Slieve Rua
The hill North of Mullach Mor is straddled by many rocky buttresses, the largest buttress (Upper Buttress) is on the South side just below the summit Lower Buttress is 150 m further South West. Approach by the red path from Cooloorta trail, maps for the walking paths and trail head are available to download from the Burren National Park website https://www.burrennationalpark.ie/. Walk along the red path for about 20 minutes following way marks traversing the hillside and gaining height gradually, the path goes through a gap in a stone wall and strikes left or South West for Mullach Mor, leave the path here, walk straight ahead uphill and West for 7 more minutes. Upon reaching the crest of the hill the Lower Buttress should be visible on your right, Upper Buttress is 150m further above and behind. In the picture below the Lower Buttress is the cliff at the bottom of the marked rectangle while the Upper Buttress is in the marked rectangle
Lower Buttress
SELF ISOLATION D
Audrey O'Toole, Barry Watts, Brandon O'Toole, 12th June 2020.
Wide crack on the far left.
SOCIAL DISTANCING VD
Barry Watts, Conor Warner, 21st June 2020.
Crack behind the large thorn tree, there are also good holds and gear placements left and right of this crack,
TIRIG VD
Conor Warner, Barry Watts, 21st June 2020.
Start up COVID CRACK for 3m's, step left and climb the wall on good holds.
COVID CRACK VD
Barry Watts, Audrey O'Toole, 12th June 2020.
The next obvious crack 3m's right of SOCIAL DISTANCING,
C19-REUNION VD
Conor Warner, Barry Watts, 21st June 2020.
Bridge up the walls of the gully right of COVID CRACK.
WINTER LOCKDOWN S
Barry Watts, Audrey O'Toole, 15th April 2021
Climb the right facing corner with a tricky start.
THE IDES OF MARCH S
Barry Watts, Conor Warner, 21st June 2020.
Take the wall and crack 1 m right of a right facing corner.
CANADA CRACK HS
Barry Watts, Audrey O'Toole, 15th April 2021
Climb the groove right of THE IDES OF MARCH and finish up the right slanting crack.
MASKED UP VS 5a
Barry Watts, Conor Warner, 21st June 2020 (1 rest point).
4 m's right of THE IDES OF MARCH a thin crack starts 2 m's above the ground, climb this, crux in the first 4 m's.
MANDATORY QUARANTINE VD
Barry Watts, Audrey O'Toole, 15th April 2021
Climb the chimney right of the thorn tree to a small ledge and continue up the crack above,
LOCKED IN VD
Barry Watts, Brandon O'Toole, Audrey O'Toole, 12th June 2020.
Wide crack 2m's to the right MANDATORY QUARANTINE .
SHOTS FOR ALL VD
Barry Watts, Brandon O'Toole, Audrey O'Toole, 15th April 2021
Climb the crack 1m right of LOCKED IN to ledge, finish up crack to the left.
MAIRE RUA S
Barry Watts, Brandon O'Toole, Audrey O'Toole, Mata Van Rensberg, 23rd April 2021
Climb the clean slab left of EVENING LIGHT to a foot ledge, finish leftwards on big holds.
EVENING LIGHT D
Conor Warner, 18th June 2020.
Cracked wall 2m's left of THE LOWLANDS.
THE LOWLANDS S
Conor Warner, Barry Watts, 21st June 2020.
Pleasant left facing corner on the far right.
CLIMATIC BREAKDOWN HS
Barry Watts, Audrey O'Toole, 23rd April 2021
GRETTAS STRUGGLE VS 5a
Barry Watts, Audrey O'Toole, David Brosnan, 23rd April 2021
Upper Buttress
WHO NEEDS HOT ROCK HS
Barry Watts, Audrey O'Toole, Brandon O'Toole, 16th April 2021
Climb the pocketed slab left of Trust the fairies.
TRUST THE FAIRIES 15m VD
Barry Watts, Geraldine Murphy, 16/6/2017.
Takes the crack beneath the big boulder, about halfway up move left to left to tackle the easier crack line.
FAIRY FLAKES 15m S
Barry Watts, Geraldine Murphy, 16/6/2017.
Takes the crack line in the middle.
GO BIG OR GO HOME HS
Barry Watts, Audrey O'Toole, Tom Van Rensberg, 22nd April 2021
Climb the cracked wall between Fairy Flakes and Airy Fairy
AIRY FAIRY 15m S
Barry Watts, Geraldine Murphy, 16/6/2017.
Climb the right slanting wide crack to a ledge, continue straight up.
ASTRAL VOYAGER HS
Barry Watts, Audrey O'Toole, Tom Van Rensberg, 22nd April 2021
Climb the wall just left of the arete past two small ledges.
CAT SCRAPES S
Barry Watts, Brandon O'Toole, Maya Van Rensberg, Audrey O'Toole, Tom Van Rensberg,16th April 2021
Climb the corner, difficulty increasing with height.
EXPLODING KITTENS S
Barry Watts, Brandon O'Toole, Maya Van Rensberg, Audrey O'Toole, Tom Van Rensberg, 16th April 202
Climb the protruding block right of CAT SCRAPES to a small dirty ledge. Continue up the slabby wall right of the arete.
DIVIDE AND CONQUER 10m VD
Conor Warner, Barry Watts, 20/9/2019.
4m’s left of BOFEY QUINN'S COULOIR there is another buttress, this route takes the single to double cracks on the right hand side of it.
BOFEY QUINN'S COULOIR 10m HS
Barry Watts, Geraldine Murphy, 16/6/2017.
Climb the inverted V right of the bay.
SAMBA BY THE RIVER GORT 10m S
Barry Watts, Geraldine Murphy, 16/6/2017.
2m to the right of BQC climb the rib on the right and enter the wide crack.
THE GREAT FLOOR FOOD ADVENTURE S
Barry Watts, Audrey O'Toole, Brandon O'Toole, 22nd April 2021
Climb the corner right of SAMBA BY THE RIVER GORT and finish up the slabby wall.
