Cliff Hanging



Carrot Ridge (Longest rock climb in Ireland)

Setting off at 4 in the morning I once again headed for the beauty of the Twelve Bens, leaving the car in the same place as I usually leave it for an  ascent of Benbaun I headed out towards the valley surrounded by the horseshoe upon which Benbaun sat.
It was a beautifully clear crisp day and as soon as I entered the valley I could see the rising sun lighting up the tip of Carrot Ridge and the white quartz shining at the bottom of the climb. I headed out across the marshy planes entrenched within the horseshoe, after a short while the ground began to rise and to become more and more rocky as I made my way towards the white quartz bottom which was to be the beginning of my climb.


route up towards the white quartz bottom of the climb

At this stage the day had all but fully began the sun was shining in the valley but in the distance a dark cloud formation was making its way towards me, which I assumed would break over me at around about lunch time.
Having crested the small ridge before the straight road towards the climb I flew towards the bottom reaching the ridge at half 7 that morning. I had something quick to eat and prepared for the climb and at 8 o clock I set off up the ridge.
Although not the steepest the ridge proved to be fairly technical and without ropes or harnesses I had to rely on my own hands and skill, the start of the climb required a lot of vertical climbing and a shimmy to the right along a ledge towards a flat space where an assault on the rest of the climb could be made.
it was a fantastic feeling, finding different holds in the surface of the rock and climbing higher and higher, all the while knowing that a small slip up could be potentially disastrous, the weather remained immaculate as I climbed a slights wind had picked up and the dark clouds were beginning to role in, towards me but at this moment in time the weather was perfect and so I pushed on towards the top of the ridge at a high pace.

 

The top of the climb sways towards the right and I found myself towards the end of the climb going sideways and upwards with the sway of the ridge, by this stage my fingers were beginning to tire and grow sore, it was almost quarter to ten in the morning I had been climbing for well over an hour, I reached the very tip of Carrot Ridge at ten o clock that morning.

As I turned around to stare at my surroundings, while the final rays of morning sun still remained, I was in awe the bright pink of the sky contrasted sharply with the blackness of the skyline piercing mountains, the valley below looked even greener with the small white dots of sheep covering the landscape.

I made the small remaining ascent up to Binn an Tsaighdiura and sat for something to eat, it was a great morning and it was only as I began to make the decent down the scree slopes beside the ridge that the rain began to fall.

Having reached the bottom of the slope I made my way across the valley and home.