Wee Binnian

Because this is an Irish climbing blog, many posts are going to start with a comment on the weather, so let this one be no exception. We've had GREAT weather this past week, and this morning I took off early, to the Mournes of course, and walked up to Little ("Wee") Binnian


There's a route here called "Christmas" that I've wanted to do for a long time, but I was in solo mode again today, and I don't quite fancy the top groove of Christmas as a solo. The guide book describes it as "intimidating", and I've learned to take this guidebook at its word. Another time perhaps, if I solo it I'll have to take the brass ones along.

Anyhow, the views from the top of Wee Binnian are awesome. This is literally "where the mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea".


You can look down on the Silent Valley dam.


And across to the Carlingford Lough, that's Slieve Foy on the other side of the lough, and Dundalk, my home town, is behind that (out of sight). There's talk of a bridge being built over the lough, joining the Republic and Northern Ireland, and it will cut down the journey time to the Mournes a great deal, and will cut out Newry's traffic.


But I was there to climb, and I did two routes, Diamond and Valentine, both VD grade.



I was back in Dundalk by lunch time, and Nadia and I treated ourselves to lunch at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.