Difference between pages "Ceann Bhaile Dháith / Ballydavid Head" and "An Charraig Ard"

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The attempts at climbing on Ceann Bhaile Dháith (OS Sheet 70, Discovery series. GR Q 389 114) in 1956 were confined to the extreme south-west end, where three ridges run south to two islands in the sea from a single top.
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These climbs are taken from New Climbs 1983.<br>
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This is a small sea crag found on the western tip of the Dingle Peninsula to the south of Ceann Sratha (GR Q 30 02). It can be seen as an obvious black slab to the L as you go along the road from Dún Chaoin towards Ceann Sratha. Cars can be parked off this road in a rough car park on the broad col between Ceann Sratha and An Mionnán Mór. From here a walk south-west of about 400m brings you to the top of the crag. The best descent is to the L of the crag as you approach and involves a short and easy rock step (cairned) which gives access to an extensive flat platform (non-tidal) below the cliff. The crag takes the form of a large variably-angled slab on the L and a series of corners and large overhangs on the R. The rock is a form of volcanic ash, which has weathered to pockets and sharp holds, often with a popcorn like texture. Climbs are described from L to R (west to east).<br>
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Descent: Descend the gully between the innermost ridge and the second ridge, until a gully of strangely weathered rock is reached. Descend this to a gap above a gendarme that we called the Grey Soldier, on the central ridge. Traverse around the Soldier to its other side and descend to the bottom of the ridge.
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'''Dance on a Volcano'''   40m      HS<br>
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Start: below the small square-cut overhang at the bottom centre of the main slab.<br>
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Gain a low horizontal traverse line across a smooth grey slab and follow it delicately out above the sea (crossing the line of 'Squonk') to the edge of the main slab. Move up the arete to gain crack in the steep slab above and climb this to the top. Care is neede with loose debris when moving back to belay.<br>
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'''Grey Soldier Ridge''' 90m Severe
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T. McQueen, A. Lyttle. 25th August 1983.<br>
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<br>''B. McCall, F. Winder (leads shared) September 1956<br>''1. 20m. From the easy slabs at the sea ascend the first step at its right hand side (hard) and then pull around to right of ridge. Ascend slab and traverse back onto face at top of second step. Piton belay.<br>2. 25m. Return to right and climb steep groove (long reach) or go straight up face. Continue up easier rock to belay on left of ridge.<br>3. 20m. Up onto ridge and continue along edge to belay at base of Grey Soldier.<br>4. 25m. Up ridge to Soldier. Ascend this by chimney on left and descend the same way.<br>5. Climb the next pinnacle by a few moves up the face and then traverse right.<br>6. A further 70-100m of climbing can be obtained up the ridge. It is quite interesting and strenuous, but mostly moderate and can be climbed continuously most of the way. One large gendarme is taken slightly to the right.
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'''Squonk'''    35m  VD<br>
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This route takes the first deep crack L of the square-cut overhang. At low tide this crack can be climbed via a mussel and barnacle infested direct start, at other times the travers of 'Dance on a Volcano' can be followed to reach the crack higher up.<br>
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The following information is taken from New Climbs 1993 - 1995.
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Climb the crack and continue directly up to a short wall. Climb this to good holds to a ledge. Move to the R end of this ledge, step up, and follow flakes and cracks slanting slightly L to the top.<br>
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T. McQueen 25th August 1983.<br>
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The following climbs are located on a big slab of rock below and somewhat west of the watchtower. From Feohanagh take the road north for Brandon Creek. Immediately after crossing a bridge, turn L in the direction of the headland and drive as far up as the road will go, to park in the settlement. Walk up the boreen and then uphill until the cliff-line is reached (20 mins).
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'''Skome'''    30m    HS<br>
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Follow the ridge north-east in the direction of the watchtower until a very prominent rock is encountered right on the cliff edge. It is approximately 300m west of the watchtower where an indistinct wall coming down from same fades out. This rock is made up of 2/3 perched blocks pointing out to sea and is unmistakable.<br>
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Makes a line between 'Squonk' and 'Nodding Dog', starting below the small square-cut overhang.<br>
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Scramble down the grassy hillside just east of the boulder with extreme caution, until the cliff is reached. Belay on a small buttress (about 4m high with a cleft running right through it) above the slab and abseil down (about three rope lengths) to some ledges at a zawn and a huge cave. Many of the ledges are non-tidal.<br>
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Scramble up and move L to the base of steep wall. Climb this on fragile pockets and move up the slab above. Finish steeply just L of a prominent skyline block on large, but brittle, holds.<br>
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The cliff is a huge slab, 135m or so in height, formed from a single tilted bedding plane of sandstone, similar to Sybil Head, though steeper and smoother. The rock is very clean and eminently climable. The potential for more routes is high, though they are likely to be of a higher grade than those reported here. The location is magnificent.
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T. McQueen, A. Lyttle 25th August 1983.<br>
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'''Nodding Dog'''    30m    D.<br>
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'''Atlantic Ocean'''  HVS 5a  135m<br>''S. Gallwey, J. Bergin June 1994.<br>''This route follows a line from the bottom R-hand side of the slab diagonally up to a ledge one third of the way up. It continues up the centre of the faceand then veers back R into the shallow corner running up the the upper half of the wall.<br>Start: around the corner of the main slab at its west end, the side away from the cave, at a short corner and cleft. This start is tidal.<br>1/. 10m 5a Climb up and L onto a comfortable and spacious incut ledge.<br>2/. 30m 5a Ascend L-wards up a ramp and crack system to the base of a clean cut corner. Arrange protection and then climb out L onto the main face and up the unprotected but relatively easy (4b) L arete of the corner to reach easy ground and good protection. Move L to belay in the centre of the face, directly below a slight recess.<br>3/. 25m 5a Climb up the recess with only adequate protection. At its top bear diagonally L-wards to reach a more broken area of ledges and undercut blocks (with better protection) on the edge of the seepage zone. Gain the top of a wet block to the L and climb the slab above and to the R of the block, finishing up a thin crack to gain a horizontal break to belay. This point is just level with an overhang on the L-hand wall from where the seepage emanates and is the starting point of the route "Only The Lonely".<br>4/. 30m 5a Traverse to the R for a few metres to a thin crack and ascend this diagonally R-wards at first and then straight up to belay where convenient on one of the small incut holds. Fairly continuous 5a throughout, though well protected.<br>5/. 40m 5a Continue up to the thin crack which is ascended to the top.
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Start as for 'Skome'.<br>
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Move easily up over the small overhang and up to the highest of R-ward trending ledges below a bulge. Climb this directly, or side-step it on the R to gain a flakey crack which leads straight up past a yellow patch of rock to the top.<br>
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'''Only The Lonely'''  E2 5c  60m<br>''S. Gallwey, J. Bergin  June 1995.<br>''This climb takes the thin crack line running up the face to the L of the upper pitches of "Atlantic Ocean".<br>Start: from the belay at the top of the third pitch of "Atlantic Ocean".<br>1/. 30m 5c Climb the smooth slab (crux) to better holds and a good crack which is climbed more easily, to belay on the last good foothold just after the climbing gets hard again, and a little below a small overlap.<br>2/. 30m 5c  Follow the crack line to where it fades out. Step R to the start of a new thin line and follow this through to a bulge at the top. This pitch has continuously sustained climbing, following a crack below finger-tip size for the most part, though there is the occasional slot. The protection is mainly small wires, rocks 4 - 6 being particularly useful. (Use plenty due to the soft nature of the rock). The largest size RP's are useful on the final section, above the last bulge.<br><br>
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T. McQueen, S. King. June 1982.<br>
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'''Indirect Route'''     50m   M<br>
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This route follows a line of least resistance, rather like a "question mark" up the main slab, starting at an easy fault a few metres R of 'Skome' and finishing at the top L of the crag, just R of 'Dance on a Volcano'.<br>
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T. McQueen 28th August, 1983.<br>
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'''Geologists Hammer'''    30m    S<br>
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Start: on the main face, about 4m L of the triangular recess capped by an overhang.<br>
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Climb easily and directly up to meet the crack running up from the L end of the overhang. Move up this, pull up and climb a shallow groove L of a corner to the top.<br>
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T. McQueen, S. King. June 1982.<br>
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'''Scare'''  35m    HS<br>
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Start: in the triangular recess.<br>
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Follow the L side of the recess to join 'Geologists Hammer' at the L end of the overhang. Move up and traverse R across the base of the slab above the overhangto reach arete. Step up and swing onto arete from L using good pockets and flakes (exposed). Follow arete and crack to the top.<br>
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T. McQueen 24th August, 1983.<br>

Revision as of 20:17, 21 March 2021

These climbs are taken from New Climbs 1983.
This is a small sea crag found on the western tip of the Dingle Peninsula to the south of Ceann Sratha (GR Q 30 02). It can be seen as an obvious black slab to the L as you go along the road from Dún Chaoin towards Ceann Sratha. Cars can be parked off this road in a rough car park on the broad col between Ceann Sratha and An Mionnán Mór. From here a walk south-west of about 400m brings you to the top of the crag. The best descent is to the L of the crag as you approach and involves a short and easy rock step (cairned) which gives access to an extensive flat platform (non-tidal) below the cliff. The crag takes the form of a large variably-angled slab on the L and a series of corners and large overhangs on the R. The rock is a form of volcanic ash, which has weathered to pockets and sharp holds, often with a popcorn like texture. Climbs are described from L to R (west to east).
Dance on a Volcano 40m HS
Start: below the small square-cut overhang at the bottom centre of the main slab.
Gain a low horizontal traverse line across a smooth grey slab and follow it delicately out above the sea (crossing the line of 'Squonk') to the edge of the main slab. Move up the arete to gain crack in the steep slab above and climb this to the top. Care is neede with loose debris when moving back to belay.
T. McQueen, A. Lyttle. 25th August 1983.
Squonk 35m VD
This route takes the first deep crack L of the square-cut overhang. At low tide this crack can be climbed via a mussel and barnacle infested direct start, at other times the travers of 'Dance on a Volcano' can be followed to reach the crack higher up.
Climb the crack and continue directly up to a short wall. Climb this to good holds to a ledge. Move to the R end of this ledge, step up, and follow flakes and cracks slanting slightly L to the top.
T. McQueen 25th August 1983.
Skome 30m HS
Makes a line between 'Squonk' and 'Nodding Dog', starting below the small square-cut overhang.
Scramble up and move L to the base of steep wall. Climb this on fragile pockets and move up the slab above. Finish steeply just L of a prominent skyline block on large, but brittle, holds.
T. McQueen, A. Lyttle 25th August 1983.
Nodding Dog 30m D.
Start as for 'Skome'.
Move easily up over the small overhang and up to the highest of R-ward trending ledges below a bulge. Climb this directly, or side-step it on the R to gain a flakey crack which leads straight up past a yellow patch of rock to the top.
T. McQueen, S. King. June 1982.
Indirect Route 50m M
This route follows a line of least resistance, rather like a "question mark" up the main slab, starting at an easy fault a few metres R of 'Skome' and finishing at the top L of the crag, just R of 'Dance on a Volcano'.
T. McQueen 28th August, 1983.
Geologists Hammer 30m S
Start: on the main face, about 4m L of the triangular recess capped by an overhang.
Climb easily and directly up to meet the crack running up from the L end of the overhang. Move up this, pull up and climb a shallow groove L of a corner to the top.
T. McQueen, S. King. June 1982.
Scare 35m HS
Start: in the triangular recess.
Follow the L side of the recess to join 'Geologists Hammer' at the L end of the overhang. Move up and traverse R across the base of the slab above the overhangto reach arete. Step up and swing onto arete from L using good pockets and flakes (exposed). Follow arete and crack to the top.
T. McQueen 24th August, 1983.

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