Barnacullian

Printed guidebook available here

More accurately described as Log na dTruachán this small east-facing corrie, without a lake, is located to the north-east of Barnacullian at O078055. The rock is delightful coarse-grained granite of the same general type as that of Luggala. The area is remote and idyllic. The outcrop catches any sun from early morning to late afternoon.

Leave the Military Road at some rough sheep pens at the crest of the hill (435m) just south of Carrigshouk. Follow a slight path west from the pens which leads to a fence on the edge of the forest east of the Glenmacnass River. Cross the fence and follow deer tracks in an ill-defined break through the trees in a gently rising traverse under Carrigshouk and Cleevaun East. Eventually you will come to a wedge=shaped rock in a clearing. Follow deer tracks from its up hill side to traverse the forest and cross the Glenmacnass River at about the 550m contour. The crag is clearly visible in front for most of the walk which takes about 1 hour.

Opportunities remain for further slab routes at various grades.

1 GORILLAS IN THE MIST 22m E2 (5b)
Nicholas Keegan, Conor O Connor. 11/9/2007
This bold route takes a line up the centre of the obvious clean undercut slab on the extreme left side of the outcrop. There is no protection and difficulty increases with height. Good belays can be found at the top.
Start steeply from the bottom left to gain a ledge beneath the obvious quartz seam on slab. Follow the quartz until it disappears. Continue up the slab on good holds to the crux. Move slightly right to gain height and a stance on the ramped ledge. Finish directly up slab above to belay.

1a HEATHER HAVEN 15m HS 4a
M. Cleary. 13/9/2009
The lowest of the slabs at the main crag system, between Gorillas in the Mist and Slab Murphy. Start at the bottom right hand corner.
Make your way diagonally left to a narrow but comfortable footledge. Traverse this leftwards until almost at the left edge of the slab. Climb up one move, then escape left into heather.

1b CHASING THE DRAGON 55m VS(4c)
G. Galligan, S. O Hanlon, 29/5/2011. 2nd pitch added 20/4/2013
There is no protection on pitch 1. It is possible to divert to put a runner at the top of Heather Haven and then return to the route.
1) 25m Follow Heather Haven to the footledge. Move right and up to a higher footledge and then up left to a heathery tuft. Finish leftwards up the slab above. Belay in recess higher up and left of a streak of vegetation.
2) 30m Move up from recess to a mossy ledge, Up right to a grassy ledge at the top of the vegetation streak (a buried ice-axe was used as a runner here on the first ascent). Step up onto the clean slab above and up to the overlap. Surmount this and gain the top of the flake above. Move rightwards across a small moss-field to the final steepness and welcoming vegetation.

2 SLAB MURPHY** 58m S 4a.
P. O Leary, S. O Hanlon. 8/4/2007
The climb is located on the longest continuous section of rock on the outcrop about 50m right of Gorillas in the Mist. It can be identified by a metre-wide, vertical ribbon of clean white rock which runs from the bottom to a little over half height where there is a short heather-capped wall split by three vertical cracks.
Start at the thin crack which divides the slab from an overhanging wall. Follow the crack to the top of the slab and continue above when it becomes off-width. Climb to the short heather-capped wall and traverse diagonally right until it is possible to gain a higher slab and trend up and left to the obvious final corner. Pleasant moves on delightful rock lead to the top and a good belay.

2a LAURA 20m HS 4b
M. Cleary, D. McKeown. 13/9/2009
The wall with the strikingly dark corner, located in the middle of crag system, about two-thirds the way up. Start at its right side on a large grassy, sloping ledge.
Climb the crack in the corner until it is possible to move onto the slab on the right using the jugs. Traverse the slab delicately then scramble strenuously up the heather to intersect with the final steep section of Slab Murphy. From here climb the first step, but then trend diagonally rightwards away from the safety of the crack towards the small heather bush over the brow.

The next route is on a rib of rock running up the hillside on the left when descending from Slab Murphy

2b WALK ON HOT COALS * 16m VS4c
G. Galligan (top-roped prior to ascent) 31/8/2014
Takes the obvious weakness in the centre of the slab. The only protection can be placed at the highest ledge, just before the crux.
Climb up easily to gain the highest ledge near the top of an obvious groove. Delicate moves up and left (crux) to gain a small ledge leading to a wide niche. Traverse right and up to the top.

2c  NANNY & GRANDA 12m E1
Paul O Brien, Colette Mahon 13/10/2015
Climb the centre of the slab left of Spacenurphie. There's no gear placement on it so is a 'bold' climb on teenies!

3 SPACEMURPHIE 22m HS 4b
P. O Leary, S. O Hanlon. 4/6/2006
This route is found at the foot of a long slabby rib of rock about 100m right of Slab Murphy across a wide grassy gully.
Start from a heathery ledge left of a boulder. Gain the crack which splits the slab and follow it to the top.