(by Gerry Moss, May 2010)
A day on the sandstone sea-cliffs of Ardmore.
Having sampled the delights of the Mournes the previous Saturday, this time we elected for a trip down south to the seacliffs of Ardmore.
For Barry and Padraic it was a first taste of the delights of these sandstone cliffs, so we concentrated on some of our favourite areas. The violent seastorms of last November had swept away a couple of climbs but, thankfully, the delectable corner of "By Memory Inspired" was still intact and as enjoyable as ever.
Then, it was on to Basecamp Buttress, where Padraic tackled the delicate traverse on "The Mason’s Apron" with poise and aplomb.
We watched with bated breath as he made the airy moves, and the tension can be judged by the way Joe is clutching nervously at his nuts.
Every cripple has his own way of walking, and every climber his or her own way of proceeding. But it has to be admitted that being on the short side can sometimes make life more difficult.
Finally, we visited The Capstone Buttress, an area that can be approached either by abseil or back-climbing, two skills essential for would-be alpinists.
With the Lake District Meet drawing ever nearer, everyone was keen to get in a few leads, and why not?
Finally, I’m happy to report that, unlike last week, the boring job of checking participants for clean underwear before allowing them back into the car went without incident.
