Glendo Action

There was good weather forecast today and so a few of us headed down to Glendalough for some granite bouldering goodness. It was Kev, Hari, Eugine, who was about to enjoy his first outdoor bouldering experience, Jamie and meself. The weather was ideal, luke warm, nice breeze, cool rock and decent friction ... not bad at all !! We kicked things off at the ruins area ...

Kev on Original Route 5+

... we woke the fingers up on some easy slabs and Eugine got his first taste of smearing and high friction stone. We did the nice easy arete 4+  warm up on the ruins boulder before hopping on the classic arete Original Route 5+. Lovley problem, I do it every now and then and I can never get bored of it, pure classic, always a pleasure to climb. Kev and Hari whizzed up it and Eugine spent the morning battling away on it. First he was having trouble with the balancy moves at the beginning and then he was having commitment issues with the last high off the deck throw for the top and jugs. He slipped once, bottled it another time, but he kept grafting away at it, and with lots of encouragement he finally threw and caught the last hold ''Oh that was actually easy'' he remarked with a smile from ear to ear.

Eugine Latching The Top :)

We met the Marnane brothers and a load of girls from gravity strolling in to enjoy a day in the valley and said hello. Next up was The Plum 6A+. It was years since I did it and I forgot how sweet it was, awesome problem and one of the best 6B's around in my opinion. Hari, Kev and meself worked away on it for a while, I got it after about 7 or 8 attempts, very crimpy and lovely technical foot work, the lads made progress but couldn't get it and are keen to get back to it soon.

Hari Sending The Cherry 7A

Feeling fully warmed up we headed over to The Cherry 7A. I wanted to have a work session on it and Hari was keen to give it a lash, he got really excited when he saw it as like meself he is a fan off roofs and the steep stuff in general. I made miniscule progress actually figuring out and doing the first move, not a quantam leap foward but progress none the less, as I've said before this thing will take me a while. Hari was on a mad one, in the zone he was, he quickly put a tidy sequence together and he beasted it ... he beasted it most vigorously !! It was an impressive climbing display we all enjoyed watching as he bullied his way through the tough moves at the start, crossing through to the pinch and jumping out left latching the crimp, before fighting the pump to finish it up, fantastic send, nice work dude !! I'm even more determined to do it meself now :) Ther was a couple of lads from London on a bouldering tour of Ireland, they just arrived in Glendalough from a trip to the sandstone of Kerry which they thought was great, they were tearing it up in Glendo with quick ascents of 2.4 Pascal's 7B, Fuck All Left 7A and The Cherry 7A which they thought was nails hard for the grade, strong lads who were well impressed with the Wicklow's granite blocks.

Jamie Fighting Hard on Quality Control 6C

Jamie arrived late after his football match and was accompanied by me Ma and Da who gave him a lift down and went for a walk up the zig zags. He got warmed up at the path area and we all had fun on the Egg boulder and I did Howard's Roof 6B and Base Camp Traverse 6A for some more mileage and I had a look at the 7A sit start to Greg's problem which also looks like another nice project for the winter season. Nicely warm J headed over to Quality Control for his third session on it. He was full of psyche and positivity even though it started to rain on the slopers and a cloud of evil, loathsome midge attacked his face, his legs and any other part of his epidermus that wasn't concealed. He wouldn't go home and he wouldn't give up and he was rewarded when the wind picked up again and sent the midge back to the netherworld of wretchedness from which they came. He finally did the problem and it was some fight, he was delighted and we were all jubilant as he stuck the last hold and topped out. Hari made progress on it too making it to the last move for the first time, he's getting close ...

Jamie Latching The Top Of Quality Control 6C

We were all tired except J who wanted more and dragged us up to Chillax 6C so he could get started on his next project. We worked some moves and he figured out some stuff but the obnoxious, miniature. flying runts returned to feast upon our flesh and so we called it a day and hit the trail home. It was Hari's first midge experience and he detested the uncomfortable itchiness. All in all though, a great day out was had by everybody and a couple of projects went, happy climbing folks :)