Ceann Breá

I'm currently in the grip of a deep infatuation with Fair Head. Spent a great few days up there at the end of last week, and will hopefully be heading back tomorrow night (if the weather plays ball). Seriously good couple of days though. Went something like this:

Wednesday - Quarry. John did Superette and Bodystretcher, I did Great Eastern (great fun). Both got spanked by the crux move on The Gnasher. Dicked about on Body Fluid on TR. Props to MD....Nails!

Thursday - Arse about in the quarry for a while with Bren. Fail to commit to Hoochie Coochie Couloir (tough). Hop in car. Blast to Murlough bay. Sleep.

Friday - Wake up. Fry up. CLIMB. Me and JH did Girona first. First pitch tricky, second pitch lovely. John did chieftain in one pitch then we hit Hell's Kitchen. John took the first pitch, me the second. I found it quite tricky and had to sit on the rope near the top. Wishful thinking would have me believe that this was due to the sun setting and climbing by head torch, but honestly I just kinda gave up. Wasn't all bad though, got to see bats up close and personal! They were after the midges and other bugs attracted by our lights. Very cool to see, and anything that eats midges is ok in my book!

John about to ab in for Hell's Kitchen

Happy out after topping out in the dark

Colm Shannon setting off on the second pitch of Hell's Kitchen

At the crux (in daylight...)

Saturday - Wake up. Fry up mk 2 (return of the killer flatulence). We wandered round a bit trying to figure out what to do as a warm up, but after realising how far away the other decent VS and HVS's were (a full 25 min epic trek!), the decision was made to sack up and hop on Blind Pew. Good decision as we got to ab down next to the two Screams (Primal and Complete). John cruised the first pich, nice corner with a tricky offwidth crux at the top, and I got landed with the second. I was slightly apprehensive as a VS felt tricky the day before and I'd come off a HVS, but what the hell. It took ages, but I got up it. A nice long pitch of thoughtful bridging and laybacking. Quite soft for E2 though. Feeling confident, Equinox was up next. I tried the first pitch, but was shut down by the crux laybacking bit (which was grand on second.....ah well, next time). Backed off and John cruised up. The plan was for me to take over at the hanging belay and him to lead the second pitch as well cos that was the one he really wanted to do. He didn't fancy it in the end and I frigged my way up the top pitch in record time as the sun was going down and we hadn't brought lights. Live and learn!

John at the belay and me seconding the first pitch of Equinox

Sunday - Gain consciousness. Wouldn't call it waking up as I didn't sleep that night. A fatherless piece of grit in my eye ruled out sleep for the next 2 days. Funny how you can be brought to your knees by the seemingly smallest of things! Fry up mk 3 (others had fallen by the way side and ordered paninnis at this point. I hold no truck with this. Greasy fried pig product is the only legitimate fuel for a day on the crags :-P). After the exertions of the previous few days, an "easy" day on the prow was the agreed plan. That was after spending an hour trying to get a stuck nut out of the top of Equinox. Gave it up as a lost cause in the end, but heard that some polish/slovakian/czech (?) climbers had more luck with it and made efforts to return it to me. Fair play lads! Rocked up at the prow and did Fáth mo Bhuartha which I was quite happy with as I seconded Jono on it on my first trip and found it tricky. John then put in a great effort on Thunderhips. Ended up finishing up Fireball, but its not too bad when you consider there were at least 2 persistant showers of rain while he was on the route, he didn't have enough big gear, and the point he traversed back into Fireball was like climbing a font 6a/6a+ boulder problem on wet crimps! Fair play. I wanted to get in a bit more milage at the end of the day and shunted up the route the ab rope was hanging down (Mongrel Fox). Even though it was raining, I can honestly say that was the best and most enjoyable pitch of climbing I've ever been on! The climbing is just superb, pure jamming and bridging up twin cracks with the odd ledge to rest on. Not too many face holds or footholds outside the cracks either. This should be much more popular, and its now firmly on my to do list!

Was too shagged to do anything on monday after catching the 3.30 bus home from dublin. Its well strange the attention you get in burger king at 2am on a monday morning with a big white rope strapped to your bag.... Did a bit of fingerboarding, shoulder stuff, and a load of pullups yesterday. Will undoubtedly do nothing today and tomorrow as it'll be a long 'oul drive tomorrow night. Admittedly the weathers not looking fantastic, but mindless optimism can overcome many things!

Went on a bit of a spending spree today. Bought: an espresso maker as I'm growing sick to my stomach of instant, The Outsider by Camus, and On The Road by Kerouac (I'm nearly finished my 5th re-read of Catch 22, so some fresh material is definitely in order). Also ordered the guides to Pembroke (for soon) and Gogarth (for someday). Theres a lot of syke knocking around at the moment, especially as I may have found someone to climb with next year! Fingers crossed for the weather on friday.....

Peace out hi

p.s. We just got digital tv. 300 channels of pure unadulterated shite. I forsee myself looking at a lot less tv in the future. Too much choice and nothing on....