-to-day lives of children. The term coined for this effect is ‘nature deficit disorder,’ and is explained by Richard Louv as follows: “There are human costs to alienation critical factor in this process. A rich, open environment will from nature, including attention difficulties, diminished use of continuously present alternative choices for creative engagement. A senses, and higher rates of physical and emotional illness.” rigid, bland environment will limit healthy growth and development of the individual or the group.” Nature deficit disorder For those of you who like to see the cold hard facts, below are some statistics that show the shift in lifestyle that Irish children are One of the most obvious signs of nature deficit disorder is that we facing. These changes in daily life can be directly related to a are seeing a deterioration in the physical health of our children, restriction of the access to the natural environment that young often related to an excess weight gain. In general, the term people are experiencing. “overweight” refers to children who are 15% above their desirable weight, while the term “obese” is used to describe children who are • In 1971, 80% of seven-to-eight-year-olds walked to school; at least 20% over their desirable weight. In Europe as a whole, one today the figure is just 10%. in every six children is suffering from obesity. In Ireland, it is one in • The obesity level for six-year-olds has increased by 100% in the five, and in America one in every four children are classified as past decade. It has trebled among fifteen-year-olds during the obese. This phenomenon can be attributed to the reduction in same period. unstructured play in open areas that has occurred over the last forty • There was a 36% reduction in tree-related injuries presenting to years. A recent study in the UK showed that children’s access to hospitals between 1999 and 2006. areas where they can roam freely has decreased by ninety per cent • There has been a 35% increase in the number of children being since 1940. treated for repetitive movement injuries, often associated with One often tends to focus on physical wellbeing over mental using computers. wellbeing as we feel that we have a greater level of control over our physical wellbeing. If we need to improve our health, we can walk This article has painted a somewhat dismal picture of what is more or eat healthier food. However, dealing with mental health happening to the health and wellbeing of young people in Ireland problems can be a lot harder. Recent statistics show that one in eight today. Nature deficit disorder is clearly a very significant problem boys and one in ten girls aged eleven to seventeen have been affecting the health of these young people, with no one cause and no diagnosed with a mental health problem. Could these nature- single solution. There are, however, a number of things that we can deprived children be suffering from cultural autism, the symptoms of do to help in working towards an improvement. We need to which are tunnelled senses and feelings of isolation and encourage parents to bring their children to the outdoors and to containment? allow them the freedom to connect with nature. We must also do all Individual children test themselves by interacting with their that is possible to make these wild places inviting and accessible to environment, activating their potential and reconstructing human individuals who may already be suffering from a detachment and culture. As Robin Moore put it: “The content of the environment is a fear of nature. 

50 Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 our insurance isn’t available for all mountaineers

BMC insurance will give you peace of mind, wherever you travel. U All premiums held at 2008 rates U Further discounts for online purchases U Policy details sent straight to your mobile phone (when you apply online) U Special rate for couples Mountaineering Council of Ireland (MCI) members (Individual and Club Members) can take advantage of the BMC’s insurance as a benefit of their membership. Please quote your MCI membership number or club name on application for insurance. INSURANCE YOU CAN TRUST

www.thebmc.co.uk/insure BRITISH MOUNTAINEERING COUNCIL 177–179 Burton Road, Manchester M20 2BB T 0161 445 6111 F 0161 445 4500 E [email protected] books Books Literary Editor Joss Lynam presents reviews of some recent publications. Is serious climbing really worth it?

with Andy’s attempts to overcome the talents at their best. It is in Patagonia also Harry O’Brien physical and mental trauma of the climb on that Andy confronts the many questions in Changabang. His style is always easy to read his mind regarding his future climbing and his Thin White and his account of his journey from the commitment to the sport. Line gritstone edges to the mountains of Sweden, The finest climb in the book is the first By Andy Cave Patagonia and Alaska gives a remarkable alpine-style ascent of the north ridge of Hutchinson, insight into a sensitive and committed climber 225pp Mount Kennedy in the St Elias Mountains in who tackles the perennial questions that 8pp b&w and the Yukon with his good friend, Mick Fowler. mountaineers face: Is serious climbing worth colour photos The climbing style shows their total it? Do I really want to continue to put myself h/b £18.99 commitment in a hostile and demanding in danger? ISBN: 978-0- environment. Again, Cave’s writing allows the Cave intermingles historic details very 091-79572-6 reader to gain a good insight into his mental successfully within his climbing adventures, attitude in coming to terms with the trauma e.g. the pioneering exploits of aviators in This is Andy of Changabang. Patagonia and Alaska. His description of Cave's second Cave’s descriptive pieces on Andy Parkin, climbing in Norway with the young Leo book – his first, Houlding is a great example of his relaxed the brilliant British climber who lives in Learning to style of writing and attention to detail. The Chamonix, and Kurt Gloyer, the pilot who Breathe, was joint winner of the Boardman pictures he paints of extreme, nail-biting flew the climbing team to Mount Kennedy, Tasker Prize in 2005. The final section of rockclimbing make for compelling reading. are superb examples of the talent of an Learning to Breathe was his gripping account His account of climbing in Scotland invokes accomplished writer who provides such of climbing the north face of Changabang – all that is good about modern, mixed depth and insight into his characters. an incredible feat. Tragically, Brendan Murphy, Scottish climbing, including the traditional I would recommend this book highly and, his companion and good friend, was killed on tramp in and out. His portrayal of the horrific where possible, suggest reading Learning to the descent. Thin White Line commences storms in Patagonia shows his descriptive Breathe first.

A knowledgeable mountaineer living in India

that in 1947 a prestigious Swiss expedition expedition there in 1958. It is surprising that Joss Lynam to Garhwal, led by the famous André Roch, he has drawn his own map with sausage invited a guest member from the Himalayan glaciers, when Holmes’ much better map Himalayan Club. Braham, who was living in Calcutta was available in 1958, and my own in 1962. Playground: and had previous experience of trekking in In this book, Braham covers the same Adventures Sikkim, got the job. He climbed Kedarnath expeditions as in his 1974 Himalayan on the Roof Dome with Roch, Graven and Dittert, and Odyssey, but, as an octogenarian, of the World returned on his own over various high considers “the maturity of later years has 1942-72 passes with two Sherpas. What a wonderful led to a deeper appreciation of the By Trevor start to a Himalayan career! pleasures, heightening the awareness of the Braham It established Braham as a good fortune that has enabled me to The In Pinn, knowledgeable mountaineer living in India develop a more profound relationship with 107pp and so he was invited to join several other mountains.” 24pp photos expeditions. He was also perfectly placed to It has certainly led in this short book to a £9.99 organise his own mountain trips, especially vision of enjoyable climbing on the lesser ISBN: 978-1- when he moved to Pakistan in 1961. The Himalayan peaks, climbing in a way that 906476-00-7 climbs in this book span in time the thirty has become much more difficult since the years he was living in the east and in mountains became draped in bureaucracy Trevor Braham was both far-seeing and geographic spread from Sikkim to and commercialism, as Doug Scott laments lucky. He was at school in India and, after Waziristan, including the tragic Minapin in the foreword. Even if you have read World War II, took a job with plentiful leave expedition of 1958. Himalayan Odyssey, this is a book not to in his father’s firm in Calcutta. The element It was of special interest to this reviewer miss. of luck was that this was the beginning of that he visited Spiti in 1955 with Peter the Golden Age of Himalayan climbing and Holmes, whose book inspired the reviewer’s

52 Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 www.mountaineering.ie books
The wonders of nature as seen in the Irish mountains

into seven themed sections, the second of in a pool in Killarney National Park are Sheila Willis which is devoted to a brief explanation of among the best images of the collection. how the images were captured. The final section is a series of impressive Dreams over the Horizon, A Journey of two-page spreads of land and sky ‘scapes. Discovery, Sea to Mountain and Mountain to The late morning on the summit of Sea, The Beauty of Form, The Nature Within Galtymore and afternoon in the Twelve Bens and the Soul’s Longing are the titles of the looking north appeal to me, but the sunrise selections of pictures and, while they form a in the Bens and the other images are also frame to enable the author to give us some impressive. understanding of his personal views on the This book contains a beautiful collection impact of nature, they are not necessary for of images. The sections are somewhat an appreciation of the beautiful images in artificial but give an essay approach to the the book. project. The quality of the pictures is high From the images of mountain regions and has a mixture of familiar and more novel round the country, I particularly liked the views. However, the colour balance did not Ireland’s High Places: From the composition of the view of Tonelagee, and appeal to me and I wonder if the purple cast Mountains to the Sea the images of looking towards Galtymore in a number of the pictures was caused by By Rob Beighton across Lough Curra and a view of the The Collins Press, 160pp Allihies. I was less impressed with the North digital effects, whether by accident or Colour photos on every page Prison on Lugnaquillia and Ben Crom design. h/b €28.95 ISBN: 978-1-905172-45-0 reservoir. Rob Beighton’s book will be of interest to In the sixth section, Beighton reflects on nature lovers, walkers and those who love Rob Beighton has produced a wonderful “the spectacular in the ordinary” and the mountains as well as to photographers collection of colour photographs on the produces beautiful images of leaves, rocks who may be interested in seeing the scope wonders of nature as seen in the Irish and water. In the same section, the rainbow of images available in Ireland’s uplands, mountains. He has divided the photographs over Clew Bay and the variations of colour particularly in changing light.

Every time I pick it up I find something new

There is great variety here, from portraits of putteed cycling club Michael Fewer members in tweed suits and shirts with celluloid collars (with tie, of course), flat cap or homburg, unique shots of the burning of the Robert L. Chapman’s Custom House in May 1921, regattas in Kingstown, and long-gone Ireland: Photographs steam engines puffing into stations. Shots of the Wicklow from the Chapman Mountains, of Glenmacnass, Glencullen and Glencree, naked Collection 1907-1957 without their contemporary clothing of conifers, and the condition in Compiled by Christiaan the 1920s of mountain roads such as the Wicklow Gap, are eye- Corlett openers. A great browser’s book, this, and every time I pick it up, I The Collins Press, find something new. 133pp h/b €24.95 ISBN 13:978-1-905172-77-1

Photography was an astonishing invention, the power of which is difficult to grasp in the image-rich world we live in today. By the early 20th century the magic of creating images by photography was widely available for those with a few bob, but unlike in our contemporary pixelated world, the relatively high cost of film and developing then guaranteed that great care was taken with every exposure. As a result, photographic material of that period generally tends to be of a very high standard. This must be said of this collection of photographs by the late Robert Chapman, compiled by the ever-busy Christiaan Corlett. The cover photo sets the standard: it sharply depicts Chapman as a young man seeming to pass by on his bicycle, stockings to his knees, raincoat tied to the handlebars. Looking closely, however, you will spot the rock wedged under the offside pedal to support the bike in an upright position for the long Glendasan, west of Laragh, on the Wicklow Gap Road on the exposure. 30 th of July 1922. – From ‘Robert L. Chapman’s Ireland.’ www.mountaineering.ie Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 53 books A comprehensive discourse on British mountain geology

and diagrams each of seventeen major, mountain-forming Ruth Lynam £20.00 ISBN 978-0-7112-2914-3 rock types. Discussions of the micro-details of mineral composition mix comfortably with This is not merely about granite and grit; landscape descriptions, mountaineering Ronald Turnbull has written a stories, historical geology and scientific comprehensive discourse on the geology of theory. There are also plenty of simple, the British mountains – mountains being in effective, explanatory diagrams and many general above 600m (because that’s where smaller technical photos of geological you can see the rocks) and British meaning features – though it might have been worth UK (the Mournes get a few mentions). defacing some of these with superficial lines This is not a field guidebook; it would look to better illustrate the points being made. very well on the coffee table, since it is The index of places makes it easy to look prolifically illustrated with some really up references to any particular area, and magnificent mountain scenes, but it is much Turnbull’s contagious enthusiasm for the more than a coffee-table book. The pictures mountains, and the gorgeous photos, make complement the text, which is both one wish to just get up and go there. But informative and highly readable with some locating these mountains will be more Granite and Grit: A Walker’s Guide to lively turns of phrase (“gneiss is a scotch difficult. the Geology of the British Mountains broth of a rock”). Remarkably in a book about mountains By Ronald Turnbull There is a brief and clear overview of and geology, there are very few maps, a Frances Lincoln, 208pp geological history and plate tectonics, a major flaw in an otherwise informative, Many large & small colour photos chapter on glaciation and one chapter for entertaining and beautiful book. A very beautiful book…and a companion handbook

Coast to Coast with Wainwright is a very were taken during all seasons, which adds Jean Boydell beautiful book. It is an update of the first variety and emphasises Brabbs’ dedication. collaboration on this walk between Derry Many are double-page spreads, which Brabbs and Alfred Wainwright, published in enhances their impact and dramatic effect. 1987, which was a progression from The colours of most are superb and vibrant. Wainwright’s original Coast to Coast Walk Two sections of the walk are recorded Pictorial Guide. This edition has many more pictorially. photographs newly taken by Brabbs. The book is in coffee-table format so, The text has been updated by Derry although it describes the route in detail, it is Brabbs and, without comparing the editions, likely to be left at home by anyone walking, it is impossible to identify the changes not only for its size but also to preserve it. It because they are integrated so seamlessly. In is a book to treasure and will be coveted as a fact, there have been remarkably few reminiscence for those who have done the changes to the route or text. walk, a place to plan and dream for those The foreword is Brabbs’ and the who are thinking of doing it, and a book to admire for those who like walking books with introduction is Wainwright’s (from the last fabulous photographs, particularly of scenery. edition). The latter includes his hand-drawn Coast to Coast – A Walker’s Notebook is map of the complete route with suggested for those who keep records and journals: overnight halts. There are also sketch maps Coast to Coas t with Wainwright they can record Arrival and Departure Times, showing the three national parks areas, By Alfred Wainwright, with new photographs Weather and Companions for each section, communications and access, and altitudes. by Derry Brabbs Walker’s Notes, Sketches, Places to Eat and The route is divided into 14 days’ walking. Frances Lincoln, 270pp Sleep, and People Each section starts with Wainwright’s hand- Very numerous colour photos, drawings You Meet. Included drawn map showing that section, followed by & sketch maps also are Useful the detailed route description. £25.00 ISBN 978-0-7112-2934-1 Information and As well as the many wonderful Other Useful (Web) photographs, images of Wainwright’s original Coast to Coas t: A Walker’s Handbook Sites. It is the same sketches and “handwritten” passages that By Alfred Wainwright size as the original were included in the 1987 version are Frances Lincoln, 160pp Pictorial Guide and Sketches, maps & tables scattered throughout. The text is liberally so is suitable for a £9.99 ISBN 978-0-7112-3020-0 interspersed with photographs of scenery, back pocket or towns, villages and items along the route, rucksack. and many are breathtakingly beautiful. They

54 Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 www.mountaineering.ie books
The exhilaration can easily turn to tragedy...

skills. How much time do we give to learning or updating our John Breen knowledge for assessing avalanche potential or do we assume that it will not happen to us? The exhilaration of travelling in wild, snow- Staying Alive in Avalanche covered terrain can easily turn to tragedy for those caught in a Terrain sudden avalanche. Statistics indicate that, in a high percentage of By Bruce Tremper avalanche fatalities, either the victim or someone in the victim’s party Baton Wicks, 313pp has triggered the avalanche. A lot of avalanche accidents can be Numerous photos & diagrams avoided if one knows what to look for and develops the skill of £14.99 p/b reading “nature’s signposts.” ISBN: 978-1-898573-75-3 Following the introduction and an outline of the basics of avalanches, the three critical variables of terrain, weather and I was a bit surprised when snowpack stability, which determine whether or not an avalanche is asked to review this book as I possible, are examined in detail. While avalanches occur all the time have had a copy for a number in the mountains, it is the introduction of a fourth variable, namely of years. It has become the man/property, which introduces the potential for a hazard. book of first choice when Chapters on hazard evaluation, route finding and safe travel as wanting to refresh my know- well as rescue techniques and the human factor are also included ledge of avalanche safety. and are very well laid out. The chapter on route finding and safe However, a quick look revealed travel outlines how route finding varies with different activities, that this is the second edition including skiing, boarding and climbing, and identifies the and the first to be published in Great Britain. considerations and advantages/disadvantages for each activity. As skiers, snowboarders or climbers, we normally take time This is an excellent book for both climbers and skiers who venture before we embark on a trip to the Alps to refresh the various skills into snow-covered mountains and wish to refresh their knowledge of that we will require such as navigation, climbing or skiing/boarding safe travel in avalanche terrain.

The euphoric highs when everything goes well...

to embark on rescue missions on land, but descriptions of the more notable missions Mike Sandover more particularly at sea, in the most he has been involved in, works very well appalling and challenging conditions, and the resulting book is a fine read which Nine Lives knowing that very often the lives of other I’m sure will be enjoyed by a wide range of By David people are totally dependent on the rescue readers, active or sedentary. In addition, the Courtney crew being able to carry out their mission colour photographs in the book are well Mercier successfully, sometimes at significant chosen and tie the text together very nicely. Press, personal risk. David describes with 384pp considerable literary skill the pressures and 14pp colour mental strain of working in these Everest: photos circumstances – the euphoric highs when Summit of p/b €16.99 everything goes well and lives are saved, the World ISBN: 978- By Harry Kikstra and the dismal lows when, despite the best 1-85635- Rucksack efforts of the helicopter crew, human souls 602-2 Readers, perish. 96pp Whereas Lorna Siggins’ 2004 book 2pp map flap Mayday, Mayday (also an excellent read) 50+ photos gives a well-researched outsider’s hdbk £9.99 perspective of air & sea rescue, Nine Lives As someone who has been involved in tells the story from the inside – straight from ISBN: 978-1-898481-54-6 mountain rescue for some years now, I have the pilot’s mouth, so to speak. David Rucksack Readers have recently published had the privilege of working with David Courtney spent thirteen years as a search this guide to climbing Everest. Everest: Courtney and his Coast Guard rescue and rescue helicopter pilot for the Air Corps Summit of the World is by Harry Kikstra, and the Coast Guard and, in writing Nine helicopter colleagues on many occasions in who has also written guidebooks to the mountains of Kerry and west Cork, and Lives, draws on his wealth of experience, Aconcagua and Denali. The author, a have always been impressed by their not just of the many missions that he has successful ‘seven summiteer,’ explains courage and professionalism. I thought I been involved in but also of the emotional how to prepare for this challenge. He knew a lot of what was involved in aspects of the job and how it has impacted describes in detail the popular ascent helicopter rescue…until I read Nine Lives, on his life. routes from Tibet and Nepal, including the that is! This mixture of autobiographical passages trek from Lukla to Base Camp. See: This gripping book lets the reader know covering David’s personal life and career http://rucsacs.com/books/everest. from a first-hand perspective what it is like history, melded together with detailed www.mountaineering.ie Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 55 books One of the great mountain walks of Europe...

Mediterranean coast is just part of the GR5 that starts on the North Sean Rothery Sea coast at Hook of Holland and traverses Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg and France. The highlands of the Ardennes, the Vosges The GR5 Trail and the Jura are foretastes of the grand finale, described here. By Paddy Dillon This one-volume guide must be praised for its comprehensive Cicerone, 314pp Many colour plates and maps nature; large-scale maps followed by more detailed sections; lists of p/b £14.99 accommodation; a useful summary of the routes with a breakdown of ISBN-13: 978-185284-533-9 times and, last but not least, a glossary of basic French. The Alpine section of the GR5 is also covered by four French topoguides, which This 31-day trail has to be one of the are excellent, but this one volume would save weight. The author great mountain walks of Europe. rightly praises the GR55 High Level Route, which is a superb variation. In the introduction, Paddy Dillon The photos are seductive and the whole guide makes a highly points out that this “grand traverse of interesting read. It is a pity that the author could not list the worst the Alps” from Lake Geneva to the restaurants – one in Plampinet was well up to medieval standards!

Indulge in a pleasant walking holiday in high mountains

This second edition has expanded the Crete understanding of mountain navigation. As Gareth Ll. Jones White Mountains guide with more walks. It well as mountain walks, she covers the also covers the two further major 2,000m famous Samaria Gorge and other fabulous The High Cretan mountain ranges of Psiloritis and gorges, formed by winter torrents cutting Mountains of Lassithi. Crete: down through the southern edge of Crete Previous comprehensive descriptions are White as it is forced upwards by the African plate reset in a smaller, clear font to increase the Mountains, pushing northwards beneath it. room available. The maps have improved in Psiloritis & It is a great pleasure to revisit in these clarity, though the lack of shading or Lassithi pages peaks that I have climbed and to contouring makes it impossible to visualise Ranges read her references to the landscape the terrain without using a map alongside. By Loraine Loraine Wilson gives us an extensive and features that characterise each route. She Wilson comprehensive introduction that deals with clearly knows these mountains backwards. Cicerone, how to get to Crete, travel to the trailhead So, with your copy of Wilson’s guide in 379pp and find places to stay. She advises on how hand, take a package flight to Crete and Many colour photos, 13 maps to trek in the remote arid mountains and, as indulge in a wonderful walking holiday in s/b £14.00 ISBN: 978-1-85284-525-4 before, underlines that you must have good high mountains.

Entices the climber to the area...

the routes! This guide covers a little more better purchase. The inclusion of a brief Conor O’Connor than its title suggests, sweeping in an arch analysis of each crag, grades of routes, from Mijas to the excellent crags of Loja, aspect to the sun and access (on page 42) El Chorro incorporating all the best main climbing is invaluable, coupled with a highlighted tab By Mark areas. for each area, making this is one of the best Glaister I’m a little biased to a good system and guidebooks to this wonderful climbing area Rockfax, 200pp Rockfax’s guidebook structure and simple that I have seen. The general information Numerous systemisation does make this book easy to and accommodation sections are concise. full-page follow, providing comprehensive details, Difficulties encountered in access at El colour photos complemented with the visual addition of Chorro are explained, but I would highlight & route those photos I mentioned. Its only failing in that the Camino Del Rey needs to be diagrams this area is to put the main map on the back treated cautiously, those recently added s/b £20.95 page, a departure from its otherwise wires standing testament to the continual ISBN: 978-1- ordered structure. Routes are colour-coded disintegration of this “walkway.” 873341-81-0 within defined grades, with abseils and Overall, this guidebook is excellently put lower-offs easily identifiable. The two together and sets a standard most suitable Oh, how digital photography has elevated previous guidebooks mentioned on page for general use. Its main delivery system is a the look of rockclimbing guides, simplifying 36, Andalucía (2005) and El Chorro (2004), visual format which, coupled with concise route finding and providing excellent either suffer from poor topos or difficult-to- details, produces an attractive layout that templates to more clearly indicate the line of interpret photos, so this guidebook is a effectively entices the climber to the area.

56 Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 www.mountaineering.ie New from THE COLLINS PRESS

THE FIRST PHOTO-ESSAY OF IRELAND’S MOUNTAINS

Ireland’s High Places – From the Mountains to the Sea Rob Beighton HB: 9781905172450 • €28.95

West Link Park, Doughcloyne, Wilton, Cork Tel: 021-4347717 Fax: 021-4347720 www.collinspress.ie

Mountaineering Ireland continues to provide the book service previously operated by Joss Lynam. We can supply you with guidebooks and maps to almost any part of the world. For the walker, there is a large collection of Cicerone guides and books, or the wider selection of books and guides distributed by Cordee which also includes many climbing guides. Books reviewed in the Irish Mountain Log can usually be purchased through Joss Books with a members’ discount. To place an order, ring the MI office on (01) 6251115 or email [email protected].

Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 57 the last word

Pat McElligott Climber, sailor and irrepressible optimist

PAT M cELLIGOTT was a founder their three children and, above all, his Pa t McElligott. member of the Limerick Climbing and faithful companion through the peaks and Crochet Club (LCCC) but, as his friends, valleys for over twenty years. It was colleagues and, most of all, his family typical of his irrepressible optimism that realise, there was so much more to Pat. he convinced Eileen to embark with him His father, Jack, was from Foynes, a on a cycle ride to China in 1988; equally west Limerick village which enjoyed a typical was their pragmatic realism which brief moment of glory in the era of saw the venture end in southern Italy. intercontinental seaplanes. He worked as Pat’s first experience in the Alps a mechanic, travelling with the planes, happened around this time and he which explains why Pat was born near returned many times with family and Jerusalem on December 25th, 1953. friends. He and Eileen never lost their It was thus that an unquenchable thirst love of the mountains and they also to experience new places and people climbed in North Africa, Spain, the UK was in Pat’s genes. After qualifying as a and the USA. teacher, he worked briefly in Dublin. Then In the mid-1990s, Pat became his sense of adventure combined with his interested in sailing and found, to his spirit for social justice to bring him to great delight, that he could combine sea Nigeria, where he taught for two years. and mountain in two wonderful trips from While in Africa, he travelled and climbed Kinsale to Scotland. Particularly extensively, which merely served to whet memorable was a dawn voyage from his appetite for further adventures. Islay to Jura where, with Pat’s gentle When Pat was diagnosed with a brain Returning to Limerick, he abandoned encouragement, some old sea dogs tumour in August 2008, he responded teaching, took up a new career as a achieved what they thought impossible with his usual optimism and fortitude. systems analyst and helped to found the and scaled the Paps of Jura. Sadly, the treatment was not successful LCCC with a handful of like-minded The sharp intellect which he displayed but this did not change his outlook. He friends. Its formally adopted constitution in his professional life was most obvious died on 24 November 2008. His last set out its purpose as “to climb the when Pat managed Dell’s Y2K program weeks were an inspiration, raising the bar mountains of the world and to enjoy in Europe. At a personal level, it for all of us in coming to terms with our ourselves while doing it,” which manifested itself in discussions of issues final destiny. epitomised the spirit of the group. We great and small, ever open to new ideas, Pat is sadly missed by Eileen, his have wonderful memories of those times. a self-deprecating smile always on his children Helen, Michael and Olivia, his It was through the LCCC that Pat met face. After leaving Dell, he moved to parents, brothers and sister, his work Eileen, who became his wife, mother of academia, completed his MSc and was colleagues past and present, and a wide in the process of completing his PhD at circle of friends. the University of Limerick. May he rest in peace.

Friends of Pat McElligott

Pa t McElligott on the Tsa at the Pat McElligott, born 1953, died 2008. Mountaineering Ireland Meet in Arolla in 1999.

Derry O’Crowley We have learnt with sadness of the death of Derry O’Crowley, a leading member of the Irish Ramblers Club for many years. There will be an obituary in the next issue. May he rest in peace.

58 Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 www.mountaineering.ie www.mountaineering.ie Irish Mountain Log - Spring 2009 59