Crag features

The crags surrounding Lough Belshade in the centre of the Blue Stack Mts provide excellent climbing in beautiful surroundings. The routes are, almost without exception, on sound granite and well spread across the grades although the long routes on the main face of Belshade Buttress are all HVS and above. There is still plenty of scope for development. Friends are almost essential for protection on most routes.

From left to right: Belshade Buttress - by far the largest and containing very fine routes up to 90m in length. Two Tier Buttress on the right flank, consists of two short walls each characterised by a diagonal crack line running up its centre from left to right. Red Wall - below and slightly left of Two- Tier Buttress. This crag is a smooth rightwards facing slab giving fine climbing with no protection. Beyond this is a steep grass and rock outcrops through which descent can be made from the top of the main crag. To the right again is a stream and then a group of three crags one above the other. These are, from the bottom to the top, Blaeberry Crag, The High Crag and last of all The Very High Crag. All provide good one pitch routes on clean rock.

Map ref: G975901