Made my first visit to Ballykeefe Quarry today and what a day it was. The sun was splitting the stones, the crag was sheltered and the climbing was really fun, technical and challenging BOLTED limestone. The rumours I heard about the place turned out to be untrue ... the bolts are not really spaced at all, it's just like sports climbing in Spain, especially at the Bay of Pigs were most of the climbs are fully bolted and in the 6's grade range. I found the grades to be quite stiff. Fair play to the lads who put the time and energy into developing this quarry, great job, thanks a million.
Pat ''Hatchets'' Doyle was my climbing partner for the day. I promised him that I'd meet him in Carlow at 10:30 and then I didn't even bother waking up until 11:19 and I didn't arrive in Carlow until 12:45, sorry Pat !! ... but it all worked out in the end and we got 4 sweet hours and about 7 quality routes climbed. Pat was running amok on the lead after quite a long lay off from climbing and was delighted with himself dispatching a lovely H.V.S on-sight .. climbed with the kind of poise and grace usually associated with drunken hatchet wielding pikeys ;)
I can't wait for a return trip here. The climbing is highly technical with slippy footholds and is the perfect spot to get ready for my coming trip to Spain. Proper sports climbing only 1 hour and 15 minutes from my house. How had I not managed to check it out before ??
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