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Dunmore Head, Culdaff, Co. Donegal. 24th August 2000. What a contrast from last week's weather. Who cares that we've been here 73 times this year, when the weather is this good and the climbing is superlative, can you beat it? Rodders, Seamus Gallagher, Chris Ryan, Alan Tees and me (Pete Smith) met up after work and headed off for the old favourite crag. Spirits were high because the sun was shining. No-one was disappointed. Rodders started off with a little warm-up, Master of Puppets HVS 5b. His intended second route was an E3, but that never quite came off! I followed him up whilst Chris achieved his FIRST EVER LEAD! Well done, congratulations and a big shake of the hand for that man! It was SRS Slab VD, but Chris wasn't happy to stop there - he went round the corner and led his second route. Seamus followed Chris up SRS, and then they both followed me up Beanbob VS. Alan, meanwhile, did some cleaning and Rodders had a rest. Next, I nagged Rodders until he led a route. His choice was Shining Cossacks HVS 5a, which he did in such an unusual way, I reckon he made it 5c. I was happy enough to follow him in the tried and tested 5a manner. That was about it, really. There was darkness in abundance by 9pm so we went to the pub and sank a few. Rodders was worried about his fairy godmother and dragged Alan away after one beer; we stayed on for the second and still got home by about 11pm. |