And sho after nearly a decade of cyber correspondence regarding such maters of state as St. John's Head, The Needle, Cliffs of Moher and of course, Donegal Sea Stacks. It came to pass noble brother Mick Fowler came to play on Donegal Sea Stacks alas the weather forecast was unseasonly unpleasant for an August in Donegal, and so the most remote location on mainland Ireland was the obvious solution to the crisis.
Ends of the Earth Stack sits at the north end of Glenlough Bay and is as far as it is possible to be from a main road on mainland Ireland.
Ends of the Earth Stack sits at the north end of Glenlough Bay and is as far as it is possible to be from a main road on mainland Ireland.
Glenlough Bay
An hour or so walk from An Port in the lashing rain/sunshine and we arrived at Ends of the Earth stack to bright blue skies and sunshine.
The walk in to End's of the Earth Stack.
End's of the Earth crag & stack
The Land Ward Face
A swift paddle out to the stack though the outlaying skerries and we coastaleered our way around onto the sea ward face of the stack. The sea ward face of Ends of the Earth Stack overhangs alarmingly and Mick made the executive decision that this was the line he was to lead. The route takes a series of huge quartize spikes and flakes up this overhanging face with increased exposure and concern the higher you climbed. The finale was a tricky wee summit groove with considerable air beneath your feet. (link to film at end of this blog post)
It would have been rude not to climb another new route and so the immaculate smooth slabs on the south end of the landward face were climbed at about Hard Severe.
The Sea Ward Face
Mick Fowler on the sea stack summit
Mick Fowler & Iain Miller on Summit
A few days later wee visit to perhaps a more family friendly location was called for and so Berg Stack was the obvious choice being close to the Port road end and with a much shorter sea passage. With the full complement of the Fowler family, Caoimhe Gleeson, Stephen McCann and two UBER keen dogs in attendance we made the crossing to Berg Stack and several routes on this excellent wall were climbed in fine style.
Descent to Sea Level
Awaiting calm seas
Berg Sea Stack sea crossing
Berg Sea stack & Vertical Picnic
Access to Berg Sea Stack
Alas the Fowler eye have noticed the unclimbed north arete of Vertical Picnic Stack and so Mick and Nikki went and climbed this outstanding unclimbed feature, whilst the rest of us continued to play on Berg Stack.
New route on Vertical Picnic Stack
A swift abseil off the unclimbed south face of Vertical Picnic back to the awaiting dingy and we were all back to terra firma.
Mick and Nikki ab off Vertical Picnic sea stack
An Port from the South
A most excellent couple of days out with team Fowler and for me having Mick Fowler (no slouch in the sea stack department) agree that Donegal's sea stack were indeed a most suitably adventurous location to play out in was indeed excellent! :-)
Ends of the Earth Stack Film
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