Tonduff/Raven's Glen
West of Crone Carpark in north Wicklow on the north slopes of Tonduff mountain is a rocky valley known as Raven's Glen/O'Tooles Rocks. In the late nineties/early 2000's a dozen routes where climbed there. See [1] for a little more background.
The rock is pretty standard granite if a little dirty and vegetated. Protection is hard won, most of the cracks are quite rounded so cams are probably your best bet.
The best time to visit is spring or autumn when the ferns and the midge are dead. Midge are savage in the summer as the valley is pretty sheltered.
Approach
From Crone head west along the forest track until you cross small bridge. Another 100m on the left is a gate that cross this and follow the vague path alongside the wall then the stream to the rocks.
Sunny Wall
This lump has potential for 3 short (6m ish) lines on the small buttress and a few scrappy boulder problems.
Sunny side up 6m VDIFF
The vegatated crack on the left hand side
D.Flanagan Summer '99 (solo)
The Cave
The cave is a good base camp as it is sheltered in the rain.
1. Johnny's Undoing 12m VS
Climb the mouth of the narrow cave (Can be started up the white face at about 5b) and then make tricky moves to the tree traverse right to the heather ledge and finish up the small wall to grapple through the heather.(The plan was to use the tree to climb the blank headwall above but the tree was deemed too fragile) .
D.Smyth D.Flanagan Spring '00
Zen Wall
The Largest piece of rock in Tonduff. It probably has the most worthwhile routes as well.
2. Yellow Man 9m HS
Starts at the obvious crack on the left hand side and then traverses left when it gets steep.
D.Flanagan D.Smyth April'00
3. Glendale Boulevard 15m VS
Start at a small spike use this to get established on the rock then step left continue up till a steeping where you head diagonally right until below the roof (crux). Finish up the trees in the corner (or left of the roof)
D.Flanagan K.Byrne Summer '99
4. Kevin's Chimney 5m VDIFF
The obvious chimmeny (and corner above??)
K.Byrne Summer '99
Pun Slab
This 2 tiered slab is all friction and not much gear. There is no good belays on the grass in the middle adding to the interest for some routes.
5. The Dodgy Bunter 8m HS (A0)
Start below a crack in the middle of the lower slab make difficult moves or use aid to get established ,follow the crack to where it steepens then traverse right until it is possible to grapple on to the heather.
D.Flanagan (with aid to start) seconded by Peter Tom McMahon (free)
6. Project 5m ?
Climb the hanging crack with difficult moves on the lip.
7. A Tribe Called Quest 12m S
Start at the center of the slab below the main crack arrange crap gear then step left and pad to the top.
D.Flanagan
8. Crudley 10m HS
Takes the middle crack just to the right of center of the upper slab through the steepening
D.Smyth D.Flanagan Spring '00
