TadhgB: /* Main Wall */

2021-05-18T10:41:05Z

Main Wall

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ico>Shayoh at 12:33, 27 December 2015

2015-12-27T12:33:36Z

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Seven Heads lies on the coast, almost halfway between The Old Head of Kinsale and the town of Clonakilty. Sheet 87 of O.S. Discovery series. GR W 506 355

<display_map zoom="11"> 51.57025, -8.713328~Seven Heads </display_map>

The following information is taken from New Climbs 1982 & 1984. This sandstone crag is best approached from Courtmacsherry through Butlerstown, and eventually via the track leading to the old signal tower. The climbs are short but steep and technical with much hand-jamming on sharp rock. The protection is usually good with medium-sized nuts. Large numbers of seagulls nest here in the Spring, so climbing does not start until June. Many of the climbs start at the low-water mark so care with the tides is necessary. The routes were done during 1980-82, unless otherwise stated. See figure 1 for the location of East Wall, Main Wall and the Rock Pool.

== East Wall ==

 '''Surprise''' 15m S 4a. Climb the first corner L of the way down. C. O'Leary.

'''Chuckawalla''' 15m VD. Climb the stepped slab and crack 3m L of Surprise. P. Long.

'''Venturer''' 15m MS. Start: as for Chuckwalla. Climb up the R-hand side of corner which starts half-way up. P. Long.

'''Wayward''' 15m S. Start: in the corner L of Venturer. Climb R-wards until a crack is reached which is followed L-ward to the top. P. Long.

'''Grown Up Jelly Baby Maker''' 17m HVS 5a. Satrt: on the L-hand side of the steep slab L of Wayward. Climb the shallow corner for 6m. Exit L and climb directly up the slab/wall to the top. Poor protection. S. O'Riordan, D. O'Connell.

'''Decadence''' 17m VS 4c. Takes the obvious curving corner L of Wayward. Step up onto pointed block and climb the corner crack, passing a loose, but useful, hold to the top. D. O'Connell, S. O'Riordan.

'''L.O.L.R.A.S.''' S. This route takes the broken loose chimney at the far L end of the big ledge at the base of East Wall. S. O'Riordan, M. Foley.

== Main Wall ==

From the bottom R to top L is a rising ledge. This is Con's Ledge. This can be used (with great care) as a descent route. Alternatively, scramble down the L side of the wall (facing in). The L end of the wall is less affected by the tide. The climbs are described from R to L here.

'''Niamh's Diff''' 10m Start: 10m from low-water level at the R end of Con's Ledge. Climb the R-ward trending corner.

'''Birdy Loo''' 12m VD. Climb the bulge 2m L of Niam's Diff and finish up crack in the centre of the slab. S. O'Riordan.

'''Sea Spray''' 12m S 4a. Climb the overhang L of Birdy Loo at its easiest point and finish up dihedral and crack on L-hand side of the slab. P. Long.

'''Monocular''' 12m S 4a. Take the overhang on good holds and trend L-wards, finishing up crack with a circular pocket. P. Long.

'''Finger Tip Ballet''' 20m VS 4c. From the base of Con's Ledge descend westwards to a steep triangular slab. Climb the centre one of three cracks (crux) to rejoin Con's Ledge. Move slightly L and up shallow depression onto the upper wall. Exit R of small overhang. D. OConnell, S. O'Riordan.

'''Sniggering Sardine''' 27m E3 5c Start: up the third crack R of Sniggering Seal and climb R-wards to finish up L of the first crack R of Sniggering Seal. Climb the hard crack until a step L can be made to an obvious footholds below an overlap. Move up and L to a jug and then gain a ledge on the L. Continue L to the next hard crack and follow this until it ends, then step L to a foothold. Climb straight to top. K. Murphy, S. O'Sullivan. 16 Sept. 1984

'''Bishop's Move''' 20m E2 5b Start up the wide R-facing, R trending corner/crack R of The Sniggering Seal. At the overlap at the top of the crack step L onto the obvious foothold and L again to a good jug. Finish up the thinner crack. S. O' Riordan, C. Bloxham. 1983

'''The Sniggering Seal''' 20m E1 5b This route takes the second crack from the L-hand side of Main Wall. Climb a thin wall to a crack at 3m (bold) continue to a small overhang. Surmount this and follow the crack to emerge on the L edge of a sloping ramp. A short corner crack leads to the top. D. O'Connell, S. O'Riordan.

'''The Mangle''' 20m HVS 5a Climb the short L-facing corner on the L end of Main Wall for 3m to the start of a wide sharp crack. Climb the crack (crux) to a resting position and finish up final corner. D. O'Connell, S. O'Riordan.

'''Diplomatic''' 10m VD, Climb the wide broken crack on the short wall L of Main Wall. Anonymous.

'''Moonlight and Vodka''' 10m E3 5c/6a Start: takes the wall just R of Seagull's Nest. Climb directly up the wall to ledge. Climb straight up onto obvious jug and straight up on small holds to top. K. Murphy, S. O'Sullivan. 16th Sept. 1984.

'''Seagull's Nest''' 10m VD Climb slab to obvious corner at mid-height and finish up this. C. O'Leary, P. Long.

== Pool Area. ==

'''Plastered''' 7m S Takes the first corner and crack on good jams. S. O'Riordan, N. Cohalan.

On the black wall at the back of the Rock Pool there are three routes.

'''Anonimity''' 12m VD The easiest way up the black wall onto the ledge and up the easiest crack to the top.

'''Blarney''' 15m VS 4b Take the R-hand crack up the black wall to the wide ledge, then up a short crack to a second ledge and final short crack to the top. S. O'Riordan, D. O'Connell.

'''Beony''' 15m VS4b Climb the L-hand crack (crux) to the ledge and finish up L-hand cracks to the top.

'''Looking across the inlet there is a steep wall. The descent route to this area is down the western side of the obvious nose.'''

'''Battenberg & Malt''' 18m VS 4b Move east from the descent route to a series of corners and ledges. Climb these for 11m and step L into an inverted V chimney. Climb this (crux) to the top. D. O'Connell, P. Long.

'''Escape''' 20m E1 5b Start: takes the obvious crack/groove in the wall L of the descent route mentioned above. Belay at a corner on L near the high water mark. Climb up and R to base of crack. Climb this (hard to start) to top. K. Murphy, C. Bloxham. 16th Sept 1984.

West from the descent route is an obvious sentry box.

'''Piece O' Cake''' 15m S 4a Climb into sentry box and exit L onto a platform. Climb a short steep wall to finish. S. O'Riordan, D. O'Connell.

'''Birdy Snatch''' 15m VD Step down past Piece O' Cake and onto a sloping platform. Climb the stepped corner to a large ledge and finish up back wall. E. O'Flynn, S. O'Riordan.

'''Humpty Dumpty Was Pushed''' 15m VS 4c From the L edge of sloping platform climb the arete onto the ledge. Finish up crack on R-hand wall. S. O'Riordan, D. O'Connell.

'''Steppin' Out''' 15m VS 4c From the L edge of the platform swing down and into a short corner. Climb this to L edge of the ledge and continue up the L-hand side of the back wall. D. O'Connell, S. O'Riordan.

== Maps ==

'''Map to scale'''

[[File:7 heads again.png|700px|7 heads again.png]]

'''Rough sketch'''

[[File:7 heads.png|700px|7 heads.png]]

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TadhgB: /* Main Wall */

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ico>Shayoh at 12:33, 27 December 2015