Cullentragh and Mullacor

Date: 28/11/2010

Area: Wicklow Mountains, Wicklow, Ireland

Maps used: OSI Sheet 56
Weather: Clear skies for most of the route, no wind, very cold. Fresh snow, about 1/2 foot in places.

Route Description: This was a beautiful day in the 2010 / 2011 winter, which was one of the coldest in Ireland on record, with loads of snow falling across the country - especially in the mountains. A lot of fun, in other words. My initial idea was to climb Lugnaquilla, but when I got to the Military road junction on R755, the car just couldn't make it through the icy uphill bit. I had to park there and then and try something different, so Cullentragh and Mullacor seemed like a good option. Started from T140954, walking south along the road until it reaches a bridge and a sharp left turn. From there there's a track heading southwest which can be followed for a while, until eventually one heads a bit more westwards towards the top of Cullentragh. After reaching the summit (510m), headed directly west towards Mullacor (657m). Descended via the same route.

Duration: 5 hours
Distance: 11km
Total Ascent: 567m

Coomloughra Horseshoe

Date: 01/08/2010
Area: MacGillycuddy's Reeks, Kerry, IrelandMaps used: OSI Sheet 78
Weather: Warm, cloudy, light drizzle at times. No winds. Complete whiteout (less than 50m visibility) above 600m. Clearer towards the end of the route.

Route Description: This is one of my favorite routes in Ireland. It passes over the 3 highest peaks in the island, and the Beenkeragh ridge is probably one of the most exposed in Ireland. I've followed the route description in the "Carrauntoohil & MacGillycuddy's Reeks" guide from Jim Ryan. I parked at V772871, right at the bend from where the Hydro Road track starts. From there it's a steep climb to Lough Eighter. People follow different routes at this point, I have simply climbed northeast along the spur that leads to Skregmore. From there it's a straightforward route to the top of Beenkeragh (1,010m). This is where the fun starts then. The knife-edge ridge between Beenkeragh and Carrauntoohil is about 1km long, with some great views into the gullies on the north side and the lakes to the southwest. Pray for a clear day - otherwise think twice whether you should proceed. From the top of Carrauntoohil (1,040m) I descended to the southwest and then climbed up the ridge towards Caher (1,001m). Then it's all downhill northwest aiming at arriving back at Lough Eighter, and back down via the same route.

Duration: 5.5 hours
Distance: 12km
Total Ascent: 1,200m

Errisbeg

Date: 06/06/2010

Area: Errisbeg, Connemara, Ireland

Maps used: OSI Sheet 44

Weather: Warm and bright all the time, windy near the top

Route Description: This is an easy walk if you are in Roundstone. Started from the town centre at L723402 and followed the road west until it becomes a track and eventually fades into the hills. Kept going all the way until reaching the top of Errisbeg (300m). Descended via the same route.

Duration: 2.5 hours
Distance: 5km
Total Elevation: 300m

Stob Ban

Date: 21/02/2010
Area: Stob Ban, Scotland
Maps used: OS Sheet 41
Weather: Very cold, sunny all the time, 0.5ft+ of snow

Route Description: Started from the car park up on Glen Nevis (NN146684). From the car park, followed a route directly south, climbing the spur that leads to Stob Ban (note this is not the track present in the OS map, which leads slightly southeast). We've climbed directly from the north spur that extends for over a kilometer all the way down, but there are numerous and more interesting routes if you are coming from the northeast face. After reaching the summit at 999m (after some simple scrambling), we descended to a col at NN146658 and then proceeded west along the ridge that winds southwest to a 917m summit (NN131655) and then northwest to Mullach nan Coirean (939m). Continued descending along the spur to the north and then turned northeast towards the forest, eventually joining the forest track that leads back to the road and to the car park. This is a great horseshoe climb, with stunning views of Ben Nevis on a bright day.

Duration: 7 hours
Distance: 10.5km
Total Ascent: 1,075m

Ben Nevis

Date: 20/02/2010
Area: Ben Nevis, Scotland
Maps used: OS Sheet 41
Weather: Very cold, sunny and bright all the time, 1.5ft+ of snow

Route Description: Started early on from the north face car park at NN145765. The forest track from the car park is steep and tough, but after about half an hour you are out of the woods and at the upper car park where crossing the fence gets you to the start of the CIC hut track (NN149750). Walked all the way up to the CIC hut. From here there are numerous routes up Ben Nevis - the north face is like a climbing playground.  It was my first time here and I wanted to get to the top, so went with the easy route up Core Leis. So from the CIC hut continued southeast towards the col more or less at NN175714. The last section up the coire probably involves some grade I climbing - we went for a tiny gully which was covered in rock-hard ice, so in fairness probably some grade II. From the col, turned right towards the summit of Ben Nevis. This was easy going up as the weather was bright and one could see everything, but this can be dangerous terrain in whiteout conditions - watch out for the cliffs to the north. Got to the summit and then descended towards the famous Red Burn track, the easiest way out of Ben Nevis (in good visibility - look for the classic bearings in case of poor visibility). Descended clockwise along the mountain until joining the CIC hut track once more, then back to the car park.

Duration: 8 hours
Distance: 15km
Total Ascent: 1,294m

Stob Coire nan Lochan

Date: 19/02/2010
Area: Stob Coire nan Lochan, Scotland
Maps used: OS Sheet 41
Weather: Very cold, sunny most of the time, 1ft+ of snow

Route Description: Started from the car park below the Three Sisters in Glen Coe (NN168569). Followed the trail up Coire Nan Lochan (southwest), which was very icy from as low as 500m. About 250m before reaching the three lakes in the plateau, took a left turn (south) towards the east ridge of Stob Coire nan Lochan. Climbed the ridge from east to west until reaching the summit at 1,115m. Descended via the other side, moving northwest and then north, clockwise along the winding west ridge, until reaching the three lakes plateau again. Descended back to the car park via the Coire nan Lochan trail.

This is an easy climb but still very pleasant. I would like to go back and attempt some of the classic routes on the north face of Stob Coire nan Lochan, like Boomerang Gully, Twisting Gully or SC Gully (see "Winter Climbs Ben Nevis and Glen Coe", from Cicerone).

Duration: 6 hours
Distance: 7.8km
Total Ascent: 915m

Aonach Mor

This was my first time climbing in Scotland, so I was very excited about it. Luckily enough, the weather was fantastic for the entire week, with loads of snow from low altitudes. Had a great time climbing some of the classic Scottish routes.
 
Date: 18/02/2010
Area: Aonach Mor, Scotland
Maps used: OS Sheet 41
Weather: Very cold, sunny most of the time, with low clouds near the top, 1ft+ of snow

Route Description: Started from the Ski Centre car park (NN172773). Took the first gondola up (650m) and then headed east for about 1km. Took a right turn (south) after that and started climbing towards Aonach an Nid. Headed south-southwest climbing up towards Aonach Mor until about NN192740 (1190m). Turned right and started descending clockwise around the ski slopes until getting to the gondola station. Got the lift back down to the valley.

Duration: 3 hours
Distance: 5km
Total Ascent: 540m