Happy Valli

Directions from Ballysadare: From the bridge in Ballysadare head for Ballina and turn left after 2.8Km (the turn before the Raven Rock Farm turn and sign). Follow this road for 1.7Km (passing a crag beside the road, see Scalp na gCapail) there is parking on the right and you can see the crag on the left across some well maintained fields Grid G64752700. Climbs described left to right. The land owners are very climber friendly, let’s keep them that way.

Prego – 15m (S 4a)
(V. Schafer 15/4/08)
Start 5m left of "Snow White" move slightly right up wall, through gap in heather ledge, to top. Stake belay. Juggy and well protected

3 Steps to Heather – 15m (S 4a)
(A.Tees, V.Schafer, A.Carlin 19/9/08)
less than 1m left of "Prego", is a diagonal stepped corner, which is climbed to a ledge. Continue up on steep rock with good holds in a nice situation

Snow White – 20m (S 4a)
(V.Schafer)
This takes the obvious two tier corner, at the left end of the crag.

Rattenfanger Wall – 15m (VS 4b)
(A.Tees, V.Schafer, A.Carlin 19/9/08)
This takes the wall between Snow White and Muck on Top. Start in the corner just left of the start of Muck on Top, and climb to ledge. Continue up wall above on small footholds just right of vegetated bank to smaller ledge. Start on small holds on RHS of wall, and move left to good cracks/protection in wall centre, and up right, to the top

Muck on Top – 20m (S 4a)
(V.Schafer, A.Tees 17/6/07)
Approx 3m left of "Ox Stair" gain a ledge and a leftward rising crack to the bottom of a leaning corner crack. Climb it on good jugs, and continue directly to the top

Part Man Part Biscuit – 20m (VS 4c)
(J.Walls, V.Schafer)
Start 3m right of Muck on Top and climb directly up, through overhang at 3/4 height (crux) to the top

Ox Stair – 20m (VS 4b)
(A.Tees, V.Schafer)
Approx 4m left of the arete of "Vereker" this route gains the shallow right facing corners at half height, and up the vertical wall above using a large "Friend" in a pocket

Teeling – 20m (HVS 5a)
(M.Daly, P.Harrington 21/7/07)
On the face, 1 metre left of the corner of De Cuellar. Climb delicately to gain a small rib. Gain the crack above and follow it through a bulge to the top

Higher in Time – 25m (HVS 5a)
(P.Cooper, A.Tees 19/9/08)
Start in a niche between starts of 'De Cuellar' and 'Verecker'. Climb up to overlap then traverse delicately leftwards, grade then continuously eases with progress, to finish up the exit crack of 'Muck on Top'; taking the right hand exit

De Cuellar – 25m (E2 5b)
(M.Daly, C.McDaid 9/6/07)
Start in the rightward facing corner just left of Verecker. Climb the corner to the base of an overlap. Surmount this to gain a good ledge. Following the crack with increasing difficulty to the top

Verecker – 25m (E3 5c)
(M.Daly, C.McDaid 9/6/07)
Start at the base of the prominent arête left of Colmcille Corner. The route takes the arête. Make one move up the short wall left of the arête and step right to the edge. Climb the arête passing one difficult section to a rest ledge at the base of the final section. Place a small friend in a vertical slot and climb the technical wall left of the arête (crux). Gain a jug on the arête which steady’s one for the final exit moves. Nut and stake belay

Raven – 25m (HS 4b)v
(M.McGuigan, A.Tees, V.Schafer 26/1/08)
Start below and right of the left facing corner leading to the large nest on the wall left of "Colmcille Corner". Climb from the lowest point, up and left into the corner, avoiding the nest as best you can. Continue up (airily) on good holds, left of the line of "Dont Touch That Tree". This route should only be attempted outside the nesting season

Don’t Touch that Tree – 25m (E1 5b) (G.Thomas, S.Kennedy, V.Schafer (2/9/06)
Takes the spectacular crack line to the left of Colmcille Corner. Crux is mid height

Colmcille Corner – 25m (HS 4b)
(A.Tees, B.Magowan, V.Schafer 28/5/06)
Takes the most obvious corner on the crag

Corcorans Fightin Sixty Ninth – 30m (E2 5c)
(M.Daly, B.Proctor 7/4/07)
2 Metres right of Colmcille Corner there is a short corner. Start just right of this. Climb up by technical moves to the first runner at 7 metres. Continue to the overlap at 2/3 height (good runners). Climb this using a good hold on the right-hand side of the lip of the overlap. Place two poor runners and continue through crux moves to a good ledge and runners. Finish up short corner

General Humbert – 30m (E2 5c)
(M.Daly, B.Proctor 4/11/06)
Start 5 metres right of Colmcille Corner just left of fence. Climb up wall to flake at 4 metres. Climb directly up wall passing horizontal breaks (friend protection). Gain the base of a faint crack. Climb the crack and gain a quartz niche. Climb steeply up bulge to gain good jugs. Surmount the bulge (crux) and get established at the base of crack. Follow to top. Good protection

Paddy Alley – 30m (E2 5c)
(M.Daly, B.Proctor 7/4/07)
Start 6 metres right of Colmcille Corner and 1 metre right of fence. Climb to obvious scoop. Continue to good ledge at base of thin crack. Climb this at first and when it peters out, (½ friend placement on the left) continue up the wall (crux) to rest. Follow the re-emerging crack to the top

Poltroons – 25m (S 4a)
(A.Tees, S.Kennedy, V.Schafer 2/9/06)
About 8m right of "Colmcille Corner" climb one of two short corners, and move up left to reach obvious ledge. Steeper, but well protected, climbing leads directly to a second narrower ledge, from where a series of rightward trending steps leads to a vegetated ledge. Climb directly up clean wall to the top

Spider – 25m (E1 5b)
(D.Millar, V.Schafer Aug 08)
This route climbs the wall and overlap between "Poltroons" and "Hellburner". Start 2m left of Hellburner and climb to right hand side of obvious overlap at 1/3rd height. Assemble gear and move diagonally up and left to obvious horizontal break and from here to spacious ledge above. Climb slabby wall left of the Hellburner corner to another ledge and then the top

Hellburner 20m HVS 5a
(M.Daly, C. McDaid 23/7/08)
Just left of Rhiannon there is a right facing groove/corner. Climb this direct, through the bulge to a spacious ledge. Finish up via heather clad ledges. Very well protected.

Rhiannon – 20m (E2 5b)
(C.McDaid, M.Daly 9/6/07)
Starts 3m left of the isolated boulder. Climb direct to the horizontal break (small cams), then technical and precarious climbing leads up the wall (RP's) through a "corridor", after which the angle relents. The technical climbing ends here, although its worthwhile to continue to the top of the crag via a dense heather ledge and a pleasant short wall of pink granite

Eratic Bilko – 12m (VS 4c)
(C.McDaid, M.Daly 9/6/07)
Starts directly opposite the isolated boulder. Climb the crack direct until a prominent bulge is reached. Layback to the right and thinly pull through the bulge. Climbing ends here, (hence the 10m), but worthwhile to continue to the top via the heather ledges and pink granite described in "Rhiannon".

Elizabethan – 10m (VS 4b)
(C.McDaid, M.Daly 23/7/08)
At the crags righthand extremity, there is a huge detached pillar/block. Start just left of this, climb the prominent left trending crack until a sloping leftward ramp is gained. Follow this to heather ledge

Oxtail – 8m (S)
(A.Tees, V.Schafer, M.Boner 17/8/08)
The obvious big crack at the right end of the crag. Finish off at the top of the big flake, or continue up the slabs to the top

Above and behind the main crag, there is a band of rock, including a free standing pinnacle

Watchtower – 12m (S)
(M.Daly, B.Proctor 4/11/06)
This route takes a crack line on the left side of the pinnacle. Climb the crack to an overhang. Climb this, first on the left and then step back into the crack. Follow to top. Scramble off with care.

Western Corridor – 12m (HS)
(M.Daly, B.Proctor 4/11/06)
This route is behind the pinnacle at the left end of this band of rock, at the highest point. Climb crack past a few ledges. Nut belay well back

Another 800 Years – 10m (Hs 4b)
(O.Castle, JP.Dunne, G.Byrne and A.Corkery 04/06/07)
On the clean wall above the main crag. Approx 3 meters to the right of Western Corridor there is a vegetated corner. This route starts two meters to the right on the clean face. Climb on the vertical wall using postive holds and a small crack to a small ledge. From the ledge with a long reach and climb over the overlap (crux) to a good rest. Easier moves to the top. Nut belay well back to the left (excellent protection)

About 100m to the right of the pinnacle, there is a 10m high band of rock approx 30m long, which yields the following routes

Puzell or Bust – 8m (E1 5b)
(D.Millar, V.Schafer 26/4/08)
This route climbs the wall and crack to the left of Spacedust. Climb the short lichen covered wall via good breaks to a ledge at 2/3rds height. Continue up crack above via good holds and gear

Spacedust – 8m (E1 5b)
(C.McDaid, V.Schafer, C.Flynn 16/4/07)
A few metres left of "Angel Delight". Climb the crack to a large recess, then climb the crack in the upper short wall (technical).

Restitution – 10m (E1 5b)
(M.Daly, P.Harrington, C.McDaid 14/4/07)
Start approx 6m left of "Angel Delight". Climb the wall and gain the crack at about 3 metres. Following to top.

Angel Delight – 10m (E2 5b)
(C.McDaid, M.Daly, P.Harrington 15/4/07)
This route takes the faint flared crack leading up to a small right facing stepped overlap. The direct line is taken throughout. Very bold top half.