It's that time of the Year again and here's something to look forward to ; This meet, organised for many years by Hugh Sharkey, is based at the Letterfrack Monastery ; (see their website for directions ) ; Stephen , our host promises fresh bread & porridge before you get out on the hills .
The Glencoaghan Horseshoe ( six of the most Western Bens - perhaps the finest hillwalking circuit in Ireland ) , a section of the MaamTurks , Mweelrea - all just a hop and skip away ; The classic 330 metre Carrot Ridge has been climbed in rain , snow and sunshine over the years on this meet :
Climbing.ie has a route section and there you will find Beta on Carrot Ridge in Connemara ; Go to Errisbeg near Roundstone to learn more about lowlying climbs that Gerry Moss , Frank Winders and other club members put up on previous meets in the West .
If you fancy big boot days ,Joss Lynams widely available 'Best Irish Walks 'has a great selection in this area . Ordnance Survey Map 37 covers Mweelrea , The Bens and The Maam Turks .
Book early to avoid being disappointed : Please email me to book your place ; Also put your name on Forum if you can offer or wish to get a lift to the meet .
To get the best out of the weekend, come prepared to do your own Compass and Mapwork - you get alot more out of the weekend : If you are confident of leading a group , please let me know ;
Stephen Gannon , great host to previous meets, is offering a great deal - B & B Fri & Sat (6th & 7 th Feb) & Dinner Saturday evening - all for a recession proof forty euro ( even less than last year ! ) .
There are cooking facillities there if you wish to do your own cooking , make sandwiches or whatever.
As well as your Longjohns , suncream and gaiters , pack a song ( guitar , widgerdoo , washboard , whatever ) for Saturday night after Dinner .
That's your Christmas present to yourself sorted . Out with your boots and enjoy
John
PS send that booking email to duignanj@gofree.indigo.ie
message edited by duignanjohn (10 Dec 2009 21:01)
barry
Re: Conemara Meet 5th & 6th February 2010
07 Dec 2009 12:10
# 2
A small crag on the Mayo bank of the Killray has been developed also
http://wiki.climbing.ie/index.php/Killary_Crags
duignanjohn
Re: Conemara Meet 6th & 7th February 2010
19 Jan 2010 22:36
# 3
Because you are worth it ..Boyzngirls , time to give final numbers to Stephen Gannon our host in Letterfrack - excellent value at 40 euro for B & B Sat and Sun and dinner Sat PM ( bring your own bottle );
The hostel is ideally situated for forays to the Bens , The Maamturks , Mweelrea , The Sheefreys or cragging at Errisbeg or Killary .
Will those looking for or offering lifts please put up a message on this site .
Confirm by email and scaoil amach your bobaillín
duignanj@gofree.indigo.ie
tony barry
Re: Conemara Meet 6th & 7th February 2010
27 Jan 2010 14:21
# 4
I am available to go down Friday morning from 9.30am. With the new road to Galway this should leave enough time Friday to have a little ramble up one or Two of the Turks or a scramble on Derryclare before going on to Letterfrack via Veldons. If anybody needs a lift I have confortable space for 3.
Tony B
Barry Denton
Re: Conemara Meet 6th & 7th February 2010
27 Jan 2010 19:14
# 5
Any extra room for more climbers on this Comenara trip or is it too late to book hostel? I went last year and had a great time, wonderful weather also - sun, snow on peaks and no rain! Hostel is comfortable and meals are good and generous.
duignanjohn
Re: Conemara Meet 6th & 7th February 2010
27 Jan 2010 19:48
# 6
Thanks Barry
I will email re booking ; Stephens cooking promises to be as good as ever
John
086 322 4405
jermoss
Re: Conemara Meet 6th & 7th February 2010
27 Jan 2010 20:12
# 7
Participants in this weekend trip may be interested in doing some climbing so, to that end, I have tidied up the descriptions for the routes on Errisbeg, near Roundstone. Some may consider it a bit early in the year to get back out on rock but, 12 years ago, on Hugh Sharkey's meet at the end of January, big Seán McMahon and I put up a rake of routes here, in very pleasant conditions. The crags are southfacing and sheltered, offering splendid views out over Dog's Bay.
The rock is gabbro - God's gift to the climbing community - and was once famously described as being like Fergie's boyfriend - it sucks your toes. Climbing here is an experience not to be missed. The friction is fabulous: whether the rock is wet or dry it clings to your boots; it sighs audibly when you move on. So take the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of the late great Frank Winder, or Bill Hannon, or Paddy O'Leary.
There are 23 routes from Diff to HVS and scope for more. Full details on the Route Data Base at Climbing .ie.
A nice contrast to a day spent on the Bens or Mweelrea.
duignanjohn
Re: Conemara Meet 6th & 7th February 2010
27 Jan 2010 22:48
# 8
Thanks Gerry
Much appreciated
As an honoured guest Paddy O Leary is joining us Saturday so maybe he'll show us some of these Errisbeg gems. We'll try and get him to pose for the upcoming "honed and toned on Stone " Calendar too - word is , there's been great interest .
To date :
Corkery Eric
Duignan John
Galley Chloe
Williamson Eliz
Lawless Brian
Reville Joe
O Leary Paddy ( Club guest )
Barry Tony
Groves Tony
Whelan Willie
Sé O Hanlon
Barry Denton
Mark Cleary
Moira Creedon
Eoin O Neill
Tony ( Barry ) is on for Carrot Ridge ; I am sure a party will want to see Errisbeg with Paddy O Leary as local guide; A group is heading up Mweelrea from Duloch - a stunning approach worth the trip West alone ; It wont be a Conemara meet without the Glencoaghan horseshoe on one of the days.
Any late deciders , email or better still text or phone me
John
086 322 4405
message edited by duignanjohn (04 Feb 2010 19:12)
webmaster
Re: Conemara Meet 6th & 7th February 2010
28 Jan 2010 17:26
# 9
Here are a few piccies from last year's meet that John sent in:
Carrot Ridge in winterside profile
Winter Dawn - The Bens
Now, did someone say they're not going?
tongro
Re: Conemara Meet 6th & 7th February 2010
28 Jan 2010 17:27
# 10
Wow, how can I resist? If it's not too late, can you pencil me in please, John?
Thanks.
Tony.
chloe
Re: Conemara Meet 6th & 7th February 2010
28 Jan 2010 17:39
# 11
Leg stretching, possibility of a climb and mad accommodation, who can resist? Those pictures from last year aren't lying - it was really beautiful to be out there.
Car pooling / lifts:
I can leave Dublin anytime from 1pm (avoiding the 4pm onward traffic would be good though). If you want to car pool & share petrol, or just need a lift, let me know. Coming back Sunday evening sometime.
chloegalley@hotmail.com or 085 154 7445
JamesAitken
Re: Conemara Meet 6th & 7th February 2010
30 Jan 2010 22:26
# 12
I will need a lift from Dublin, please, Friday pm. Ideally I'd catch the 14.10 from Belfast getting to Dublin about 16.30. But if needs be, might be able to be 2 hours earlier.
aitkenj@blueyonder.co.uk
James
duignanjohn
Re: Conemara Meet 6th & 7th February 2010
31 Jan 2010 19:50
# 13
From the emails flying in its great to see the interest in the Meet : Anyone leaving late Friday who can help James Aitken out ( see post above ) ?
Up Lug South Prisons today ; Walk in not a wisp of snow on the path or surrounding hills .Final gully very icy underneath the snow - not a comfortable place without crampons or ice axe even at under 700 metres . Those planning Mweelrea via the North or South Spur might keep this in mind when choosing their gear .
Stephen in Letterfrack Monastery Hostel ( please google for directions ) tells me there should be good music in the pubs this weekend - a bonus after a good tramp in the hills
ep.corkery@gmail.com
Re: Conemara Meet 6th & 7th February 2010
01 Feb 2010 19:32
# 14
Hi,
Will drive on Friday, hope to leave Dublin (noth side
based but will be passing Heuston) at 3.00, if anyone interested in lift, I guess there's no need to stop to
collect passengers joining in the city center any more.
Eric
087 6790982
tony barry
Re: Conemara Meet 6th & 7th February 2010
03 Feb 2010 11:30
# 15
Barry Denton and I are leaving tomorrow morning around 9.30 - 10.00 [Terenure - Dundrum or anywhere close for pick up], if anybody wants a lift let me know. Plan on doing a ramble probably in the Turks before going on to Letterfrack.
Tony B
markc
Re: Conemara Meet 6th & 7th February 2010
05 Feb 2010 08:53
# 16
Aiming to leave Dublin tonight no later than 7.
Will be leaving from Dundrum, so can pick up in Rathfarnham/Tallaght areas.
0863732010
Barry Denton
Re: Conemara Meet 6th & 7th February 2010
08 Feb 2010 10:17
# 17
What a wonderful weekend! It was all and more than you would hope for. Incredible summer like weather and a great variety of walks and climbs. Thank you John for your hard work organising the meet and inspiring us to go West. We were awoken. The Hostel lived up to to its reputation of a hearty breakfast and a delicious evening meal thanks to Stephen.
markc
Re: Conemara Meet 6th & 7th February 2010
09 Feb 2010 09:49
# 18
Thanks for a great weekend John. Luckily the sun shone on Saturday and four of us were able to climb Carrot ridge. Managed to get a few photos on the phone.
A great Thanks to John for aw inspiring weekend. Barry and I headed down on Friday and got a 4 hours circuit in on the Turks before dusk. Not bad considering we left Dublin at ten on the button, had a bight of lunch in Oughterard and had the boots on at 2.00pm. The west has never been as accessible – to Heaven or Connacht I say.
I am not sure whether it is to do with his profession that John D is promoting a vegetarian diet but the benefits are recommended and will be long term. Saturday on Carrot Ridge in arid condition and a veggie feast served up in Letterfrack to end the day. Two pairs took on the carrot, Chloe and Mark Cleary in their sticky rock shoes and Frank Power and I in clunky boots, there was a moment I wished I had my 5.10’s. My first time on the ridge and I doubt it will be bettered. We really couldn’t believe our luck, dry rock and at most a cold breeze when exposed. We finished off over Ben Collaghduff and back down the Inagh River. Other Parties headed for Errisbeg and a large gang headed for Mweelrea and scrambled to their hearts content. All satisfied reports over the veggie Buffet served up by Stephen in Letterfrack.
Sunday was cold and breezy with most of us going for a ramble before heading back to Dublin on the East / West express, Conemara in three hours, legally!!
Tony
HOéS
Re: Conemara Meet 6th & 7th February 2010
09 Feb 2010 12:42
# 20
There is no doubt that Hugh Sharkey had it sussed. As well as being an accomplished climber, a walker who would wither your body if you tried to match him, a marathon runner, a long distance cyclist and anything else you care to mention he showed a talent for selecting hidden gems when he started the IMC February meet to Connemara. Although we lost Hugh we have kept his gift and this year it was curated for us by John Duignan.
If John is half as good at looking after bodies as he was at looking after the weather this weekend then we can be sure that Mount Merrion is the healthiness centre of Ireland. Two days hillwalking in Connemara in February with dry socks at the end of each day is something we expect to see very rarely in a single lifetime but we had it this weekend.
The early birds arrived during Friday when Tony Barry and Barry Denton took to The Maam Turks for a leg-stretcher.
On Saturday we had a pet day, almost no wind, clear skies, a touch of frost in the morning a pleasant heat for the rest of the day. The views were better than from a satellite. Brian Lawless, Joe Reville, Eoin O Neill and Willie Whelan headed for Errisbeg and the comfort of sea-level cragging. Tony Barry, Frank Power , Mark Cleary , Chloe Galley paid the regulation visit to Carrot Ridge and when they topped out they continued over Beann Dubh and Mám Eidheanach to harvest a top-class mountain day. Tony Groves - never one to hang about - took off like a hare from the hounds alongside Carrot Ridge and moved onto it halfway up.
Despite the fire alarm emptying the Hostel at half three in the morning , the hungry club mob soaked up Stephen’s best breakfast at eight sharp next morning . Snoring from an unnamed source ( That’s you Mc Mahon ) was even louder than the fire alarm.
John Duignan was Pied Piper to a mob who expanded the borders of Connemara by heading to Doolough where in best IMC tradition they split into two groups - in each a mixture of IMC and hiking group the Jimmies. This is the second year the two clubs held a joint meet in Letterfrack. John, Paddy O Leary, Philip O Connell and yours truly took the standard but dramatic route up the corrie and out via the snowy ramp to the ridge beside Ben Bury. Paddy’s dog Happy lived up to his name bounding up and down the ridge and covering three times the distance. Eric Corkery, Liz Williamson, Mike Gill , Stephen Mc Mahon & Kevin O Reilly took to the sunny ridge bounding the Corrie on the west and had an enjoyable scramble to join the others at the main ridge. All stayed more or less together until after lunch at the summit of Mweelrea. Most then headed for the southern arm of the Mweelrea horseshoe and back to Delphi while Paddy and I headed back down the scrambly ridge to Doolough.
Saturday night a Gospel choir visiting from England replaced the fire alarm . As the night wore on towards morning , the singing got raunchier and louder. Paddy O Leary worked hard to calm Happy , whose nerves were upset by the caterwauling .
Sunday was windy, the clouds were resting on the higher hills. Undaunted Joe Reville , Brian Lawless , Eoin O Neill & Willie Whelan were back on rock . Joe managed the first unprotected pitch of Carrot Ridge , despite its greasy feel. Tony Barry and Stephen Mc Mahon ( more interclub mingling ) made for Diamond Hill. Mike Gill , John Duignan , Liz Williamson and Chloe Galley headed up a mist-shrouded Ben Gorm horseshoe. Paddy, Eric and I set off up Bin Chuanna from Lough Muck. The ascent was testing because of the turbulence of the high winds amongst the crags but the descent down the grassy, rounded ridge of Bár Lug Clocha Dubh was idyllic. To add to it all the clouds lifted clear of the summit before we left it.
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Re: Conemara Meet 6th & 7th February 2010
