Errisbeg

Location: GR. L684 397. Near Roundstone, in south-west Connemara Gaelteacht. This low hill is peppered with small, interesting crags. The rock is gabbro, the friction fabulous and protection usually good.

Approach: Park beside a gated track on the northern side of the R341, on a sharp bend about 5km west of Roundstone, space for about 3 cars.

Boundary Fence Buttress

This, the first buttress to be developed, lies on a bearing of about 20ø from Dog's Bay. It is about 100m above the boundary fence that separates the commonage from the walled fields below. Go through the gate mentioned above and follow the boundary fence on the right for about 30 minutes to where there are two sharp bends in the line of the wall. The buttress lies above, to the left of an obvious whitish slab, and it is split in two by a short vertical gully. The routes are in sequence, the first three numbered right from the gully and the second three numbered left from it.

Climbers on Original Rib, ab rope beside Broken Grooves

Original Rib 20m S 3c
F. Winder, N. Brown. About 1970
This is the left edge of the steep slab to the right of the gully. Ascend the rib which has a hard move near the top.

Broken Grooves 22m S 3c
F. Winder, A. Pope. August 1988
Starts about 5m. to the right of the rib and goes up a series of short grooves.

Shallow Crack 22m S 3c
F. Winder, B. Hannon. September 1990
Starts about 5m. right again above a small pedestal and ascend a rather vague crack.

The next three climbs are situated above and left of the slab on which the preceding routes are situated.

Rough Overhang 15m VS 4c
F. Winder, A. Pope. August 1988
From half way up the central gully move diagonally left up a whitish line to a small overhang (the middle one). Climb the overhang to the right and then on small holds to the top.

Shallow Groove 27m S S 3c
F. Winder, A. Pope. August 1988
Ascend the easy slabs to the left of the gully from their lowest point. Climb steeper rock and then a short, shallow groove.

Left Central Grooves 25m VD
B. Hannon, F. Winder. August 1988
Start to the left of the lowest rib and follow grooves to the top.

The following three climbs are found on a slab and buttress a little above Boundary Fence Buttress.

Brown Slab Crack S
S. McMahon, G. Moss l/2/1998
Start on a ledge below a block resting at the bottom left of a brown slab seamed with cracks. The slab has a narrow grassy gully on it's right, separating it from another buttress. Climb onto the block and follow the crack trending diagonally right.

Raven's Rib HS
G. Moss, S.McMahon 1/2/1998
Start at the foot of the arete, just right of the narrow gully mentioned above. Climb the arete, moving left at a bulge and continue to a ledge with an old nest. Step up right and move back left to follow the edge to the top.

Raven's Groove. HS
S.McMahon, G. Moss 1/2/98
Start 3m right of Raven's Rib below a jammed block. Climb to the top of the block and make a difficult move to enter the groove, which is followed to the top.

Holy Moly Buttress.

A small buttress about 150m above the wall and halfway between the gate and Boundary Fence Buttress. The right-hand side of the face is paler than the left and there is an obvious groove near the right edge.

A=Wall and Corner B= Holy Moly

Wall and Corner HVS
C. Murray, G. Moss, June, 1999.
Start near the L-hand side of the buttress. Climb steeply to the foot of the open-book corner, and finish up this.

Holy Moly HS
C. Murray, P. Browne June 1999.
Start at the foot of the groove near the right-hand side of the face. Climb the groove and continue over a series of short steps to a belay at the top of the buttress.

Holy Moly Slabs 25m S

Barry Watts, Brandon O'Tooole, Audrey O'Toole, 29th May 2021.

Climb the slabby ridge on the right of the buttress to a ledge avoiding easier ground on the right at times, continue up the slabs to a pointed summit on the left.

Reservoir Crag

GR 685 399

Approach. From the gate walk along the track for about 40m, then follow the small stream on the right to a little reservoir (shown on sheet 44 of Discovery Series). From the head of the reservoir the crag can be clearly seen to the NE. Less than ten minutes from walk from the gate. The climbs are described from right to left.

1. May Moon VD
B. Rowe, G. Moss 23/5/1997.
Start at a slab, at the right-hand end of the crag, where a large flake lies against the face. Climb the cracks and face above the flake.

2. Harvest Moon D
P. O Leary, B. Hannon 28/9/1997.
Start 3m's left of the flake. Climb a series of ledges to the top.

3. Beg, In for More VD
S. Reid, H. Lamare 10/10/2014.
Start on the small triangular slab 2m left of Harvest Moon. Climb up past a grassy section to the white spotted rock to the left of the bulge at the top.

4. First Faltering Steps. HS
B. Rowe, G. Moss 23/5/1997
Start 5m. left of May Moon, at a point where two diagonal cracks converge. Climb straight up, following the line of a thin, intermittent crack.

5. Moonshine S
S. McMahon, G. Moss 31/1/98
Start about 3m L of F.F.S., and just right of some blocks. A high step and a long reach overcomes the undercut. Continue more easily up the ledges and cracks.

6. Two Crocks and a Looker VD
G. Moss, J. Byrne, J. Reville 25/7/2011
Start about 4m left of Moonshine, and just right of a cluster of large boulders, at the foot of a short ramp sloping up right. Gain the ramp from the right and climb on good holds, trening slightly left to belay in a short corner just below the top.

7. Two Props and a Hooker S
J. Reville, J. Byrne, G. Moss. 27/7/2011
Satrt as for T.C.L. From halfway up the ramp pull across left on good hols and continue straight up to belay in the short corner just below the top.

8. Ivy Wall HS
G. Moss, B. Rowe 23/5/1997
Start 3m left of T.P.H. and just left of the cluster of large boulders, below a prominent niche near some ivy at the top of the crag. Climb directly to niche and finish up crack in the short wall on the left.

9. Chang HS
P. O Leary, B. Hannon 28/9/1997.
Start 6m left of 5, below a blunt rib. Gain the rib by some steep moves. Continue on better holds, moving right near the top.

10. Reservoir Dogs HVS 5a
G. Moss, S.McMahon 31/1/1998
Start 4m left of T.C.L at the foot of a rib running to an overhang which has a slab above left. The slab is split by a diagonal crack running up from right to left. Climb the rib and the corner crack corner above.

11. Rowe's Rowan VS 4c
B. Rowe, G. Moss 23/5/1997.
Start 4 m. left of T.C.L, beneath a thin crack which runs up through two overhangs and a slab. There is (or was) a tiny rowan tree growing above the first overhang. The crack is followed to the top.

12. Who fears to speak? HS 4b
G. Moss, S.McMahon 31/1/1998
Start About 6m left of Rowe's Rowan below a huge boulder lying against the crag. Climb to a stance on top of the boulder. Step up onto the left edge of the face above and follow it to the top.

Skyline Buttress.

The next three climbs are on a large buttress, just below the left-hand skyline as seen from the pond. The buttress is split by a twisting, grassy gully.

Easy-peasy VD
S.McMahon, G. Moss 1/2/1998
Start at the foot of the blunt arete on the left side of the buttress. Climb the arete to a short grassy gully. Finish up the crack on the right side of the gully.

Flake It VS 4c
G. Moss, S. McMahon 1/2/98
To the right of Easy Peasy there is an obvious large flake perched just above a small overhang and short wall.
1. VS4c. Steep moves and a resolute pull on the flake gain the foot of the slab. Climb this to a belay at the top.
2. HS. Climb the blunt rib on the right.

Lá le Bhríde. HVS 5a
G. Moss, S.McMahon 1/2/1998
Start near the right-hand end of the buttress, immediately right of a recessed, mossy slab, on a block at the foot of the steep A-shaped face. Thin moves lead up to the arete on the left, which is followed to an overhang. Surmount this and continue more easily to the top.