UKH

I'm currently planning my summer Hols and I was wondering about an Irish road trip.  However.... I've got very specific requirements.  I'm going with my wife who is a very competent climber, generally lovlely and would be a completely perfect human if she would second me on routes harder than VS. Alas I like stuff in the E1 to E4 grade (that i can clean on absail), so no multipitch, no hanging belays, no abbing into cliffs without easy escape routes, so I guess half of the Burran is out and I'm not sure Fairhead would be a goer. 

So us there enough quality stuff to make a trip worthwhile? Any recommendations?

Also happy for recommendations for classic easer mountain routes.

Thanks!

I've climbed a couple of times on the Burren. There is plenty of stuff at both of your grades at the left end of Ailladie (Burren, Co. Clare) that isn't tidal and can be abbed. Plus there are some nice inland crags that are almost all single pitch. I've done at least one VS on Fair Head and there is plenty of single pitch there too.

Cheers, the Burren is definitely on the agenda (from what I've read on the articles on here). But I get the impression the access at Fairhead is a bit off a faff with either awkward sketchy gullies or big absails?  I would love to go as it sounds awsome, but perhaps with a different partner. I have actually visited on a cold November day some years ago as I was working in the area. The crag looked so cold dark and foreboding I vowed never to return!

I've been twice to Fairhead both times in summer and it felt 'foreboding'. It has a north face atmosphere (most of it is north facing I think). It's a bit like a mountain crag just above the sea. It's decades since I've been to Ireland but I'm sure there must be lots more stuff to go at nowadays. I've also caved in Fermanagh and the Burren and can vouch for the quality if that's your scene as well. Another place I recall was good is Malinbeg in Donegal. We went for a walk up to Lough Belshade but the midges and weather forced us away.

If you arrive by boat at Dun Laoghaire, Dalkey Quarry is close and has plenty to go at in both grade ranges.

https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/dalkey_quarry-2337/

Further south, Glendalough is beautiful with lots of trad and bouldering (only did the latter, can’t comment on routes)

https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/glendalough_ireland-1309/

I was there decades ago so can’t give you up to date info.

Second what others said about The Burren and Glendalough. Pretty much everything North of the Mirror Wall at the Burren (i.e., Dancing Ledges and Arran Wall area) is non tidal, and you can walk to the base (but quicker to just set up an abseil and leave it in place for the day). Dalkey has some great climbing across the grades, but would probably recommend some of the other spots instead, if only because you're still in a city park for Dalkey- albeit it does have beautiful views across the Bay

The Prow area is all single pitch at Fairhead and the easiest access/lowest intimidation, definitely worth going. It's the closest part to the carpark, routes mostly ~30m. The gully down is fine- not really sketchy, it just takes a bit longer. There's a couple of quality VS routes (Fence and Black Thief) that would be a much more fun way out. There are a couple of multipitch VS (Girona, Taoiseach) beside the descent gully with nice ledges for the belays too...

Kerry and The Mournes are two areas that would also have a decent amount of single pitch crags with a good spread of grades.

For the mournes- Lower Cove is about an hour walk in and has a good spread grade wise, and  Pigeon Rock is 10 minutes from the road. 

Dunshean Head in Kerry is a beautiful spot on a sunny day- ab in or scramble down (easy VDiff). Just make sure to give the farmer a call and bring a bit of cash as he lets people park in his yard- phone number for him should be on the UKC page.

Gap of Dunloe is also class and definitely recommend, beautiful sandstone, selection of crags and grades and mostly 1-2 pitches- often bolts to ab off the top, and most of the two pitchers can be stretched into one...

For easier mountain routes- you've a classic in each province- FM (VD) in the Mournes, Great Gully Ridge (HS 4b) in Wicklow (next valley over from Glendalough, has some single pitch on the sidewall of the gully too), Howling Ridge (Summer) (VD) in Kerry and Carrot Ridge (D) in Galway. Probably recommend Howling and FM as they're close to other climbing areas (Dunloe and Lower Cove respectively) You've also got Sport Climbing on the Arran Islands.

In Donegal, Muckross Head is a must visit, just to experience the insanity both of the routes and route names (think VS with a 2m roof...!)- plus a 2 minute walk in. Gola Island is lovely as well, even if you never got to climb, nice place to be for a day or two.

In short...yes, plenty to go at! Would recommend getting Dave Flanagan's Rock Climbing in Ireland guidebook, it's the only book you'd need really. Happy to give specific route recommendations too, but figured this is long enough already (haha haven't been climbing back home in over a year, so your post got me psyched thinking back on a few places, hence the length!!).

Amazing, thanks for the detailed post, much appreciated. Shall put the guidebook on my shopping list (I was waiting until I'd decided it was a goer)

No worries- if you happen to be based anywhere need Edinburgh you're more than welcome to borrow my copy for research/psyche purposes, or for the trip itself.

Glendalough is lovely, the trad is good and felt well graded on the VSs I played on. It is multipitch but they're reasonably short pitches and possibly doable in oners if you're on 60s (do check that out though to confirm!). Chain anchors at the top of the popular stuff so ebbing off and cleaning is easy enough.