In County High Points Climbing in Monte Rosa
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Summer 2019 €3.95 UK£3.40 ISSN 0790 8008 Issue 130 Countyin high points A challenge for Irish hillwalkers Climbing in Monte Rosa Six 4,000m peaks summited in four days www.mountaineering.ie Join the climbing squad! Applications are now open for the Climbing Development Squad Mountaineering Ireland continues to provide the The Squad is suitable for young climbers who are keen to improve their climbing performance and who regularly book service previously operated by Joss compete in competitions Lynam. We can supply you with guidebooks The closing date for applications is Friday, August 30th, 2019 and maps to almost any part of the world. at 10.00pm. All applicants will be contacted on or before For the walker, there is a large collection of Friday, September 20th Cicerone guides and books, or the wider Training sessions will take place at a climbing wall in Dublin selection of books and guides distributed on October 6th, November 10th and December 8th by Cordee which also includes many The cost of a place on the Squad is €120 per climber climbing guides. Books reviewed in the Irish Mountain Log can usually be purchased through Joss Books with a members’ discount. To place an order, ring the Mountaineering Ireland office on (01) 6251115 or email [email protected]. Photograph: Dave Hunt Dave Photograph: For more info, see the Mountaineering Ireland website page www.mountaineering.ie/youth/talentdevelopment or go to bit.ly/2RKOh9c The mounins crk. Shoulder your Cerro Torre Breathe in. Buckle up. Zip, clip, adjust. Listen for the horizon Silence beckons you forrd. Brace yourself. This is The Carry Moment™ Breathe out, and go. Move through isolated wilderness carrying everything you need to survive in the Cerro Torre. A serious load carrier for self-sucient trekking and expeditions - the most advanced carry system we have ever built. CEO TOE: designed to move your world lowealpine.com 2 Irish Mountain Log Summer 2019 A word from the edItor ISSUE 130 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! With the milder registered in Dublin, No 199053. Registered office: Irish Sport HQ, weather in Ireland and a heatwave National Sports Campus, in Europe, it looks like summer is Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, Ireland. here at last! Tel: (+353 1) 625 1115 C Fax: (+353 1) 625 1116 Firstly, I must apologise for the delay in mountaineering Ireland has [email protected] getting this issue of the Irish Mountain Log made a small increase to the ❝ www.mountaineering.ie to you. It has been an unfortunate annual subscription fee, an combination of factors that has delayed us Hot Rock Climbing Wall in sending the magazine to the printers, increase approved at the AGm. Tollymore Mountain Centre and I am sorry for that delay. Bryansford, Newcastle climbed six 4,000m peaks in four days. County Down, BT33 0PT The Mountaineering Ireland AGM was We also have an account of an interview Tel: (+44 28) 4372 5354 held in Sport HQ at the end of March and [email protected] I did with Noel Hanna about his ascent of we report on that important meeting on K2 last year, only the second successful pages 5-8. In the report, Murrough Editor: Patrick O’Sullivan Irish ascent of the ‘Savage Mountain.’ The Tel: (+353 1) 837 8166 (pm, wknds) McDonagh, CEO of Mountaineering Ireland, interview also gives an overview of Noel’s [email protected] discusses the motion passed at the AGM Literary Editor: Peter O’Neill other incredible mountaineering to increase the annual subscription, [email protected] achievements. explaining the need for the increase, which Features Editor: Aisling Spain There are several shorter features that [email protected] comes into effect in November this year. make good reading as well, including a Having run a small deficit for the last three The Irish Mountain Log is published by report on what sounds like an excellent years, Mountaineering Ireland needs to Mountaineering Ireland four times a weekend in Joyce Country at balance its books going forward so that it year, in March, June, September, Mountaineering Ireland’s Ecology of December. The material published in can continue to provide the same level of Mountains workshop in May. There is also a the Log by the voluntary editorial team services to its members. very good account of the journey to and contributors must not be taken as This issue of the Irish Mountain Log official Mountaineering Ireland policy becoming a Mountain Leader; a report on contains the usual wide range of material. unless specifically stated. training a search and rescue dog; and a In the features section, David Barnes description of a club trip on the Beara Way. Copy deadline for the Autumn 2019 reports on taking on the County High I will close by hoping that we can all take issue of the Irish Mountain Log is: Points Challenge; Peter Wilson looks at the Friday, August 14th 2019. advantage of the better weather and the importance of the blanket peat that still longer days to safely enjoy our excursions covers much of our uplands; and William Advertising: [email protected] into the uplands in the coming weeks. Nolan describes a trip to the Monte Rosa Production: Cóilín MacLochlainn, massif, where the group he was with Patrick O’Sullivan, Editor [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 are activities with a danger of personal Contributions of features, news items and photographs for injury or death. Participants in these the Irish Mountain Log are always welcome and should be activities should be aware of and sent to the Editor at: [email protected]. accept these risks, and be responsible for their own actions and involvement. Mountaineering Ireland publishes and Contributors’ guidelines can be downloaded from the promotes safety and good practice Mountaineering Ireland website, www.mountaineering.ie. advice and through the Mountain ON THE COVER Training Board of Ireland administers a range of training programmes for To join Mountaineering Ireland and receive four issues of the Anni huovien enjoying a climb on fair Irish Mountain Log delivered to your door each year, please head, Co Antrim, during the fair head walkers and climbers. also go to the website, www.mountaineering.ie. meet (see report, page 16) PHOTOGRAPH PAUl KellAGher Summer 2019 Irish Mountain Log 3 CONTENTS Summer 2019 Waterways for Health, a walking programme on canal and river routes across Kildare, Carlow and Laois, was launched in March. See story, page 9. 16 Fair Head Climbing Meet News Freja Shannon reports Features 5 Club membership fee 17 Galway Walk Marathon 41 Blanket Peat increase approved & Half-marathon By Peter Wilson Murrough McDonagh reports Anne Brindley reports 45 An Irish ascent of K2 6 Mountaineering Ireland Patrick O’Sullivan interviews Noel 18 Get Climbing Project Hanna about his epic climb AGM 2019: a report Natasza Berlowska reports 8 Increase in Mountaineering 50 County high points odyssey 19 New visitor attractions for David Barnes takes on the all- Ireland club membership fee Avondale Forest Park Murrough McDonagh reports Ireland county high points challenge 19 Climbfest 2019 54 Climbing in the Monte Rosa 9 Walking on water: Alan Tees reports waterways to health William Nolan summits six 4,000m peaks in four days Jason King reports 20 Women With Altitude Meet Ruth Whelan reports 10 Autumn gathering to be Regulars held in the Comeraghs 22 Sir Chris Bonington to give Con Murphy reports 2019 Lynam Lecture 49 Crossword Competition 11 The Comeragh Mountains Patrick O’Sullivan reports 58 Access & Conservation Con Murphy reports 23 Big boost for mountain biking Helen Lawless reports 12 Club Support Meetings 2019 23 2018 sports capital grant 60 Training 13 The hidden Comeraghs 24 Hillwalking Committee set up Jane Carney reports Emily Shakespeare reports 62 Good Practice Guide (No 4) News Features By Clare Sheridan 14 Carlingford Lough Greenway 64 Books opened 26 Training search dogs Reviews of recent books By Pat O’Rourke Sheelagh O’Malley reports 66 The Last Word 15 Mountaineering Ireland 28 Along the Beara Way Irish deaths on Everest and Elbrus Board member elected Vice- Geraldine Dunne reports President of UIAA Mountain 30 The delights of Joyce Country Protection Commission Aine McGirl reports on the recent Ecology of Mountains workshop 33 Why a Geopark project? Trish Walsh reports 34 Becoming a Mountain Leader Fergal Harrington reports Climbing 36 2019 Youth Climbing Series By Jon Henchion 38 2019 Irish Bouldering Championship Mike Maunsell Damien O’Sullivan reports Noel Hanna on summit of K2 40 Youth Climbing Team BOARD MEMBER APPOINTED A report by Damien O’Sullivan CLIMBER NOEL HANNA INTERVIEWED 15 TO UIAA COMMISSION 45 4 Irish Mountain Log Summer 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] Hillwalking, 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, Members of the Board of Mountaineering Ireland with CEO Murrough McDonagh (third from [email protected] right) and members of the organisaton at the AGM at Sport HQ on March 30th.