Hollywood
Printed guidebook available here
Signs at this crag warn that climbing is prohibited and that persons climbing here do so at their own risk.
This small crag is located at N 942 053 close to the village of Hollywood, south of Blessington on the western margin of the Wicklow Mountains. Hollywood gets its name from an incident in the life of Saint Kevin of Glendalough who named it Holy Wood.
Take the N81 for about 10 km south of Blessington to its junction with R756 which leads through Hollywood towards the Wicklow Gap. Follow this road to Hollywood Village where the crag can be reached by following Saint Kevin's Way for 200m and branching left to come in facing the rock. Alternatively continue along the road for 300m to a small church and graveyard on the left (north) side of the road just before a sharp left-hand bend. Limited parking is available here. The west-facing crag, known as The Mad Woman's Leap, is just across the road, about 100m away.
The crag has a neat compact appearance and it sports a succession of direct lines often following cracks on its steep face. The rock is an unusual cleaved andesitic tuff formed of ash-like material ejected in a volcanic eruption which has a slatey/schistose appearance with small but positive holds. Although the rock is generally sound some holds can be brittle.
The climbing experience of Hollywood is interesting and enjoyable and well worth a visit or two. The walk-in takes less than one minute. The crag is an ideal venue for a Summer evening visit in the lingering light of a western sun.
The routes are described from left to right.
Download topos of the unclimbable crag at Hollywood
BANDICOOT 9m S (3c)
The very first crack at the left of the buttress.
J. Lyons, C. Lyons, F. Lyons, 31/5/1992.
EGG TIMER 9m VD
The next obvious crack groove near the left end of the buttress.
D. Ó Connor, J. Hastings, April 1984
FAST MOVER 35m VS (4c)
A rising traverse from bottom left to top right of the buttress. The main difficulties are short-lived. Start at the bottom groove of Egg Timer. Move up diagonally right to a ledge at the base of the blue/grey groove of Extra Terrestrial. Move up to a small ledge halfway up the groove on its right side. Climb up diagonally right past the slight bulge on thin holds (crux); continue more easily, crossing the block near the top of Gonzo's Green Gully and traverse the wall beyond this to its top right-hand corner.
J. Lyons, J. Byrne, 10/10/1992
HONORARY ALTNADUE CRACK 18m HS (4b)
Start at thin crack between Egg Timer and Curving Cracks. Climb the thin crack directly for 10m (small wires useful) and then finish up the left edge of the buttress as for Curving Cracks.
M.P. Smith & J.R. Evans 29/8/2002
OWN RISK ACCEPTED 18m HS 4b
Starts in the little alcove separating Curving Crack and Honorary Altnadue Crack. Staying in the centre of the alcove , put the blinkers on and go straight up to the junction of Curving Cracks and the ledge at the top of Egg Timer; continue up the left edge to the top.
N. Caffrey and E. Murphy, 7th September 2004
CURVING CRACKS 18m HS (4a)
Start at the obvious curving crack right of Egg Timer. Climb this and continue up the front left edge of the buttress to the top.
D. Ó Connor, J. Hastings, April 1984
EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL* 19m HVS (5a)
Takes a direct line between Curving Cracks and the direct crack line of Gardener's World. Climb the short wall for 3 - 4m to gain a groove. Climb straight up this on very small holds (crux) to better holds and then climb the steep wall above to the top.
J. Hastings, D. Ó Connor, April 1984.
GARDENER'S WORLD 20m HS (4b)
Follow the obvious crack to the right of Extra-Terrestrial directly to the top.
J. Bergin, 1983
FOXY LADY* 20m VS (4c)
Takes a direct line 1m right of Gardener's World. Climb the thin hairline crack direct to the top. Delicate, with protection from small wires.
J. Hastings, D. Ó Connor, May 1984
SARACEN 20m HS (4a)
Start a metre or so to the right of Foxy Lady.
Climb up to Terrace Ledge below the V-shaped overhang. Climb the overhang at its lowest point to gain the crack above. Climb directly to the top.
J. Hastings, D. Ó Connor, April 1984
HOOF-HEARTED 20m VS (4b)
Start 1-2m right of Saracen. Climb up to Terrace Ledge (thread runner or belay). There are now two alternatives. Climb the overhang directly to gain the wall above and continue straight up to the top. The easier alternative at HS(4a) traverses slightly right and then climbs back left above the overhang before continuing directly up to the top.
J. Hastings, D. Ó Connor, May 1984
PERSEVERANCE 20m HS (4b)
Start just right of Hoof-Hearted or about 6m right of the obvious crack of Gardener's World. Gain Terrace Ledge at 5m. Climb up diagonally right under the overhang for about 3m. Move slightly left onto the raised upper parts of the face. Climb up using the vertical block.
J. Bergin, 1983
GONZO'S GREEN GULLY 20m S (4a)
Climb the obvious chimney groove that splits the face under the large overhang. At the top of the chimney exit left to turn the overhang.
D. Ó Connor, J. Hastings, May 1984
SKYWALKER* 21m VS (4c)
Start 2m to the right of Gonzo's Green Gully. Climb the left side of the recessed slab to Terrace Ledge. Continue diagonally up the slab to where the roof meets Gonzo's Green Gully. By means of a wide bridging move and a strenuous pull-up gain the steep wall above and then climb directly to the top.
D. Ó Connor, J. Hastings, May 1984
GUILTY FEET * 20m E2 (5c/6a)
Start as for Dagwood's Detour. Go straight up the thin crack in the centre of the recessed slab to Terrace Ledge and directly over a bulge to the centre of the roof. The crux is in surmounting the roof (in situ peg for protection). Finish directly up the wall above.
C. Torrans, D. Herry, 1986
DAGWOOD'S DETOUR* 21m HVS (5a)
Climb the thin crack in the centre of the recessed slab to Terrace Ledge. Continue directly up over a bulge to the centre of the roof. Traverse right until it is possible to move up onto the wall above. Move back left above the overhang and climb the wall directly to the top.
J. Hastings, P. Connelly, June 1984
CONNELLY'S CONUNDRUM 20m HS (4b)
Climb the right-hand side of the recessed slab to the base of the obvious detached pillar, on the left of which is a crack. Layback the crack to gain the top of the pillar. Move slightly right around the corner and climb the centre of the wall to the top.
P. Connelly, B. Walshe, June 1984
PIGS IN SPACE 22m S (4a)
Climb the obvious arête on the extreme right of the buttress to the detached pillar and up the right-hand side of the pillar to its top. Move 3m to the right and climb the obvious line up the wall to the top.
J. Hastings, D. Ó Connor, April 1984
LICHEN OR LUMPIT 20m VS (4b)
This line to the right of the buttress appears to have been lost in vegetation.
J. Bergin 1983
Facing east opposite the main crag is a very small, clean-cut buttress with three short climbs which are really boulder problems of no great difficulty (i.e. 4a/b). They were recorded by J. Bergin in 1983
HALFPENNYWORTH 5m
Follow the left-hand crack to the top
PENNYWORTH 5m
Follow the middle crack to the top
TEN PENCE WORTH 6m
Starts at the centre of the sloping slab and takes the overhang to reach the top
Behind and above this small buttress is the motte built by Geoffrey de Marisco who was granted these lands and also those at Dunran by Strongbow's nephew in 1215.
