Knockroe

Location: Situated about 10 miles from Limerick City. Sheet 18 (Tipperary) Ordinance Survey 1/2" grid ref. 660 475.?

https://www.google.com/maps/@52.5794427,-8.5055448,291m/data=!3m1!1e3

Approach: From Limerick city follow the N24 Waterford road for 6.5 miles to a right turn for Mitchelstown. Follow this for 1.5 miles to the outskirts of Caherconlish and turn right at the crossroads for Ballyneety. Continue on this road for 1.5 miles to a left fork at Mollys Bar. This leads in 0.5 miles to a second left fork. Follow this for a further 0.5 miles passing a large dirty crag on the left, and immediately after passing this, the crag is visible at the top of the hill on the left. Limited parking is available at this point (See Access). The crag is approached by a direct walk up from the road.

Access: As of April 2008, there seem to be some very wary locals around, and you are likely to get a note left on your car with a warning about trespassing if you park anywhere along this road. Hopefully we will be able to contact the landowner and assure him that we are not looking to erect mobile phone masts or the like. July 2019; Keep driving past the crag for 500m until you reach the new detached houses on your right, park outside boundary wall of one of them preferably further down than the first, Ok it with home owner and Bobs your uncle. Walk back up the road to the crag.

Description: The crag is basalt and is generally firm and well weathered. Although small, 12M high and 60m long, it provides a good number of routes. There are a series of bolts at the top of the crag for anchors, replacing the older (rusty) pitons. It is believed that these are used for training purposes by the local emergency services. Hexes and wires are particularly useful on routes.

Routes are described from left to right.

Smear test 10m VS 4c
D. Hunt, T. Stanway, 1995
Start: At the toe of the buttress. Climb the groove on the left moving left at the overhang then back right to smear up the wall just left of the arête (crux) to the top. No protection is available for the top 6m of the route.

Piseog ** 10m VS 5a
W. Walker, B. McNelis, 18th July 1985
Start on the right of the buttress at the crack leading into a hanging groove. Gain the ledge below and left of the groove (crux). Move right and climb over a bulge into the groove. Follow this to the top.

Mollys Bar 10m V.Diff
W.Walker, April 1985
The wide groove in the corner. Good nut belays are possible on the ledge just below the top

Full Circle 11m E2/E3 5c/6a
Nigel Callender (solo) 3rd April 2008
The obvious hanging arete towards the left side of the crag. Climb the small roof just left of its apex to finish directly up the arete. No protection. Top roped prior to ascent.

Shacks 11m HS 4b
W. Walker, P. Treacy, April 1985
Climb the groove right of the prow. A bulge near the bottom is the crux.

Eliminator 11m HS 4b
W. Walker, B. McNelis, 20th July 1985
Start at the narrow wall right of the groove. Climb the wall using the rib on the left, moving right to a ledge (crux). Continue up the wall following the curving crack to a mantleshelf on to a flake formed by the crack. Climb the buttress to the top.

The upper section of Eliminator was originally climbed using the start now taken by Galloping Maggot.

Galloping Maggot 11m HS 4b
B. McNelis, P. McElligot, May 1985
Right of the narrow wall is an overhung groove. Climb up this onto the Eliminator ledge. Climb the slanting groove on the right to the top. Right of Galloping Maggot is a high smooth wall bounded on the right by a deep chimney in a corner.

Lauras Ledge 11m E1 5b
D. Hunt (solo), June 1995
Start near the centre of the wall below an incipient crack. Climb up the deepest section of the crack, gaining a small edge 1ft right of the crack (crux). Continue up to a small ledge on the right, and finish up the front of the arête.

Central Chimney 10m Diff
W. Walker, May 1985
Climbs the deep chimney.

Blank Looks 6m HS 4c
W. Walker, May 1985
Climbs the right wall of the corner starting from an embedded boulder near the arête. Scramble to the top or descend the chimney to the left.

Inspiration 7m VS 5a
W. Walker, May 1985
The undercut crack just right of the arête is climbed with the main difficulties in the first 4m. Continue steeply to the ledge. Finish as for the previous route.

Bookcase 10m V.Diff
W. Walker, April 1985
Climb the wide crack to the right moving left into a subsidiary crack after a short way and up to the ledge. Scramble to the top.

Woodbine 10m MS
W. Walker, April 1985
Climb the next crack to a large block standing on the ledge. Follow the arête on the right to the top.

Alfredo 10m MS
W. Walker, B. McNelis, P. McElligot, May 1985
The deep cleft is a classic chimney/groove climb. Ascend directly to the top.

Crater 10m VS 4c
B. McNelis, P. McElligot, May 1985
Start at the toe of the buttress or the crack just to the right. Climb the wall to the top.

Right of the last route the crag is broken by a grassy ledge at 3m which has a collection of pinnacles at it's right end.

Ivy Tower 10m VS 5a
W. Walker, P. McElligot, May 1985
Start at a recess below the left end of the ledge and scramble up to it. Move right to the cleft at the back of the first pinnacle. Climb the cleft, with difficulty initially, to gain the top of the pinnacle. Step across the gap into a groove and up this to the top.

Siamese Chimneys 8m Moderate
W. Walker, May 1985
There are a set of chimneys splitting the pinnacles. Immediately below these is a small buttress. Climb this into the chimney and move right onto a slab on the second pinnacle. Up this to the top. Right of the pinnacles the crag fades into the hillside - 5m to the right is an isolated buttress split by a groove which diminishes to an overhanging crack in its upper part

Hanging Gardens 8m Severe
W. Walker, May 1985
Climb the groove and overhanging crack. Beware of loose rock in the lower section.

Other Information: A low level traverse has been done on the main crag at about 5c/6a. Other isolated outcrops on the hill provide limited opportunities for bouldering. One of the best of these is a smooth 4m high buttress above and right of the leftmost of the string of broken buttresses seen slanting across the hill from right to left when approaching the main crag. This buttress has an undercut crack at 4c and a leaning corner at 5a.