Donegal Adventure

 Another truly excellent two weeks in the Great Outdoors of Donegal.
 A day on the North ridges of Errigal Mountain teaching roped scrambling, a wee bit misty to begin with but soon clearing and revealing our exposed positions as we got into the upper reaches of our route. We chose Tower Ridge, a little known 200m grade 3 scramble up the North face of Errigal to the summit of Donegal's highest point. This route has several excellent and very exposed pitches which tickle the underside of a Diff rock climb. I first encounter this route during a wee winter exploration and have since climbed the route over 50 times it is without a doubt the best way to the summit of Donegal's highest point.

Errigal Mountain, Tower Ridge

Errigal Mountain, Tower ridge

Errigal Mountain, North Face

 Nipped down to Sligo and ran a Mountain Skills Assessment, well done to the four troopers who passed the assessment. :-)

 Next day was a visit to the subterranean pleasures of Owey Island with a scramble down a 50m sink and a 250m paddle across the lake under the lake 50m below ground into the true pits of darkness and silence. A wee float in the pool of tranquility and a return to the light was the order of the day.

View from Owey Island

 The following day went for a wee visit to the most remote point of land in Ireland where the Ends of the Earth Crag lives. This 45m slab of immaculate quartzite sits hanging over a huge sea cave and with the correct seas running creates a sonic boom as vapourised saltwater explodes through its fissure. We encountered the boom! :-)   

Abseil in to The End's of the Earth Crag

End's of the Earth Crag

Rock Climbing in Donegal

Donegal Rock Climbing

A crag with a view

 The following day a swift return to was made with Josie Mcgee to An Port as there was an immaculate hanging slab of unclimbed rock on a sea stack sitting 500m out to sea to be played on. We paddled out from the road end slip through a wee collection of nautical bad boys to land on the sea ward face of the object of our desires and each of us led a new line to the summit of the stack following the most obvious feature on this outstanding slab.

Donegal Sea Stack Climbing

Josie on Summit

Josie at the top of her new route. :-)

Donegal Sea Stacks. 

Donegal Sea Stacks

 And sho, after a solid two weeks of taking people to the most outstanding locations in Donegal and therefor Ireland, the sun sea and wind remain at equilibrium and a few cunning plans remain..................

Playing out!....