Lough Coumeenoughter

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This is a fine sandstone slab situated in a stunning spot overlooking Lough Coumeenoughter high in the Carrauntoohil-Benkeragh horseshoe. It is about 30m high and is right on the track that continues on up O'Shea's Gully( on the lefthand side). Many people pass this way. The slab is set at about a 60 degree angle and is quite blank apart from a handful of very thin cracks which makes protection hard to find. It comes mostly with thin wires and small cams. Despite this the climbing is fantastic and it involves delicate moves on the feet and small crimps. It would definitely catch the eye of any rock climber passing beneath it. I have only climbed two routes on it and further to the right there is scope for a handful more. Routes:

1. Economic Cockup Severe 3b. (Tim & John O'Connell, 4 June 2009)

2. Porridge The Action Man Hard Severe 4b. (Tim & John O'Connell, 4 June 2009)

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I climbed these 'routes' with Rory Sherlock maybe 6 or 7 years ago, along with two further routes to their right. One of these went through the top of the little overlap in the centre and the other was to the right of this. As you point out this slab is pretty obvious to anyone on the the track and I doubt that what myself and Rory did were first ascents. The slab has definitely been used for group abseil sessions and probably by MR also. There are probably 20 or more rock routes that have been climbed between Coimin Iochtar and Coimin Uachtar. The Western flank of the 'Hags Tooth' has some fine looking rock on it and has been climbed. The routes are not recorded (in any public forum) to my knowledge. John Healy