(by Gerry Moss, June 2012)
A pleasant day’s climbing at Ardmore.
With the weathermen giving the thumbs down for climbing on Saturday in Glendalough, and having already made our contribution on the first beginners’ weekend, we decided to escape the east coast and head down to Ardmore in Waterford, where more favourable conditions were promised. Mind you, driving down through the steady rain early Saturday morning, it looked like we were pushing our luck.
But Ardmore came through, as per usual, with the rain clearing off just before we arrived, and it turned into a very pleasant day, with such good sunny spells that one could almost be lulled into thinking that summer had arrived at last.
We abbed in to the foot of Ardmore Head and did a few routes, and Joe, on his first visit to this particular spot, added another one to the pot – a nice, delicate slab climb.
Although the winds were light, the sea, in the aftermath of two stormy days, was running a heavy swell, leading to some spectacular sights and sounds as the waves thundered against the cliffs. But the rock below the Tea Flag was dry as snuff, a pleasure to climb on, and Niamh took advantage of the good conditions to notch up a few leads.
A grand day out, and no rainwear needed.
