Loop Head - Revision history

Barry watts: /* Steve's Slab GR Q 777 523 */

2026-03-25T21:26:36Z

Steve's Slab GR Q 777 523

Barry watts: /* Steve's Slab GR Q 777 523 */

2026-03-25T21:24:55Z

Steve's Slab GR Q 777 523

Barry watts: /* Steve's Slab GR Q 777 523 */

2026-03-25T21:23:57Z

Steve's Slab GR Q 777 523

Barry watts: /* Steve's Slab GR Q 777 523 */

2026-03-25T21:21:41Z

Steve's Slab GR Q 777 523

Barry watts: /* Steve's Slab GR Q 777 523 */

2026-03-25T21:19:35Z

Steve's Slab GR Q 777 523

Barry watts: /* Steve's Slab GR Q 777 523 */

2026-03-25T21:17:55Z

Steve's Slab GR Q 777 523

Barry watts at 13:22, 9 December 2024

2024-12-09T13:22:07Z

Barry watts: /* Croan Rock Gr 784 538 */

2024-01-18T22:09:32Z

Croan Rock Gr 784 538

Barry watts: /* Loop Head Lighthouse */

2023-11-19T12:15:00Z

Loop Head Lighthouse

Germoss: /* Steve's Slab GR Q 777 523 */

2022-07-01T09:05:32Z

Steve's Slab GR Q 777 523

@@ Line 169: / Line 169: @@
 Belay at the base of an 10m vertical crack, approximately 8m to the right of Crystal Crack.  Move to the top of this crack before traversing left up to a good horizontal break.  Continue up to a semi-circular scoop.  Traverse right to gain another scoop before switching left to reach a right-trending quartz crack.  (Alternatively, aim for this crack directly from first scoop).  Follow the quartz crack to finish.
-'''Bird Nest Crack.''' V. Diff.<br />  ''J. Leonard, S.R. Young, 27th Aug 1977.''
+'''Bird Nest Crack.''' V. Diff.<br />  ''J. Leonard, S.R. Young, 27th Aug 1977.''<br>
 This is the easiest climb on the slab and takes the wide quartzite crack on the right.

@@ Line 146: / Line 146: @@
 '''Approach'''. The original approach, as described in 1977, included the crossing of some fields, not an option these days. Luckily, recent developments have helped to provide a straightforward, trouble-free approach. Traveling southwest from Kilkee on the R487, drive through the little village of Cross, then, about a kilometre beyond the cemetery, turn right at a staggered crossroads (GR 782 511) onto a narrow road, which is surfaced for the first 200m and then badly potholed and unsurfaced..  After nearly a kilometer a new section of this road swings left (west) to arrive at a disused quarry. There is ample parking here. A pleasant walk of 15 - 20 minutes, along a narrow path, with the cliffs on your right and the field boundaries on your left, will bring you to the slab, which has been likened to an inclined hard-surfaced tennis court, with a cave at its eastern end (right, facing out). The top of the slab is level with the path and only 2 or 3 meters away from it. There are good belays, holds and gear placements especially small threads in the cracks, and the higher you climb, the better the friction becomes. The foot of the slab is reached by an abseil of almost 50 meters, there are no metal stakes in situ (Note: there are no ledges at the foot of the climbs, belay from nuts or friends in the cracks). The climbs are described from right to left as seen facing out to sea from the top of the slab.
 [[File:Steve's_Slab_topo.jpg|alt=|none|thumb|600x600px|Steve's Slab Topo]]
 '''Carry On Cabin Boy''' S<br>

@@ Line 143: / Line 143: @@
 This magnificent, easy angled sea slab is probably unique in Ireland and is well worth a visit.
 [[File:Bor5.jpg|alt=|none|thumb|893x893px|Steve's Slab]]
 '''Approach'''. The original approach, as described in 1977, included the crossing of some fields, not an option these days. Luckily, recent developments have helped to provide a straightforward, trouble-free approach. Traveling southwest from Kilkee on the R487, drive through the little village of Cross, then, about a kilometre beyond the cemetery, turn right at a staggered crossroads (GR 782 511) onto a narrow road, which is surfaced for the first 200m and then badly potholed and unsurfaced..  After nearly a kilometer a new section of this road swings left (west) to arrive at a disused quarry. There is ample parking here. A pleasant walk of 15 - 20 minutes, along a narrow path, with the cliffs on your right and the field boundaries on your left, will bring you to the slab, which has been likened to an inclined hard-surfaced tennis court, with a cave at its eastern end (right, facing out). The top of the slab is level with the path and only 2 or 3 meters away from it. There are good belays, holds and gear placements especially small threads in the cracks, and the higher you climb, the better the friction becomes. The foot of the slab is reached by an abseil of almost 50 meters, there are no metal stakes in situ (Note: there are no ledges at the foot of the climbs, belay from nuts or friends in the cracks). The climbs are described from right to left as seen facing out to sea from the top of the slab.
@@ Line 162: / Line 161: @@
 Takes the prominent left-trending quartz crack,approximately 20m right of the corner.
-'''Tension.''' HS<br />''S. R. Young, J. Leonard. 27th August, 1977.''<br />This climb is described as starting from a slight circular recess, but this is difficult to see from above. Start below and left of this recess on a short crack that runs for approximately 10m to the reces. At the recess move up on a crack for 2-3m only before stepping left delicately across slab to to gain the left hand leftward-trending crack.
+'''Tension.''' HS<br />''S. R. Young, J. Leonard, 27th August, 1977.''<br />This climb is described as starting from a slight circular recess, but this is difficult to see from above. Start below and left of this recess on a short crack that runs for approximately 10m to the reces. At the recess move up on a crack for 2-3m only before stepping left delicately across slab to to gain the left hand leftward-trending crack.
-'''Crystal Crack'''. V. Diff.<br />''J. Leonard, S.R. Young 27th Aug 1977.''<br />This quartzite crack starts near the bottom centre and runs up diagonally eastward.
+'''Crystal Crack'''. V. Diff.<br />''J. Leonard, S.R. Young, 27th Aug 1977.''<br />This quartzite crack starts near the bottom centre and runs up diagonally eastward.
 '''Space Walk'''  VS 4b<br>
@@ Line 171: / Line 170: @@
 Belay at the base of an 10m vertical crack, approximately 8m to the right of Crystal Crack.  Move to the top of this crack before traversing left up to a good horizontal break.  Continue up to a semi-circular scoop.  Traverse right to gain another scoop before switching left to reach a right-trending quartz crack.  (Alternatively, aim for this crack directly from first scoop).  Follow the quartz crack to finish.
-'''Bird Nest Crack.''' V. Diff.<br />  ''J. Leonard, S.R. Young 27th Aug 1977.''
+'''Bird Nest Crack.''' V. Diff.<br />  ''J. Leonard, S.R. Young, 27th Aug 1977.''
 This is the easiest climb on the slab and takes the wide quartzite crack on the right.

@@ Line 171: / Line 171: @@
 Belay at the base of an 10m vertical crack, approximately 8m to the right of Crystal Crack.  Move to the top of this crack before traversing left up to a good horizontal break.  Continue up to a semi-circular scoop.  Traverse right to gain another scoop before switching left to reach a right-trending quartz crack.  (Alternatively, aim for this crack directly from first scoop).  Follow the quartz crack to finish.
-'''Bird Nest Crack.''' V. Diff.<br /> J. Leonard, S.R. Young 27th Aug 1977.
+'''Bird Nest Crack.''' V. Diff.<br />  ''J. Leonard, S.R. Young 27th Aug 1977.''
 This is the easiest climb on the slab and takes the wide quartzite crack on the right.

@@ Line 171: / Line 171: @@
 Belay at the base of an 10m vertical crack, approximately 8m to the right of Crystal Crack.  Move to the top of this crack before traversing left up to a good horizontal break.  Continue up to a semi-circular scoop.  Traverse right to gain another scoop before switching left to reach a right-trending quartz crack.  (Alternatively, aim for this crack directly from first scoop).  Follow the quartz crack to finish.
-'''Bird Nest Crack.''' V. Diff.<br />
+'''Bird Nest Crack.''' V. Diff.<br /> J. Leonard, S.R. Young 27th Aug 1977.
 This is the easiest climb on the slab and takes the wide quartzite crack on the right.

@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 New route possibilities on this peninsula are unlimited, plenty of scope for easy slab routes and great expanses of steep serious rock for the future.<br />These crags are described in order, moving northeast from the Lighthouse on the tip of Loop Head (Sheet 63 OS Discovery Series, GR Q 690 472) towards Kilkee.
-There is a local link bus route that links the villages Route 339 Kilrush - Loop Head to Kilrush
+There is a local link bus route that links the villages Route 339 Kilrush - Loop Head.
 ===Loop Head Lighthouse===

@@ Line 187: / Line 187: @@
 ==Croan Rock Gr 784 538==
-'''Approach:''' Just before entering the village of Cross on the R487 turn right at a crossroads. Continue along this lane and go left at the first turning. Follow the road by farms until a slabby ridge can be seen off to the right(after one mile) . Leave the car at the barn and walk across fields leading down to a cove.(Note: sheet 63 shows a path leading from the end of the road to the cove - Ed.).
+'''Approach:''' Just before entering the village of Cross on the R487 turn right at a crossroads. Continue along this lane and go left at the first turning. Follow the road by farms until a slabby ridge can be seen off to the right (after one mile) . Leave the car at the barn and walk across fields leading down to a cove.(Note: sheet 63 shows a path leading from the end of the road to the cove - Ed.).
 The first obvious slabby ridge is Green Slabs,and just beyond this, across a narrow zawn ending in a sea cave, lies another ridge with Pale Slabs and beyond the tip of that another ridge consisting of Black Slabs.<br />Cross the river and walk along the cliff top until the Pale Slabs ridge is reached. Descend from the ridge by abseil to the obvious ledge about 15ft above sea level.

@@ Line 22: / Line 22: @@
 http://gallery.climbing.ie/displayimage.php?album=134&pid=502#top_display_media
-'''Leftie''' 18m VS 4c<br />''D Quinn, F Cox, B Watts, M Heather 1/7/2006<br />''Takes the leftward trending corner
+'''Leftie''' 18m VS 4c<br />''D Quinn, F Cox, B Watts, M Heather, 1/7/2006.<br />''Takes the leftward trending corner
-'''Righty''' 18m E1 5a<br />''F Cox, D Quinn, M Heather, B Watts 1/7/2006<br />''Takes the rightward trending corner to the ledge at three quarters height, from here a tricky move brings you onto the upper slab
+'''Righty''' 18m E1 5a<br />''F Cox, D Quinn, M Heather, B Watts, 1/7/2006.<br />''Takes the rightward trending corner to the ledge at three quarters height, from here a tricky move brings you onto the upper slab
 ''As one faces the the lighthouse, follow wall around to the left to where the wall meets an old grass bank. Follow bank towards the sea, slabs 50ft on the left. Note: there are two slabs in this area. The easterly slab is located opposite a small sea arch and contains the following two routes. Abseil point to the right of slab (as one faces sea).''

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:05, 1 July 2022
Line 145:		Line 145:


−	'''Approach'''. The original approach, as described in 1977, included the crossing of some fields, not an option these days. Luckily, recent developments have helped to provide a straightforward, trouble-free approach. Traveling southwest from Kilkee on the R487, drive through the little village of Cross, then, about a kilometre beyond the cemetery, turn right at ~~Oughterard~~ crossroads (GR 782 511) onto a ~~dirt~~ road. ~~Follow this until~~ a new section of this road swings left (west) to arrive at ~~an extensive area of sand and gravel workings (JCBs, etc.,) at the edge of the cliffs~~. There is ample parking here. A pleasant walk of 15 - 20 minutes, along a narrow path, with the cliffs on your right and the field boundaries on your left, will bring you to the slab, which has been likened to an inclined hard-surfaced tennis court, with a cave at its eastern end (right, facing out). The top of the slab is level with the path and only 2 or 3 meters away from it. There are good belays, holds and gear placements especially small threads in the cracks, and the higher you climb, the better the friction becomes. The foot of the slab is reached by an abseil of almost 50 meters, there are no metal stakes in situ (Note: there are no ledges at the foot of the climbs, belay from nuts or friends in the cracks). The climbs are described from right to left as seen facing out to sea from the top of the slab.	+	'''Approach'''. The original approach, as described in 1977, included the crossing of some fields, not an option these days. Luckily, recent developments have helped to provide a straightforward, trouble-free approach. Traveling southwest from Kilkee on the R487, drive through the little village of Cross, then, about a kilometre beyond the cemetery, turn right at a staggered crossroads (GR 782 511) onto a narrow road, which is surfaced for the first 200m and then badly potholed and unsurfaced.. After nearly a kilometer a new section of this road swings left (west) to arrive at a disused quarry. There is ample parking here. A pleasant walk of 15 - 20 minutes, along a narrow path, with the cliffs on your right and the field boundaries on your left, will bring you to the slab, which has been likened to an inclined hard-surfaced tennis court, with a cave at its eastern end (right, facing out). The top of the slab is level with the path and only 2 or 3 meters away from it. There are good belays, holds and gear placements especially small threads in the cracks, and the higher you climb, the better the friction becomes. The foot of the slab is reached by an abseil of almost 50 meters, there are no metal stakes in situ (Note: there are no ledges at the foot of the climbs, belay from nuts or friends in the cracks). The climbs are described from right to left as seen facing out to sea from the top of the slab.
	[[File:Steve's_Slab_topo.jpg\|alt=\|none\|thumb\|600x600px\|Steve's Slab Topo]]		[[File:Steve's_Slab_topo.jpg\|alt=\|none\|thumb\|600x600px\|Steve's Slab Topo]]