Any wild camping climbing meet, to succeed, has a better chance in good weather.

We had that, this MayDay Bank Holiday Weekend 2025 in Malinbeg in Donegal.  It was wall to wall blue skies the entire weekend.  Add in it was a famous CCC (Colmcille Climbing Club ) Climbfest event so that there were climbers of all sorts and shapes and sizes everywhere, an eclectic lot to handle our gamey gang of a dozen or so IMC types, all important portaloos so the wild camping was a tiny bit tamed, a book launch (the 100 Best Classic Ulster Routes), craic, trumpets, and bonfires.

After all that there is the Malinbeg scenery, the solid rock, the good protection, and more V.Diffs than you could shake a stick at.  I believe that those seeking harder routes found them too.  But I have a sense that the best part of this past weekend was the promotion of everyone’s skillset, the beginners, improvers, aspirant leaders, switchers to trad, and elder lemons conquering old fears (me, personally, I admit, I slayed a dragon).  Really good “club” stuff.

We are a competent lot.  I gave a “know your crag” walk / talk first thing Saturday morning, and that was that.  Nobody came back looking for further directions that day, the day after, or the day after that.  Everyone found a home, a willing partner, a mentor, whatever they needed.  Special mention maybe to John Mansfield.  I believe I never saw anyone without a smile on their face the weekend long.

Historical Note.  Jimmy Leonard, then a landscape artist, spotted this crag late 1960s, and later when he took up climbing, as IMC Meets Secretary 1973/1974, brought climbers to this crag.  Thank you Jimmy.  We all owe you