South-facing Cliff
Crusader Buttress
This is a small buttress split by two obvious corners, above the north east corner of the lake, and to the left (west) of the main south-facing cliff.
SALADIN E2 5c
Just left of `Crusader', this is the crack that splits the overhang.
G Fogg, H Fogg 7/8/06 onsight
CRUSADER 35m VS 4b, 5a Proposed revised grade: HVS 5a,4c/5a
J Bergin, S Gallwey. 9th Sept 1990
This route takes the left of the two obvious cracks in the buttress. The first move on the overhang is technically about 5a but it is well protected, thus a VS grade. Scramble (about V Diff) to the base of the route from the right.
1. 25m. Climb the corner with excellent protection to the overhang. Belay.
2. 10m. Climb the overhang with confidence and wide bridging. Finish up the corner and belay at the west end of the overhanging block.
CUE FOR CLARE 22m HVS 5a, 5b Proposed revised grade: VS 4b,4c/5a
S. O'Riordan, D. O'Connell. April 1982
This route takes the right-hand corner.
1. 18 m. Climb the right-hand corner with increasing difficulty to a sloping platform and belay at the back.
2. 4m. From the platform, climb overhanging back wall (crux) and exit onto heather.
Upper Tier
Located on a wall to the right of the large main face gully which delineates the northern side of the East Face proper. The wall is bounded on its left by a large grassy ramp sloping upwards from left to right and connecting with the upper sheep terrace, and bounded on its right by a deep chimney. Access to the terrace below the wall is either from above via the ramp, or up diagonally from the 'Crusader/Cue for Clare' area via a series of terraces. The wall is distinguished by 2 parallel cracks in its centre. This climb starts up the left crack.
TEMPORARY SHELTER 35m HVS 5a
S Gallwey, J Bergin. Autumn 1990
Start - Climb the left-hand crack to where the larger right-hand crack is joined. Continue straight on up the face, keeping somewhat to the right of the large crack. (Led on - sight).
TASTE THE FROCHANS 35m HVS 5a
To the right of Temporary Shelter. From the boulder, easily up right to ledges. Follow the twin cracks, with protection in each, taking the left one near the top.
G Fogg, H Fogg, H Fogg 14/8/06 onsight.
Main South Facing Cliff
This cliff lies to the north of the lake and is thus south facing, thus it gets the bulk of the sunshine and dries out quicker than any other cliff in the area. It is laid back at an angle of approximately 70% in the main, thus is possibly more inviting for the novice than the more impending north facing cliffs. It was one of the earliest cliffs to be climbed on in the Comeraghs, and with its characteristic 'conglomerate' rock, it did not encourage the earlier climbers to persist in developing climbing in the area. Despite this, many of the climbs are safe, well protected and on compact rock.
SHELTERED GROOVE 30m VS 5a 4c
At the very left (West) end of the ledge, 15 m left of The Other Diamond - beyond where climbing might be expected - is a deep SW-facing groove.
1 15m 5a Bridge delicately up the groove. Belay above.
2 15m 4b Bridge up more easily until, past halfway, take to the right-hand wall and follow the cracks to by-pass the ceiing.
Scramble to the top and descend via the E gully.
G Fogg, M Griffin 6/3/2022 onsight.
THE OTHER DIAMOND 18m S 4a.
Kevin Duffy, Jane Byrne, Grainne Burke, 3 September 2010
Start about 5m left of Stevedores, at the left end of a small overhang with a shelf underneath, at a left-facing, open-book corner with a continuous crack up the right-hand side. Go up the corner to a vague overlap at about 12m then move 1.5m left before moving up a slab for about 3m to 2 grassy ledges. Belay on the higher one, which has a small holly tree.
Continuation: Just keep going up the corner at the same grade or less. Take a belay at 30m, where the crack reappears to provide anchors, and carry on for another 15m to a total of 45m before scrambling for the top and descent via gully. G Fogg, M Griffin 19/3/2022
37. STEVEDORES 80m VS 4c, 4b
J. Bergin, S. Gallwey, S. Ryan. November 1988
This route climbs the steep west facing corner capped by an overhang left of centre on the crag. Start on the terrace below a leftward-facing corner which is capped at about 15m by an overhang, and just left of the rib of Road to Nowhere.
1. 20m. Climb the corner with increasing difficulty to below the overhang. Step right onto the arete or straight up and up the slab to a large ledge to belay.
2. 20m. Move right and climb the rightward-facing corner to an overhang which is climbed by a good crack to gain the ledge above.
3. 40m. Finish up the prominent rib of Road to Nowhere, or wander off diagonally leftwards.
38. ROAD TO NOWHERE 75m E1 5c, 4c, 4a
S. Gallwey, T. Flynn. May 1986
This route starts from the second terrace of the main south-facing cliff, and takes a line left of centre up the face, finishing up an easy but exposed rib. Start - Below a small cracked overhang at 7 m. , just right of Stevedores.
1. 20 m. Climb up to the left side of the overhang and surmount it via the crack. Climb the slab above to a large ledge.
2. 15 m. Climb the slab to the left, through an overlap and up to broken ground.
3. 40 m. Trend rightward onto a prominent rib and ascend this on large holds for 20 m. Easy ground to belay.
38.1 EREWHON 75m HS 4c 4a 4a
Start: 15m left of Monkey Business, at the narrowest point of the path.
1. 15m. Follow the left edge of the overlap. At 8m is a furzy niche; resist the prickly allure of this and instead, break out right onto the slab, past a horizontal break, to belay on small spikes above.
2. 20m. Having traversed left 4m over easy ground, follow the edge of the overlap in a leftward-curving arc and continue up a groove to belay.
3. 40m. Follow the blunt arete (same as for Road to Nowhere).
G Fogg, M Griffin 27/3/2022 onsight.
39 MONKEY BUSINESS 40m HS 4b
C. Gibbon, S. Gallwey November 1985
This climb is located on the right-hand side of the main face and follows a left-trending groove from the second ledge to a ledge complex at two-thirds height. Descent is by abseil or by climbing down into the eastern gully (about VD). Start - About 10 m. along the second ledge from the east gully, at a fist-sized crack. Climb the 2 m. crack and step left to another short crack to gain a large ledge. Climb the face of the perched block to gain the left-hand groove, which is climbed as far as the overhang. Traverse right for 2m. and climb a short undercut corner to arrive on the ledge.
40 SER VISAL'S TAIL 35m HS 4b
C. Gibbon and friend. June 1986
This route follows a corner just right of Monkey Business to finish at the same ledge. The route is marked (at present) by a shook looking Rowan tree in the upper section of the crack. Start - At a slab just right of a break in the face. Climb the slab and step right into the bottom of a corner. Climb this and the cracks above past the tree to the large ledge to belay.
Note The advice for getting down from the last two routes is to abseil or else to down climb into the E gully. Good luck with that: for anyone attempting an unrehearsed down climb, a shadowy figure, wearing a hood and carrying a scythe awaits your precipitate arrival at the bottom of the gully. Much better is to climb to the top. The next three routes offer themselves. (Rockinghorse People is mis-numbered as 43 on topo).
41 DEVICES AND DESIRES 25m HS 4b
S Gallwey, R Power. November 1991
This route goes up the centre of the slab above the gorse endowed ledge at the top of Ser Visal's Tail and Monkey Business. Climb up the crack/groove, about 10m left of Rockinghorse People, into a hollow. Move left and up and then straight back right into a vegetated crack for protection. From here, follow the slab to the top.
STRAIGHT UP 20m HS 4b
Directly above the holly grove at the top of Monkey Business, in the middle between Devices and Desires and Rockinghorse people, is a sparse crack leading up to, and through an overlap. Follow this. Where the crack fades, trend left. Gear placements are not ‘on demand’ but enough appear for peace of mind.
G Fogg, M Griffin 19/3/2022 onsight.
42 ROCKINGHORSE PEOPLE 20m VS 4b
S. Gallwey, J. Bergin 1st February 1989
This climb starts from the ledge complex two-thirds of the way up the crag at the top of Ser Visal's Tale and Monkey Business and climbs the steepest part of the right-hand side of the rock face above. Start - Above and slightly right of the bay of prickly shrubs beneath a steep crack and corner. Climb the wall just left of the good crack, using it and another crack to the left for protection. Continue on up to a niche below an overlap which is surmounted to gain easy ground and a belay.
43 THE LAZAR'S TOUCH 15m VS 4c
S. Gallwey, J. Bergin. May 1989
A somewhat contrived route on the eastern edge of the cliff. Start - At the eastern end of the terrace, right of Ser Visal's Tale. Climb up the short slab at its steepest point (no protection) to a ledge. Climb up the second short slab above the ledge via a crack, moving left near the top to gain another ledge, from which it is possible to scramble down into the gully on the right.
Gully Area - East Side Of Cliff
44 EGYPT ROOM 35m HVS 5a
S. Gallwey, C. Griffin, K. Corrigan. April 1988
This route is located halfway up the large gully on the eastern side of the cliff and follows the line of the prominent arete/slab, leading up to a short headwall. Climb the edge of the slab for about 20 m. to the base of the headwall. Climb the headwall diagonally from left to right, finishing on the arete. Continue up easier ground to belay.
45 THE PLANETS 25m E1 5b
S. Gallwey, J. Bergin. May 1989
This route climbs the eastern arete of the buttress which is located near the top of the large gully which bounds the eastern side of the cliff. Start - At base of arete. Climb up the groove which splits the arete until it is possible to step across left on to the slab. Make hard moves to get established under the overhang, which is climbed with difficulty via the large crack.
KALLAS 73m Grade 3 Scramble.
This route takes the broken arête at the right-hand side (East) of the gully of the South facing cliffs.
1. 20m Traverse right from gulley on grassy ledge about 8m above bottom of arete to start. Climb on big holds but with caution of loose rock to a good belay ledge. A couple of long slings will be handy here. Some limited protection can be found.
2. 36m Climb on an easier gradient following the arête. Traverse an 18m heather section straight in front to the start of final pitch.
3. 18m Climb on reasonable rock to the top of the arete.
2/10/22 B Power/ K Bunyan / M Griffin. Prior inspection on abseil.
Lower Tier
PIEBALD PAN 15m VS 4c
J Bergin, WRTC group, May 1989
Start - at the right end of a small overhang to the left side of the buttress. Climb with confidence onto the wall via the right of the overhang. Straight up to the right edge of the next overhang and on to the large terrace.
BLIND MAN'S ZOO 16m HVS 5a
J Bergin, J Foley. 21st July, 1991
Start at the lowest point of this tier of rock, on a pretty clean and rough steep slab. Ascend delicately and with poor protection to a vertical crack which affords good protection and which is climbed to the big ledge at the base of the South facing cliff proper.
COLD KISS 12m S 4a
S Ryan, J Bergin, 3 August, 1989
Start - approx 2m rt. of Blind Man's Zoo. Climb on good holds over a band of red sandstone in a corner at 4m, then to a grassy niche and from there to the top.
SWING THE CAT 12m S
S Ryan, J Bergin, 3 August, 1989.
Start - at the base of the lower terrace at a point directly below an obvious grassy niche that starts approx 3m from top of the route. Climb on good holds to grassy niche, then climb the groove to the ledge.
NAZAL PASSAGE 14m S 4a
J Bergin, WRTC group, May 1989
Start - to the right of the obvious cut-off ramp, under two parallel cracks to the right of this lower tier. Use the ramp to gain a corner which is climbed steeply by stepping to the right.
SUNNYSIDE ##### 135m VD
F Thompson, I. Power, 30. 4. 1963
This climb follows the south west ridge. Start - up the left hand corner of the buttress to the right of the stream.
1. 30m. Move up to the grass ledge which traverses the buttress until immediately below a small rowan tree. climb up moving slightly right until a flake belay is reached above the tree.
2. 33m. continue straight up to a crook-shaped belay.
3. 15m moderate. climb to the top of the buttress.
4. 30m. Scramble across heather. 5. 27m. climb the cracks on the right to a grass ledge (runner) and finish up second groove from the right.
ARIEL ROUTE ##### 130m VD
F Winder, S Rothery 5. 10. 52
This climb is roughly central on the buttress below the lower terrace.
1. 18m. Climb up to the terrace in the break in the lower wall.
2. 21m. Move a few feet left and climb the slab on small holds to the left of the prominent rib which runs straight up. Flake belay and small stance.
3. 18m. Continue up slab, climb a groove on the right and traverse left to the rib and chock-stone belay.
4. 35m. Continue up the rib to the top (sensational but safe).
5. 30m. Easy scrambling leads to the top of the buttress. (see Irish Mountaineering Club Journal vol 3, no 2).
BORSTAL BOY ##### 65m S
E Goulding, B. O'Flynn, 29. 11. 59
On the right of the buttress, taking the line of the obvious flake. ???
