Autumb 2019 €3.95 UK£3.40 ISSN 0790 8008 Issue 131

New hopes for outdoor recreation State advisory body receives new mandate

Cork county high point Knockboy: a hill steeped in history

www.mountaineering.ie The moun ins crk.

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2 Irish Mountain Log Autumn 2019 A word from the edItor

ISSUE 131 The Irish Mountain Log is the membership magazine of Mountaineering Ireland. The organisation promotes the interests of hillwalkers and climbers in Ireland.

Mountaineering Ireland Welcome Mountaineering Ireland Ltd is a company limited by guarantee and éad míle fáilte! There is a chill in registered in Dublin, No 199053. the air and the leaves are turning Registered office: Irish Sport HQ, yellow and red and brown, so National Sports Campus, autumn is truly here! Generally, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, Ireland. C New restrictions are being Tel: (+353 1) 625 1115 however, it has been a good year so far for Fax: (+353 1) 625 1116 getting out and about, so we must not sought❝ on the numbers [email protected] complain. attempting everest each year www.mountaineering.ie * * * * * * Hot Rock Climbing Wall It can only be hoped that they are, so as Tollymore Mountain Centre After the fourth deadliest season ever on to reduce the number of avoidable deaths Bryansford, Newcastle Everest with eleven deaths, climbers and County Down, BT33 0PT on the mountain each year. guiding companies have called for Tel: (+44 28) 4372 5354 Given the issues it has around changes in the way the government of [email protected] commercial expeditions to Mount Everest, Nepal issues permits to climb the Mountaineering Ireland’s policy is that it Editor: Patrick O’Sullivan mountain. The large numbers climbing the would be better for climbers to attempt a Tel: (+353 1) 837 8166 (pm, wknds) mountain and the inexperience of some [email protected] less popular 8,000m peak – or maybe one climbers, and of some of the trekking Literary Editor: Peter O’Neill of the many unclimbed 6,000m peaks in companies, were blamed for the high [email protected] the region – than to add to the increasing death toll in the latest pre-monsoon numbers attempting Everest each year The Irish Mountain Log is published by season. and contributing to the environmental Mountaineering Ireland four times a A group established to look at the year, in March, June, September, issues there. matter has recommended increasing the December. The material published in However, as the highest summit in the experience required for climbers to be the Log by the voluntary editorial team world, Everest is always going to have an and contributors must not be taken as issued with a permit, and for trekking attraction for mountaineers. official Mountaineering Ireland policy companies to be allowed to guide unless specifically stated. climbers on the mountain. * * * * * * However, reducing visitor numbers Copy deadline for the Winter 2019 I hope that we will all be able to take will have an economic impact on the issue of the Irish Mountain Log is: advantage of the reasonable weather, Friday, November 1st 2019. mountain communities, trekking while it is still with us, to safely enjoy the companies and the government, so it Irish uplands in the coming weeks. Advertising: [email protected] remains to be seen if the recommendations will be implemented. Patrick O’Sullivan, Editor Production: Cóilín MacLochlainn, [email protected]

Printing: GPS Colour Graphics Ltd, Alexander Road, Belfast BT6 9HP Tel: +44 (0)28 9070 2020 Write for the Log PARTICIPATION AND RISK  Readers of the Irish Mountain Log are reminded that hillwalking and climbing Contributions of features, news items and photographs for are activities with a danger of personal the Irish Mountain Log are always welcome and should be injury or death. Participants in these sent to the Editor at: [email protected]. activities should be aware of and accept these risks, and be responsible for their own actions and involvement. Contributors’ guidelines can be downloaded from the Mountaineering Ireland publishes and Mountaineering Ireland website, www.mountaineering.ie. promotes safety and good practice advice and through the Mountain To join Mountaineering Ireland and receive four issues of the ON THE COVER Training Board of Ireland administers a Irish Mountain Log delivered to your door each year, please hillwalking on Binn Chaonaigh in the range of training programmes for maamturks, Co Galway, with Binn Idir also go to the website, www.mountaineering.ie. walkers and climbers. An dá Log in the background

PHOTOGRAPH heLeN LAwLeSS Autumn 2019 Irish Mountain Log 3 CONTENTS Autumn 2019

A tor (rock outcrop) in Coumshingaun in the Comeraghs. See story, page 34

14 Irish project in contention 38 Can Coronation Plantation News for UIAA award be saved? 5 Funding for Women in Sport Patrick O’Sullivan reports By Cóilín MacLochlainn programme renewed 15 ‘Protect Our Winters’ 42 Hanging out on Hekla Ruth Whelan reports campaign grows By Michael Guilfoyle 6 New club membership Graeme Glennon reports 44 North Wollo Highlands trek fees set 16 Women in Sport Co-ordinator By Margaret O’Mahony Murrough McDonagh reports post advertised 48 Bears walk in Ethiopia 7 Hillwalking Development By Murrough McDonagh By Marian Wallis Officer appointed 52 No country for old men 16 Autumn Gathering in the By Jack Bergin Patrick O’Sullivan reports Comeraghs 8 New mandate for Comhairle 16 Club support meetings na Tuaithe Regulars Helen Lawless reports 17 Sir Chris Bonington to 24 Crossword Competition deliver Lynam Lecture 8 Photo posts for Clare trails 56 Training 10 Three Kerry peninsulas hike 18 Nepal Ireland Day celebrated Jane Carney reports completed in style 60 Good Practice Guides (No 5) 11 Tipperary Suir Blueway Patrick O’Sullivan reports By John Harrison officially opened 19 New access rules proposed 62 Books Reviews of recent books 12 Henry’s Cottage: new club for Mount Everest 66 The Last Word hut in the Mournes Gerry Walker By Vicky Ward News Features 13 Path repairs planned for 20 Walking in Lanzarote Croagh Patrick By Liam Roche Helen Lawless reports 22 Nutrition and hydration 13 New advice for visitors Jane Leonard provides some tips to Cuilcagh Mountain 25 The refuge that married a wall Helen Lawless reports By Margaret Tees Climbing 26 Youth Trad Climbing Camps Damien O’Sullivan reports 28 Burren Climbing Meet 2019 Damien O’Sullivan reports 29 Competitions table By Damien O’Sullivan Features Traditional costume at Nepal Ireland Day 30 Quiet mountain Top rope belaying at Suas Climbing Centre, Limerick By Don Baldwin NEPAL IRELAND DAY 34 Jewel of the Comeraghs GOOD PRACTICE GUIDE No5 18 By Margaret Flanagan 60 Photographs: Margaret Flannagan (Coumshingaun), Patrick O’Sullivan (Nepal Ireland Day), John Harrison (top rope belaying) rope John Harrison (top Day), (Nepal Ireland O’Sullivan Patrick (Coumshingaun), Flannagan Margaret Photographs: 4 Irish Mountain Log Autumn 2019 Staff & Board General enquirieS [email protected]

Staff Chief executive Officer Newsdesk Murrough McDonagh, [email protected] administration Officer Siobhán Quinn, [email protected] Hillwalking Development Officer Ruth Whelan, [email protected] access & Conservation Officer Helen Lawless, [email protected] training Officer Jane Carney, [email protected] training Office administrator Laura Griffin, [email protected] Climbing Officer Damien O’Sullivan, [email protected] Youth Development Officer for northern ireland Kevin Kilroy, [email protected] Project Coordinator, indoor Climbing/Social inclusion Project Natasza Berlowska, [email protected]

Get irelanD WalkinG initiative Programme Manager, Get ireland Walking Participants at Women With Altitude event in Connemara in May 2019 enjoying a day in the hills Jason King, [email protected]

MOuntaineerinG irelanD BOarD OffiCerS Funding for Women in Sport President Paul Kellagher programme renewed [email protected] Chairperson Paul Barron Mountaineering Ireland receives €50,000 Women in Sport Funding [email protected] By Ruth Whelan women officiating. BOarD MeMBerS ■ Active Participation Imelda Buckley Mountaineering Ireland was delighted to Significantly reduce the active sport (Chair of Finance, Audit & Risk Committee) be named as one of the National participation gradient between men [email protected] Governing Bodies selected to receive and women. Reduce the drop-out Helen Donoghue support in the latest round of Women in from physical activity and sport in (Chair of Access & Conservation Committee) Sport Funding from Sport Ireland. young girls. Engage with women of a [email protected] This funding will help the existing minority background. Women in Sport programmes within Trish Kane ■ Leadership and Governance [email protected] Mountaineering Ireland to progress, as Progress towards greater gender Colette Mahon well as enabling the introduction of new balance in board membership of [email protected] programmes over the next two years. funded bodies. Provide a pathway for Michael Maunsell These programmes will help deliver women aspiring to become leaders of [email protected] Mountaineering Ireland’s goals with funded bodies. regards to female participation as Gráinne McLaughlin Visibility identified in the current strategic plan, ■ (Chair of Hillwalking Committee) Increase the visibility and profile of our which was launched last year. [email protected] female role models in sport. Use the Mountaineering Ireland’s Strategic Plan Clare O’Connor heroes of today to inspire the next 2018-2021 links the Women in Sport [email protected] generation of future Olympians and Dawson Stelfox programmes with the four pillars outlined Paralympians. (Chair of Mountain Training Board Ireland) by Sport Ireland in its Women in Sport [email protected] policy: Coaching and Officiating, Active Geoff Thomas Participation, Leadership and Governance, Mountaineering Ireland’s CEO Murrough (Chair of Climbing Committee) and Visibility. McDonagh would like to thank Sport [email protected] Ireland and Government Ministers ■ Coaching and Officiating Brendan Griffin and Shane Ross for their Broaden the coaching base to include investment in increasing and supporting more women from grassroots to high female participation in hillwalking and performance. Increase the number of climbing throughout the island of Ireland

Photograph: Anne McPartland Photograph: ■ Autumn 2019 Irish Mountain Log 5 NEWSL0G New club membership fees set

Here below are Mountaineering Ireland’s new club membership fees for the 2019/2020 season:

rates for young people – Discontinued as mandated by our firstly for club members aged discounts membership in 2018 under 23 years of age, who The discounts for early • Continue lobbying for are discounted to €20.50 payment and for clubs with improved and assured each; and secondly, where over 200 members have access for responsible club members are under 23 been discontinued. hillwalkers and climbers By Murrough McDonagh years of age and are sons or The new club membership • Strengthen our support daughters of registered fee of €35.00 covers all of for clubs and hillwalkers Following a motion passed at members of their club, a our benefits and services, by establishing a new Hillwalking Committee the Mountaineering Ireland special discounted rate of including insurance and the Irish Mountain Log. It will no and ensuring that we have AGM on March 30th, 2019, the €7.60 each applies for their longer be possible for a full-time Hillwalking new annual club membership club membership annually. members to pay a lower fee Development Officer fee of Mountaineering Ireland Apart from these two by opting out of particular Strive to ensure that will be set at €35.00 for all discounted rates for young • benefits or services. mountain landscapes are club members, commencing people, the fee for all other valued and protected on November 1st, 2019 for the Mountaineering Ireland club New clubs, new Work with other relevant upcoming club year members is set at €35.00 • members organisations to tackle (November 1st, 2019, to each. Clubs joining Mountaineering upland path erosion October 31st, 2020). Mountaineering Ireland will Ireland for the first time can Develop and promote shortly be reviewing the • continue to affiliate before formal and informal membership fees for Discounts the new membership year training to meet the needs There are two discounted individual members. starts, from September 1st of hillwalkers and climbers onwards, getting up to • Encourage young people fourteen months’ to participate in all membership for the price of aspects of twelve months. mountaineering The same arrangement Continue to ensure we get applies for existing clubs • the highest level of Mountaineering Ireland continues to provide the registering newly-joined benefits in our insurance book service previously operated by Joss members at that time of the policy at competitive Lynam. We can supply you with guidebooks year. However, in both of rates and maps to almost any part of the world. these situations the new fee Offer an annual suite of For the walker, there is a large collection of of €35.00 per member will • membership events Cicerone guides and books, or the wider apply from September 1st, (Gatherings, Winter selection of books and guides distributed 2019. Lectures, Meets, by Cordee which also includes many Environmental Workshops, climbing guides. Books reviewed in the st November 1 Lynam Lecture, Coaching Irish Mountain Log can usually be renewal date and Training events and purchased through Joss Books with a It is important to have all Club Development members’ discount. To place an order, clubs affiliated on or before initiatives). ring the Mountaineering Ireland office the November 1st renewal on (01) 6251115 or email date to ensure that all club [email protected]. Paying in sterling members are covered under The fee for those wishing to Mountaineering Ireland’s pay in sterling will be set by insurance policy. reference to the euro/sterling exchange rate in September Benefits of annually and also possibly membership reviewed pending The club membership fee developments in Brexit ■ increase has been necessary in order to help To all of our members: Mountaineering Ireland to: thank you. We • Deliver our Strategic appreciate your Plan’s aims for 2018-2021, continued support 6 Irish Mountain Log Autumn 2019 Hillwalking Development Officer appointed

Mountaineering Ireland appoints Ruth Whelan to post of Hillwalking Development Officer

support all members by She climbed Kilimanjaro many Officer and is committed to organising and coordinating years ago and has walked and working with and supporting services, Gatherings and events climbed in the mountains of the hillwalking members of to meet the needs of the the French, Italian and Mountaineering Ireland. members, while supporting the Austrian Alps. Ruth is excited You can contact Ruth development of new and about her new role as Whelan on 087 161 2990 or at existing clubs. Hillwalking Development [email protected] ■ In order to align Ruth’s role with the current strategic objectives, she will continue to be responsible for the above By Patrick O’Sullivan Corrections IML 130 tasks, but her role will be solely focused on developing At the Mountaineering Ireland It has come to our attention that we made three errors in the hillwalking and supporting AGM in 2018, a motion was previous issue of the Irish Mountain Log (IML 130, Summer 2019). hillwalking members as the approved to establish a Our apologies for any confusion caused. The errors were: new Hillwalking Development Hillwalking Committee. A 1. The caption on the first photograph on page 50, in the county Officer for Mountaineering working group was high points article, described Slieve Foye as the County Antrim Ireland. subsequently established to high point. In fact, it is the County Louth high point. Commenting on this new develop draft terms of position, Mountaineering 2. In the list of county high points on page 51, Galtymore (918m) reference and an initial work should have been listed as the high point for counties Ireland CEO Murrough plan for the new committee, Tipperary/Limerick and not Offaly/Limerick. McDonagh said: “I welcome which was approved by the Ruth to this new and exciting 3. On page 26, in the dog training article from SARDA, the Board of Mountaineering role. Given her experience and photographs were credited to author Sheelagh O’Malley’s Ireland. especially her work in recent collection. In fact, they were taken by Edelle Doherty ■ The new Hillwalking years on the steering group for Committee was set up in March our current Strategic Plan, on 2019. In order to best utilise the Hillwalking Working Group Crossword results staff resources, it was agreed to and in her role as secretary to align current staffing structures the Hillwalking Committee, it more closely to the five The winner of our Summer crossword in IML 130 was Billy Cantillon was evident that she was the from Limerick. Billy won an MSR Elixir 2 tent worth €300.00 from our strategic pillars in our current right person for the role of Strategic Plan 2018-2021. To crossword sponsor, Basecamp. The solution to the crossword is shown Hillwalking Development below. Mountaineering Ireland will contact the winner to tell him how coincide with the restructuring Officer. to arrange to collect his prize from Basecamp. of the Talent Development “This, coupled with her vast Officer’s role to Climbing Officer, understanding of 1 2 3 4 it was decided to restructure Mountaineering Ireland, our A R D E R I N S 5T M D the Membership Development clubs, our purpose, values and N A 6U A O A 7 L A A A 8A Officer’s role, to focus solely on vision, together with her close N A B A P A M A N A B supporting and developing working relationship with our 9 10 hillwalking, hillwalking clubs and members, means A I 11L A E A A A T O R membership and clubs. Ruth has all the credentials and P A I N D I A N T A O Ruth Whelan started working experience to excel and help 12 13 for Mountaineering Ireland over drive this new role forward and U R N 14A 15S A M A T E A five years ago, after obtaining a help support the work of the 16R A 17P C A N T E 18R A D first class honours degree in new Hillwalking Committee.” sports management and an When Ruth first made the N U 19T A W A 20U A A L P MSc in graduate research at the big move to Dublin in the early A A I N N A R A S A E School of Public Health and 2000s she joined a few S A N A S A K A N A A Population Science in UCD. colleagues to raise some 21 22 Ruth has worked on many money for charity by K 2 P S E A S T A C K projects and has coordinated completing the Four Peaks many Gatherings, events and Challenge, which cemented her workshops for Mountaineering love for the mountains and the Ireland. Her role has evolved companionship, remoteness over the years and, to date, she and tranquillity hillwalking has had two main areas of offers. responsibility: firstly, to increase Her main areas for hillwalking membership of both climbers these days are around Wicklow and hillwalkers, and secondly, to and the Comeragh Mountains. Autumn 2019 Irish Mountain Log 7 NEWSLOG

Access & Conservation Officer Helen Lawless paying a site visit to the Binn Shléibhe Mountain Access Area, Clonbur, Co Galway, in 2010, the year Comhairle na Tuaithe established pilot access areas both here and on Carrauntoohil, Co Kerry New mandate for Comhairle na Tuaithe By Helen Lawless good to see the health and well-being Mountain Access Project and the benefits of outdoor recreation reflected development of a booklet on access Mountaineering Ireland has welcomed the in the new mandate for it. and occupiers’ liability. announcement made in June by the “There is an opportunity now for the The rejuvenated Comhairle na Tuaithe Minister for Rural & Community Department of Rural & Community will have responsibility for advising the Development, Michael Ring, TD, of a new Development to adopt a leadership and Minister on a wide range of matters mandate for Comhairle na Tuaithe (the coordination role to ensure that Ireland’s relating to the future development of Countryside Council), the national advisory outdoor recreation sector evolves in a Ireland’s growing outdoor recreation body on outdoor recreation. way that is positive for participants, sector. Comhairle na Tuaithe met again The new mandate will reinforce and landowners and local communities, and in July to agree a clear vision for its work strengthen the advisory role of Comhairle that is environmentally sustainable.” na Tuaithe in relation to the sustainable Mountaineering Ireland has been a and to develop its work programme. development of the outdoor recreation member of Comhairle na Tuaithe since The Department of Rural & sector in Ireland. the body was established in 2004 and Community Development is also Speaking at the announcement, Minister has made an active contribution to the establishing an interdepartmental Michael Ring said: “The new mandate work of the Comhairle, especially in working group on outdoor recreation as provides the Comhairle with the relation to the Comhairle’s pilot part of its new structures ■ opportunity to contribute to the development of outdoor recreation in a way which benefits rural communities, respects the rights of landowners and allows more Photo posts for Clare trails people to experience the benefits of our natural capital. “Outdoor recreation has become increasingly popular for many people as a means of social engagement and of enhancing their physical and mental well-being. “Outdoor recreational activity also supports local tourism and rural economic development. In 2014, the adventure activity tourism sector was valued at €852 million by Fáilte Ireland; it contributed to the direct and indirect employment of 2,125 people.” Dr Liam Twomey was also introduced as the new Chairperson of Comhairle na Tuaithe. Dr Twomey brings valuable experience to his new role, both as a former TD and through his work in general practice. The rejuvenation of the Comhairle follows A series of interactive photo posts has selfies in safe locations. The special the Minister’s reflection on a 2016 review of recently been installed on walking trails marker posts will also allow walkers to Comhairle na Tuaithe and discussions last in County Clare. Unlike traditional take photos of trail conditions and year with Comhairle members. marker posts, these posts have send reports directly back to Eoin Responding to the announcement, smartphone holders installed on them. Hogan. Mountaineering Ireland Chairperson Paul The project was initiated by Eoin Finally, walkers can take scenic Barron said: “It’s great to see Comhairle na Hogan, Clare Rural Recreation Officer. photos and upload them automatically Tuaithe coming alive again, and especially The posts will allow walkers to take to the trails manager’s website ■ Photographs: Helen Lawless Collection (Loch Chualainn, Binn Shléubhe), Eoin Hogan Collection (photo post) (photo Collection Hogan Eoin Binn Shléubhe), Chualainn, (Loch Collection Helen Lawless Photographs: 8 Irish Mountain Log Autumn 2019

NEWSL0G

Late evening on Cnoc na dTobar, overlooking Cahirciveen

Three Kerry peninsulas hike completed

Aidan Ennis, who has an enchainment of the Slieve birthday with his annual pint to a campsite near Gallarus previously written in the Irish Miskish, Caha, Shehy, of Guinness, Aidan climbed the Oratory. Mountain Log about his Derrynasaggart, The Paps, Reeks ridge to Carrauntoohil His final day, Friday, June separate walks on the three Mangerton and the Dunkerron and then descended Caher, 14th, saw him walking along Kerry peninsulas, has now Mountains all the way to before crossing to Knockmoyle the peaceful green Saints linked those hikes into one Waterville, a section of the Mountain on the Dingle Road to Ventry, where he had grand through-hike of all three three-peninsulas enchainment peninsula via Killorglin and a morning coffee break at the peninsulas. he calls the Great Kenmare Castlemaine. local post office and shop. Aidan started his hike on Horseshoe. From Knockmoyle, he The last 6km were on the Dursey Island, at the tip of the From Waterville, he hiked continued to Caherconree and Dingle Way to Dingle town Beara peninsula, on Saturday, along the Kerry Way on a the Slieve Mish range and then and the completion of his June 1st, 2019. His walk linked mountain-ridge line which ran hiked the entire length of the impressive, continuous the Beara, Iveragh and Dingle over to Knocknadobar (Cnoc rest of the Dingle peninsula to 461km Three Peninsulas peninsulas in one continuous na dTobar) above Cahirciveen. Brandon Mountain. Mountain Enchainment Hike, 461-kilometre mountain hike. He hiked the pilgrim path to From Brandon, he as he has dubbed it. He walked into Dingle on Friday, the summit before descending descended to the col and the Congratulations to Aidan June 14th, after fourteen days of to Kells and hiking the Arraglen Standing Stone, on this achievement. We look hiking. Glenbeigh Horseshoe before climbing the final forward to publishing a fuller Aidan’s hike began at the mountains and from there to mountain on the headland, account of his hike in a future highest point on Dursey Island. the Gap of Dunloe. Masatiompan (Más an issue of the Irish Mountain The route that he followed was After celebrating his Tiompáin). He then descended Log ■

His final mountain summit, Mas an Tiompáin, on Brandon headland Arriving in Dingle after completing the three peninsulas hike Photographs: Aidan Ennis Photographs: 10 Irish Mountain Log Autumn 2019 River Suir in Cahir, Co Tipperary Tipperary Suir Blueway officially opened

Tipperary section of Suir Blueway comprises 53 km of walking, cycling and watersports trails

circumstances. I would like to Walkers, cyclists, congratulate Tipperary canoeists, kayakers and County Council, Tipperary paddleboarders can enjoy Sports Partnerships and beautiful scenery as they Tipperary Tourism on the follow the river for 21 km development and delivery of along the refurbished this collaborative project.” historic towpath from the Tipperary County Council Suir Blueway Tipperary was Visitors can join a guided Monument Car Park in officially launched the Suir officially opened in Clonmel tour of the world-renowned Clonmel to Sean Healy Park Blueway Tipperary in May, by John Treacy, Chief Cahir Castle before strolling or in Carrick-on-Suir. after almost seven years of Executive of Sport Ireland. “On paddling down to the Accomplished paddlers planning and implementation. behalf of Sport Ireland, I am romantic Swiss Cottage. The can take on the challenge of More than €5.6m was invested delighted to be here on the Blueway continues through the 300-metre canoe slalom in developing this recreational banks of the River Suir to the picturesque towns of course in Clonmel, which resource, which will be an officially open the Suir Ardfinnan and Newcastle, as was constructed in 2016 as amenity for the local Blueway Tipperary,” he said on community and a tourist the day. “This is a wonderful the River Suir meanders to the part of the investment in the attraction. natural amenity, which will historic town of Clonmel. project ■ The Suir Blueway (Sli Gorm provide an excellent base for na Siúire) runs from Cahir to outdoor activity and Clonmel and on to Carrick-on- recreation for both the local Suir. It has 53 km of walking, community here in Tipperary cycling and watersports trails as well as visitors from all over through the beautiful Ireland and overseas. landscapes and bustling “Sport Ireland places a heritage towns of Tipperary. particular emphasis on Highlights include the Butler supporting activity Trail and the new whitewater programmes, such as the Suir canoe slalom course in Blueway Tipperary, that will Clonmel, which is used as a continue to support active training base for the Irish lifestyles among people of all national squad. backgrounds and Cyclist and walkers on the Suir Blueway – Tipperary Photographs: Robert Linsdell (River Suir in Cahir), Tipperary County Council (cyclist and walkers on Suir Blueway) on Suir and walkers Council (cyclist County Tipperary in Cahir), Suir Linsdell (River Robert Photographs: Autumn 2019 Irish Mountain Log 11 NEWSL0G

Henry’s Cottage: new club hut in Mournes

By Vicky Ward Work done thirty-minute walk) from the Need reasons to book a crags at Pigeon Rock, and about Electricity and water club visit to the Mournes? Belfast Climbing Club is proud • a fifteen-minute drive from the reconnected Here are Belfast Climbing to announce that it has been Annalong Valley – two of the Club’s top ten Windows replaced given stewardship of a cottage • recommendations for Walls scraped and premier climbing destinations in in an excellent location in the • places to visit near Henry’s repainted the Mournes. It is also close to Mournes, just outside Atticall. some fantastic walking (see our Cottage: This will be only the second Work to be done recommendations alongside). Mountaineering Ireland club Right now, there isn’t a • The Mourne Wall Bathroom and kitchen challenge (the start is hut, and we look forward to • Mountaineering Ireland hut in inviting any affiliated club to Painting ten minutes’ drive from • the Mournes. We hope that the stay soon! Finishing Alpine bunks the hut) • existence of this amazing wee The house belongs to local cottage may encourage some • Slieve Binnian (ten climber and all-round nice guy minutes’ drive) new clubs to venture our way Henry McKee, who bought it in electricity, water, plenty of and try some of the treats in the FM (VD, 4 pitches) (ten the 1990s and put an additional fireplaces and even a stained • area for the first time. minutes’ drive and storey on it. However, as he glass window. We have many one-hour walk-in) hadn’t got much use out of it ideas for the space right now If you have any questions Cove and Percy Bysshe he decided earlier this year to and are in the process of regarding the cottage, contact • Caves (ten minutes’ lease it free of charge to the redecorating it and doing [email protected]. drive and one-hour Belfast Climbing Club, as long some carpentry to build If you wish to donate any walk-in) as the club took care of it and brand-new Alpine bunks. We furniture or cooking equipment, used it to promote climbing. hope to have the cottage etc, we would also be keen to • The ‘bird mountains’ – The cottage was originally ready for other clubs to stay in hear from you. We are very Eagle, Pigeon, Cock and Hen – are all accessible called McLaughlin’s Cottage by the beginning of 2020. excited to start this adventure from the cottage and had a thatched roof. After Atticall is in the western and hope to be able to share Henry’s renovations and our Mournes, below the Windy Gap updates with you all as it • Climbing in the ongoing work we will be in the Eagle Mountain area. It is progresses. Annalong Valley (ten renaming it Henry’s Cottage a five-minute drive (or a One last note: thanks, Henry! ■ minutes’ drive, 30-90 (Teachín Anraí). minutes’ walk-in) The cottage is pretty big, with • Ice climbing at Eagle sleeping space for about fifteen Mountain (from cottage) people, as well as a flat grass • Sport climbing at space outside to camp. It has Altnadue Quarry (twenty minutes’ drive) AUTHOR: Vicky Ward is the • Climbing at Pigeon Rock Meets Secretary for Belfast (thirty minutes’ walk or Climbing Club and has been ten minutes’ drive, plus involved with the club since it ten-minute walk-in) started two years ago. She has Silent Valley (ten been a keen hillwalker and climber • for many years, having grown up minutes’ drive) At work on the cottage

Photographs: Niall McLaughlin Photographs: near the Mourne Mountains. 12 Irish Mountain Log Autumn 2019 NEWSL0G

Path repairs planned for Croagh Patrick Planning application submitted for path work and habitat restoration along pilgrim route

A planning application has Regulations. been submitted for path work The proposed work will and habitat restoration, to consist of aggregate- and enable sustainable access stone-pitched paths, path along the pilgrim route on drainage consisting of culverts, Croagh Patrick in Co Mayo. cross-drains and water-bars, This follows a successful trial fencing for managing access Trial path work on Croagh Patrick pilgrim route in October 2018 to identify a during construction work, methodology for path together with habitat Company, Mountaineering but is also considering other construction using the small restoration of eroded areas. Ireland, Mayo Mountain issues related to visitor blocks of stone found on the The Croagh Patrick Rescue Team, Croagh Patrick management at Croagh Patrick. steep summit cone. Stakeholders Group is Archaeological Society and the The Croagh Patrick plans can The application for planning comprised of a broad be viewed in the Murrisk tourism and adventure consent has been submitted spectrum of interested parties, Development Association café by the Croagh Patrick including mountain sectors. in the car park at Murrisk; in Stakeholders Group in shareholders, the Catholic The Stakeholders Group, Mayo County Council’s offices in partnership with Mayo County Church, Murrisk community, which was formed in 2015, has Westport and Castlebar; and Council under Part 8 of the Mayo County Council, South prioritised efforts to address online at Planning & Development West Mayo Development the erosion on Croagh Patrick www.mayococo.ie/en/Planning ■ New advice for visitors to Cuilcagh Environmental awareness day to be held at Cuilcagh Mountain on October 12th

In response to continued and the stile, and so as not to erosion from high visitor encourage others onto the numbers in the area at the top fragile summit plateau. of the Cuilcagh boardwalk, and The current platform was between there and the created as a short-term summit plateau, plans are measure, and a redesign of this being put in place to manage endpoint or destination area is visitor activity in a way that currently being investigated. minimises further damage. Line definition and Visitors to the boardwalk (on conservation work is also the County Fermanagh-side planned for the summit approach to Cuilcagh plateau. However, this won’t be Mountain) are kindly asked to implemented until next year. keep to the designated path Mountaineering Ireland is and to remain within the planning an environmental confines of the viewing awareness day at Cuilcagh platform at the top of the Mountain, to take place on th boardwalk. Saturday, October 12 , in Trampled peat at top of Cuilcagh boardwalk Mountaineering Ireland is conjunction with the CANN project.* This event is aimed asking hillwalkers who want to primarily at Club current situation, as well as visit the summit of Cuilcagh to Environmental Officers, but is an opportunity to learn take other routes on the * The CANN Project is a cross- open to other members about the special features of mountain and to avoiding border environmental project, which interested in understanding Cuilcagh’s natural is working to preserve priority using the Cuilcagh boardwalk, habitats and species at a number of Cuilcagh’s complex story. environment. Places are to prevent further sites across Ireland, Northern Ireland This study visit will provide limited; so if interested, and Scotland, including at Cuilcagh environmental damage Mountain. CANN is supported by an insight into the sequence of please email between the viewing platform the EU’s INTERREG VA Programme. events that has led to the [email protected]

Photographs: Helen Lawless Photographs: ■ Autumn 2019 Irish Mountain Log 13 NEWSLOG

Bags of litter collected by Pure Mile volunteers as part of the Pure Project initiative in the Dublin and Wicklow Mountains Irish project in contention for UIAA award

By Patrick O’Sullivan ■ Biosphere Expeditions trees, wildlife, social and cultural heritage Mountain protection worldwide through and the history and folklore of the area. This is the seventh year citizen science and volunteering. Operates The Pure Mile is a perfect opportunity that the UIAA has run worldwide with mountain projects in for communities and groups who want to a competition for its Kyrgyzstan, Romania, South Africa, Spain, improve and enhance the areas they live Mountain Protection Russia, Oman, Poland in. A large number of communities go the Award. The nominees ■ Gandaki Urja extra mile by repairing and painting old this year are twelve Converting organic waste to compressed traditional gates, cleaning up farmlands mountain environ- biogas and organic fertilizer, Nepal and entrances, erecting bat and bird mental projects from boxes, trimming hedges (outside of the PSD Nepal around the world. ■ bird-nesting season) and much more. PSD Nepal plastics upcycling and recycling These projects are supported or run by In Pure Miles where very little physical in Langtang National Park, Rasuwa, Nepal. UIAA member associations or by for-profit management is required, groups can focus or non-profit organisations. Most are on local research or on initiatives to ongoing and all have a commitment to ■ The Pure (Protecting Uplands & Rural increase awareness and appreciation of protecting the mountain environment and Environments) Project is an their chosen Mile among the wider engaging climbers and mountaineers as environmental project established in the community. part of that process. Wicklow and Dublin uplands to combat In supporting the nomination of the This year’s nominees include one Irish the increasing illegal dumping and fly- Pure Project for the UIAA Mountain candidate, the PURE Project. The other tipping there. It was officially launched in Protection Award, Mountaineering Ireland nominees are: September 2006. Illegal dumping in the said that the Pure Mile awards have been landscape is a cause for serious concern in extremely successful in raising ■ University of Colorado Ireland and a growing problem for many Sustainable Waste Management in the environmental awareness and building communities. Dumping is illegal, unsightly Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal community pride across the Wicklow and and unnecessary, and causes serious Dublin Mountains. The achievement of the Clean Climber ■ problems to habitats, species and human Pure Project in greatly reducing litter in Clean Climber, worldwide health. It pollutes our watercourses, that area is largely due to the awareness, ■ Fundacion Acceso Andino damages soil nutrients, encroaches on pride and local action that has been Sustainable Andes, Ecuador natural habitats, kills insects and animals stimulated by the Pure Mile initiative. ■ High Altitude Mountain Cleaners and is a threat to both the people who live The winner of the 2019 Mountain Ama-Dablam 2020, Nepal in the area and recreational users. Protection Award will be announced at the The Pure Mile is an environmental ■ Protect Our Winters Switzerland UIAA General Assembly in Cyprus on initiative of the Pure Project which aims to nd Towards climate-neutral mountaineering, November 2 ■ foster a greater appreciation and Switzerland awareness of our country roadscapes and ■ Swiss Alpine Club mountains by rewarding and Alpine Learning project weeks, Switzerland acknowledging community and group ■ Mujer Montaña efforts. The competition encourages Construyendo Vidas 2019 Bolivia, Bolivia communities and groups living in rural ■ Alpine Club of Iran areas to adopt a mile (or more) stretch of Mountain Sports Centre with the approach road and upland. The objective is to keep of Environmental Sustainability by Passive these areas litter-free and to research Solar Energy, Iran information about the local wild flowers, Photograph: Patrick O’Sullivan Patrick Photograph: 14 Irish Mountain Log Autumn 2019 The Bossons Glacier in the Chamonix Valley in the 1990s, left, and in 2019, right. The Bossons Glacier is one of the larger glaciers of the Mont Blanc massif in the Alps. It is fed from the icefields lying on the northern side of Mont Blanc and descends down close to the Aiguille du Midi, ending on the southern side of the Arve valley, close to the town of Chamonix. It has the largest altitudinal drop of all the Alpine glaciers in Europe, and formerly extended much further down the valley than it does today. In the 17th century, the Bossons Glacier extended right down into Chamonix, but now it is only approximately 7.5 km long. ‘Protect Our Winters’ campaign grows

By Graeme Glennon and equipping communities In the UK, we are an official ■ TRAVEL to take positive action on partner of the Kendal Avoid flying. Take the train or Climate change is one of the climate change. Mountain Film Festival, which drive, when possible, for biggest threats facing POW UK & IRL engages attracted 30,000 visitors in longer journeys. For shorter humanity. It is having a global people and organisations 2018. We are also the main journeys, use your bike, take impact and is already through their outdoors charity partner of the public transport or just simply affecting many outdoor livelihoods and recreational Telegraph Ski and Snowboard walk. If you have to fly or drive, activities. activities, to address climate Show, which is held at the then try to offset your carbon Members of the Irish change. We educate them on end of October and attracts emissions. outdoor recreation the risks of climate change over 20,000 visitors. and support them to take community spend their free Although the reality of ■ KIT time in natural environments, effective action. climate change is stark, there Reduce, Re-Use and Recycle where they can clearly see the Whilst POW in the US has have been some major areas whenever you can. Repair impact of climate change. traditionally been largely of progress recently – for rather than replace. When you However, many members of focused on skiers and example, a number of banks do replace, give your old kit this community, at both an snowboarders, it is now have announced they will away or sell it. Don’t let it individual and a corporate engaging with other sports stop funding high-carbon gather dust in the wardrobe. level, are unsure about what with POW Climb (see activities; electric vehicles are action they can take to https://protectourwinters.or on the up; China is rapidly ■ DIET mitigate this climate change. g/pow-climb). In the UK and electrifying its bus fleet; and Try to cut down on meat, and Protect Our Winters believes Ireland, we also want to be Ireland has become the first shop locally, whenever you can. that, by getting this broader than just skiers and country in the world to divest You will get the added community to act, we can snowboarders and are away from fossil fuels. There is satisfaction of knowing that drive significant and effective working to engage the wider still so much more to do! your food has been grown climate action. outdoor community. In the Finally, pause and locally and that you are Protect Our Winters (POW) UK, Matt Helliker is an remember you are part of supporting the community. UK & IRL exists to accelerate ambassador for POW Climb, something bigger. When you the transition to a carbon- whilst in the US we are do something, always neutral society by inspiring backed by legendary ■ RESPECT consider your options and climbers and mountaineers Respect the trails and crags such as Tommy Caldwell. take the environmentally less you use. Try to leave them as damaging option in you found them or, even AUTHOR: Graeme Glennon is Over the past twelve the Partner Coordinator of months, with the help of the everything you do. better, try to make them POW UK & IRL Patagonia store in Dublin, we Some examples of this better than you found them have run various fundraising include: ■ campaigns and also presented a movie première. Through our strong Follow POW UK & IRL relationship with Patagonia, Website: https://protectourwinters.uk/join-us we will be hosting more Instagram: @uk_pow events later this year. Facebook: Protect Our Winters UK (For more info on this, keep Twitter: @uk_protect an eye on the Patagonia Dublin Facebook page). Photographs: Protect Our Winters UK Winters Our Protect Photographs: Autumn 2019 Irish Mountain Log 15 Photograph: Con Murphy www.mountaineering.ie. Registration Base Location 16 25 Date Club support meetings October 18-20 the Comeraghs Autumn Gathering in Bodies and Local Sports Partnerships to initiatives delivered by National Governing programme has funded a wide range of the Sport Ireland Women in Sport to the work of Sport Ireland. Since 2005, initiative. by Sport Ireland’s Women in Sport Women in Sport Co-ordinator increase in affiliated clubs in recent years. the steady growth in participation and the mountaineering is incredibly bright given members. The future of Irish representing the interests of over 12,500 throughout the island of Ireland, body for hillwalking and climbing Mountaineering Ireland is the governing By Murrough McDonagh Vacancy in Mountaineering Ireland for Women in Sport Co-ordinator 27 Date Host club there. Details of this year’s Autumn Gathering are as follows: beauty of their home turf, the 3 Arrive for refreshments: 21 Women in Sport Co-ordinator post advertised NEWS Blanchardstown, Dublin 15 rd st The Women in Sport initiative is central The post of th th October November November September County The Park Hotel, Dungarvan October 18-20 Irish Mountain Log Mountain Irish The Comeraghs, Co Waterford Kilmacthomas Walking Club Down L0G is still possible through the website, Mountaineering Ireland – Dublin Galway Cork th , 2019 from 7.00pm. Hibernian Hotel, Mallow Gathering. Mountaineering Ireland Autumn anniversary this year and are hosting the are celebrating their club’s fifteenth Kilmacthomas Walking Club Mourne Country Hotel, Newry National Sports Campus, Irish Sport HQ, Menlo Park Hotel, Headford Road, Galway th Venue , 2019 Comeraghs, is funded They are keen to show off the Meeting time: and the joys of walking investment in the area. Sport Ireland’s future work and policy. This policy will serve as a guide for the development of a Women in Sport commitment to women in sport through sport. further the agenda of gender equality in programmes, while developing strong implementation of current and future project-manage and ensure the levels. The purpose of the role is to officials, leaders and participants, from all as coaches, volunteers, club members, involvement in hillwalking and climbing increasing women’s sustained Mountaineering Ireland is committed to Sport Co-ordinator position Role and purpose of Women in Sport Ireland has now renewed its 7.30-9.30pm. members Sgilloge Lough in the Comeraghs, Co Waterford region, to share ideas and information allow clubs to network with other clubs in their topics with these officers. The meetings will also the opportunity to raise questions and club-related Ireland will participate, giving clubs in each region Jane Carney Helen Lawless similar to last year’s. Newry, Dublin and Galway. Kerry and Derry, this year we will visit support meetings, Following on from the success of last year’s Ruth Whelan Wednesday, October 2 The closing date for applications is working week starting October 7 Women in Sport Co-ordinator). (reference: Mountaineering Ireland – email to application and full CV should be sent by To apply for this post, a letter of How to apply website, be found on the Mountaineering Ireland climbing. the area of women’s hillwalking and and support to the current structures in relationships and providing expertise 5.00pm (Training Officer) from Mountaineering Interviews will be held during the More information about this post can (Access & Conservation Officer) and (Hillwalking Development Officer), when we visited Sligo, Bray, [email protected] www.mountaineering.ie. ■ The agenda will be nd , 2019, at Mallow, Autumn 2019 Autumn ■ th club , 2019. SPONSORED

Wilderness Lodge Glenmalure Valley viewed from the Zig-zags Glenmalure adventures With the bonus of the efforts many features of glacial the Wilderness Lodge just self-guided walks in the of the residents to clean up erosion, such as the hanging down the road has started valley. He is particularly their valley through their Pure valley – Fraughan Rock Glen providing accommodation. interested in hosting Mile, the Glenmalure Valley in – at the top of the valley The apartments are groups from hiking clubs Wicklow National Park, and two corrie lakes, well-provided for or other organisations, Ireland’s longest glacial valley, Kelly’s Lough and self-catering and offering to organise hiking is one of the nicest places to Art’s Lough. they serve as a breaks for them in this High above great base for be on a sunny autumn day. lovely valley. The Wicklow Way crosses the end of exploring the Depending on the group, the valley, near the the valley is valley or even the walks can be of Glenmalure Lodge, working Lugnaquilla, Glendalough. different degrees of its way over to Glendalough, a Munro, the The owner, and there are plenty of other highest Frank Quinn, difficulty to suit any levels walks that can be enjoyed. mountain in an adventurer of experience and fitness. The valley is also less Leinster and, at and explorer in his Maps and walking poles crowded than its neighbour, 925m (3035ft), the own right, has come can be provided. The Glendalough, being generally highest mountain in to roost in Glenmalure. Wilderness Lodge is less well-known. Ireland outside of Kerry. From a base in the suitable for groups of up Glenmalure is a classic In recent times, in addition Wilderness Lodge, he is to twenty people (see U-shaped valley. It displays to the Glenmalure Lodge, offering guided and advert, page 41) Photographs: Patrick O’Sullivan (the lodge), Shever (valley view) (valley Shever lodge), (the O’Sullivan Patrick Photographs: ■ Sir Chris Bonington to deliver Lynam Lecture

Date: Wednesday, December 18th, 2019, at 7.30pm Venue: Chartered Accountants Ireland, 47-49 Pearse Street, Dublin 2 started climbing at the age of Karakoram, with Doug Scott in generations of Irish 16 in 1951. It has been his 1978. He still has the passion mountaineers. passion ever since. He made for the mountains that he had Since it was inaugurated, the the first British ascent of the at the beginning. Mountaineering Ireland Lynam North Wall of the Eiger and led The Mountaineering Ireland Lecture has been delivered the expedition that made the Lynam Lecture was annually by leading national first ascent of the South Face inaugurated in 2011 in memory and international mountaineers. of Annapurna, the biggest and of Joss Lynam, one of Ireland's The Mountaineering Ireland most difficult climb in the best-known mountaineers, in Lynam Lecture 2019 will take Himalayas at the time. recognition of his enormous place in the Chartered Sir Chris went on to lead the achievements in hillwalking, Accountants Ireland Lecture Mountaineering Ireland is successful expedition that climbing and mountaineering Hall, 47-49 Pearse Street, Dublin delighted to announce that Sir made the first ascent of the in Ireland and overseas over 2, on Wednesday, December Chris Bonington will deliver south-west face of Everest in some sixty years. During his 18th, 2019. Refreshments will be this year’s Mountaineering 1975, and then reached the lifetime, Joss initiated available from 7.00pm with the Ireland Lynam Lecture. summit of Everest in 1985 with numerous developments in lecture commencing at 7.30pm. Sir Chris, Britain’s best- a Norwegian expedition. His these areas of our sport in Tickets are now available known mountaineer, writer, greatest epic was the first Ireland and he was the through the website, photographer and lecturer, ascent of the Ogre, in the inspiration for a number of www.mountaineering.ie ■ Autumn 2019 Irish Mountain Log 17 NEWSLOG Guests of honour at Nepal Ireland Day in Farmleigh House (from right): Cllr Mary Seery-Kearney; Sean Crowe, TD; Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of Nepal, London, Mr Sharad Raj Aran; Everest Marathon runner, Paul Maguire; and Vincent Barry, Managing Director of ICD Business School.

Nepal Ireland Day celebrated in style The event comprised a delightful Nepalese cultural programme of music and dance

By Patrick O’Sullivan After the opening speeches, working to strengthen Nepal from September 8-12th, the event comprised a relations between Nepal and visiting a hospital supported The Embassy of Nepal in delightful Nepalese cultural Ireland. by an Irish NGO, and the Ceann London, Nepal Ireland Society programme of music and Representing Councillor Comhairle paid a courtesy call and various Nepalese dances. There was a colourful Mark Ward, Mayor of South to President Bidya Devi organisations in Ireland, with Nepalese handicrafts stall, Dublin County Council, Bhandari to discuss relations support from South Dublin stalls of Irish NGOs who work Councillor Mary Seery- between the two countries. County Council, Dublin City in Nepal, a Visit Nepal 2020 Kearney said she had studied The Nepal Ireland Society Council and ICD Business Europe lottery stall, and a Nepal’s constitution during her has been organising Nepal College, jointly organised this photo exhibition on flat-screen days as a law student and that Ireland Day annually in year’s Nepal Ireland Day on TV sets of photographs taken she felt honoured to be able to Farmleigh House since 2013 by Irish tourists who visited participate in this celebration September 8th, 2019, at with support from the Office Nepal in the last year. of Nepal’s culture in Dublin. of Public Works Farmleigh House, Phoenix Park, ■ Nepal Ireland Day is the The President of the Dublin. The weather was biggest Nepalese event in Nepal Ireland Society, excellent on the day and the Ireland. It commemorates the Mr Deepesh Man event was a huge success. ever-growing friendship Shakya, welcomed and links between Nepal everyone and and Ireland. announced that the In his keynote speech, links between the two the Deputy Chief of countries had taken a Mission at the Embassy of significant step forward Nepal, London, Mr Sharad with the arrival that Raj Aran, said the very day in Kathmandu, celebration of Nepal Nepal, of an Irish Ireland Day highlighted the delegation from the ever-growing links Ireland Nepal between Nepal and Parliamentary Ireland. He requested Friendship Group led by attendees to visit Nepal in the Ceann Comhairle, the coming year to help Seán Ó Fearghaíl, TD, make the Visit Nepal 2020 together with the campaign a success. Convener of the Ireland Also speaking at the Nepal Parliamentary opening ceremony, Sean Friendship Group, Crowe, TD, a member of Maureen O’Sullivan, TD, the Ireland Nepal and Senator Catherine Parliamentary Friendship Noone. Group, vowed to continue The delegation visited Photographs: Patrick O’Sullivan Patrick Photographs: 18 Irish Mountain Log Autumn 2019 CLIMBING WALL SEMINAR – October 8-9th, 2019 A Climbing Wall Seminar is being organised by Mountaineering Ireland in association with Petzl and Lyon Equipment. The seminar is aimed at anyone who has an interest in climbing walls, including owners, managers, coaches, instructors, route-setters, technical advisors, etc. The seminar will take place on October 8th and 9th in Blanchardstown, Dublin. For full details and to book a place, please go to the Mountaineering Ireland website, www.mountaineering.ie.

Restrictions proposed on numbers attempting Everest

By Patrick O’Sullivan condolences to the bereaved, strongly believes that access management, climber Following a disastrous pre-monsoon season experience, training and self-responsibility on Everest (8,848m) this year, in which are amongst the key topics to be addressed eleven climbers lost their lives, new rules on Everest. have been proposed to control the number The Nepali government issued 381 of people attempting to climb the mountain climbing permits for the pre-monsoon from the Nepalese side. Eight of the world’s season on Everest this year. The new 8,000m peaks are in Nepal, but Everest has regulations proposed would significantly always attracted the most attention, as the reduce the number of permits being issued. highest summit on Earth. A panel, made up of government officials, The eleven deaths, nine of which were on climbers and agencies representing the Mount Everest from Kalapatthar the Nepal side and two on the Tibet side, climbing community, was set up by the sadly included two Irish climbers, Shay government after it was criticised for Lawless and Kevin Hynes (see IML 130, page allowing anyone who paid the peak fee of accompanied by a trained Nepalese guide. 66). This was the fourth most deadly $11,000 (€10,000) to attempt to climb There are also proposals to further ensure climbing season on Everest in history. Everest. Some guiding companies have been the self-sufficiency of climbers by The deaths were put down to crowding warning about the dangers of overcrowding preventing people with certain disabilities and inexperience, resulting in calls from and inexperience on Everest for a long time. from attempting the mountain. guides and climbers to limit the numbers Under the proposed new regulations, The Ministry of Tourism will bring the attempting the peak and to ensure that climbers wanting to attempt Everest will now proposed new regulations to the Federal guiding companies and climbers have have to provide proof that they have climbed Parliament of Nepal for approval in time sufficient previous experience to reasonably at least one 6,500m peak before. Expedition attempt the climb. companies would also have to have had at for the pre-monsoon climbing season The calls were reinforced by photos of least three years’ experience in organising next year. However, given the likely climbers queuing on the summit ridge, other high-altitude climbs before guiding on economic effects of limiting the number waiting for their turn to stand on the highest Everest, and they would have to charge each of climbers on Everest on the mountain point on Earth, all the time while their climber at least $35,000. communities, the guiding companies and precious supplementary oxygen supplies Climbers would also be required to submit the government, there is some concern in were being used up. a certificate of good health and physical the international community that they Certainly, the UIAA, while offering fitness, as at present, and to be won’t be approved Photograph: Pavel Novak Pavel Photograph: ■ Autumn 2019 Irish Mountain Log 19 THE CANARY ISLANDS

Rosway Walking Club members on Las Conchas beach on the island of La Graciosa, off the northern tip of Lanzarote WALKING IN LANZAROTE Rosway Walking Club went hiking on Lanzarote from May 27th to June 1st this year. Liam Roche reports

osway Walking Club highest peaks in Ireland and in lead a hiking week in Lanzarote planning to participate about is based in the rest of the British Isles. We the following summer. The what they would need to bring Ballinasloe, Co have also hiked in the proposal was received to ensure a safe and enjoyable Galway. It was Dolomites and in other Italian enthusiastically by the week. Clothing, footwear, sun founded in 2006 locations, along with visiting members. cream and first-aid kits were andR caters for walkers from mountains in Austria and We held information all discussed. The travel the surrounding east Galway Spain. meetings in a local hotel in arrangements and walks and south Roscommon areas. My wife Judith and I have January, March and May this schedules were also covered To keep the natives on both been members of the club year. At the first meeting, the at these meetings, so that the sides of the border happy, our since its foundation. In recent dates for the trip were agreed. club members participating club name is comprised of the years, we have spent our May to early June is the best would arrive in Lanzarote fully first three letters in holidays on Lanzarote, in the time to visit Lanzarote for prepared and ready to explore Roscommon and the last Canary Islands, and have hiking purposes, so we decided parts of the island that most three letters in Galway! discovered many hiking routes to go for a week at the end of visitors never get to see. We have about one hundred there. At a club walks planning May and beginning of June. After our group of twenty members at present, and the meeting in November 2018, The other meetings were to had settled in, our first walk club has climbed all of the Judith and I proposed that we inform members who were was a short one around parts of Puerto Del Carmen, where we were based. Following that Rosway walkers pause for group photograph before the start of the Secret Garden and cliff hike walk, we got the local bus to Playa Honda and visited the Deiland commercial centre to sample the coffees, teas, ice- creams and especially crêpes there. After that, we took the coastal route along the seashore and back to base. The next day, a Tuesday, I led a long walk to what is known as the Secret Garden. This is really a treasure of a garden, built in under cliffs in a very remote but beautiful location beside the sea. Locals say that a couple whom had had a very Photographs: Liam Roche Collection Liam Roche Photographs: 20 Irish Mountain Log Autumn 2019 sick child promised to do something special if their child recovered good health. Within a short time of making their promise the child was running around full of energy, and so they started to build what is now called the Secret Garden. It is a magical place. Judith did a shorter walk with the ‘B’ walkers along the cliff-tops from Playa Quemada back to Puerto Del Carmen, with a refreshment stop in Puerto Calero. On the following day, we hired a private bus to take us up north on the island. We then walked to the most Rosway walkers in the Secret Garden northerly point on Lanzarote. On our return, we visited the roads there, which are only “The Secret Garden is a treasure of Mirador Del Rio. This is a accessible by 4x4 jeeps. I took wonderful place to visit, as it the ‘A’ walkers on a 20-km a garden, a magical place in a remote houses a restaurant with coastal route, and we climbed possibly the most incredible Montaña Bermeja and location beside the sea.” views in Lanzarote, including finished at a beautiful beach across to the island of La called Las Conchas. Judith sea level on Famara beach and from the town ofTeguise, which Graciosa. took the ‘B’ walkers on a 12-km went up to the highest used to be the old capital of We were up bright and early hike across the centre of the accessible point in Lanzarote, Lanzarote, along an old Camino on the Thursday, as we had to the summit of Peñas del trail, and finished inCosta get on the bus at 8.30am to island and they also visited Las Chache at 670m, from where Teguise.Teguise is famous for catch a 10.00am ferry to La Conchas for lunch. the views were amazing. Then housing the largest outdoor Graciosa. The ferry leaves from Then we all had some well- we continued across to the market on these islands every the port of Orzola, which is in earned refreshments in Caleta Mirador Haria and descended Sunday. Busloads of tourists the extreme north of De Sebo, the only inhabited on the Malpais trail to the arrive to peruse and purchase Lanzarote, so we had a long village on the island, before beautiful town of Haria, also leather goods, paintings, craft bus-trip there, but it was boarding the ferry back to known as ‘The Valley of a pieces produced locally, and enjoyable for the sightseeing Orzola, and then busing back Thousand Palms.’ much more. possible en route. to Puerto Del Carmen. Judith brought the ‘B’ Personally, Judith and I like to Visiting the island of La On the Friday, we did the walkers on a lovely walk visit Teguise on quiet weekdays Graciosa is like stepping back hardest walk of the week. I led through the vine-growing area to enjoy a stroll around and in time, as there are only dirt a 14-km hike, which started at known as La Geria, starting really see the beautiful old from Uga and finishing in buildings, which include a On a tough ‘A’ walk from Famara to Haria Puerto Calero. La Geria is lovely church dedicated toOur worth seeing, as the local Lady of Guadalupeand the farmers have made the castle of Santa Barbara,the growing of vines an art form. oldest castle in the Canary The grapes produced are used Islands. mainly to produce the lovely We finished off the week in Malvasia wines. There are style on the Saturday night, as acres of land with small stone- we put on our finest bits and wall surrounds protecting the pieces and went out for a vines from the winds. The lovely dinner together. We picón black lava ash gets reminisced about all we had moisture from whatever done during the week. The rainfall there is, stores it and group gave Judith and I a lovely then slowly releases it to gift, which was greatly ensure that the vine growth is appreciated. It was very abundant and consistent. gratifying to hear our Saturday was our last walking companions saying how much day and we did a 13-km hike they had enjoyed the week ■

➤ Liam Roche is a member of the Rosway Walking Club.

Autumn 2019 Irish Mountain Log 21 HEALTH NUTRITION & HYDRATION Dietitian Jane Leonard provides some nutrition and hydration tips for hillwalkers

hen you are going hiking, Will there be easy access to food and you need to think about • water along the way, or will you need your nutrition and your to bring supplies with you? How hydration. Being well- nourished and keeping Hydration dehydrated properlyW hydrated will help you to get the Making sure you are hydrated in the most out of your hike by optimising your run-up to, during and after hikes will are you? endurance and allowing you to maintain improve your exercise tolerance, promote your concentration during the hike, and blood flow to your muscles for recovery A quick way to test how well by enhancing your recovery after the hike. and reduce the risk of cramps, fatigue you are hydrated is to check This, in turn, will help you to minimise and poor concentration. We lose water the colour of your urine: your fatigue and to reduce your risk injury, through breathing, through our gut and which is especially important when you in our urine and sweat every day. are considering undertaking a multi-day Fluid needs can vary from person to hike. person depending on body size, gender, Think of your body as a car being driven weather, fitness, exercise intensity and on a long journey. If you don’t have altitude. enough fuel or have the wrong type of In the run-up to your hike, make sure fuel in your car, then the journey is going you are drinking water regularly, i.e., with to be cut short. The same principle all meals and snacks. If you are likely to applies to nutrition and hydration in perspire a lot during your hike (i.e., in hot relation to your body. weather) or to be at a high altitude during This article will help you to plan how to your hike, when you will lose more fluid maintain your own nutrition and through breathing in the drier air, you will hydration during your hiking trips. need to drink more as your losses will be greater. Planning your hike During your walk, take regular sips of It is important to establish good water, sports drinks or electrolyte nutritional habits throughout the year replacement drinks; depending on the intensity of your exercise you may need and then tweak your nutrition in advance 400-800ml/hour during a hike. If you are of a hike or trip to get the most out of it. hiking for more than one hour, it is Throughout the year aim to eat 6-7 recommended that, if possible, you drink carbohydrates at each meal (e.g., bread, pieces of fruit and vegetables a day, fluids containing 6-8% carbohydrate potatoes, rice or pasta) to ensure you have 1-2 portions of wholegrain carbohydrates (e.g., a sports drink). plenty of energy for your hike. This energy (bread, pasta or rice) and a portion of A handy way to check your own will be stored in your muscles as glycogen protein (meat, chicken, fish, eggs, tofu or hydration status is to check your urine. and will be broken down and used as fuel pulses) per meal to meet the nutritional Are you maintaining your urine output during your hike. requirements for healthy eating. and how concentrated is it? Have a look On the morning of the hike, aim to have Like anything, practice makes perfect at the picture guide on the right to help a high-carbohydrate, moderate-protein while hiking. Trialling different foods, you to see how well you are maintaining and low-fat breakfast to provide you with fluids and the timing of when you eat on your hydration. enough energy on the hike and to help walks will help you to gauge what suits reduce hunger. Most importantly, this sort you best and to avoid a tummy upset or Before you go of breakfast is easily digested, and that indigestion. In the couple of days before a hike, make should help you to avoid getting stomach Here are a few things to think about sure you are eating a source of cramps on your hike. Some breakfast ideas when you are planning a walk: that are suitable are eggs on toast (two slices), breakfast cereal (or porridge) with How long are you going to be hiking milk and fruit, or toast with peanut butter • for? Is it a single-day trip or will you and banana. be doing a multi-day hiking trip? During your hike or trip What is the expected weather? On a day trip, you may need to bring a • Will it be hot or cold? lunch, such as a sandwich, and some snacks with you. As you will have to carry What is the terrain like? Will there be a everything in your backpack, aim for • lot of climbing and will you be at high nutrient-dense, lightweight snacks. Some altitude for long periods? ideas include, trail mix, nuts, seed/fruit and 22 Irish Mountain Log Autumn 2019 nut bars, and fresh and dried meals, eating the more fruit and energy bars or gels. perishable foods in the first “Remember the 3 Rs of recovery: On a multi-day hike, where couple of days, carrying light, you will have access to nutrient-dense foods (as Rehydrate, Refuel, Rebuild.” restaurants or cafés, aim to eat above) and bringing freeze- high-carbohydrate, moderate- dried or ready-to-eat meals protein and low-fat meal with you for later in the trip. intensity of your exercise, you and fruit. You should follow this options during your hike, such may need around one litre of with a meal, such as a chicken as sandwiches, chicken, meat, After your hike or trip water or an electrolyte salad and bread, or pasta fish or tofu and pasta, rice or Remember the 3 Rs of replacement drink to replace bolognese, when you get a potato dishes, and avoid recovery: Rehydrate, Refuel, the electrolytes such as chance. creamy sauces, to aid Rebuild. sodium and potassium that This approach should help absorption and digestion. Rehydrating after a hike is you have lost on your hike. you to recover optimally from If you are going on a multi- essential, especially if you are When you are refuelling, your hike and to rebuild day hiking trip with limited preparing for another hike the your meals should include yourself for the next one! access to fresh food, it is next day. Depending on how carbohydrates to replace your For nutritional advice tailored important to plan out your much you sweat and the muscle glycogen stores to your own needs, talk to a (energy) and some protein to registered dietitian or sports help repair and rebuild your nutritionist. Check out the Irish muscles. Nutrition and Dietetic Ideally, within thirty minutes Institute’s website for contact of finishing your hike, you details of accredited nutrition should aim to eat a snack such professionals at: as some fruit and a glass of www.indi.ie/find-a-dietitian.html. milk, or a fruit and nut bar, or yoghurt with nuts and seeds Happy hiking! ■

AUTHOR Jane Leonard is a CORU-registered dietitian (for more information, see [email protected]).

Autumn 2019 Irish Mountain Log 23 Crossword Autumn Competition Win a great prize from Basecamp if your correct completed entry for this puzzle is the first drawn from the hat!

1 2 3 4 5 Clues Across 1 Arderin in the Mournes, over the top, in short (3). 3 Albertan town that hosts mountain film festival (5). 6 English mountaineer who lost his life on Everest (7). 7 Man’s best friend (3). 6 7 8 Describes extreme form of marathon, for example (5). 10 Mistake (5). 12 Negative (2). 13 Irish writer George Russell’s nom-de-plume (2). 8 9 10 11 14 Picturesque Alpine region in Austria (5). 17 A thin slab of rock – also found in a 99! (5). 12 13 18 You could be on life support if you’re in here (1,1,1). 19 Ancient Irish lake dwelling (7). 14 15 16 17 20 Vehicles for crossing snow, often pulled by dogs (5). 21 Bare limestone rock formation, as found in Burren (5). Clues Down 1 Cattle-populated uplands in Sligo? (2,9). 18 19 2 Picturesque vale, river and village in Wicklow (5). 3 Most famous river in Ireland’s Ancient East (5). 4 Lowest point – of collapse or of career, say (5). 5 A type of knot commonly used to secure the rope to 20 21 a climber’s harness; also a type of descender (6-5). 9 A narrow Irish spade with single footrest (3). CROSSWORD compiled CROSSWORD byMacLOCHLAINN CÓILÍN 11 Mighty tree, once an acorn (3). 15 A defined way up a rockwall or peak (5). 16 Cords to fasten your hillwalking boots (5). WIN 17 Container for carrying hot drink to the hills (5). a Boreo Helmet, a Mambo 40m Rope and a Reverso 4 Belay Plate – a prize worth €197.85

Boreo helmet

Reverso 4 belay plate

Mambo 10.1mm 40m rope for gym or crag climbing How to enter Complete this crossword correctly and be in with a chance to win a prize worth almost €200 from Basecamp Outdoor Store, Jervis Street, Dublin.

Cut out this page or photocopy it and send your completed entry to The Editor, Irish Mountain Log, Mountaineering Ireland, Irish Sport HQ, National Sports Campus, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, to arrive not later than Friday, November 1st 2019. Don’t forget to include your full name, address and membership number with your entry as well as a telephone number or email address at where you can be contacted. The winner will be announced in the Winter 2019 issue of the Irish Mountain Log. Competition prize

Basecamp Outdoor Store, Dublin and Kilkenny Basecamp’s generous prize offer comprises three items: a Boreo Helmet, a Mambo 40m Rope Website: www.basecamp.ie and a Reverso 4 Belay Plate.

# 24 Irish Mountain Log Autumn 2019 ALPINE REFUGE

Plan Glacier Refuge, left, and having breakfast on the veranda: Alan and Margaret Tees and friends THE REFUGE THAT MARRIED A WALL While attending the Mountaineering Ireland Summer Alpine Meet at Argentiére in the Chamonix Valley in July, Margaret Tees took the opportunity to hike up to one of the refuges in the area.

he Plan Glacier Refuge, which peeping through the snow to show them For three others (slightly younger than huddles at 2,730m beneath the where to start! ourselves), it was merely the starting base of the south-west arête of The accommodation is compact, to say place for the climb up to the Durier L’Aiguille de Tricot, near the the least. There are basically two rooms, Refuge and the challenges of the back of the Glacier du Miage, is one divided between the kitchen and the L’Aiguille de Bonnassey and beyond ■ knownT as ‘The Refuge that Married a Wall.’ guardians’ quarters, the other between It is a tiny wooden refuge, charming, three tiers of platform beds (for twenty Con and Alan at the refuge authentic in character and unusual. people, who are willing to play sardines!), a The refuge was originally built by local table and seating for about eight people, guides, the ‘Friends of the Plan Glacier and a tiny area for ablutions. Refuge,’ in 1991. That first shelter was When we arrived, there had been three destroyed by avalanches during the days of cloudy weather, so no solar power. following winter, as was a determined Despite this, the four-course evening meal second attempt to put a refuge in that was a delight and was everything that location a few years later. hungry climbers could ask for, and nobody In 2006, the building was completely minded sitting with every item of their rebuilt at its current location, which is still clothing on! in the same area but is proving to be more The walk-in to the refuge is amazing. avalanche-proof. It is kept open through Coming from the Mont Blanc Tramway the winter as a winter shelter and, when station at Bellevue, it is a delightful Alpine the guardians arrive in early summer, they walk (part of the Tour du Mont Blanc) up have a lot of digging out to do before they to the Col de Tricot. There the route can gain entrance. This year, the current changes to follow an ancient ‘smuggler’s team, Annabelle and Yanni, could only path,’ a superb balcony route equipped identify a small section of a solar panel with handrails where necessary (which is quite often), magnificently zig-zagging across the ‘haute montagne’ towards the ➤ Margaret Tees is a Glacier du Miage. It is a distance of 7.4km hillwalker, mountaineer with 1,215m of ascent in all, and several and member of the North pleasant hours, in our case. West Mountaineering Club. She has ‘compleated’ the For some of our group, this was the Munros in Scotland and main target of the expedition and, after a has been taking on the very full breakfast (on the veranda), an Corbetts, also in Scotland. enjoyable descent (on fresh legs) was made, back to the cable car at Bellevue. Photographs: Alan Tees Collection Tees Alan Photographs: Autumn 2019 Irish Mountain Log 25 Photographs: Damien O’Sullivan number of young people a remarkable increase in the climbing participation, there is Games. inclusion in the 2020 Olympic the effect of climbing’s Solo due to movies such as media exposure of climbing part due to the increase in country and also possibly in climbing walls available in this quantity and quality of fuelled by the increase in the This growth has been largely C Mountaineering Ireland held two Youth Trad Climbing Camps this summer. 26 Patrick Galvin climbing in the Burren YOUTH TRAD CLIMBING CAMPS Within this overall growth in and Irish Mountain Log Mountain Irish participation in Ireland. grow in popularity and limbing continues to The Dawn Wall, Free and experience, while others had no outdoor climbing of the participants had little or confident trad climbers. Some becoming competent and them out on the path to trad climbing and starting of introducing young people to Climbing Camps Ireland ran two of climbing all over the world. in the myriad of online videos adorning the climbing walls, or be it from the amazing photos climbing outside on real rock, about and see images of these young climbers hear getting into climbing. Many of This July, Mountaineering Youth Trad with the aim they attended. personal aims for the camp experience and their own skills based on their prior the climbers developed their Angela Carlin of the camps’ main instructors, outdoors. Under the guidance already begun to lead climb themselves: young climbers had to say for Here is what some of these have to take my word for it. the young climbers. You do not provide a great experience for and invention prevailed to challenges, but enthusiasm weather presented its usual Wicklow. The Irish summer took place in Ballyryan. centred on with climbing activities the experiences of my life. to be one of the best know that this camp was going was going to go. Little did I wasn’t sure how everything there. I was very nervous, as I other climbers were already Hostel in Doolin, a lot of the When I arrived at the Rainbow ■ Ailladie, hostel, we headed out to The first camp took place in After a quick stopover at the Patrick Galvin Burren where we did most of The second camp in County Clare, Ailladie Glendalough, and John Healy, and Damien O’Sullivan Co Sean Blazquez-Burke climbing in the Burren secretly delighted that I would climbing before. Also, I was opportunities for outdoor camp, as I have not had many enough to be accepted for this I was delighted to be just old ■ and set up a top rope. how to abseil, build anchors in the car. At Ailladie, we learnt other, so there was lots of chat already got to know each the climbing. Everyone had lunch. before switching over after first and we did lots of routes Ballyryan. I went to Ballyryan and the other lead climbing at groups, one sea-cliff climbing camp, we split up into two Carlin. with Ballyryan and to do more trad climbing. me want to go back next year and meeting new people made before. Learning new things camp or the amazing climbing never done anything like the our goodbyes and left. I had trip. think it was the highlight of my far from calm. Despite this, I scary, especially as the sea was very enjoyable but also quite The next day, we went to The sea-cliff climbing was Back at the hostel, we said AnnaBelle O’Sullivan John Healy On the third day of the reports to practice leading and Autumn 2019 Autumn Angela Youth Trad Climbing Camps next year Dates and details for the Summer 2020 Youth Trad Climbing Camps will be released in early 2020. Keep an eye on the Mountaineering Ireland website and social media for information. If you would like to be added to a reminder mailing list for the camps, please send an e-mail to Mountaineering Ireland’s Climbing Officer Damien O’Sullivan at [email protected].

Written by Damien O’Sullivan, Climbing Development Officer

and an abseil, and how to tie learned many new things, useful knots – skills that I will gained experience and use in outdoor climbing trips in confidence in climbing the future. outdoors, and made new Gaining this knowledge has friends. given me confidence when climbing outdoors. It has also ■ Alex O’Connor given me a sense of I went to the trad climbing AnnaBelle O’Sullivan climbing in the Burren achievement in that I am camp in Glendalough to becoming efficient at doing increase my knowledge of have my first trip away without ■ Isobelle Madden things on my own in climbing. outdoor climbing and to learn my parents (don’t tell them!). I really enjoyed my experience Another important lesson at how to lead climbs on my own. During the camp I learned how After arriving at the Rainbow at the trad climbing camp in the camp was about safety in to climb a multi-pitch route, Hostel (which is lovely) in Glendalough. It was great to the mountains and how to abseil, place gear, set up Doolin at midday, we did not spend a few days close to always be safety-conscious anchors, and many other waste much time before going nature, and I found it really when climbing outdoors. This is climbing skills. to the crag. We were split into relaxing. I also enjoyed such an essential part of trad I started the camp by doing small groups and my group spending time with the other climbing, and I think it is so the multi-pitch route spent time becoming familiar girls in my room in the IMC hut important that climbers put with the rock by top-rope Sarcophagus. We climbed it in there. I didn’t really know many safety first. four pitches and did an abseil climbing and then setting up people going to the camp, but If I had to pick something I from the top. During the climb, I and using abseils. it was nice leaving, having didn’t like about the camp, it learned how to tie in to an After six or seven hours, we made some new friends. would probably be the 6.00am anchor, how to belay on a went back to the hostel for I learned tons of things – starts to do the long walk in to multi-pitch route and how to dinner and then did some rope such as how to place nuts and the climbing spot. However, the set up and do an abseil from challenge games. cams when leading, and how to climbing made it worthwhile! the top of a multi-pitch. It was The next morning, I spent a extract gear the right way. I also Overall, I am glad I went to one of the best climbing few hours learning how to lead learned how to build a belay the trad climbing camp. I experiences I have ever had. trad climbs at the crag. I had a On the second day, we went top rope keeping me safe and to the Annalecka Buttress, a John Healy was next to me on great little crag in the Wicklow a rope, helping me with the Gap. There we learned how to gear. It rained in the afternoon, set up a belay anchor, how to so we went back to the hostel. tie in to the anchor to belay When the rain cleared that from the top and how to abseil evening, we practiced using the same anchors. We ropework in the back garden of also learned how to ascend a the hostel. rope using Prusik loops. The On the last day, thankfully highlight of my day was that I the weather was nice again led a climb for the first time. and we went to cliffs right On the third day, we went above the sea, where we set back to the Glendalough crag up anchors for top-roping and and did more lead climbing. I belayed each other from the led two more climbs and learned to belay from the top top. after leading a route. Everybody was very friendly Overall, it was a great camp and we all got on very well for and I learned a lot. The the three days. I would instructors were great – very recommend the camp to any helpful and informative. I plan young person who wants to to use the knowledge I got from improve their outdoor climbing this camp and put it towards skills and to have a few great learning more about the fun days away from their outdoors and do as much Amy Rafferty climbing in Glendalough

Photographs: Damien O’Sullivan (top), Kevin Kilroy (right) Kilroy Kevin (top), Damien O’Sullivan Photographs: parents! outdoor climbing as I can ■ Autumn 2019 Irish Mountain Log 27 Photographs: Donncha Smith (Ailladie), Andres Pesquaria (Anastasija), Paul Harrington (Chloe) Anastasija on SunstoneStrižakova lot of interest in the meet. climbers and drumming up a succeeded in reaching a lot of attendance that they had from the number of climbers in meet this year. It was evident responsibility of organising the Climbing Club took on the Neil Byrne Irish Mountaineering Club and from all over Ireland. climbing season for climbers Climbing Meet September, the Climbing Club J The Burren Climbing Meet from September 6 28 BURREN CLIMBING MEET 2019 The good weather forecast Derek Hendrick and the Irish Mountaineering Club ointly organised by the Irish Mountain Log Mountain Irish from the Dal Riada Dal Riada in early rounded off the 2019 Burren from the Ailladie. From taking a routes on the steep walls of many ascents of the harder It was amazing to witness so Ballyryan at the crags of saw a huge amount of action temperatures in check. cover to keep the breeze and just enough cloud dry Saturdayrock, a gentle– climbing conditions on the rewarded with near-perfect attended the meet were over the weekend, those who While the climbing went on all climbers from all over Ireland. attract a large group of for the weekend helped to In consequence, Saturday and Oughtdarra. Ailladie, th to 8 th was a great success. noticeably increasing. standard of climbing is evident that the general Saturday it would seem snapshot of the activities on from starting out as a climbing experiences by excellent presentation settled in for an the climbers then of liquids and solids, various combinations Fanore. Replete with Donoghue’s pub in descended on thirsty climbers all the tired, hungry and climbing on Saturday, highly enjoyable day of his face! and all with a smile on a big E6, all onsight multiple E4s, E5s and steadily climbed in Llanberis in Wales, England but now lives originally from Shropshire in Angus Kille. display from visiting climber the phenomenal climbing on on Sunstone and, of course, Strižakova’s Eliminator, Condron’s Saturday were Angus shared his After a long and Highlights of the action from Angus Kille. heroic effort on Anastasija Angus, who is determined effort Chloe Damien O’Sullivan Chloe Condron on Gallows Pole you there next year! calendars. Hopefully we will see the staples in Irish climbers’ now established itself as one of the audience on many levels. connecting and resonating with was thoroughly enjoyable, under his belt. The presentation the north flank of Snowdon now Clogwyn Du’r Arddu (Cloggy) on routes such as Indian Face on present day, with ascents of teenager in Shropshire to the The Climbers at Ailladie in the Burren Burren Climbing Meet reports Autumn 2019 Autumn ■ has Upcoming events in the indoor climbing season 2019-2020 Irish Bouldering League Various venues Round 1 Awesome Walls Dublin Start date: 5 October 2019 Finish date: 20 October 2019

Round 2 Awesome Walls Cork Start date: 2 November 2019 Finish date: 17 November 2019

Round 3 The Dublin Climbing Centre Start date: 30 November 2019 Finish date: 15 December 2019

Round 4 Suas Climbing Centre Start date: 11 January 2020 Finish date: 26 January 2020

Round 5 Gravity Climbing Centre Start date: 8 February 2020 Finish date: 23 February 2020 Irish Lead Climbing Championship Youth Climbers Awesome Walls Dublin 19 October 2019

Senior Climbers Awesome Walls Dublin 20 October 2019 Youth Climbing Series Various venues Round 1 Bouldering Awesome Walls Cork 25 January 2020

Round 2 Routes The Dublin Climbing Centre 8 February 2020

Round 3 Bouldering BoulderWorld Belfast 7 March 2020

Round 4 Routes Awesome Walls Dublin 21 March 2020

The Irish Lead Climbing Championship provides the and senior climbers on the Sunday. opportunity to participate in an International Federation of The Irish Lead Climbing Championship is an excellent Sports Climbing (IFSC) style of lead climbing competition competition for spectators to enjoy. Come along and see for Irish climbers. The Irish Lead Climbing Championship is some top climbers in action. one of two national championships run by Mountaineering For more information and to enter online, please go to Ireland. The Irish Lead Climbing Championship 2019 takes the Mountaineering Ireland website page place at Awesome Walls Dublin over the weekend of www.mountaineering.ie/climbing/competitionclimbing/ October 19-20th. Youth climbers compete on the Saturday irishleadclimbingchampionship or go to bit.ly/ILCC2019. SHEHY MOUNTAINS

QUIET MOUNTAIN Don Baldwin pays a visit to Cork’s county high point, Knockboy in the Shehy Mountains

ucked inconspicuously into the rugged Above: Lough Boy, O’Sullivan Beare clan, Gaelic lords of the Beara folds of the west Cork countryside, with Knockboy peninsula. Tales of their illustrious past and sad Knockboy (706m) quietly claims the title (706m) in the demise still imbue this sea-shadowed land. of County Cork’s highest mountain, in a background. Glengarriff, a colourful coastal town nestling in the landscape little changed by the passage lee of the Beara peninsula on the shores of Bantry of time. Bay, is an ideal place from which to explore nearby TAt first glance, large swaths of west Cork and the Knockboy (Irish: Cnoc Buí, ‘yellow hill’). Beara peninsula appear to be an untamed land, A charming little town, Glengarriff is as popular with where green scrub and grey rock vie for visual tourists today as it was in the 1700s. It boomed in supremacy of this ancient territory. Victorian times as an important stop along the Prince Here, fuchsia, foxglove and other wildflowers, of Wales Route between Cork and Killarney. WB Yeats encouraged by the Gulf Stream, proliferate in the found it very much to his taste, too, and used it neglected margins, their heady scents lacing the regularly in 1920, while George Bernard Shaw stayed keen salty air. This was the stronghold of the on the nearby wooded isle of Garnish in 1923. From Glengarriff, head east on the N71 towards Bantry town. After a ten-minute drive, turn left for ➤ Don Baldwin started mountaineering with the Irish Coomhola Bridge. Pass through here and continue th Permanent Defence Forces, as a member of the 27 onto Mill Big, finally arriving at the start of Priest’s Battalion in Dundalk, Co Louth, training in the Cooley Leap Road, a fifteen-minute drive in all. and Wicklow Mountains. He also served with the 46th IRISHBATT in the mountains of South Lebanon. Since You could then simply drive on up the four- then, he has completed several mountaineering courses kilometre stretch of undulating mountain road to in Tollymore National Outdoor Centre, including the WGL. Priest’s Leap Pass itself, and hike on to the summit of Don is also an avid scuba-diver, writer and Advanced Knockboy from there. However, if you want to make a Adventure Sport Instructor. decent trek out of it, then leave your car at the start of Priest’s Leap Road, where there is ample parking, and start your walk from there. That way, you can Photographs: Don Baldwin Photographs: 30 Irish Mountain Log Autumn 2019 Above: these are all that now remain of some long- THIS WAS THE STRONGHOLD Inchinagoum abandoned Brigadoon.* OF THE O’SULLIVAN BEARE valley, with Bantry Rabbits have made themselves at home in the Bay beyond. valley, blissfully unaware of the aerial threat posed by CLAN, GAELIC LORDS OF THE the new, ravenous overlords of nearby Garnish Island Below: Priest’s – the reintroduced white-tailed sea eagles. BEARA PENINSULA. Leap Road. Scenery aside, do have a care when hiking up this narrow mountain pass, as cyclists can appear silently and suddenly, descending at impressive speed. relax and enjoy solid footing and the wonderful Likewise, cars can quickly appear from behind blind scenery to your left in Inchinagoum valley below, spots and hidden dips in the road. They are not without running the risk of joining it! always easy to hear. The valley of Inchinagoum is a quiet place now. On a clear day, a skeletal steel cross erected on the Beyond the stand of stately Scots pines scattered saddle above is clearly visible and gives you good along the near slope, the poignant remnants of a few notice of the approaching Priest’s Leap Pass up crumbled cottages huddle about a vibrant stream; ahead. A solid hour’s hiking will bring you up to the pass, where stunning views await you. A large inscribed boulder by the roadside confirms your location, the historic Priest’s Leap Pass. Local tradition attributes the origin of the place-name to a monumental leap made on horseback by a priest escaping English soldiers, a jump of several miles, no less! Although the account does appear a little embellished, as is the way with most good Irish stories, it does seem to contain a grain of truth, as the particular priest in question, a Fr Dominick Collins, had indeed been recorded for raising the country for ➤

* Brigadoon: a mythical village in the Scottish Highlands that remains unchanged and invisible to the outside world, except for one day every hundred years. Those who happen upon Brigadoon may remain in that beguiling place only if they love another enough to give up the world outside.

Autumn 2019 Irish Mountain Log 31 SHEHY MOUNTAINS

the defence of Donal Cam O’Sullivan Beare’s Above: Lough imagination ruminated on the turbulent history of Dunboyne Castle on the Beara peninsula in 1602. He Reagh (below this brooding land, my rebellious legs lamented my was later captured in the course of the siege of summit of earlier exertions up Munster’s highest mountain road. Dunboyne and eventually executed. In due course, he Knockboy) and True, I could have driven up to Priest’s Leap Pass and was beatified by Rome on September 27th, 1992. At stile to the right. walked out to the summit from there. However, what point history is distorted and legend is blended perhaps extending this walk was my own small into the priest’s prodigious leap at the pass, I must Below: Decorative tribute to those sorry souls who had endured one of let the discerning reader decide. boulder at the most arduous treks in Irish history, which had From Priest’s Leap Pass, strike out east-north-east Priest’s Leap forged north through the parallel Pass of Keimaneigh just beyond the decorative boulder, keeping the Pass. just east of Knockboy, in the Long March of O’Sullivan sheep fence to your left as you climb. This is Beare. definitely gaiter country, so you could save yourself some soggy grief by fitting them before leaving the Long March of O’Sullivan Beare road. After the fall of Dunboyne, O’Sullivan Beare had Continue in this direction for about 550 metres gathered one thousand of his followers and marched until you find your way blocked by another fence; north on December 31st, 1602, in the hope of reaching cross this fence at the sturdy corner post with care. his ally, Lord Tyrone, on the shores of Lough Neagh. Turn left and then continue north-north-west, As they marched northwards through Munster, keeping the fence on your left as you go. Connacht and Ulster, they fought against a much Curiously, once you have left the pass and slipped larger English force and their new Irish allies. The over the first pale knoll, an eerie silence will envelope infamous march was marked by the suffering of the you. The terrain here is like some withered prairie starving O’Sullivans as they sought food from a land where poor grass and broken boggy ground compete already decimated by a harsh Irish winter. Exposure with slabs of pale-grey rock to dominate the and hunger took many. landscape. Wildlife seems all but absent and, with O’Sullivan Beare and his followers marched over the exception of a hopeful sign banning the shooting 500 kilometres and crossed the Shannon on a dark of the rare red grouse, there appears scant promise midwinter’s night, after slaughtering their horses and of life. However, elusive sheep, frogs, slugs and bog cotton all do make a frugal living up here, while a few feral cattle and some polka-eyed ponies forage for meagre grazing on the mountain’s lower slopes. After a distance of some 500 metres from the sturdy corner post, the direction of the fence turns east-north-east, passing beside the peaceful waters of Lough Reagh and Lough Boy, where you will need to use a weathered timber stile close by the water’s edge. This secluded upland is a pensive place, and even these still, dark pools hold fast to their secrets, concealing any sign of life. From here, the last stretch of fence climbs steadily for one and a half kilometres along what is the county border of Cork and Kerry, until it finally peters out near the summit. Quiet prevails up here and, as my restless Photographs: Don Baldwin Photographs: 32 Irish Mountain Log Autumn 2019 Above: A little further along the peninsula, near its northern YOU CAN ALMOST IMAGINE Trigonometric shore, lies the reputed resting place of the Children of A WHISPERED LAMENT point on the Lir. Having wandered the wild seas for nine hundred summit of years, cursed to exist as swans, they were drawn DRIFTING UPON THE BREEZE. Knockboy. ashore by the alluring toll of a monk’s bell in the village of Allihies. Here, they returned briefly to their Below: Delicate human form before peacefully passing away. using their skins to make curraghs. fuchsia. Finally, at the very end of the peninsula stands the After the fourteenth day of the march, of the 400 solid bulk of Dursey Island, where many unfortunate fighting men who had started out, only eighteen Irish women were held captive by Viking raiders, remained and, of the other 600 followers on the before being shipped off to the slave markets of march, just eighteen survived the ordeal, one a Europe, during a very dark time in Irish history. woman. They finally arrived at O’Rourke’s Castle in The Dursey massacre of three hundred men, West Breifne (in Leitrim today) on January 4th, 1603, a women and children by Crown forces in 1602 will long heroic feat of endurance that would put any testing resonate in the collective memory of this solemn day on the mountains into stark perspective. place, for, as African-American novelist James Baldwin wrote, “people are trapped in history and Knockboy summit history is trapped in them.” An hour and a half from the pass, the linear lines of Thankfully, west Cork is a much more peaceful the trig point make for a welcome sight. It is all that place these days, a haven of serenity for tourists and serves as a sliver of shelter in this bare place. Still, writers alike. Nowhere is that tranquillity more evident despite its austere appearance, the 703m summit of than on the silent slopes of Knockboy. Here, in this Knockboy is an excellent vantage point for viewing cathedral of quiet, where the untouched wilderness the surrounding area. seems to store those dark indelible memories of the To the north stretches the soft, rolling outline of the past, you can almost imagine a whispered lament, Shehy Mountains, unmarred by the passage of time. drifting upon the breeze ■ Seven kilometres to the east, the Beara/Breifne Way strikes off towards the north-east through the Shehy Mountains and deep into the heartland of Ireland, retracing the hard march of O’Sullivan Beara and his sorely-pressed followers. To the south glitters the safe harbour of Bantry Bay, where a French fleet of forty-three ships made anchor in 1796 to aid Wolfe Tone and his United Irishmen. Far off to the south-west stretches the Beara peninsula, a veritable microcosm of Irish history. At its centre, in the heart of the Caha Mountains, stands the stark pinnacle of Hungry Hill, made famous by Daphne du Maurier’s gritty novel of the same name about the local copper-mining barons of the nineteenth century. Further south, on Beara’s southern shore, just beyond the bustling fishing port of Castletownbere, the sad remnants of Dunboyne Castle stand silent, mute witness to its terrible end.

Autumn 2019 Irish Mountain Log 33 THE COMERAGHS

JEWEL OF THE COMERAGHS Margaret Flanagan describes the captivating Coumshingaun Lough, the ‘jewel’ of the Comeraghs

he car park for Coumshingaun Lough Above: My father would have been impressed by the was now full. Cars were parked up and Coumshingaun numbers of visitors coming here now, as he was a down the roadside. People were Lough in the forester in the Comeraghs long ago. It was the collecting hiking boots and walking Comeragh beginnings of diversifying forestry spaces into supplies in colourful mountain gear, with Mountains. recreational spaces. French and German accents as well as My sister Denise and I were about nine years old IrishT to be heard. I wanted to shout proudly at the when we first went to the woods with him to do a bit top of my voice: “Did you know that my father of thinning of the thick rows of tree growth. The initiated this forest park many moons ago?” intention was to put a white ‘X’ on trees that were My father had the foresight to leave the huge destined for felling, to make room for a car park or boulders to perhaps highlight this spot as the picnic spot. entrance to a magical lake under the Comeragh My father pointed out the trees and we eagerly Mountains. The lake still generates a mystical energy marked them. We loved roaming through this thick for me. Coumshingaun Lough. jungle of sweet-smelling conifer pines, which also harboured hosts of flighty midges. These could attach to your hair or sweating skin and feast upon you until ➤ Margaret Flanagan grew up in you itched and just wanted to jump into Lemybrien, Co Waterford, right under Coumshingaun Lough for immediate relief! the gaze of the eastern Comeragh The trip to the lake is up through woods, fields and Mountains. She worked in Africa for twenty years and loved the rocks and across streams. You hear the sounds from Drakensberg Mountains. She now bossy black-faced sheep calling ‘maaa,’ clearly telling lives outside Dungarvan, County you this is their space and to move on; or you can Waterford, still close enough to feel hear the wind’s whisperings resonating through the the lure of the Comeraghs. rocks. The heady scents from honeysuckle, ferns and gorse serve to boost your upwards climb. The Photographs: Margaret Flannagan Margaret Photographs: 34 Irish Mountain Log Autumn 2019 dramatic patchwork of textures and colours across Above: the mountain-tops simply looks higgledy-piggledy, Coumshingaun Autumn Gathering: October as though an ogre had been at work here to confuse Lough viewed you on your climb. from its steep Mountaineering Ireland’s 2019 Autumn Gathering cliff-sides. will be held in the Comeraghs over the weekend of Spellbinding space October 18-20th. The hosts, Kilmacthomas Walking Club, who are celebrating their fifteenth On arriving in this spellbinding space, there is an anniversary, are keen to show off the beauty of impressive view of the sheer rocky backdrop to the the Comeraghs. More information can be found lake, with sides gently sloping down. According to my on the Mountaineering Ireland website very old geography book, it resembles that of an old, www.mountaineering.ie where it is also still inviting armchair, with the sheltering high back and possible to register for the Gathering. sides opening in the front to expose a panoramic vista to this magical ‘scape’ of contrasts, colours and muffled eerie sounds, echoing through the valley. The rock rises up from the lake to form a huge colour. An odd ripple disturbs the surface as a brown cliff-face. Here, solitary sheep climb to graze, and trout reaches up to catch a stray midge. their ‘maaa’ sounds echo across the lake. At times, a whole cascade of ripples suddenly erupts I shout out to the lake and the sheep: “Hello! I have across the entire lake, as if a giant has decided to blow arrived. Did you miss me?” I am delighted, as the lake across the surface, for his own amusement, just to view the endless waves that form. returns this same message to me, so enthusiastically. The waves finally end in a frothy collection of It repeats the message to me at least three times, bubbles at the other side of the lake, as if some gradually reducing its volume while overlapping in its monster from the deep had just suffered indigestion soundings. I am delighted that I was missed. from over-indulgence in his favourite, slimy, Enormous boulders define the outer circle of water. underwater snack. The waves produce a white, bubbly They gradually become invisible through the brown substance at the shallow end of the lake. hue, as the lake deepens and becomes black in This giant must also be wearing a good wetsuit, as this water is freezing, no matter how hot the sun WHAT IS IT ABOUT THIS ENCHANTING shines. The enormous rocks provide shelter from the gusts of wind – that erupt at will – for you to enjoy a MOUNTAIN THAT KEEPS MY MIND picnic surrounded by this almost prehistoric landscape. THERE LONG AFTER I HAVE LEFT Delay here, just a while, to wonder upon your own ITS SPELL? story, surrounding the creation of this cosmic space. Delve into its deep allure and bewitching charm. ➤ Autumn 2019 Irish Mountain Log 35 THE COMERAGHS

Consider the misshapen boulders, the phantom Above: View of they just want to keep on going. I sit on a big boulder monsters in these deep waters, the faery stories Coumshingaun lining the entrance to the mountain’s lake to rest from around the blackthorn bush, or the ghostly Lough from the there a while. tales of Crotty the Robber from just over the cliff’s top of the cliffs. What is it about this enchanting mountain that edge. always keeps my mind there long after I have left its Below: spell? Magnetic pull Coumshingaun Do not linger past evening time, as the fog pours Lough seen from •This article was previously published in Ireland’s Own down across the lake’s sides, and dark descends to the level of the magazine and in The Munster Express ■ cast its shadows. This is just the lake’s spirit lake. struggling to hold onto you for longer. Of course, you can always find your way down, no matter what this mountain throws at you. Your journey down the mountainside is at a pace determined by the mountain’s gravity. The smell of ferns is as delicious as ever. Droppings from grazing sheep dot their lawn, showing you a pathway for your descent; they are perhaps happy to see you are leaving their territory. There is even a view off to the distant glistening ocean. The soft, rolling mountains are ever-surprising in colour, shape and texture, depicting their growth, grazing or cutting. Oddly-shaped ancient boulders line the steep decline and invite you to rest a while with their magnetic pull. The aroma, coupled with the blast of bright blossoms from prickly gorse bushes, helps distract from the muscle strain as you try to dig down to reduce your footfall to a safer pace than is being dictated by the mountain drop. We are almost down when my legs feel like jelly from trying to keep my own pace down and not let the steep mountain path decide it for me. Outside of our own pace, we are down from the mountain faster than we planned. My legs do not know this yet, as Photographs: Margaret Flannagan Margaret Photographs: 36 Irish Mountain Log Autumn 2019 RAB LADAKH GTX JACKET Expertly balancing breathability with protection, soft GORE® C-KNIT™ and durable GORE-TEX Pro are paired to bring comfort to the most challenging of environments. The next generation of Rab.

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SAVING CORONATION PLANTATION A popular scenic forest in Wicklow Mountains National Park, Coronation Plantation is at risk from frequent fires and under pressure from grazing deer and sheep. What can be done to save it? Cóilín MacLochlainn reports

he Coronation Plantation is a popular Above: Open It is a beautiful pinewood. Owing to the uneven tree scenic pine forest located to the west of woodland of losses over the last 185 years, it now closely resembles a Sally Gap in Wicklow Mountains National Scots pine trees natural pine forest like those still found in parts of Park. Though not as well known as in the Coronation Scotland – the so-called Caledonian forests. But one Glendalough or Luggala, it is popular with Plantation, near thing is immediately obvious: it is thinly wooded and photographers and birdwatchers, who the Sally Gap in there are quite a lot of standing dead trees, mostly areT attracted by its wild beauty and impressive the Wicklow Scots pines and European larches. Also, when you look wildlife. Mountains. closely, you find very few seedlings or saplings on the You might think from the ‘plantation’ appellation ground. that it was just another example of trees planted in a It seems that the plantation is dying of old age or lack block. That was certainly the original plan, when tree of regeneration, possibly as a result of overgrazing and planting began there in 1831, but the planting was fire. Fortunately, that is not entirely true, as a detailed never fully completed. Over the passage of time, study commissioned by the National Parks and Wildlife trees persisted only in the plantation’s more Service ten years ago showed; more on that later. sheltered stream cloughs, which descend to the River Liffey not far from its source below Kippure Rich in wildlife (see map, opposite). This gives it the naturalistic It would be a great pity if the plantation were lost as it appearance and aesthetic appeal it has today. currently supports a raft of interesting pinewood species, including red squirrels, crossbills, siskins and ravens. It is also an important site for merlin. ➤ Cóilín MacLochlainn is the In recent years, great spotted woodpeckers have designer of the Irish Mountain Log. arrived and begun nesting in the plantation – a welcome development. They have been spreading slowly since nesting in oakwoods in the Vale of Clara near Glendalough in 2007. They are Ireland’s most recent avian immigrant, though it is thought they were here in the past but died out as the woodlands were felled. Photograph: Cóilín MacLochlainn Photograph: 38 Irish Mountain Log Autumn 2019

Kippure House Manor Kilbride Kippure Mountain

River Liffey

Sally Gap

P ][ bridge

Plantation area in 1831 Remains of the plantation today

Lugnalee Brook Coronation Plantation N Ballynabrocky, Blessington, Co Wicklow

Map by Cóilín MacLochlainn

The open, brackeny areas of the plantation are Above: Map of the about the plantation’s future and wants to save it, populated each summer by whinchats, a rare and Coronation and this fascinating report describes what is needed declining migrant songbird associated with upland Plantation showing to save it, both for its landscape qualities and its very heaths and floodplain grasslands. Coronation its orginal, planned special wildlife. Plantation holds more whinchats every summer than extent and its any other site in the country, as far as is known. current extent Original planting Many deer, which are in fact red/Sika deer hybrids, today (in dark The idea for a plantation was conceived by Arthur graze in the plantation. They excite those seeking a green). Historical Hill, 3rd Marquess of Downshire and landlord of wilderness experience. However, their numbers are research has Blessington, County Wicklow, who, in 1830, proposed higher than the park’s desired density of five animals indicated that the the planting of over 800 acres (327 hectares) in per 100 hectares in woodland, according to the planned extent of Ballynabrocky to honour the accession to the throne afore-mentioned report. the forest was of William IV (who was succeeded in 1837 by his niece From a woodland perspective, it is the plantation’s never fully realised. Victoria). A granite obelisk built on the site declares similarity to the pinewoods that once covered the that the scheme was for the future supply of timber hilltops and poorer soils right across Ireland that sets for the estate. it apart. Intriguingly, we know from research Work on the plantation began in August 1831 with conducted by palaeobotanist Jenni Roche that it the fencing of Ballynabrocky. By December, John was actually covered in pine trees in the distant past. Murray, the marquess’s Blessington agent, was able Saving a site that has all the hallmarks of an to report that a ‘vast number of poplars and alder ancient pinewood (though it is only 185 years old) is cuttings’ had been planted. In 1834, he reported that something you would hope the national park would 20,000 pedunculate oaks (sourced in Berkshire) had commit to. When I enquired, I learned of the report, been ‘planted carefully.’ However, in March 1837, snow Management Plan for the Coronation Plantation, and frost was hampering progress and in April of that Wicklow Mountains National Park, completed for the year Murray noted his intention to plant more oaks park in 2009 by consultants Faith Wilson, Paddy and ‘scotch fir.’ Kathy Trant believes Murray then Purser and Paul Murphy, with input from local scaled back his plans for the site and that the historian Kathy Trant. So, yes, the park is concerned plantation was never as extensive as first envisaged. ➤ Autumn 2019 Irish Mountain Log 39 ENVIRONMENT Gravest threats The report notes that uncontrolled fires posed the gravest threat to the woodland, and that the area had been subjected to repeated burning events. Meanwhile, browsing by deer and sheep limits any natural regeneration and hinders the re-establishment of native woodland species, including mountain ash, silver birch and willow species. The wooded area of the 327-hectare site currently covers just 67.5 hectares. While the Ordnance Survey map from 1838 and an estate map from 1880 show the site as fully planted, the Ordnance Survey map of 1906 shows an area of just 65 hectares as being wooded, much as today. The authors note that it seems unlikely the entire site was planted, given the unfavourable soils and the lack of evidence of planting or related drainage over much of the site. The woodland area was also reduced due to commercial felling in the north-west section following Plans were overtaken by events when the Above: The upper, World War II (when there was a mobile saw-mill near the marquess died. On a June morning in 1845 he rode open area of the bridge; sawdust is still present) and through some out from Dublin through the Sally Gap, lunched with pine forest where fuelwood harvesting by local people. This helped friends in Kippure House (just down the road from natural produce the naturalistic lay-out of trees that the plantation) and shortly after leaving had a regeneration is contributes to the scenic beauty of the plantation today. seizure, fell from his horse and died. most likely to It also allows comparisons to be drawn to what a Out of curiosity, I googled the 3rd Marquess of succeed, if native Irish upland pine forest might have looked like, Downshire and found he died in September 1845, in facilitated and similar to the Caledonian pine forests of the Scottish London, and not in Wicklow in June of that year, so it encouraged, highlands. Indeed, the authors note, the Coronation seems his fall was not immediately fatal. Local lore according to the Plantation is probably the closest image available of probably changed the story for dramatic effect. expert report. what native Irish pine forests looked like before their Oddly, a space on the obelisk to record the finishing decline during the first century AD. date for the plantation was never filled in. Below: A healthy, It, therefore, has a ‘hugely important cultural heritage It was an ambitious and extensive forestry project majestic pine in value,’ they write. Of course, since the report was written, it has been learned that a small native for its time, but Murray’s efforts to grow poplar, alder the plantation. pinewood survives in the Burren, Co Clare. Others may and oak were not very successful, though some exist but have yet to be identified. majestic oaks and alders still line the banks of the Lugnalee Brook and River Liffey. His ‘scotch fir’ or Scots Restoration plan pines, however, did much better and dominate the The remaining woodland is of three types: woodland today, along with some European larches. Photographs: Cóilín MacLochlainn Photographs: Oak with Scots pine, silver birch, alder, mountain ■ash and willow, distributed along the riverbanks The oaks are all of similar age (greater than 150 years) with no young oaks present to replace them.

Mixed Scots pine and larch with some mountain ash ■and silver birch, mainly on more exposed ground The conifers here are all in a mature ‘stag-headed’ state. Regeneration was recorded but no seedlings were surviving above the herb layer, due to grazing.

The authors note that regeneration will be most successful in this area, if it is protected from grazing, because the species here are pioneer tree species. Interestingly, they found the pines here to be of different ages, indicating that regeneration was continuous over a long period of time until grazing pressure became too intense in recent times.

Pure stands of Scots pine ■The main body of woodland within the site. The trees here all date from the original planting and all are now ageing and ‘stag-headed.’ 40 Irish Mountain Log Autumn 2019 Expected longevity Due to grazing in the woodland, there are virtually no trees younger than 90 years of age, although seed production, germination and regeneration do occur. The authors were determined to estimate the expected longevity of the remaining trees and found that, in general, the pines show little evidence of significant dieback; and so, much of the pine is expected to last another 100 years. In contrast, the oaks show a higher incidence of deadwood and dieback and the authors give them perhaps another 75 years. Given that the trees in the plantation have considerable remaining longevity, there is ample time available to find the most effective ways of encouraging strong natural regeneration. Above: Raven, emergence of a new generation of trees. In their Scottish regeneration model Ireland’s largest management plan for the site the authors recommend The report describes a successful regeneration crow species: it the creation of a series of exclosures throughout the programme undertaken by the charity Trees for Life nests on pine woodland, but particularly in the area of woodland on on a Caledonian pine forest in Glen Affric in central trees in the the more exposed ground (the second woodland type Scotland. It focused on the creation of exclosures to Coronation described above) where regeneration is most likely to keep out deer and sheep and on two different Plantation. succeed. strategies within the exclosures: (1) natural The creation of exclosures would then be followed by regeneration only and (2) a mixture of natural Below: Sika deer a programme of treatments, e.g., manual scarification regeneration and ‘enrichment’ planting of trees of stag. Significant using mattocks (to expose soil for seeds); enrichment local provenance. numbers of this planting of sessile oaks; and managed deer culling The project worked outwards from areas of introduced (some deer are already culled annually in Ballynabrocky strength, utilising pioneer species to facilitate the species inhabit as part of a wider national park plan). restoration, and also removing any introduced the Coronation Perhaps the greatest challenge of all will be fire species, such as rhododendron and cherry laurel. Plantation. control. It is thought that most fires are started by The same principles could be applied successfully careless picnickers, but while some fires are no doubt in Coronation Plantation, beginning with exclosures, accidental a significant number are malicious. Very few followed by enrichment planting and the application areas within the plantation have escaped a severe burn of rock phosphate to beat competition from heather, in the last twenty years, so a fire management plan is the authors write. urgently required. This could include creating firebreaks Short-term objectives recommended by the around exclosures or along existing ditches and drains. authors include liaising with grazing-rights holders The NPWS is developing a specific fire management regarding woodland management, developing a fire plan for the site. management plan, managing deer grazing, and All in all, it seems Coronation Plantation can indeed commencing natural regeneration plots by erecting be saved, if these measures, and others outlined in the grazing exclosures. plan, can be fully implemented by the national park ■

Reducing the grazing pressure Note: This article, in an earlier version, first appeared in the June There is clear evidence that a removal or substantial 2019 issue of Woodland, the Native Woodland Trust’s membership magazine.

Photographs: Diliff (raven), Adnrew Kelly (Sika deer) (Sika Kelly Adnrew (raven), Diliff Photographs: reduction of grazing pressure would result in the

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Autumn 2019 Irish Mountain Log 41 ICELAND

HANGING OUT ON HEKLA

Michael Guilfoyle visited Hekla, an active volcano in Iceland, with his son Eoin in May of this year.

edieval Icelanders regarded Above: Iceland in May, more to introduce my son Eoin to the Iceland’s most active volcano, Landscape country and to visit some very dear old Icelandic Hekla (1,491m), as the ‘Gateway to around Hekla friends, I couldn’t resist making the two-hour drive Hell’! Before the science of littered with from Reykjavik to the base of the mountain. volcanology, that made eminent volcanic debris. Warm-sector low cloud and rain, and a wind from the sense. Hekla’s regular inferno of fire south-east, were plaguing the capital as we left, but we andM lava, and inundations of suffocating dust, deeply were soon in the brighter, clearer and dry air of the rain- traumatised Icelanders of the south-west of this shadow north of the large icecaps of Eyjafjallajokull country, and repeatedly wreaked havoc on their lives and Myrdalsjokull. and livelihoods. We’d been warned, however, that a volcanic eruption Now that they know better, Icelanders harbour an at Hekla was “imminent.” almost spiritual fascination with the mountain. They Sure enough, a rather scary panel at the track-head feel privileged to share their land with such an informed us in graphic detail of all the horrible ways elemental and violent force of nature – perhaps one could die, if caught close to an eruption – volcanic reflecting the Icelanders’ own penchant for terror and ‘bombs,’ mudslides and flash floods, suffocating dust mayhem in their distant past as Viking warriors! and poisonous gases were but a few of the dangers! It Indeed, during a winter eruption a few years ago, a also warned that we would receive only sixty or so sudden blizzard led to a huge operation to rescue the minutes’ notice (via SMS) of an eruption from the array multitude of people who had driven out to feel close of monitoring instrumentation on the flanks of the to the fires of Hekla and got themselves stranded in mountain. the cold and snow instead! Still, the vast trackless plains and low hills of dust, As a frequent visitor to Iceland since the 1970s, obsidian and tephra stretching away before us, Hekla has fascinated me too. On a quick visit to seemingly ascending easily towards the visible base of the summit ice-cap, were irresistible. So, off we went ➤ Michael Guilfoyle is a founder member of the Lung and, even though we had a good map, we just took a Gompas Hiking Club and lives in Dublin. He has hiked in the mind-bearing on the highest snow-free part of the Alps, Pyrenees, Scotland, Wales and Iceland and has trekked distant mountain’s flank and determined to see how in Kashmir, the Canary Islands, Nepal, Morocco, Vancouver far we’d get! Island and Patagonia. He has summited many Alpine There wasn’t a hope, of course, that we’d make the 4,000m peaks, including Mount Blanc and Gran Paradiso, as summit. Even though we had hired a little 4WD Suzuki well as summiting on Toubkal and Ouanakrim in the Atlas Mountains and most Pyrenean tops over 3,000m. Jimny in Keflavik two days previously with Hekla vaguely in mind, the rough route beyond the track- Photographs: Michael Guilfoyle Photographs: 42 Irish Mountain Log Autumn 2019 WE HAD A FABULOUS WALK Above: A view little ‘dust devils’ and shaped the ground into from the slopes constantly shifting and changing micro-dunes and THROUGH A LANDSCAPE of Hekla. Eoin little drifts. Guilfoyle is visible All the time, we kept our ears cocked for any UNIQUE IN EUROPE. on the left. subterranean rumbling that might have heralded an eruption, one part of our minds saying ‘Bring it on,’ Below: relishing the prospect of that once-in-a-lifetime head was closed as ‘impassable,’ so, from where we Information panel experience! In the event, the mountain remained had parked, the summit would have required a at the track-head slightly disappointingly quiet and allowed us to exit hard-walk round-trip of more than 30 kilometres and notifying visitors back to our jeep, and on to our friends in Reykjavik. about 1,100m of climbing, for which we just didn’t of the many Later that evening, our friends told us that one of have the time, more or less permanent daylight dangers posed their friends was in the area and had witnessed the notwithstanding. by the volcano last eruption, in 2000. They told us that he would never In any case, as we were unable to access the to human life. forget the sound, the colour of fire and ejecta mixing standard approach from the east, and were required with cloud in the evening sky, and the deep earth- to approach the summit from the snowier north, it shake seeming to emanate from deep beneath his was likely we would have needed ice axes and feet. This secondhand telling of the man’s story, and crampons and perhaps even to be roped up, if we the images conjured up by it, explained to us why the were to have any chance. ancient Icelanders felt this mountain was indeed the In the event, we had a really fabulous walk of about ‘Gateway to Hell.’ It left us a little jealous to have six hours through a landscape unique in Europe. From missed out on such a primal experience and on having a hiking point of view, we probably covered 15 to 20 such a story for ourselves to tell! ■ kilometres over firm, gentle hills and ridges of crushed stone and ash. As we got closer to the volcano, we traversed vast, high terraces littered with volcanic bombs dropped out of the sky by ancient eruptions. The scale and texture of the landscape and its lunar-like feel, and the contrast of the familiar blue sky and cloudscape with the sterile, dark monochrome surface of lava and tephra, shocked and enthralled us in equal measure. All around was a burnt, torn and pummelled landscape. Great rivers of lava emerged from fissures on the mountain’s flanks, and flowed down from the summit crater, only to stall far out on the dusty plains; these were brand-new landforms from out of the hot depths of the Earth, some only now submitting themselves to the attentions of wind and rain, snow and ice. Dramatic incised channels, created by torrents of meltwater released off the summit ice-cap by sudden eruptions, allowed us easy access upwards from one terrace to the next. On these high and wide terraces, the same fine dust that grounded most of Europe’s airlines in 2010 swirled about us in playful

Autumn 2019 Irish Mountain Log 43 ETHIOPIA

NORTH WOLLO HIGHLANDS TREK

Margaret O’Mahony travelled to Ethiopia for a seven-day trek through the North Wollo Highlands led by the Irish charity Africa Direct.

magine for a moment waking up in a rounded Above: Part of In 2007, Irish Aid initiated a project, funding African hut with stone walls held together by Lalibela town, the communities along an 80-km stretch of the mud and with a pointed, circular grass roof. The final stop on the magnificent North Wollo Highlands to build tukuls, golden glow of daybreak permeates the wood- trek. so that they could accommodate trekkers in this slatted doors and windows. The door is swung magnificent region. Tukuls are the round mud huts open by whomever has got up first, and the vista Below: A busy with a conical straw roof that are found throughout that presents itself takes your breath away. Every street in Addis eastern Africa. The tukuls for trekkers are entirely morning, when I woke up on our trek in the North Wollo Ababa, the run by the local communities and are a sustainable I Ethiopian capital. Highlands, each of my senses was brought alive by income-generating project. sounds, smells, tastes and sights impossible to capture either in words or pictures. Ethiopia, formerly known as Abyssinia, is a landlocked republic in north-east Africa, the Horn of Africa, with a population estimated at 108 million, the second most populous country in Africa. It is Africa’s oldest independent country. It has never been colonised and it served as a symbol of African independence throughout the colonial period. Ethiopia has a unique cultural heritage, being the home of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, one of the oldest Christian denominations. It was a monarchy until a coup in 1974.

➤ Margaret O’Mahony lives in Cork and is an active member of the Cork Mountaineering Club and of Bishopstown Hillwalking Club. She has been enjoying hillwalking for over fifteen years. Photographs: Damien Halleux Radermecker (Lalibela), Mattias Kiel Nielsen (Addis Ababa) Kiel Nielsen (Addis Mattias (Lalibela), Damien Halleux Radermecker Photographs: 44 Irish Mountain Log Autumn 2019 THERE IS AN AIR OF PEACE Above: The collectively house more than 20 monastic churches, th beginning of some of which date back to the 14 century. What was AND TRANQUILLITY ON LAKE the Blue Nile at extraordinary was the simplicity of the monks’ lives on the outlet of these islands and the fascinating treasure houses TANA’S MANY ISLANDS. Lake Tana. there: items of immense historical significance are kept in stone houses, which are showing signs of Africa Direct is an Irish, Cork-based charity run by deterioration from the natural elements. volunteers, which raises funds to support projects in There is an air of peace and tranquillity on these developing countries, with a philosophy of helping the islands, with monks living their simple lives of prayer people to tackle poverty in their own areas. Africa and fasting. We visited the outlet of the Blue Nile, Direct leads treks to the North Wollo Highlands and where it exits Lake Tana, its source. (The river meets up this is one of its ways of sharing the experience of with the White Nile in Khartoum in Sudan.) It was at Ethiopia in a culturally and environmentally mindful Lake Tana that I caught my first ever glimpse of a way. In doing this, the charity supports the local hippopotamus in the wild and enjoyed the magical communities, who run the tukuls, and also visits the pelicans. projects it is developing with local communities. Our trip with Africa Direct to North Wollo Start of the trek commenced on Friday, October 19th, 2018, when our The trekking began the following day. We went on a group of fourteen people, including the trek leader, Liz short bus journey through the Ethiopian countryside O’Donovan (an Africa Direct member), met at Dublin and then divided into two groups, as the community- airport. We landed in Addis Ababa, the bustling capital run tukuls can only accommodate seven guests per city of three million people, where the extremes of night. The tukuls, which each sleep two to three people, poverty co-exist with affluence. are managed by the local community. Each group was We met Getish Salew, who was to be our local guide accompanied by a guide. The two guides, Getish Salew throughout our stay; he was selfless in his attention to and Zinabie, were generous and accomplished guides the needs of the group and was expert in dealing with and were extremely knowledgeable about the transport, accommodation, etc. geography, geology, vegetation and people. They were On that first day, we had the honour of having also fun teachers of Ethiopian dance! afternoon tea with Sonja Hyland, Irish Ambassador to Each day, the groups trekked to a new location at a Ethiopia, who especially acknowledged Getish’s pleasant pace for 6-7 hours through the countryside voluntary work with Africa Direct. and along the escarpments. Smells varied from wild thyme, sage, juniper and eucalyptus, each step offering The source of the Blue Nile a variety of spectacular views, with the sounds of The second day involved a long bus journey through children laughing and singing out “Hello, Hello, the Ethiopian countryside to Bahir Dar on the southern Helloooooooo” as we passed by. shore of Lake Tana. Our third day commenced with a We walked through green pastures where children wondrous boat trip across Lake Tana to visit the island and adults were herding their precious cattle. Women monasteries. The islands and peninsulas of Lake Tana and men tended crops of chickpeas, green lentils, Photograph: I Ondřej Žváček I Ondřej Photograph: ➤ Autumn 2019 Irish Mountain Log 45 ETHIOPIA

wheat and teff, which is the grain from which their Above: The memory that will always stand out for me is staple flatbread, called injera, is made. An island arriving at the first village, Mequat Mariam, set on a The days started with a breakfast of freshly monastery promontory of the plateau at 2,800m. We came scrambled eggs, eaten while sitting at the edge of an church. through a field of high wheat and suddenly we were escarpment, viewing the valley below. Donkeys, at the edge of an escarpment with spectacular views provided by the local people as part of the initiative, Below: across the valley. Each tukul seemed to be placed on carried our rucksacks and we carried small day-packs Guesthouse the most extraordinary viewing point, generally at with drinking water, which was available at all night- at Aterow. the edge of a cliff looking over the basin below and time and lunch-time stops. Daytime temperatures were across to more mountains and cliffs. Even the views a pleasant 22-25 degrees Celsius. from the stand-alone tukul toilets were awesome, We trekked 105 kilometres from Werot, a short bus though these toilets were somewhat precariously journey from Bahir Dar, to a district close to Lalibela. perched for night-time visits! Midway through each day, lunch was available at Another highlight of this trek came at Aterow another tukul. Walking between the villages is (meaning ‘chickpea’), where we walked from our lofty reasonably flat and would be possible for people with tukul into a gorge with a waterfall, which was the moderate levels of fitness. The greatest ascent was home of a troop of gelada monkeys. All of us 1,000m. The community-run tukuls are at altitudes of watched in stunned silence. When faced with wildlife between 2,800m and 3,000m, which means that and witnessing beauty, it can touch a primal part of temperatures at night can fall rapidly. Therefore, our being; this was one such moment of coalescing clothing for cold nights is required, as well as good features, wildlife, beauty and a group silent in awe sleeping bags. and appreciation of the moment. Walking outdoors day after day with splendid views and in a comfortable climate brings a wonderful sense of wellbeing. Experiencing the hospitality of the Ethiopian people was an important part of this holiday. Each lunchtime, there were ritual ablutions followed by the coffee ritual, where an Ethiopian woman would bring a tray of roasting coffee beans, still smoking, to each person so they could inhale the aroma. An array of food spread on trays to feed the hungry trekkers was then shared, while the pounding of coffee beans drummed a beat in the background. Curried potatoes, chickpeas, spinach and cabbage were served on platters of injera. Striking views out over the plains, with donkeys grazing and Ethiopian chatter, was the backdrop to these wholesome meals. The lunches were rounded off with coffee served from a special clay pot; I have never tasted coffee like it; even non-coffee drinkers were converted. Where I Live Now) I Live Where from (island chruch, Davey A Photograph: 46 Irish Mountain Log Autumn 2019 LALIBELA TOWN IS SET AMONG Above left: Language differences were no barrier to this sharing Bete Giyorgis and enjoyment. VAST ROCKY ESCARPMENTS, (Church of Our seven-day trek was over all too quickly. There is a Saint George) timelessness to walking day after day, where all of our EACH CORNER PROVIDING in Lalibela. senses were stimulated. Our final stop at the end of the A DIFFERENT SCENIC VISTA. trek was at Lalibela, a town high in the mountains of Above right: Lasta and famous for its rock-hewn churches. At an Landscape in altitude of 2,630m, it is set among vast rocky the Semien escarpments and mountains, so that each corner Work supported by Africa Direct Mountains. It was also very special to visit the two schools at provides a different scenic vista. It is a growing modern town and a place of sacred pilgrimage for faithful Sendenna and Wajella, which have been supported by Below: Gelada Ethiopians. The holy places are living shrines, filled with Africa Direct to build new, more sustainable school monkeys at many pilgrims. We were fortunate to witness the monks’ buildings, an impossibility without this assistance. Liz Aterow. colourful, rhythmic and sacred prayers and chanted O’Donovan and the group were welcomed with singing rituals. and heartfelt appreciation for the work of Africa Direct. Our time at Lalibela rounded off an extraordinary Upon arrival at each camp around sunset, our hosts trekking trip, one of rich experiences, outstanding would greet us with tea and snacks. The evening meal scenery and amazing encounters with noble and was shared around the fire, food which was wholesome gentle people, who provided genuine hospitality, fun and a joy to the palate. The day-time views were and care for us as we visited their country. matched at night by star-filled canopies blanketing the The two groups met up again in Lalibela and there valleys. The moon illuminated the valleys below in a was a sense that we had all been touched by our mystical night light that was breath-taking. We ate, experiences and that new friendships had been forged.

Photos: Bernard Gagnon (church), Stewart McPherson (monkeys), Hulivili (mountains) (monkeys), McPherson Stewart Gagnon (church), Bernard Photos: talked, sang and danced around the night-time fire. A proportion of the money paid by each trekker for this trip to the North Wollo Highlands went to provide funds to help Africa Direct in their work with the schools. Bringing trekkers to this area also provides direct income to communities along this trekking route ■

Links ■ Africa Direct organises annual treks to Ethiopia. This year’s trek will start on October 20th. Please see www.africadirect.ie or email [email protected] for more information. ■ Getish Salew guides for private treks as well: see www.ethiopianhighlandtrekkingandtour.com. ■ Bishopstown Hillwalking Club plans to organise more trips to the Semien Mountains in Ethiopia in 2019-2020. For information contact the Irish coordinator, Sean Cotter of Bishopstown Hillwalking Club at [email protected].

Autumn 2019 Irish Mountain Log 47 ETHIOPIA

BEARS WALK IN ETHIOPIA

Marian Wallis and her husband Bertie Cahill of the Ballyhoura Bears Walking Club paid a visit to Ethiopia with other club members and set themselves the challenge of reaching the top of Abuna Yosef (4,260m).

n November 2018, my husband Bertie Cahill and I Above: Mount highlands of Amhara. We followed a rock-strewn trekked across the Wollo Highlands of Ethiopia. Abuna Yosef path across ploughed and golden stubbled fields, Our goal was to reach the summit of Mount (4,260m) in where men with sickles manually stacked and Abuna Yosef (4,260m), the sixth-highest Ethiopia. threshed the barley. Children tended animals in the mountain in Ethiopia and the nineteenth-highest fields, while women collected dry dung to use as in Africa. To do that, in all we hiked 130 kilometres Below: fertiliser and building material. and ascended more than 5,000m. Lunch-stop This was an easy three-hour hike with an at times Our adventure began in the tiny airport of Lalibela, on the way to gradual ascent through the numerous eucalyptus I Takeze Gorge. where a TESFA (Tourism in Ethiopia for Sustainable forests found everywhere in Ethiopia. These trees Future Alternatives) group jeep reminiscent of the are grown as a crop to provide a steady source of 1980s drove us to our rendezvous with our guide, firewood, poles for construction and farm tools. Eusebio, our muleteer and his mule. We had chosen to Shortly before sunset, we wound around to Boya go with TESFA Community Tourism, which was founded and our first community guesthouse, which in 2010 to generate sustainable tourism and bring tottered on a 3,000-metre precipice. We looked much-needed income to remote villages in Ethiopia. west across numerous valleys and giant-like The drive in was a revelation as we trundled along a mountains to the towering massif of Abuna Yosef. dirt road, across gullies and rivers, avoiding donkeys, goats, sheep, cattle and streams of children, men and women who were all competing for space. The mountains rise sharply like volcanic sentinels out of the valleys. They shelter the most agriculturally productive and densely populated plateaux in Ethiopia. We began trekking from Gashena, the gateway to the

➤ Marian Wallis and Bertie Cahill are both members of the Ballyhoura Bears Walking Club. (Marian is also a member of Mountaineering Ireland’s Hillwalking Committee.) Members of the club walk for 5-6 hours every Sunday in the Galty, Knockmealdown and Kerry mountains. Club members have also walked abroad in England, Europe and Africa. Photographs: Marian Wallis Collection Wallis Marian Photographs: 48 Irish Mountain Log Autumn 2019 ONCE THE SUN HAD SET, THE TEMPERATURES PLUNGED TO FREEZING.

The guesthouses are tukuls – round Ethiopian houses built of native materials. There are four bedrooms on each site with a double and single bed in each. The beds are formed by heaping earth into concrete-built rectangles topped with a mattress. Facilities were basic, though we had access to an eco-type latrine and water for handwashing. A larger tukul acted as a restaurant and kitchen where some local women cooked the most delicious meals of eggs for breakfast and vegetables, rice and chicken for dinner. That first evening, the setting sun cast a warm, red-tinted glow over the whole panorama of the Wollo Highlands. Once the sun had set, temperatures plummeted quickly from the twenties to freezing: a good base layer as well as warm fleeces, hats and gloves were essential. Within days we had adopted the Ethiopian custom of wrapping up in a blanket. Darkness fell within fifteen minutes, so then it was on with the head torches and a huddle around the campfire. The next day began at 6.00am, with the rising sun clothing the landscape in soft yellow tones. We walked eastwards, following the plateau where the farmers were kept busy protecting their crops from marauding gelada monkeys. Much of the walk was along the escarpment, with a lunch-stop at Waro, where we were Above: Taking Day three had a very different pace. It involved a served the local staple food of injera, a flatbread, and in the view seven-hour walk down a 1,500m steep gully filled with across the vegetables. loose stones and rocks. Forest-covered cliffs overhung Ethiopian the path. The path quickly came alive with men, Highlands. women and children, who sped past us. Many were barefoot or wearing plastic sandals. However, our real Below left: rivals on the paths were herds of goats, who had no Local people intention of standing to one side for any foreigners. wrapped up All gave way to oxen, calves and mules. well in the cool We descended numerous rocky ‘stairways’ and morning air. crossed plateaux growing the staple grain crop teff, the grain from which injera is made. The sun was now relentless, so we were thrilled to go barefoot across the great but treacherous Takaze River. High-altitude guesthouses We had now descended to 2,000m and so our next three hours involved slithering up the precipitous slopes of the mountain wall which separated us from Geneta Mariam. This guesthouse was reached by an almost vertical zig-zag path. Nearby was one of the numerous cave churches for which this area is famous. The next day brought rain clouds and an eight-hour walk skirting along the mountainside by contouring through forests of junipers and past one tree reputed to be at least 600 years old. This area was poorer and more remote. The rain lowered the temperature, which made the 900m climb up a treacherous gully of loose stones and rocks a little easier. Well-worn steps testified to generations of use. This region of Ethiopia has changed very little in the last one thousand years. We were now so high up that we traversed along the tops of gullies as we swung around the highest point, Photographs: Marian Wallis Collection Wallis Marian Photographs: ➤ Autumn 2019 Irish Mountain Log 49 ETHIOPIA

Left: Guesthouse of tukuls at Geneta Mariam.

Below: Looking down a gully.

Right: Sunrise at the Tadios Amba guesthouse (3,600m).

to be faced with an ever-stretching complex of ridges between us and Abuna Yosef. We were now on paths so faint and narrow that only a local could find them. Holding our breath, we hugged the side, manoeuvring along the escarpment thousands of metres above the ravines. with the most wonderful smells of lavender, thyme, We finally zig-zagged to the mountain pass. rosemary and bergamot, a natural herb garden. Continuous rows of pillar-like formations, tall, We now dropped down again to reach our inscrutable and forbidding, rose out of the valleys. guesthouse at Tadios Amba (3,600m) just as the Scrambling over boulders, we were suddenly assailed Photographs: Marian Wallis Collection Wallis Marian Photographs: skies opened. Cold and icy gusts of wind swirled around the campsite as we huddled with the locals around the quickly-lit campfire. Day five would bring us to the refuge (4,000m) at the foot of Abuna Yosef in eight hours. After first crossing some gardens, the trail quickly changed to rock and earth. The paths now appeared to be glued to the side of the mountain as we ascended to reach the Ambo Bahir pass. We admired the new panorama of mountains, home to fewer and poorer settlements. Thin air on Abuna Yosef Crossing one plateau, we launched on to a path up a wall-like mountain. This summit brought us into an Afro-Alpine landscape covered in a forest of giant lobelias. Here, women and girls were bent over as they carried bundles of lobelia home for firewood. Nothing else seemed to grow at this altitude. This was the home of Ethiopian wolves, lammergeyers and other large predatory birds. Thunder rolled across the range as heavy rain and fog accompanied us along the north-eastern trail to the guesthouse at Agaw Beret, built by the Frankfurt Zoological Society. Forewarned about the cold, we were still surprised to find we needed to dress in every stitch we had as well as wrapping ourselves in blankets. The following day dawned beautifully, with the sun casting a red and golden glow on the face of Abuna Yosef. The skies were clear as we ascended the last three hundred metres to the top. Icicles were testament to the low temperature at this level. This was the first time we had experienced the effort of 50 Irish Mountain Log Autumn 2019 OUR STRUGGLE WAS OVER. Above: Marian bright and high in the sky as we chatted to the Wallis and her villagers about our two countries. WE HAD ACHIEVED OUR GOAL. husband Bertie The final day dawned with a long descent to the Cahill on the town. Again, it was a magnificent walk along the summit of escarpment, with thousands of metres of a drop on Mount Abuna both sides. It soon became a quite treacherous and walking in thinner air. At first it was a gradual climb, but Yosef (4,260m), overpopulated path, as we encountered locals the sixth highest the last 100 metres were steep. We used boulders to hurrying up and down. On one side, we had Erica mountain in pull ourselves up to the last scramble along the ridge. It plants (a giant heather) dropping down to regular Ethiopia. was well worth all the effort, as we breathlessly woodland and more agricultural land. surveyed the whole world spread below us with We now had good views of the town and suddenly luminous clarity. Our struggle was over and we had we were back to the noise of a more modern way of achieved our goal. life. There was a lingering sadness as we said We descended quickly, passing by the sharp zigit, goodbye ■ pentagonal-sided pillars formed from outcrops of basalt rock. We were back amongst the giant lobelias until we came to the valley floor, where little was Travel information growing. Here everything is about food security as there ■ We used Ethiopian Airlines to fly to, and to fly is little fertility but large numbers of people. within, Ethiopia. Ascending to the large compound of Hamusit, we ■ We met with and arranged guides and donkeys had a three-hour walk to Ad Mehane Alem. The last with TESFA Trekking upon arrival in Addis Ababa. hour was level walking and a welcome relief to tired legs. ■ For further information see www.tesfatours.com. Sitting that night on the cliff edge, we watched the sun go down over the ancient landscape. The moon was Photographs: Marian Wallis Collection Wallis Marian Photographs: Autumn 2019 Irish Mountain Log 51 HIMALAYA

NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN Jack Bergin reports on an Irish expedition to Spiti, India, in 2018

Do you not get enough hardship in life without Above: area, which contains a number of unclimbed creating more for yourself?” my late father once Approaching 6,000m summits. remarked, after sitting through a slide-show the summit of Further research revealed that the late Joss about a trip to Denali in 1982. I obviously do not, Peak 6,015m in Lynam had travelled through the valley in 1958, as as here I was, setting off again! Losar, Spiti. part of a survey team, and had climbed a mountain “The dream was to visit unexplored valleys and there called Fluted Peak at the southern end of the unclimbed summits in Spiti in the north-west of India. My valley (see Himalayan Journal 1958). previous two trips to India had involved fighting through When we flew out, Raja met us at Delhi airport dense rhododendron forests in northern Sikkim in very and the next day we travelled to Manali by unsettled weather, so the priority was to improve on this. overnight bus. The first few hours of the journey After some preliminary discussions with our local were completed in relative comfort, but the latter agent, climber and guide, Anindja Mukerjee (Raja), we two-thirds were a harbinger of what was in store for decided to go to the Losar area of Spiti, a little-explored us: very poor roads, roadworks and landslides – all combined to leave us bone-shaken and more than a little weary. Jack Bergin is a long-standing member ➤ In Manali, we met our cook, Lakpa, who had of Mountaineering Ireland and a past served on many expeditions, including up to Camp board member. An active rock climber, he was involved with the development of 6 on Everest. The quality and variety of the food he Coumshingaun as the premier crag in the produced on this trip was exemplary. south-east and has a wealth of We also met Pasang, who was to assist us as a experience in the Alps. He has travelled high-altitude porter. Pasang had summited Everest widely and climbed in many of the three times. We felt both of these gentlemen were ranges of the world, including Alaska, necessary, as we had just about ten days in the area Nepal, and Sikkim (twice). He is an and wished to maximise our climbing opportunities. advocate of personal responsibility and We spent a day in Manali purchasing food and self-reliance in mountaineering. fuel for the mountains and organising both a jeep to Photographs: Alan Tees Collection Tees Alan Photographs: 52 Irish Mountain Log Autumn 2019 Photographs: Alan Tees Collection thus have to travel from Manali. trekking or climbing in the area. The porters would ‘through-tourism,’ with almost no tradition of tourist activity, almost all of this is transient porters. While Losar sees quite a bit of indigenous transport us the 200km to Losar and the necessary Kussum La. over the 4,000m through mud, grime, grit and boulder fields, taking us However, the reliable Tata machine ploughed on driver to not have four-wheel-drive capability either. no treads on its tyres and was later revealed by the Autumn 2019 Autumn again behind the hills quite early. Also, a constant cold not shine on it until late in the day, and then retreated with a north-south aspect, which meant the sun did relatively comfortable, it was in a steep-sided valley our base camp at 4,500m. Although this site was northern end of the steep-sided valley to the site of tough accclimatisation exercise, doing a carry up the fantastic host. Shambala Our base in Losar was the extremely hospitable From Losar to base camp THE NECESSARY PORTERS. AND ORGANISING A JEEP AND WE SPENT A DAY BUYING FOOD We travelled from Manali to There was no time for delay, and the next day was a guesthouse, where Rotang La, followed by the 4,500m Sonam Losar in a jeep that had proved to be a Peak 6,015m. Descending from Below: outside Kaja. Monastery, Above: Ki least one acclimatisation, and then to make a first ascent of at an the Losar Valley proper, making the second ascent of moved lock, stock and barrel up to base camp. hours away by jeep. The porters then arrived and we visiting the spectacular our first carry, we had a rest day, which was spent wind meant that down jackets were indispensable. The plan was to explore two valleys to the east of As the porters had failed to arrive to assist us with unnamed 6,015m peak unclimbed peak Ki Monastery in the next valley. as part of our Irish Mountain Log Mountain Irish about two ➤ 53 HIMALAYA

First summit attempt Above: Shale realised that we were not in a position to attempt An early start and a four-hour slog over some rough and scree at any of the unclimbed peaks without at least one ground brought us to the site of our first high camp at altitude, hard more camp, which would have required either more about 4,950m. There was no recce for this camp site, so on old legs. time, or more porters, or both. There were two more we carried everything we needed with us: two tents, accessible peaks, Dom Rimo and Losar Peak (both ice-climbing gear, food and stoves, sleeping bags and Below: Ice about 6,025m), that had been climbed before, and Thermarest mats as well as cold-weather gear. We felt makes a we decided to give at least one of them a go. every metre of the ascent. welcome We set off with the intention of deciding which of First light saw Alan, Raja, Lakpa and myself on our change on the two peaks to climb when we reached the col between them at about 5,700m. However, we barely way to attempt the second ascent of the 6,015m Losar Peak. made it that far. We set off on very rough moraine summit. We advanced over rough ground, much of this before traversing onto a glacier at about 5,400m. The on moraine, but then managed to traverse onto a clean ascent on the glacier was very relaxed, apart from glacier at about 5,400m. The next 300 metres of ascent one brief crevassed area, but the next 100m of 40- were the most enjoyable part of the whole expedition degree muck, interspersed with sliding shale, drained as we made our way upwards on clean, safe ice, never our lungs, our legs and ultimately our willpower. steeper than about 35 degrees. This brought us to a col The others had left their crampons on for this at about 5,700m, when the reality of the terrain we section but, in my wisdom, I had taken mine off and, were in dawned upon us. yes, that was a mistake. Slumped and gasping at the The first 50 metres of height gain from the col was col, the words of my father came back into my head akin to climbing on a pile of road chippings – one step and, after a brief confab with Alan about the level of forward, at least half a step back. Progress was thus slow. As we got closer to 5,800m and a subsidary summit called Larimo, progress improved on a narrow ridge with plenty of snow. We were now more sure-footed, and 10.45am saw us on the summit (6,015m) of this unnamed peak, well within schedule and all very happy. However, the descent proved to be very uncomfortable and set us thinking: the quality of the rock was dire and, apart from the 300m of descent on the glacier, the whole day was spent on very poor, broken rock, scree and moraine, from 6,015m back to base camp at 4,500m. Second high camp The following day, we set off to establish another advance base camp at about 4,800m. After a night there, we went up the next subsidiary valley and put in a high camp there at about 5,000m. By now we had Photographs: Alan Tees Collection Tees Alan Photographs: 54 Irish Mountain Log Autumn 2019 WITH SNOW CONTINUING TO FALL, Above: Losar Without the assistance of Lakpa and Passang, village, cut off and in particular the spectacularly resourceful THINGS WERE GETTING SERIOUS. by the freak and positive Raja, we would have had little to snow-storm. show for the trip. WE HAD TO GET OUT. Snowfall and landslides blocking the route we Below: Beginning had approached on forced us to take a circuitous hardship, we concluded that this was ‘no country for old to snow at base route back to Delhi, with major delays while men.’ camp. landslides were cleared and roads re-opened. Yes, the landscape was fantastic, the geology The passes were opened about eighteen days extremely interesting (including fossilised lugworms and after our departure, which meant that the porters clams discovered at about 5,000m) and the company could proceed from Manali and retrieve a lot of great, but the underfoot conditions were appalling. our gear. We were lucky that a group from A beer in Manali was suddenly a more attractive Kilkenny, organised by Kevin Higgins from Tyndall proposition than a 6,000m pile of shale with some Mountain Club, was going on a trek with Raja and snow on top. kindly brought our gear home six weeks after the Raja and Lakpa decided that they still wanted to bag event ■ the summit but, after another 30 minutes’ slog, they, too, felt it was not worth it. Plans are afoot for another four-week So, we all descended to base camp, looking forward to expedition to the Indian Himalaya in October 2020. If anyone is interested in joining the a bit of respite before the porters arrived the following expedition, please contact Alan Tees at day. Sadly, it was not to be. [email protected]. At about 6.00am the following morning, it started to snow and it continued through the following day. It became clear that things were getting serious and we had to get out. I spent the second night in fitful sleep, thinking of being avalanched into the deep gorge adjacent to our route out. We were faced with reversing our approach in treacherous conditions. We left camp, carrying only what we thought was necessary and stowed the remainder of our gear in a tent. We managed the descent with some trepidation, and excellent route-finding by Lakpa in blizzard conditions, to find Losar under three feet of snow. While we were safe, the stick-and-mud roofs of the houses were no match for the elements. The guesthouse’s roof leaked copiously and we had to move our beds around the rooms to try to avoid the leaks. Photographs: Alan Tees Collection Tees Alan Photographs: Autumn 2019 Irish Mountain Log 55 Training

Elaine Mullan and Colette Mahon on the Perroni Ridge, Chamonix, during this year’s Summer Alpine Meet

Written by Jane Carney, Recent and upcoming events Training Officer Jane Carney reports on training news and events run by the Training Office

■ Mountaineering Ireland Alpine Meet experienced mentoring the inexperienced in an apprentice-style pathway, and others following the more formal guide/client Argentière, Chamonix, France, July 6-20th, 2019 approach. The 2019 Summer Alpine Meet was the most successful to The Chamonix Valley is rich in well-signed trails, date, based on the turn-out and the breakdown of those mountaineering routes, climbing venues, accessible huts and a attending by age and gender. range of accommodation options, including campsites. Make Over 65 members attended the meet, with many availing of your Alpine trip plans for next year now and sustain your the Alpine walking, climbing and mountaineering courses, and motivation by preparation, planning and perhaps even a little others learning to lead-climb and to experience Alpine huts and training ahead of the meet, at home or in Scotland. trails for the first time. All of the participants stayed safe and The courses are run at cost and are not for profit. They are just one benefited from the ideal learning environment. of the many benefits of your Mountaineering Ireland membership. Youths (under-25s) made up 33% of the participants, with See you in Saas Grund, July 4-18th, 2020! ■ under-18s making up 8% of all participants. The gender split was 58% male and 42% female. Ice climber Carris McKnight on Mer de Glace Whilst youth representation has been increasing in recent years, the Bursary Fund greatly encouraged a further boost in numbers. The fund was used to significantly reduce the cost of courses for 18 to 25-year-old aspiring alpinists. The standard of applicants covered all abilities from the novice to the very experienced. We are pleased to announce that the same Bursary Fund support has already been promised for the 2020 Alpine Meet. The 2020 Alpine Meet will take place in Saas Grund, Switzerland, where free lift passes for resident visitors are just one of the many benefits of this fabulous location. There, we will once again offer courses and opportunities to meet others and expand your skills’ repertoire as alpinists. The Alps offer a lifetime of new venues to explore, accessible to meet the needs, aspirations and abilities typically sought by

Photographs: Gerrard O’Sullivan (Perroni Ridge), Oliver Wynne (Carris McKnight) Wynne (Carris Oliver Ridge), (Perroni O’Sullivan Gerrard Photographs: clubs, individuals, families and students. The meet sees the 56 Irish Mountain Log Autumn 2019 16 national outdoor Photographs: Mountaineering Ireland Training Office th provided. MTUKI meeting in November. Periodical updates will be email the Training Office with comments for feedback to the Autumn 2019 Autumn pages available on the Mountaineering Ireland website’s Leaders Please see the ■ Please see the calendar of events on page 59 for details. ■ accepted for Quarter 3 and 4 for review in December 2019. December 2019 MTBI meeting. New applications are now being Please submit your Training Grant applications for the ■ completion and implementation of the Climbing Awards Review. This review has commenced following the successful ■ ■ candidates, providers News for members, Kingdom and Ireland (MTUKI). should henceforth be known as Ireland that the It was agreed with the full support of Mountain Training Board We request that members, candidates and other stakeholders Training Grant applications The MTUKI Walking Scheme Review Download these useful training guidelines Club Training Officers Workshops Mountain Training UK name change -17 Tollymore  centre and the Training Downloads th 2019 in November National Guidelines for Climbing and Walking Mountain Training UK (MTUK) Good Practice Guidelines for Hillwalkers, ■ Mountain Training United Student Training Student & Safety Seminar & Safety organisation Training 2019 Instructor Awards cameinto effect on January 1 Increases to the registration fees for the Leadership and ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ registration fees Training awards and registration Mountaineering Ireland membership rate of €30at the time of (£20). (Under-18s free.) (Under-18s free.) increased from €50 to €52 (from £45 to £47). registration fee was alsointroduced for the Skillsschemes. i.e. Mountaineering Ireland membership. between scheme or award registration and joining the Council, can be very helpful to candidates and can clarify the distinction through the Providers, please continue to support your candidates All award andschemecandidates canavail of the reduced Rock ClimbingDevelopment Instructor fee: €69(£57). Climbing Wall Development Instructor fee: €69(£57). Indoor Climbing Assistant registration fee: €22(£20). Mountain SkillsSchemeregistration fee for over-18s: €22 Rock SkillsSchemeregistration fee for over-18s: €22(£20). Leadership andInstructor Award registration fees willbe Increased registration fees registration process. ■ see website for see website please submit more detailsmore suggestions Screenshots from the website topics or Irish Mountain Log Mountain Irish st , 2019, whena 57 Training

News for providers

■ Sport Ireland Coaching is to share a data protection (GDPR) update with providers.

■ The MTUKI Walking Scheme Review has commenced and we are seeking comments for the December MTBI meeting. Please email your comments to [email protected].

■ The revised Provider Handbook is now live on the website. Please review and ccontact the Training Office with any comments, edits or queries.

■ Two new Accredited Training Groups (ATGs) have been Group photograph at the top of a climb during the Alpine Meet (from left): approved: Cappanalea Education & Training Centre and Carris McKnight, David Hurley, Anna-Claire Garvey and Oliver Wynne Tollymore National Outdoor Centre. Mountaineering Ireland welcomes applications for ATG status, which is open to ■ Providers are reminded to continue to submit course reports providers or groups of providers. Please contact the Training in a timely manner and evidence of assessment forms for all Office for details. pass candidates of the ML, RCI, MPA, LLA and Level 1 Climbing Coach awards. These should include useful feedback and actions. ■ New providers have been inducted for the new Rock Skills scheme and Rock Climbing Development Instructor scheme. ■ Data Protection Slides: providers are reminded to use these slides when delivering any ML, RCI, MPA, LLA and L1 CC courses. ■ IMPORTANT! The QQI (formerly FETAC) Level 4 Rock Skills scheme stays. The QQI Rock Skills Module will remain as a QQI ■ Providers are again reminded to start populating course offering. The proposal to remove it from the QQI list has been reports early to flag any issues pre-course, such as candidates overturned. The QQI Level 4 Rock Skills scheme aligns with the with lapsed membership or other council membership (such as NGB Rock Skills Introduction and Intermediate levels launched the BMC or MS), those not registered and those using the wrong in January 2019. email or membership number. Colleges and outdoor courses are asked to submit fully completed manual registration forms well

Photograph: John Orr Photograph: ■ For future CPD events see the calendar of events, page 59. ahead of any courses (6-8 weeks) ■

DISCOUNTS for early bookings and group bookings INFORMATION EVENING Basecamp Store, Dublin, October 22nd, 7pm Come along and develop your winter Come along to find out more about the range of courses and training that will available on the Winter Meet mountain skills, expand your knowledge and meet fellow walkers, mountaineers and climbers who enjoy snow and ice FOR FURTHER INFORMATION Call the Training Office on 01 625 1112 or email [email protected]

Main photograph View from the slopes of Buachaille Etive Beag looking across Glencoe to Aonach Eagach Ridge. Photograph by Andy Ravenhill Key dates 2019

25th September Club Support Meeting, Cork • 3rd October Club Support Meeting, Newry • 18-20th Oct Autumn Gathering, Dungarvan, • Comeraghs 22nd Oct Winter Meet Information • Evening, Basecamp, Dublin, 7-8pm 1-4th Nov Mountain Leader Assessment • 2-3rd Nov Club Training Officer • Workshop, Wicklow 8-10th Nov MTUKI meeting, Plas y Brenin • 15-17th Nov Student Training & Safety • Seminar, Tollymore National Outdoor Centre 21st Nov Club Support Meeting, Dublin • 23-24th Nov Train the Trainers, Wicklow • 27th Nov Club Support Meeting, Galway • 2nd December MTBI Training Meeting, Sport • HQ, Dublin 6th December Senior Providers Workshop • (CPD), Sport HQ, Dublin 18th December Lynam Lecture, Chartered • Accountants Ireland, 47-49 Pearse St, D2, 7.30pm Key dates 2020

28th January Summer Alpine Meet • Information Evening, Basecamp, Dublin, 7-8pm Climbers Colm Peppard and Jeff Thomas on an AD grade climb on Aiguille Purtscheller, 30-31st January Train the Trainers, Wicklow high above the Trient Glacier • 1-2nd February Club Training Officers • Workshop, Mournes 8-15th February Winter Meet, Onich, Scotland Update to rock climbing module • (note revised date) 6-9th March Mountain Leader Assessment on instructor training courses • (venue to be confirmed) March/April MTUKI Meeting, Glenmore Outdoor courses available in Ireland that offer Quality and Qualification • Lodge, Cairngorms (TBC) Ireland (QQI) awards and modules need to be aware of the recent 23-24th May Skills/CPD Workshops in changes to the Single-Pitch Award QQI Level 5 and 6 modules. • Teaching Navigation, Mountaineering Ireland has four modules within the QQI listings: Scrambling & Rock Climbing, Level 5 Mountain Skills Wicklow th • Level 4 Rock Skills 4-18 July Summer Alpine Meet, Saas • Grund, Switzerland • Level 5 Single-Pitch Award Training • Level 6 Single-Pitch Award Assessment. Please see the website or contact the Training Office • on (01) 625 1112 for further details. Please book early The changes to the climbing awards need to be adopted by those offering the Level 5 and 6 Single-Pitch Awards. The key changes are: The experience requirements pre-training and assessment are now to • include indoor and outdoor sport climbing leads. (The fully bolted outdoor sport climbing venue at Altnadue, Castlewellan, is now open.) The duration of the training course has increased from two to three • days (20 to 24 hours, to include one full day at a climbing wall). The introduction of two new and additional modules: • (1) Teaching Skills and (2) Managing an Assistant. Please contact the Training Office to discuss the transitional arrangements for candidates and the course requirements for trainers and those managing outdoor course provision. The Training Officer, Jane Carney, can be contacted for further details on (01) 625 1112 ■ Photograph: Gerry Kenny Gerry Photograph: Stay safe out there! Autumn 2019 Irish Mountain Log 59 GOOD PRACTICE GUIDES

No 5: FIRST VISIT TO A CLIMBING WALL

In the fifth in our series of Climbing Good Practice Guides, climbing wall instructor and coach John Harrison offers his advice on choosing the climbing wall that will best meet your needs.

s the autumn months close exercises balance, strength, agility, Now that I have explained how great in, the days shorten and the mobility and problem-solving skills, all of indoor climbing is, let me answer a few weather invariably changes which will stand the children in good of the other important questions you for the worse. It could be the stead for the rest of their lives. might have. right time to consider how This applies to adults too; climbing ■ Where to go? youA are going to keep your children has long been lauded for the beneficial active through the dark winter months, effects it has on adult bodies of all ages, A quick Google search will locate your or indeed how to maintain your own keeping minds active and maintaining nearest climbing wall. Bear in mind that health and fitness. How about trying mobility, all in the comfortable and there are different types of climbing walls, offering a variety of climbing indoor climbing? social environment of a climbing wall. Indoor climbing might just be the options, so do your research so that ultimate full-body work-out, according there are no surprises. to various reports in the media, which Young climbers receiving instruction Every climbing wall has a good detail how beneficial rock climbing is to website with information regarding your overall wellbeing, both physical and what they offer, and there is always mental. someone on the end of the phone there For children, climbing offers the to give advice and guidance. opportunity to exercise the entire body ■ What are the different in complex and variable movement types of climbing wall? patterns. Climbing develops and Some climbing walls specialise in bouldering. These walls are relatively ➤ John Harrison began climbing outdoors in low in comparison to roped walls, the mid-nineties, when climbing walls were few although still high enough to challenge and far between. He now has twenty-plus all levels of climber. At around four years of climbing experience, outdoors and metres in height, they are protected by indoors, all over the world, and is a qualified deep matting at their base and offer a climbing wall instructor, climbing coach and variety of climbing challenges to suit all route-setter. He is part of the two-person team abilities. that designed, built and opened the Suas Some climbing walls have both Climbing Centre in Gillogue, Co Clare, in 2017. bouldering and roped walls, providing Photographs: John Harrison Collection Photographs: 60 Irish Mountain Log Autumn 2019 top-rope climbing and lead climbing opportunities, in addition to the bouldering possibilities. Top-rope climbing has pre-placed ropes linking the belayer and climber via a set of anchors at the top of the wall. That means the climber is continually protected from above by the rope and never really takes a fall of any distance. In lead climbing, the rope is tied to the climber and attached to the belayer on the ground. As the climber ascends, they clip the rope through carabiners on the wall as they go. A slip in this case could result in a fall of several metres, before the climber is held by the belayer, which could be exciting! ■ Do I need to book? For the most part, if you are new to climbing, it is essential to book in advance. A quick call to your local climbing wall will help inform you about the many different options available to get you going. These range from simple taster sessions designed to get you climbing quickly, so you can find out if you like it or not, to more involved introductory courses that will set you up with some basic climbing and rope skills and give you a good platform to progress from when you return. ■ What clothing and what equipment will I need? Bouldering Again, your chosen climbing wall will be happy to advise. In my experience, you will offer a variety of options to get your coaching, equipping them with good should wear clothes that offer comfort kids going. climbing techniques and movement and that stretch as you move; nothing NICAS and NIBAS (National Indoor skills, taking away some of the mysteries too fragile, as the holds and wall surface Climbing/Bouldering Award Schemes) of climbing and paving the way to can be quite abrasive, and nothing too are two popular programmes offered by progression, getting stronger and baggy either, as you may be in danger of climbing walls designed to bring your climbing harder and for longer. getting caught on a hold if you fall. You child through a series of progressive Ask about adult clubs, if you are might get sweat and chalk on your exercises, equipping them with all the looking to meet fellow climbers. While clothes, so not your Sunday best either. skills necessary to become strong, the centres themselves might not run a You should also wear clean trainers, not competent and independent young club, there is usually a local climbing sandals or flip-flops. climbers. Many climbing walls also have club to get involved in. Specialist equipment such as youth clubs to get your kids climbing harnesses, belay devices, climbing- with other children in a fun social ■ Is there anything else specific shoes and even chalk is usually environment. I should know? available for rent or provided as part of There is no upper age limit. Adults of Climbing walls can be great places to your introductory course. all ages and abilities can avail of further hang out, meet like-minded individuals If you get serious about climbing, you and grab a coffee or something to eat. If will at the very least want to invest in a your end goal is to climb outside and good pair of climbing shoes that fit well, Facility waiver prepare yourself for the following and to invest in a chalk bag. summer, then you are in the right place. ■ What age categories If all you ever want to do is climb are catered for? indoors, then – guess what? – you are Climbing is a sport for all ages. Roped also in the right place. All the climbing indoors can usually begin at information you need is there – good the age of six or seven, as the child’s contacts, good advice and decades of concentration levels are at a stage of climbing experience amongst the staff development where they can learn and and other climbers. Think of climbing take instruction well. This is not a walls as incubators for progression in the hard-and-fast rule, but a guide. sport of rock climbing, which you can Each climbing wall will have their own access with little more than a phone call, rules and guidelines relating to age and email or social media message

Photographs: John Harrison Collection Photographs: ■ Autumn 2019 Irish Mountain Log 61 Photograph: John S Turner alive. However, curls his fingers around comes experience, the gritstone he story, verses is like getting into a Diving into David Wilson’s ISBN 978-1-912-19-674-6 no photos or maps, £9.95, The Poetry Business(2019), 87pp, By David Wilson The climbing experience expressed in a volume of poetry impetus to explore remote where climbingwas the life dedicated to exploration, Tony Howard’s story isoneof a ISBN 978-1-911-34-283-0 422pp, 48 photographs, £14.99, Vertebrate Publishing (2019), By Tony Howard Autobiography from an intrepid climber and inventor 62 INSPIRED BY CLIMBING THE EQUILIBRIUM LINE: POEMS LIFE AS A CLIMBING NOMAD QUEST INTO THE UNKNOWN: MY With his Irish Mountain Log Mountain Irish his story. subjectivity and The Equilibrium Books the greens and blues, the the falls are accompanied by fingers numbed by cold and how the storm, the mist, the this precarious balance, seeing poems, the reader experiences parts of this collection of rewards. Throughout the four costs about as much as it to the ice lost.’ where the snow gained is equal altitude on an alpine glacier equilibrium line,’ describes ‘the explains, the expression, ‘the hence the title. As Wilson trying to keep his balance – he is walking, he is always Dolomites, and so on. Wherever North Wales, the Alps, the to many places: to Yorkshire, weather and the losses. the colours, the unforgiving of the mountain landscapes, mountain as well, of the beauty experience and of the tale: that of the climbing Line including whaling-ship tales are somedetours, Georgia and Antarctica. south-east Asia, South the Americas, the Himalaya, East, Scandinavia, Canadaand in North Africa, the Middle his exploration of the climbing into the Unknown adventures of alifetime. Quest would have been the trips that for many of us regions. He touches lightly on Wall. the RimmonRoute on the Troll in Norway, where they putup climbing in the Romsdal Valley records the club’s years of Mountaineering Club. formation of the Rimmon English Peak District and the developing the crags of the childhood, his youth spent In a similar way, climbing The poet and writer takes us Interspersed with these He describesanidyllic also tells a more general documents Howard book all come together to form back, the verses in this inspiring poems, when you take a step the death is omnipresent in the surrounded by. If the hollow of inspired by what he is using words and sounds feels the greatest urge to write, returns to. They are where he they are the place he always mountains, so much so that familiarity of the slabs. peacefulness and the Approaching Bwlch y Moch dedication to travel inother from the cost of his lightly, butdoesn’t shy away Howard treats hispersonal life field testing for the company. served asinnovation laband exploration andclimbing at the company, Howard’s Whillans. worked withclimbers like Don manufacture in the 1960s, and development and climbing equipment Equipment, company Troll Climbing climbers. Hefounded the harness, the modernclimbingsit for Troll Wall, Howard designed Arctic. canoe trip in the Canadian Ocean anda thousand-mile voyages in the Southern Wilson is at home in the Throughout the book, As partof the preparations now usedby all Throughout his time pioneering mountains. a beautiful praise of the the language of the rocks! become a native speaker of Tremadog – Wilson has almost verse about Bwlch y Moch, you cannot but agree with the granted. the trips we cannow take for paved the way for somany of to adventure tourism, and areas, suchas the Jordan Trail, travellers opened upmany unexplored by western drive to go to areas otherwise and trails explored. Howard’s as hisdescriptions of routes people that hemeets, aswell pleasure inconnecting with the to life by hisdry humour and Thailand. Eachstory isbrought India andopium tribes in camps in Jordan, andon to Morocco, remote Bedouin the Antarctic to the souks of reader from soloclimbingin moments missed. came andwent, andfamily areas of life: relationships that Irish Mountain Log reading aprevious issueof the volunteered asareviewer after French visitor to Ireland who Marine Dessaux climber Una Vejsbjerg Upon finishing this book, His descriptions carry the Hillwalker and Hillwalker and Autumn 2019 Autumn Photograph: Mountain Rescue Ireland Autumn 2019 Autumn ineffectual administration at funding andresources, include tribalism, lack of the organisation itself, which but also those from within the mountain environment described are not only from services. The challenges faced by those voluntary and the challenges regularly services inIreland since1967 out by the mountain rescue account of the work carried here is to produce adetailed Holland hasaccomplished safety remains the same. medical assistance and down the mountain to carefully carryingacasualty author points out), the act of changed, and yet (as the 2009. Equipment hasclearly 1967 and the latter onein former involving arescue in on the back cover, the contrast to the colour photo on the front cover isin black-and-white photograph 1960s to the present. The services inIreland from the the mountain rescue chronicles the evolution of This impressive book €20.00 (ppbk) Lettertecbooks, Cork (2019), 182pp, Rescue Ireland) By Patrick Holland (Mountain A warts ‘n’ all history of Irish mountain rescue IRELAND IN RESCUE MOUNTAIN OUT:CALL AHISTORY OF In essence, what Patrick without warm clothing, and runners, children in the hills walking onicewearing dressed. Pat hasmet people less than adequately people on the hillswhoare accustomed to meeting fall. required assistance after a occasion, the author himself down agully!Onanother Team, whenacow hadfallen West Mountain Rescue one casehandledby North medical emergencies and, in disorientated, suicides, people whowere lost or patients, planecrashes, and climbers, missing hillwalkers, injured walkers missing or overdue over the years. These include Teams have responded to that the Mountain Rescue detail particular call-outs interesting reading as they the first two make very are only three chapters, and of call-outsinIreland. There write abook on the history Ireland, Pat iswell placed to and of Mountain Rescue Rescue Association (SEMRA) the SouthEastern Mountain Civil Defence. Rescue Ireland, An Óige and strife between Mountain local level andinteragency Hillwalkers are As apast chairperson of hillwalkers andothers with teams were madeupof how, in the early days, rescue 1960s. The author explains since itsinception in the Rescue Association (IMRA), known as the IrishMountain Rescue Ireland, formerly development of Mountain documents the tactfully recommended.” Mountain Skillscourse is occasion, participation ina access to the hills, “on services cannot restrict while the mountain rescue Patrick. Hepoints out that, attempting to climbCroagh sick adultsandchildren was brought to the attention funding from the State. This received only €7,000 in 2013, Mayo Mountain Rescue and poor administration. In teams not taking upgrants, are other issuessuchas funding isdocumented, as a stretcher. late 1970s, they didnot have SEMRA was founded in the knock on their door. When members were alerted by a no radio equipment. Team Rescue Team (DWMRT) had Dublin Wicklow Mountain modern standards. In1985, of resources isshockingby local knowledge. The dearth The book carefully The problem of securing Teams they belong to. and by the Mountain Rescue challenges faced personally contributed despite the individuals namedhave and how much the delivery of those services behind the scenesin the book details what goes on commendation, but this Ireland deserve the highest services on the islandof 24/7/365 mountain rescue know that the voluntary mountains of Ireland. We all or climbsin the hillsand interest to anyone whowalks several teams. been expended, involving volunteer search time had a thousand person hours of not found for four days, after of awalker whosebody was into the death onMweelrea of the mediaafter aninquest Drogheda, CoLouth hillwalking clubbasedin member of Tredagh Trekkers, a Pamela Harbison This book shouldbeof

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autumn 2019 autumn reviews published books. of somerecently presents reviews Peter O’Neill Literary Editor Hillwalker and 63 Photographs: Kurt Diemberger Collection (Diemberger and Schelbert), Towiki60 (Slea Head) ascents made him one of only Dhaulagiri in 1960. Those Broad Peak in 1957 and including his first ascents of of Diemberger’s earlier climbs, copy in 1970 and is an account was first published in hard by Vertebrate Publishing. It was published in ebook format Secrets In March 2019, ISBN 978-1-91256-00-35 based on the print edition, edition, 314pp, $4.15. This ebook is Vertebrate Publishing (2019), Kindle By Kurt Diemberger Personal account of a climber’s most memorable climbs 64 ISBN 978-1-898481-89-8 €15.99 (£12.99) (ppbk), contour route maps (1:55,000), 72pp, 75 colour photos, 23pp of Rucksack Readers (2019, 3 Jacquetta Megarry By Sandra Bardwell & Comprehensive update to Dingle Way guidebook (SLÍ CHORCA DHUIBHNE) CHORCA (SLÍ SUMMITS & SECRETS & SUMMITS DINGLE WAYDINGLE Irish Mountain Log Mountain Irish by Kurt Diemberger Summits and Books rd edition), was descending in a storm latter with Diemberger. Buhl Parbat and Broad Peak, the of two 8,000m peaks, Nanga person to make first ascents peaks. first ascents of two 8,000m two people to have made the and seem to have a good enthusiastic about the Way, the Dingle Way. They are very much experience of walking on guidebook authors, and have experienced hikers and the last edition of this guide. altered in several places since current route, which has been maps, clearly showing the a hiker’s pocket. slimmer to help it better fit into printed on rainproof pages, it is the usual ringbinder and on so that, apart from being in format has also been improved updated. The user-friendly Dingle Way has been fully Rucksack Readers’ guide to the This third edition of the The authors are both Herman Buhl It also now has larger-scale after the first ascent of this mountain. Kurt Diemberger, left, and Albin Schelbert on May 13 May on Schelbert Diemberger,Albin Kurtand left, was the other Dingle Gaeltacht. handle on the culture of the that, the sea and mountain long beach walks. Because of are also cliff-top paths and country lanes and roads, there thoroughfares. Apart from the albeit quiet country route is on roads and lanes, sections. Almost half of the divided into eight daily finishing in Tralee. It is usually Dingle peninsula, starting and long and goes around the a cornice. when he fell to his death from with Diemberger on Chogolisa account of the 1996 disaster and Destiny, Knot: K2, Mountain of Dreams ebook format also previously published in Slea Head, Co Kerry The Dingle Way is 183 km Vertebrate Publishing has Diemberger’s The Endless th , 1960, on the summit of Dhaulagiri, Nepal, Dhaulagiri,of summit the 1960, on , can be very impressive. views from parts of the Way and is very easy to use. update to the previous edition guide is a very comprehensive them very clear. Overall, this at a scale of 1:55,000, making appropriate parts of the map detail, illustrated by the sections of the Way in some describes each of the eight Irish Mountain Log Patrick O’Sullivan Irish Mountain Log Patrick O’Sullivan excellent reads. the original German and are books are translations from died with eleven others. Both and fellow Brit climbing partner on K2, when his British The main part of the guide Alan Rouse Editor of the Editor of the Autumn 2019 Autumn Julie Tullis Boardman Tasker Award for Mountain Literature 2019 The Boardman Tasker Award for Mountain Literature continues to attract a substantial number of entries. There were thirty-two entries this year from Great Britain, Canada, Italy, New Zealand and the USA. The award will be made at the Boardman Tasker event at the Kendal Mountain Festival on Friday, November 15th, 2019. The judges for the 2019 award are Roger Hubank (Chair), Katie Ives and Tony Shaw. They have shortlisted six books, as follows:

No Easy Way, by Mick Fowler Inner Ranges, by Geoff Powter (Vertebrate Publishing) Lands of Lost Borders, by Kate Harris (Rocky Mountain Books) This is Fowler’s third volume of memoirs (Dey Street Books) Powter’s book is a wide-ranging of his mountaineering exploits in the Harris’s book is an account of an epic anthology of essays and articles by a Greater Ranges. It is written in his journey, fraught with difficulties and prize-winning Canadian climber and inimitable style, self-deprecating and dangers, made by the writer and her journalist, reflecting his life-long affair understated. It was reviewed in IML 128. partner, following the old Silk Road. with the mountains.

The Equilibrium Line: Poems Inspired by Hangdog Days, by Jeff Smoot Paul Preuss: Lord of the Abyss, by David Smart Climbing, by David Wilson (Mountaineers Books) (Rocky Mountain Books) (The Poetry Business) Smoot’s shortlisted book is an This book is an account of the life and death This is an interesting second collection of engaging account of the changes of the influential Austrian climber Paul Preuss, poems examining the challenges of that took place in American rock who soloed many first ascents in the Eastern climbing in different settings and where climbing in the 1970s and 1980s, told Alps, scorning artificial aids in preference of to draw the line. This book is reviewed in in an enthusiastic way. climbing in an ethical Alpine style. this issue (see page 62).

Banff Mountain Book Competition 2019 The shortlist has also been announced by Vertebrate Publishing, has been book prize have also shortlisted for the various categories in the Banff included in this year’s shortlist, together Waymaking, by Helen Mort, Claire Mountain Book Competition. This with Hangdog Days by Jeff Smoot, Carter, Heather Dawe and Camilla competition, which is a major part of published by Mountaineers Books, Paul Barnard, an anthology of prose, poetry the Banff Centre Mountain Film & Book Preuss: Lord of the Abyss, by David and artwork by women inspired by wild Festival in the Canadian Rockies at the Smart, published by Rocky Mountain places and also published by Vertebrate end of October, celebrates mountain Books, and Inner Ranges by Geoff Publishing (see our review in IML 128), literature in all its forms. It has eight Powter, published by Rocky Mountain and Rising, by Sharon Wood, which is categories. Books, which were all also included in published by Douglas & McIntyre. In the Mountain Literature category, the Boardman Tasker Award shortlist. In The winner will be announced in Mick Fowler’s No Easy Way, published addition, the judges for this prestigious October ■ Autumn 2019 Irish Mountain Log 65 The Last Word Gerry Walker Wild camper, charity walker, club mentor

Gerry Walker sadly passed before it was cancelled for away in March this year, aged insurance reasons. 57. He had cystic fibrosis and Like Margaret, Gerry’s real had been in hospital for some passion was backpacking and time. Gerry was a member and wild camping. He loved wild past Chairperson of the remote places. He was also an Wayfarers, and a member of early adopter of new Mountaineering Ireland. He technology, being one of the grew up in Walkinstown, Dublin, first with an altimeter watch and studied at DIT Kevin Street and a GPS, and he acquired a and Trinity College, obtaining selection of tents and camping an honours degree in maths. gear, all chosen for their He joined the civil service in technical advantages. the mid-1980s and worked in He enjoyed meeting people the Central Statistics Office as and loved mentoring new club Gerry received a double lung Wayfarers should do a charity a senior statistician with members. As a club stalwart, transplant at the Freeman walk in aid of the Irish Motor responsibility for the national he organised many trips Hospital in Newcastle, England, Neurone Disease Association census. He is credited with abroad. He also travelled in 2008. To honour Martin, his when a club member, Peter re-designing the census form. extensively with Margaret in McIntyre, was diagnosed with From an early age Gerry Europe and North America and donor, he took on another the condition. He set us the would go fly-fishing, but he visited China, New Zealand, challenge, 4Peaks4Life, task of climbing 42 peaks in also had a passion for Malaysia and Borneo. climbing Carrauntoohil in June, Wicklow, in small groups, on hillwalking and, after joining the Gerry was always setting then Snowdon, Ben Nevis and December 4th, 2011, calling the Wayfarers, realised that his main new records. He organised a Scafell Pike in five days in July. event his ‘Marilyn Munros.’ The interest lay in the mountains. charity walk in aid of cystic He reached the final summit th €10,000 we raised was In 1987, Gerry met the love of fibrosis in the mid-1990s, on July 29 , 2009, exactly one aiming to ascend all the Irish year after his operation; it was presented to Peter and the Irish his life, Margaret, a fellow Motor Neurone Disease Munros in 48 hours: despite also his and Margaret’s 20th Wayfarer. They married in July Association in January 2012. bad weather, that goal was wedding anniversary. 1989 and would have Sadly, Peter died soon after. achieved. Gerry decided that the celebrated 30 years of a very In 2013, Gerry set himself happy marriage this year. another challenge: to climb the They initially lived in 50 highest peaks in Ireland. He Rathfarnham, Dublin, but completed them in six months, moved to Kilmacanogue, climbing Mweelrea with Co Wicklow, to be close to the Margaret. mountains. Gerry loved their Gerry always carried a camera, extensive garden because it snapping shots of hikers and gave him space to indulge in nature; he often won awards in his other hobby, beekeeping. club photo competitions. On his first weekend away His environmental agenda with the Wayfarers, in Kerry, we was extensive – access, littering, heard Gerry’s nebuliser buzzing the use of quad bikes, or away in the morning. Then at anything else he saw as a threat breakfast he produced a to the uplands. cocktail of tablets for his cystic Gerry will be fondly missed by fibrosis. But he never wanted many. He was helpful, full of his health problem to define enthusiasm and good humour him… and it never did. and committed to all things In his first year in the club, mountaineering. He may not he climbed Monte Peridio have climbed Everest but, (3,355m) in Spain. In Ireland considering his many health over the years he took part in challenges, he probably climbed the long-distance walks – his own Everest many times. Maumturks (15 times), Glover May he rest in peace. Highlander (20), Galtees (15), Members of the Wayfarers Blackstairs (30) – and participated in the last official Gerry Walker: born 1962; died McGillycuddy Reeks walk, March 22nd, 2019 66 Irish Mountain Log Autumn 2019 CROATIA

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Autumn 2019 Irish Mountain Log 67