Luggala North Buttress (Creag Thuaidh)

Printed guidebook available here

This crag is located to the right or north of the Main Face and is separated from it by North Gully. It consists essentially of three tiers of steep rock partly separated by wide grassy terraces. The crag forms a wall of sometimes overhanging rock flanking the right-hand side of North Gully. Many of the climbs start in the Gully passing up through this right-hand barrier of rock to the terraces. Other climbs start from the bottom of the crag around to the right of the base of the Gully.
North Gully provides the most convenient means of descent from the top of North Buttress. A path also leads easily from here for a few hundred metres to the top of H Buttress from where a quick descent can be made into South Gully.

The topout on climbs on ending on the Terraces are often overgrown and should be treated with great care . Due to seepage the granite on some routes is brittle .

LOUNGE LIZARD *    15m     E2    (5b)
Takes the short, left-facing corner near the top of North Gully. Start 3m to the left of the base of the corner.
Step onto the buttress and traverse right to the corner. Bold moves lead to a jug on the right wall and protection. Finish up more easily, going slightly left near the top.
D. Ó Sullivan, J. Dugdale, 22/5/1992.

DREAMTIME ***    35m     E4    (6a)
This tremendous route takes the prominent corner system through the huge overhung buttress about 50m below the top of North Gully. Very steep and positive with lots of protection.
Scramble up to the base of the corner. Climb this for over 20m to the large recess under the band of overhangs. Traverse left for 2m and arrange protection (Friends). To finish, power straight up through the breach in the overhangs, passing a flake. Scramble off rightwards.
D. Ó Sullivan, J. Lyons, 16/5/1992.

STAMPEDE *    45m     VS    (4b,4c)
This tricky and exposed climb runs diagonally leftwards across the upper rock tier of North Buttress (Creag Thuaidh). It was used as an escape route by its first ascensionists who came to free Official but were driven off by midges! They made a successful return one year later.
Start as for Official on the upper terrace on the right side of a green slab and below a slanting roof.
1. 20m Climb the slab out to the left and gain a crack. Follow this to green shattered rock before moving left and climbing up past green blocks to a short clean crack going left. Move diagonally left from the crack to a ledge with blocks.
2. 25m Climb the wall above to a difficult mantelshelf and continue up a slanting crack to the right of a large overhang. Climb through overlaps, trending left to gain a vegetated groove between two prominent bulges. Belay on a good ledge just a few metres below the top. Easy scramble to the top.
S. Windrim, D. Windrim, 31/8/1975.

OFFICIAL **    45m     E2    (4b,5b)
This strenuous climb takes the imposing crack-line on the high prow on the upper wall.
Start as for Stampede on the upper terrace (above the finish of Dance of the Tumblers).
1. 25m Follow Stampede to the shattered green rock and traverse out right treating the rock with care (awkward) to gain a large grassy ledge.
23. 20m Climb straight up for 4m and then move left to the base of a steep crack. Climb this (crux) with increasing difficulty to where it widens to become a chimney. Finish more easily up this.
C. Rice, D. Milnes, (2 aid points) September 1971.
S. Windrim, D. Windrim, (First free ascent) 22/8/1976.

FRIENDS LAUGHING ALPHABETICALLY 50m     HVS/A3
The second Luggala aid extravaganza; climbs the big roof crack above and left of Dance of the Tumblers. Start from above the upper cave in North Gully, 15m above the start of Dance of the Tumblers.
1. 20m Climb up the corner to below the overhang. Move out right to belay on the sloping ledge just above the crux of Dance of the Tumblers. Old peg and nut belay.
2. 30m Surmount the overhang and continue up steep rock with good protection to a stance 3m below the big roof. Make hard free and aid moves to the roof being careful of some loose rock on the left. With the help of Friends move out and out across the roof and over the lip to the slab. Move well back to a big ledge belay.
S.R. Young et al. 1980.

Free Variation and new Second Pitch 95m    E4(6a, 6a)
An entertaining route with a contrasting fun first pitch, (where Muckross Head meets Wicklow granite) followed by a more serious second.
The line is the logical free version of Friends Laughing Alphabetically and adds a second pitch to the route, consistent with the grade, but it dose not tackle the original A3 roof.
1. 50m 6a Follow FLA to the stance below the big roof. From here, traverse left out across the steep wall (crux) to the overhanging arête and swing wildly upwards on big holds to reach the lip and slab above. Clamber up the grass terrace, to belay at an abseil block, right of the slab.
2. 45m 6a Climb the slab to the centre of the roof which is breached on improving holds (crux). An awkward traverse left under the second roof leads up to a third roof. Now make a gripping traverse back rightwards beneath this roof to arrive at a blobby slab. Ascend this slab trending slightly left to finish up a grass gully.
R. Browner, H. Hebblethwaite, (FFA) 16.07.13

DANCE OF THE TUMBLERS *** 55m     E1    (5b,5a)
A truly superb route following an intricate and exposed line, requiring both a committed and steady approach. As the name suggests the route did not give up without a fight.
Start just over one-third of the way up North Gully, 4m to the right of a tunnel-like cave and below a leftward-trending gangway up the edge of the gully wall.
1. 30m Climb onto the gangway and follow the curving green slab to reach a short corner. Step up and move steeply left to a resting place. Pull up to a small ledge below an overlap. The crux moves involve climbing the overlap by moving left to a large spike hold on the arête and using this to swing onto the sloping ledge above. Make a delicate and exposed slightly descending traverse right below the overhang until a step down leads to better footholds. Continue right to a ledge. The old peg belay has gone so it may be better to climb up onto the slab above to a flake crack to form an adequate belay.
2. 25m Climb slightly left for 3m and pull over a small bulge. Continue up steeply on good layaway holds to a groove on the right. Follow this to a sloping ledge below the overhanging niche/chimney. Climb up this using a thread runner and exit with difficulty to gain a spectacular position and a large spike hold high on the left. Continue more easily to the terrace. Block belay.
S.R. Young, J. Mulhall, R. Richardson, M. Harris, (one aid point) 16/7/1972.
D. Richardson (first free ascent) 1973.

ALBATROSS **    55m     HVS    (4c,5a)
A very enjoyable route linking up a series of inter-connecting slabs, grooves and overlaps. Start about 5m right of the tunnel-like cave and just right of Dance of the Tumblers below a right-trending ramp.
1. 38m Climb the ramp to a steep crack on the right. Follow this to the top of a block (awkward). Delicately gain the short ramp on the left and move up right to a stance and possible belay. Step up to a white ledge and climb diagonally left to a white groove which is followed to a bulge. Climb this direct or more easily to the left and gain the grass ledge above. Belay at a large spillikin.
2. 17m Climb directly above the spike and surmount the overhang using a good hold. Continue up to a small bulge, climb this (crux) and the steep groove above. At the top of the short groove step left onto the wall and climb more easily to a large grassy platform and a block belay.
D. Windrim, K. Higgs, 16/8/1975.

TARDIS *    33m     VS    (4a,4c)
A worthwhile route with a short crux; the climb may be done in one pitch. Start about one-third of the way up the gully below the large slabby corner which trends rightwards up to the big overhang (The Capstone).
1. 15m Climb the well-protected slabby corner to large blocks below the overhang.
2. 18m From the belay step down and traverse delicately left across the steep wall to a shallow groove (above the Beatnik groove). Climb this with one hard move (crux) directly to the top, finishing just left of the holly bush. Belay in the recess.
S. Windrim, D. Windrim, 17/8/1975.
VARIATION Direct Finish VS (4c). This perhaps less desirable finish goes up through the holly trees to the left of the overhang to the recess belay.
R. Dean 1976.

VOYAGER *     113m     HVS    (4c,4c,5a,4a/b)
A long discontinuous route but with some good climbing, particularly on Pitch 3. Start near the left side of a steep 15m slab which faces down North Gully.
1. 45m Climb the slab to the arête and traverse along the right side of the arête to a grassy break. Move slightly left and up to large blocks below the overhang. Make a high traverse beneath the overhang, passing a holly tree and exiting to its left as in Tardis Direct Finish. Cross a grassy ramp for 15m to a sharp pointed block below a steep wall and overhanging corner.
2. 25m Gain the wall to the left of the vegetated corner moving up towards a horizontal crack, then slightly right and back left to gain a slab. Move right again and gain the overlap on the ramp; climb up via a huge block to finish up a delicate slab. Belay in the overhanging corner near holly trees.
3. 20m Move left around the corner and gain the base of a steep wall. Climb the centre of the wall delicately, exiting on the right at an area of blocky rock. Belay behind the tiny holly bush at a horizontal crack below an overhang.
4. 23m Move left a few metres from the belay and gain the slab. Up this to a grassy ledge and climb the corner to the right of vertical rock to the finish. Belay behind a grassy ledge and escape off by going right.
J. Lyons, L. Kennan, October 1988.

BEATNIK *    60m     VS    (4b,4c,4a)
A rather contrived line but good clean climbing nevertheless. It starts at the base of a steep 15m slab below the Tardis corner.
1. 20m Climb directly up the centre of the slab for 15m to the arête on the right side of the Tardis corner. Traverse across a foot-ledge into the Tardis corner to belay on a restricted stance.
2. 25m Climb the corner for 3m and then swing out left into the obvious left-trending groove. Go up this for 7m to where it steepens into a short green corner; climb this and pull directly onto the green slab above. Climb straight up this for 4m and gain the sloping ledge just above a recess. Go up to a larger ledge and spike belay on the left.
3. 15m Move right for several metres and climb a steep blocky corner to the terrace.
S. Windrim, D. Windrim, T. Ryan, 22/8/1976.

NORTH BUTTRESS     54m     VS    (4a,4c,4c)
The first two pitches are very vegetated. The top pitch is interesting and could be reached from the Tardis corner.
Start about 6m up the right-hand side of North Gully.
1. 24m Walk up a ramp onto the face of the buttress, go up a quartzy wall, some vegetation, a corner and more vegetation to the foot of a steep slab directly below the big overhang (The Capstone).
2. 12m Pull up on a flake, go diagonally right to some blocks and make a hard move left; traverse diagonally left below the small overhang and go up with difficulty to the grass ledge.
3. 18m Go straight up the recess below The Capstone until a small ledge leads out right. Traverse right, pull around a corner and step down to a grass ledge. Traverse this to a flake. Climb the exposed and lichenous wall above the flake to easy ground.
D. Milnes, J. Lynam, R. Richards (3 aid points), 24/5/69. J. McKenzie, P. Ó Leary (first free ascent), later in 1969.
VARIATION 2a. E1    (5b). A higher and cleaner but much harder traverse around the overhang.
J. Lyons, D. Wall, 12/7/1987.

NANUK *    47m     VS    (4b,4c)
Interesting with short and well protected difficulties. The start is found by going 10m right of the lowest point of North Buttress (Creag Thuaidh) to a small pinnacle with a chockstone in a crack .above an overhanging tree, Start from the top of the pinnacle.
1. 27m Step off the pinnacle onto a slab, move right to the arête and climb this to a ledge. Continue to a second ledge on the left.
2. 20m Move left and onto a block. Pull into a steep groove above (crux) and climb this moving slightly right to a vegetated finish. Spike belay on the lower of the two mid-level terraces.
C.Rice, D. Milnes, 26/6/1971.
VARIATION - 2a. VS (4b). Climb the easier groove on the right of the crux groove.
D. Windrim, D. Ryan, 1976.

MANX ROAD     81m     S    (4a)
A poor route, only the second pitch is interesting when dry, otherwise dire. Start about 8m right of Nanuk at the base of some dark vegetated slabs below trees.
1. 21m Scramble slightly right to a corner at the top of slabs, pull over this and climb diagonally left across the slab to trees.
2. 25m The crux pitch. Climb the wall behind the trees just right of a grass-filled crack, pull onto the slab under the overhang and then move right. Climb onto a projecting block and make an awkward move into the gully (thread runner on the right wall). Climb the gully, treating poor rock with respect, and exit left onto a grassy terrace.
3. 18m Move diagonally right up a gangway and climb the steep slab above to a corner. Go right, using undercuts, and climb a small slab to a good belay.
4. 17m A damp slabby gully leads to heather slopes and the top.
K.R.R. Wilson, W.R.Perrott, J. Lynam, 4/9/1949.

FLAKE CLIMB     35m     D
Start at the foot of the crack formed by the conspicuous flake about 25m below and to the right of the Manx Road start.
1. 15m Climb up between the wall and the flake to a grassy ledge.
2. 20m Climb the short chimney on the right and then go up heathery slabs to belay at a pair of big boulders. Scramble off left.
A.C. Crichton, P. Crean, April 1949.
1a Monolith Variation. Instead of climbing along the top of the flake go in behind it and climb the dark chimney direct to the grassy ledge.
J. Lynam, 4/9/1949.

Access to the remaining routes is by a dodgy traverse over a steep grassy ramp or by way of Flake Climb. SAVOY CABBAGE     45m     VS    (4c,4a)
Start at the left side of the overhanging wall directly behind large twin blocks.
1. 25m Gain the overhang on good holds and move up to the curving flake. Climb the flake and move up to good footholds on the right. Traverse left to a nose (crux) and make a high step onto the slab above. Continue up slabs and vegetation to a tree belay.
2. 20m Climb the slab above the tree to overlapping flakes. Move diagonally left below the overlaps and make a delicate step left to finish. Belay well back. Escape off to the right.
K. Higgs, D. Ryan, 30/7/1977.

ROCK ON *    40m     VS    (4c.4b)
Short and steep with some good climbing. Start about 10m right of Savoy Cabbage to the right of a large boulder.
1. 20m Climb the steep short slab on the right side of the overhang until a step left can be made onto a good block hold on the face above the overhang. Continue up steeply, trending slightly left into a groove (delicate); climb the groove and a slab to a recess below an overhang.
2. 20m From the belay traverse out right and around a bulge to a thin crack on a slab. Climb this to an overlap on the left and move up over this to grassy ledges and a block belay.
J. McKenzie, D. Mitchell, September 1973.
VARIATIONS 1a. VS (4c). From the block hold on the wall above the overhang continue directly up the wall to finish up a groove on the right.
2a. (4b). Move out left from the recess and step up to gain a traverse line onto a nose above the overhang. Swing up right to a slab and follow the arête to a block belay.
D. Ryan, K. Higgs, 30/7/1977.

VITA BREVIS *    30m     HVS    (5b,4a)
Takes the obvious overhanging corner to the right of Rock On. It is difficult both to enter the corner and to exit from it Start below the overhanging corner 4m right of Rock On.
1. 20m Climb steep broken rock for 5m to the base of a groove. Move across right and then make delicate moves back left to gain a small niche below an overhanging section of the corner (loose blocks in the niche). Using holds on the left wall and layaway holds in the corner climb the corner and gain a small stance below a slab.
2. 10m Move directly up the slab and climb the short corner on the left. Continue up easily to a block belay. Scramble off right.
K. Higgs, D. Ryan, 30/7/1977.