So the Gap meet arises out of the ashes. I was keen to go to the meet this year as it would make getting photos and guide information a lot easier. Richard Creagh took up the reigns and liaised with Con. There was plans for Con to give a talk about the history of the climbing in the Gap which would of been really interesting but unfortunately that didn’t happen.

As the forecast was great for Friday and Saturday and shit for Sunday I decided to head down early to take advantage. After a early start I was in the Gap at 12. It was windy and sunny and there was already a good few climbers around. My goals were threefold get some topo shots, take some good action shots and climb some routes. I walked up to Carraig Ceanna and met Richard and Damo. I seconded Ferdia HVS 5a a nice steep, if a little awkward line up the chimney.

We then moved onto the Main Face where I dangled for hours in my harness taking photos, I got a few decent shots and hundreds to terrible blurred photos of my legs. Not so easy taking shots from an ab rope. The lads climbed Out of My Reach HVS which looks brilliant, Eoin Kennedy cruised The Overlap E3 and Richard led Demasiado E1 which I seconded. All the routes on the Main Face are long, steep and a little pumpy. I got up Demasiado with a bit of grunty and seriously burning forearms.

Next we moved over to Poirse Gully where I lead the first pitch of Echo Beach, a rather short and not very interesting pitch. Richard then led P2 of Sundogs, I followed and had to sit on the rope after pumping out removing some of the gear. Good steep climbing with a tricky crux. At this stage it was eight in the evening and we headed back to the car.

I headed back to the campsite put up my tent and ate the sloped off to Kate’s with Ped, when we got back the Dublin bus had finally arrived and the campsite was pretty full. There was a fire and a dozen or so standing around it.

Next morning Ped, Joe and I did Bimbo Limbo on High Buttress, lovely climb with an easy P1 and a nice exposed finish on P2. Watched birthday boy Dave Ayton cruise up Air Time E5. Next I led Peregrine which tackles the chimney cave on the right hand side of Poirse Gully. Brilliant 3D climbing, loved it. Joe then led P2 of Echo Beach E1, he had no problems but I found it rock hard. I could  barely hang on where he fiddled in gear (it’s E2 on the Wiki).

Next I led Kestrel VS which was ok, nothing to get too excited about. Joe then led Púncánach and took a nice whipper from the last move. Last route of the day was Mother of Prague down on Rescue Rock, which was nice but didn’t feel particularly E1 to me.

I then hit and the road, apparently there was a good crowd at the campfire on Saturday night and the rain cleared after a few hours on Sunday and there was plenty of climbing down. Thanks to Richard for organising.