Christmas in June

On Friday morning I finally plucked up the nerve to solo "Christmas" on Wee Binnian. It kept me busy the whole way up, and I almost down-climbed from half-way, but there comes a point when it's easier and less scary to just carry on up.

The top section was not as bad as I'd feared, probably because I'd hyped it up in my mind so much. There is a lot of air underneath you on the final few moves, however.

This was quite an achievement for me, in terms of where my climbing is at right now. It's not a difficult climb, I've soloed harder (both in SA and here), but I've had this climb as a marker in my mind, something I've needed to do to prove to myself that I'm really back. I'll never be the climber I once was (and I was never outstanding), but considering all the other things in life that I have started and given up on, I feel I can now truly say that rock climbing is not one of those things.

I can't explain why it took the solo ascent of an insignificant route on an insignificant peak in a small mountain range in Northern Ireland to finally realise this, but anyhow, the job is done.

I've put out a request on the Northern climbers forum to try and get a photo of the climb, or if I figure out how to get photos off my phone and onto the computer, I'll put one up.

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.

Another encounter with Morgan - Hen Mountain

We are having the most fantastic weather this weekend, today is the first real summer day we've had this year, sunny with temperatures to match. After fighting off a prolonged bout of tonsillitis (three rounds of ani-biotics later) I took advantage of the dry spell today and went up to Hen Mountain, and soloed four routes; Morgan, Keyhole Crack and Simplicity (all V.Diff grade) and the Boulder Route on the Tower, an easier but longer climb.

This route Morgan, she and I have a relationship. She's a thin seam up an open book. I think of her as female, because if you're bold she welcomes you like a lover, but if you're in any way tentative she makes you grunt and squirm your way up, terrified. A fall would be very serious indeed, probably fatal. There's no soft landing here. Morgan and I have this interesting relationship. I love her, and she barely tolerates me. First move up, ok I can still downclimb here. Next move, that wasn't so bad, well now I'm committed. Morgan seems pleased, but she's not going to make it easier. Next move, falling now would be very bad already. Foot out left, no, not that far, in a bit, that's better. The holds on the right come to my rescue, and I can hear Morgan starting to laugh. The crux is a very committing move, feet smearing to reach a reasonable hold. A few more tentative moves up less steep ground and it's over.

I moved onto Keyhole Crack next, the route next door. Towards the top of it I spend a while getting my body position exactly right for an awkward pull over a bulge. I glance to my left. Morgan's there, watching me in stoic silence. But I can hear her saying, however it is that she does that: Michael Williams, you un-pardonable wuss.

I don't have photos of Morgan. I don't want to share her with anyone else.